Person:Robert De Vaux (16)

Descendants of Robert De VAUX I

Generation No. 1

Robert De VAUX I was born Abt. 1035.

Child of Robert De VAUX I is:

Harold De VAUX, born Abt. 1065 in Pentney, England.

Generation No. 2

Harold De VAUX was born Abt. 1065 in Pentney, England. He married UNK. De MUNCHENSI, daughter of Hubert De MUNCHENSI. She was born Abt. 1065.

Children of Harold De VAUX and UNK. De MUNCHENSI are:

Robert De VAUX ll. Hubert De VAUX.

Generation No. 3

Robert De VAUX ll He married Agnes Fitz WALTERS, daughter of Ralph WALTERS and Matilda De LANGETOT. She was born Abt. 1090 in Normandy, France.

Child of Robert ll and Agnes WALTERS is:

William De VAUX, born Abt. 1120 in Pentney, England; died Aft. 1150.

Generation No. 4

William De VAUX was born Abt. 1120 in Pentney, England, and died Aft. 1150.

Child of William De VAUX is:

Robert De VAUX III, born Abt. 1150 in Pentney, England; died Aft. 1190.

Generation No. 5

Robert De VAUX III was born Abt. 1150 in Pentney, England, and died Aft. 1190.

Children of Robert De VAUX III are:

Harold De VAUX. Oliver De VAUX.

Generation No. 6

Harold De VAUX

Child of Harold De VAUX is:

Rundolph De VAUX, born Abt. 1205.

Generation No. 7

Rundolph De VAUX was born Abt. 1205.

Child of Rundolph De VAUX is:

Phillip De VAUX, born Abt. 1230.

Generation No. 8

Phillip De VAUX was born Abt. 1230. He married Elizabeth COMYN, daughter of Rundolph De VAUX.

Child of Phillip De VAUX and Elizabeth COMYN is:

Johannes De VAUX, born Abt. 1255.

Generation No. 9

Johannes De VAUX was born Abt. 1255.

Child of Johannes De VAUX is:

Alexander1De VAUX, born Abt. 1280.

Generation No. 10

Alexander De VAUX was born Abt. 1280.

Child of Alexander De VAUX is:

Johannes De VAUX, born Abt. 1305.

Generation No. 11

Johannes De VAUX was born Abt. 1305.

Child of Johannes De VAUX is:

William DE VAUX, born Abt. 1330 in Dirleton, Scotland; died Abt. 1364.

Generation No. 12

William DE VAUX was born Abt. 1330 in Dirleton, Scotland, and died Abt. 1364. He married Catherine DOUGLAS.

Child of William DE VAUX and Catherine DOUGLAS is:

Johanne VANS.

Generation No. 13

Johanne VANS He married Elizabeth KENNEDY.

Child of Johanne VANS and Elizabeth KENNEDY is:

Robert VANS, born Abt. 1380 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland; died Abt. 1459 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland.

Generation No. 14

Robert VANS was born Abt. 1380 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland, and died Abt. 1459 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland. He married Euphemis GRAHAM, daughter of Malise GRAHAM and Marion CAMPBELL. She was born Abt. 1385, and died Abt. 1459.

Child of Robert VANS and Euphemis GRAHAM is:

Blaize VANS, born Bef. 1424 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland; died February 26, 1480/81 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland.

Generation No. 15

Blaize VANS was born Bef. 1424 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland, and died February 26, 1480/81 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland. He married Elizabeth STABOS.

Child of Blaize VANS and Elizabeth STABOS is:

Patrick VANS, born Bef. 1464 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland; died Abt. 1528.

Generation No. 16

Patrick VANS was born Bef. 1464 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland, and died Abt. 1528. He married Mary KENNEDY, daughter of John KENNEDY and Elizabeth MONTGOMERIE. She was born Aft. 1458, and died Abt. 1510.

Children of Patrick VANS and Mary KENNEDY are:

Alexander VANS, born Aft. 1478 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland. John VANS.

Generation No. 17

Alexander VANS was born Aft. 1478 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland.

Children of Alexander VANS are:

Patrick VANCE, born Aft. 1496 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland; died December 22, 1597 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland. Alexander VANCE.

Generation No. 18

Patrick VANCE was born Aft. 1496 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland, and died December 22, 1597 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland. He married (1) Catherine KENNEDY, daughter of Gilbert KENNEDY. He married (2) Margaret KENNEDY, daughter of Gilbert KENNEDY.

Child of Patrick VANCE and Catherine KENNEDY is:

John Vans VANCE, born 1574 in Garthland, Ireland; died Abt. 1642.

Generation No. 19

John Vans VANCE was born 1574 in Garthland, Ireland, and died Abt. 1642. He married Margaret McDowell Abt. 1616 in Donegal, County Donegal, Ireland, daughter of Uchtred McDowell and Margaret Kennedy. She was born Abt. 1580.

Child of John VANCE and Margaret McDowell is:

John Vans VANCE, born Abt. 1596 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland; died July 1662.

Generation No. 20

John Vans VANCE was born Abt. 1596 in Barnbarroch, Wigtonshire, Scotland, and died July 1662. He married Elizabeth McDowell. She was born Bef. 1605.

Child of John VANCE and Elizabeth McDowell is:

Lancelot VANCE, born 1625 in Ireland; died 1688 in Ireland (Seige of Londonberry, Ireland).

Generation No. 21

Lancelot VANCE was born 1625 in Ireland, and died 1688 in Ireland (Seige of Londonberry, Ireland). He married Agnes REINEY, daughter of Ashe REINEY. She was born 1635 in Londonberry, County Derry, Ireland, and died 1690.

Child of Lancelot VANCE and Agnes REINEY is:

John VANCE, born 1650 in Coagh, Ireland; died 1710 in Ireland.

Generation No. 22

John VANCE was born 1650 in Coagh, Ireland, and died 1710 in Ireland. He married Mary Elizabeth WILLIAMSON. She was born 1630 in Ireland, and died 1710.

Children of John VANCE and Mary WILLIAMSON are:

Andrew VANCE, born 1666 in Ireland; died 1740 in Fredrick Co., VA. Elizabeth VANCE.

Generation No. 23

Andrew VANCE was born 1666 in Ireland, and died 1740 in Fredrick Co., VA. He married (1) Jane HOAG. He married (2) Susan THORN.

Children of Andrew VANCE and Jane HOAG are:

Ephraim VANCE, born 1715 in NC; died 1790 in Nc. Johna VANCE. Andrew VANCE ll. Alexander VANCE. Ann VANCE. David VANCE. John VANCE.

Child of Andrew VANCE and Susan THORN is:

Samuel VANCE.

Generation No. 24

Ephraim VANCE was born 1715 in NC, and died 1790 in Nc. He married Theodosia HEWLINGS 1735, daughter of Jacob HEWLINGS and Dorothy EVES. She was born 1721 in New Jersey, and died 1760.

Children of Ephraim VANCE and Theodosia HEWLINGS are:

Abner VANCE, born Abt. 1760. Elizabeth VANCE. Levi VANCE, born 1734. Thomas VANCE, born 1736. Alexander VANCE, born 1737.

Generation No. 25

Abner VANCE was born Abt. 1760. He married Susannah HOWARD, daughter of Abrahan HOWARD and Jane HOWARD. She was born Abt. 1767.

Children of Abner VANCE and Susannah HOWARD are:

Richard David VANCE, born 1792. William H. Vance, born 1789. Died 5-17-1853. Married Nancy Burnsides James Vance Born ?. Married Barbara Miller Milly Vance born 1796 Married James Brown. born 1792 Sarah Vance born 1811 Married John McCloud. born 1803 Minerva Vance born 1812 Married John Dempsey born 1797 Tabitha VANCE, born 1782. Abner VANCE Jr., born 1796. He married Jane PERRY; born 1807. Elizabeth VANCE, born 1794. John VANCE, born 1780. He married Hannah RADER; born 1794. Alena VANCE, born 1791. She married Joseph DEMPSEY; born 1799. Nancy VANCE, born 1813. She married Ephriam HATFIELD; born 1811. Isobel VANCE, born 1815. She married John HATFIELD; born 1813.

Generation No. 26

Richard David VANCE was born 1792. He married Mary Ann SIMMS, daughter of Mary SiMMS. She was born 1792.

Child of Richard VANCE and Mary SIMMS is:

Richard A. VANCE, born 1817.

Tabitha VANCE was born 1782. She married Francis BROWNING. He was born 1781, and died December 29, 1858.

Child of Tabitha VANCE and Francis BROWNING is:

Matilda BROWNING, born 1822.

Generation No. 27

Richard A. VANCE was born 1817. He married Matilda BROWNING, daughter of Francis BROWNING and Tabitha VANCE. She was born 1822.

Child of Richard VANCE and Matilda BROWNING is:

Lewis VANCE, born 1840 in Logan County, West Va..

Matilda BROWNING was born 1822. She married Richard A. VANCE, son of Richard VANCE and Mary SIMMS. He was born 1817.

Child is listed above under Richard A. VANCE.

Generation No. 28

Lewis VANCE was born 1840 in Logan County, West Va.. He married Penelope PHILLIPS August 11, 1853 in Logan Co., West Va., daughter of Henry PHILLIPS and Mary BROWNING.

Children of Lewis VANCE and Penelope PHILLIPS are:

Daniel P. VANCE, born 1859 in Logan Co., West Va.. Pricie A. VANCE, born 1862 in Logan Co., West Va.. Abner VANCE, born June 15, 1864 in West Virginia (Logan County); died February 6, 1944.

Generation No. 29

Abner VANCE was born June 15, 1864 in West Virginia (Logan County), and died February 6, 1944. He married Elzora STREET, daughter of Carter STREET and Lydia HUGHES. She was born October 9, 1888 in Magnetic City, N.C. (Buladean) (Mitchell), and died February 22, 1969.

Children of Abner VANCE and Elzora STREET are:

Howard Herman VANCE, born February 29, 1908 in Buladean, N.C. (Mitchell); died January 20, 1990. He married Harvey Mae BRIGGS. Ethel Robina VANCE, born November 22, 1909 in Morgantown, W.Va. (Greenbriar); died February 25, 1987 in Buried in the Swingle Cemetery in Unicoi.. Homer Caswell VANCE, born February 3, 1912 in Buladean, N.C. (Mitchell); died September 12, 1985. He married Jane AKERS. Myrtle Revonda VANCE, born February 7, 1914 in Buladean, N.C. (Mitchell); died May 1992 in Gray, TN (Washington Co.). Martha Elzora VANCE, born June 12, 1915 in Hickey Fork, N.C.; died January 27, 1990 in Buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Erwin... She married Dallas HENSLEY. Floyd Edward VANCE, born April 13, 1919 in Carmen, N.C.; died January 4, 1976 in Buried in Buladean, NC. Nellie Pauline VANCE, born November 7, 1922 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi).

Generation No. 30

Ethel Robina VANCE was born November 22, 1909 in Morgantown, W.Va. (Greenbriar), and died February 25, 1987 in Buried in the Swingle Cemetery in Unicoi.. She married Lester Frazier HOWELL January 1938, son of Samuel HOWELL and Mary HEDRICK. He was born July 18, 1910 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi), and died February 20, 1990.

Children of Ethel VANCE and Lester HOWELL are:

Robert Allen HOWELL, born November 28, 1940 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Dorra Jean BRADLEY April 6, 1963; born April 16, 1942 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). Michael Scott HOWELL, born April 3, 1942 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Margaret Patton LOGAN.

Myrtle Revonda VANCE was born February 7, 1914 in Buladean, N.C. (Mitchell), and died May 1992 in Gray, TN (Washington Co.). She married Dayton Webb NORTON May 4, 1934, son of Alfred NORTON and Mary GILLIS. He was born January 5, 1909 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi), and died July 8, 1980 in Johnson City, Tenn..

Children of Myrtle VANCE and Dayton NORTON are:

Mary Elzora NORTON, born January 7, 1935 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi). She married John Joseph GORDON, Jr. July 28, 1961; born April 10, 1924. Lawrence Webb NORTON, born September 29, 1936 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). Donald Lee NORTON, born November 22, 1937 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Patricia Ann HAMPTON September 14, 1960; born August 25, 1939 in East Liverpool, Ohio. Fredrick James NORTON, born December 1, 1941 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). He married Janice Lee SMITH April 13, 1969; born May 22, 1948 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). Ronald Dwight NORTON, born December 28, 1944 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan); died December 31, 1944 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). Wanda Carol NORTON, born November 8, 1946 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). She married Wallace Clyde HICKS April 17, 1965; born May 6, 1941 in Elk Park, N.C.. Thomas Gordon NORTON, born June 23, 1948 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan); died December 19, 1991 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan) Buried - Mt. Home Veterans Cem. (Johnson City, TN). Phyllis Marie NORTON, born June 23, 1950 in Kingsport, TN (Sullivan). She married Dwight Warren ROBERTS February 14, 1981 in 119 Hale Drive in Gray, Tn.; born October 24, 1944 in Kingsport, TN (Sullivan). Sandra Elizabeth NORTON, born August 17, 1954 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). She married Walter Jerald TITTLE April 14, 1973; born December 8, 1946 in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash).

Floyd Edward VANCE was born April 13, 1919 in Carmen, N.C., and died January 4, 1976 in Buried in Buladean, NC. He married Hettie Elaine BAILEY.

Child of Floyd VANCE and Hettie BAILEY is:

Pat VANCE. She married ? DOUGLAS.

Nellie Pauline VANCE was born November 7, 1922 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi). She married Dan Ernest DALTON November 28, 1945, son of Ernest DALTON and Theresa MORARITY. He was born May 16, 1923 in Mitchell, Ind. (Lawrence).

Children of Nellie VANCE and Dan DALTON are:

Kay Diane DALTON, born November 14, 1946 in Muncie, Ind. (Deleware). She married Robert Odell RIDER. Ronald Daniel DALTON, born August 22, 1948 in Muncie, Ind. (Deleware). He married Carolyn GREGORY. Thomas Edward DALTON, born July 5, 1951 in Muncie, Ind (Deleware). Lawrence Joseph DALTON, born February 16, 1953 in Muncie, Ind. (Deleware). He married Darlene REED. Gregory Paul DALTON, born December 14, 1956 in Muncie, Ind (Deleware). He married Connie GREGORY.

Generation No. 31

      74. Robert Allen HOWELL was born November 28, 1940 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Dorra Jean BRADLEY April 6, 1963, daughter of Ruth BRADLEY. She was born April 16, 1942 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi).
      

Children of Robert HOWELL and Dorra BRADLEY are:

Diana Scott HOWELL, born in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash). Robert Lester HOWELL, born in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash). Marian Ethel HOWELL, born in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash).

      75. Michael Scott HOWELL was born April 3, 1942 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Margaret Patton LOGAN, daughter of W.H. LOGAN and Margaret PATTON.
      

Children of Michael HOWELL and Margaret LOGAN are:

Jon Markland HOWELL, born July 13, 1964 in Goldsboro, N.C.. Mathew Huston HOWELL, born October 9, 1966 in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash).

      76. Mary Elzora NORTON was born January 7, 1935 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi). She married John Joseph GORDON, Jr. July 28, 1961, son of John GORDON and Mary O'HOLLORAN. He was born April 10, 1924.
      

Child of Mary NORTON and John GORDON is:

Patrick William GORDON, born January 28, 1963 in Patrick AFB (Florida). He married Sherri SOULIER

                           August 17, 1985 in Tyndall AFB (Florida); born September 14, 1965 in Maine.

      78. Donald Lee NORTON was born November 22, 1937 in Flag Pond, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Patricia Ann HAMPTON September 14, 1960, daughter of John HAMPTON and Rosezetta BAILEY. She was born August 25, 1939 in East Liverpool, Ohio.
      

Children of Donald NORTON and Patricia HAMPTON are:

Donna Lea NORTON, born July 6, 1961 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). Jeffery Allen NORTON, born September 7, 1962 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi).

      79. Fredrick James NORTON was born December 1, 1941 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). He married Janice Lee SMITH April 13, 1969, daughter of Howard SMITH and Kathleen WHITE. She was born May 22, 1948 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan).
      

Child of Fredrick NORTON and Janice SMITH is:

Angela Nichole NORTON, born November 30, 1971 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan).

      81. Wanda Carol NORTON was born November 8, 1946 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). She married Wallace Clyde HICKS April 17, 1965. He was born May 6, 1941 in Elk Park, N.C..
      

Children of Wanda NORTON and Wallace HICKS are:

Holly Renea HICKS, born June 14, 1972 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). Stacey Craig HICKS, born February 17, 1976 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan).

      83. Phyllis Marie NORTON was born June 23, 1950 in Kingsport, TN (Sullivan). She married Dwight Warren ROBERTS February 14, 1981 in 119 Hale Drive in Gray, Tn., son of James ROBERTS and Euna TURNER. He was born October 24, 1944 in Kingsport, TN (Sullivan).
      

Children of Phyllis NORTON and Dwight ROBERTS are:

Travis Scott ROBERTS, born June 1, 1976 in Johnson City, TN (Washington Co.). He married April Christina ARMENTROUT August 7, 1999 in Johncon City, TN; born May 1976 in Greensboro, NC. Linsey Brooke ROBERTS, born August 14, 1982 in Johnson City, TN (Washington Co.). Colton Thomas ROBERTS, born September 22, 1999 in Kingsport, TN (Sullivan County); Adopted child.

      84. Sandra Elizabeth NORTON was born August 17, 1954 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). She married Walter Jerald TITTLE April 14, 1973, son of Walter TITTLE and Joy BARRY. He was born December 8, 1946 in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash).
      

Children of Sandra NORTON and Walter TITTLE are:

Erik Jerald TITTLE, born January 19, 1979 in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash). Erin Elizabeth TITTLE, born December 18, 1981 in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash).

Generation No. 32

      97. Donna Lea NORTON was born July 6, 1961 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). She married (1) Charles Allen JONES June 15, 1980, son of Charles JONES and Velva WATSON. He was born June 5, 1959 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). She married (2) Cona Gene CARDEN October 16, 1992 in Erwin, TN.
      

Children of Donna NORTON and Charles JONES are:

Makenna Elise JONES, born June 22, 1983 in Anchorage, Alaska. Calen Doran JONES, born January 16, 1985 in Anchorage, Alaska.

      98. Jeffery Allen NORTON was born September 7, 1962 in Erwin, Tenn. (Unicoi). He married Nancy LOVE.
      

Children of Jeffery NORTON and Nancy LOVE are:

Jeffery Allen NORTON, born September 14, 1986. Jamie Lee NORTON, born February 6, 1988 in Johnson City, Tenn. (Wash).

      99. Angela Nichole NORTON was born November 30, 1971 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). She met Timothy ENGLAND. She married William Clinton ROBERTS.
      

Child of Angela NORTON and Timothy ENGLAND:

Brittany Evette ENGLAND, born February 5, 1993 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan Co.).

Child of Angela NORTON and William Clinton ROBERTS:

Hannah Brieshell ROBERTS William Colton ROBERTS

      100. Holly Renea HICKS was born June 14, 1972 in Kingsport, Tenn. (Sullivan). She married Jeff Taylor
      

Child of Holly HICKS and Jeff TAYLOR:

Charles Luke TAYLOR Logan Page TAYLOR

Of Norsemen and Normans

While I was not surprised at the number of ancestors originating from central and western Europe.....a couple of discoveries were not expected at all. The first is that we have Islamic Arabs among our ancestors. This was a small group and was the result of the Moors conquering most of Spain in the 7th and 8th centuries. The second was the impact the Vikings had on our family history. This was much more pervasive and that story follows.

Events of the tenth and eleventh centuries would shape our family ancestry in profound ways. While the eastern branch (Coons family name) remained quietly situated in the Westphalia area of Germany, developing skills as miners and iron workers (skills passed down from the Celtic period), the western branch (the marriage lines) was (were) about to undergo major changes. A great many of our ancestors in these lines can be traced to England, Ireland and Scotland. The roots of these lines, however, result from two major events during this time period. In the ninth and tenth centuries, an invasion of northern Europe by the Norse people (Norway, Sweden and Denmark) or Vikings overran much of England and Germany. England was also invaded from the south by William the Conqueror, a Norman who controlled England after defeating the English at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. While these were two separate events, the family line may be a single, continuous source as shall be pointed out shortly.

Picture (Metafile)

William II, the Duke of Normandy, became William I of England by defeating Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, 09 Sep 1066. History has since recorded him more often, however, as William the Conquerer.

Nearly all of our English, Irish and Scottish ancestors resulted from these invasions, but in uniquely different ways. The Norse people intermarried with the local people while the Normans imported families to England from their territory in northern France. Those who had helped conquer England or who had been loyal to William were granted large estates and therefore became the nobles of the new land. Essentially, at this point in time, our family was being developed on three different fronts. While all had moved across Europe as tribal members and leaders for thousands of years, the 2nd millennium rise of the family would be from western Germany, northern France and southern Scandinavia. Although some lines will still be traced to France and Spain, the bulk of our ancestors would now develop on two fronts, in what is today the United Kingdom and in modern Germany.

The name Norsemen literally means “North Men” and is the name given to the Scandinavian Vikings, fierce warriors, who raided and traded and settled on the coasts of the British Isles, France and other parts of the European continent from the late 8th century to the 11th century. This period of European history (generally dated from 793 to 1066 is often referred to as the Viking Age. Famed for their navigation ability and long ships, Vikings, in a few hundred years, colonized the coasts and rivers of Europe, the islands of Shetland, Orkney, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and, for a short while, Newfoundland circa 1000, as well as reaching as far south as North Africa, east into Russia and to Constantinople. Among the causes of the great influx (9th century) of Norsemen to the coasts of NW Germany, Scotland, England and France were lust for power and wealth, search for adventure and the attempt of King Harold I of Norway to subjugate the independent nobles of his land, thereby forcing them to look to foreign conquests.

The impact of the Norse invasions was particularly lasting in northern France. The invaders, whose major raids began in 843, sailed up French rivers, notably the Seine, and repeatedly attacked, looted and burned such cities as Paris and Rouen. Their actions threatened to plunge France (and our other relatives from the Frankish Empire) back into the barbarism from which it/they were just emerging. The Norsemen gradually established settlements, generally at the river mouths; thus they constantly threatened to renew their river raids, and they ruined French commerce and navigation. In 911, Rollo, one of their leaders , was invested by King Charles III (Charles the Simple) with the Duchy of Normandy, originally the territory around Rouen. Rollo’s successors considerably expanded their territory and were only nominal vassals of the French kings. The Norsemen accepted Christianity, adopted French law and speech and continued in history under the name Normans. The name of Normandy itself and several Norman place names are survivals of the Norse period. So, in summation, the invasion and establishment of our family lines in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales may have come from two different sources and two different directions, but many of the invaders were of the same family line and probably intermarried in Normandy.

It appears that the oldest identifiable ancestor in the Norse line was Gudbrand Kula Olafsson. He was born in 923 in Uplands, Vestfold, Norway. He married Ulfhilde Thorsdottir who was born in 927 somewhere in Norway. Both died in 978 in Gubrandsdalen, Norway. While we known nothing about their respective parents, the unique way of naming children gives us their names. His father was Olaf and her father was Thor. The Norse people invaded northern Scotland through the Orkney Islands and many of our ancestors were born there before emigrating onto Scottish soil proper.

The oldest Norman line in the family seems to be the family Vance which can be traced from 33 CE to 1957 CE (and includes my great grandmother). According to most genealogists, establishing the history of an ancient family is often best accomplished by tracing the name. Vance has progressed through history from Baux, Vaus, de Vallibus, Vans and finally to Vance. Historians of France and England are reasonably certain that the Vances are descendants of the Baltic Goth tribes of northern Europe. The Goth people were known to have lived on the shores of the Baltic Sea before the birth of Christ.

The Goths lived somewhat peacefully in their northern homes, tending their crops with the help of slaves captured in war, until about 200 CE when they became more war-like and began to migrate south into Europe. Their history as they marched across Europe was little less than a record of barbarian slaughter and pillage. They started war with the Roman Empire in the early 300’s when they invaded Turkey and Greece. Alaric the Balthing became king of the Goths in 395 and in 410 led the his tribe in a successful sacking of Rome which was a proximate cause of the fall of the Roman Empire in Italy. (It is reported that the Vances are directly descended from Alaric).

The Vances descend from the Baltic Goth family who overtook an ancient fortress in southern France after they were expelled from Italy. The medieval castle, Les Baux, still exists as ruins perched atop a rocky mountain ledge near Arles, France. From their castle, the took the name de Baux (pronounced “dee bow”). The first record of a de Baux is that of Gossalin who, in about 810, married Harriasbeuck, daughter and heiress of William, Sovereign of the Court of Orange, and a niece of Berthe, daughter of Charlemagne (thus reinforcing the marriage lines between our Norman and Frankish ancestral family).

The de Baux's were feudal overlords of seventy-nine villages and towns, mostly located along the Rhone river from Marseille north to near Lyon. One author says of them “The Princes of Les Baux were a barbaric race….with wild mountain blood in their veins. Their association with Christianity was certainly not of a very intimate kind. They were a blind, bloodstained race, believing in violence and retaliation as the one and only means of grace in this world and troubling themselves, til the moment of death, with very little in the next. They generally reaped as they had sown; feared, hated and often dying deaths as terrible as those which they had inflicted on their victims.” It was a powerful and influential family that married into a number of kingdoms and fiefdoms in Europe. They have been dukes of Andrea; Princes of Joinville, Tarata, and Altamara; Sovereign Counts of Orange and Provence; and Kings of Vienne and Arles.

Picture (Metafile)

The ruins of Les Baux Castle near Arles, France. This was the historic home of the de Baux family. One interesting side note about such a ruthless family is that the de Baux's also claim decadency from the Magi King, Balthazar, one of the three wise men following the star to Bethlehem upon the birth of Jesus. To make sure everyone understood their relationship to Bathazar and the birth of Jesus, the de Bauxs carried the symbol of the star of Bethlehem on the arms and armor they bore in tournaments as well as in battle. It was also on their coins and in wall hangings decorating their castle. Written on the tomb of Raymond de Baux (considered a direct ancestor of the Vances) is, “To the illustrious family of de Baux held to derive its origin from the ancient King of Armenia to whom under the guidance of a star, the Saviour of the world manifested himself.”

Picture (Metafile)

The Vans family crest. Note the Star of Bethlehem, denoting the purported descendency fron Balthasar, one of the Magi. In 929, Bertrand de Baux went to Normandy, in the north of France, by invitation of the Duke of Normandy and established a branch of the family there were the name became de Vaux. Bertrand was the progenitor of the family de Vaux, which long held a distinguished rank among the nobles of Normandy. It is near this point that we can begin to trace the family by each generation, beginning with Lord Harold de Vaux of Normandy who, with all three of his sons, Hubert, Rundolph and Robert accompanied William the Conqueror of Normandy in the invasion of the British Isles in 1066. All three sons remained in England and well established themselves by acquiring baronies. As you shall see, the name goes through one more change (de Vallibus) before becoming Vans and eventually Vance. The Vans of Barnbarroch were a particularly notable group that survives to this day and much of their history is provided by my distant cousin who wrote the book, “The Lairds of Barnbarroch” by James Burns Vans Agnew and edited by his son, Jamie Vans with whom I have had the pleasure of corresponding.

It is at this point in the history of the Coons family (et al) that we may begin to trace the members generation by generation. It will begin with my immediate family in the Coons line and then follow the members back in history as far as possible.

It is my fervent hope that those who acquire and read this book will not only appreciate the work that went into it, but use it as a starting point for expanding the family history to include their family branch as a succeeding volume. I have been told that, for example, the original 14 families of the Germanna Colony have over three million descendants in the United States alone. If this is true, the Coons family surely has tens of thousands of relatives that need to be added. This family and its members have witnessed and participated in much of the history of this nation. I welcome not only the addition of family names but any thoughts, opinions (be gentle and remember my health) or corrections that anyone feels needed. We will begin the roll of generational names with the marriages that led to them