Descended from the Plantagenets

Last night, my mom was reading my blog and noticed that both her and my father are descended from the Plantagenet royal line of England. She pointed out that they are both descended from women named Joan - one is Joan Plantagenet of Acre (my mother's side) and the other is Joan Plantagenet-Cornwall (my father's side). For more info, please see Royalty Post #1 - The Forkners and Royalty Post #2 - The Lyons.

Looking at their information in my blog posts and looking at a Plantagenet family tree online, I've come to realize that the Joans were basically cousins. This blog post is going to trace each of their lines back to find their common ancestor.

Joan Plantagenet-Cornwall was the daughter of Richard Plantagenet-Cornwall and Joan Fitzalan. Richard's parents were Richard, Prince of England and Sancha / Sanchia, Countess of Provence. Richard, Prince of England was the son of King John of England and Isabella of Angouleme. King John was the son of Henry II “Plantagenet” King of England and Eleanore of Aquitaine. Henry II was the son of Geoffrey V “Le Bon” Plantagenet and Matilda (Maud) Empress of Germany. Henry II and John are technically the House of Angevin, not Plantagenet.

As a side note, I've always had this fascination with Eleanor of Aquitaine. I read a biography about her in school once, many years ago, and she captivated me. It's interesting and amazing to learn that I'm descended from her.

Joan Plantagenet of Acre was the daughter of EDWARD I "Longshanks" PLANTAGENET (King of England) and Leonor of Castilla (Countess Ponthieu).

Edward I Longshanks was the son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. He was born June 17, 1239 at Westminster and Ascended to the throne on November 20, 1272 aged 33 years. He was crowned on August 19, 1274 at Westminster Abbey. He married twice, first to Eleanor, Daughter of Ferdinand III of Castile Margaret and secondly to Margaret, Daughter of Philip III of France. He had six sons including Edward II,and twelve daughters. He died on July 7, 1307 at Burgh-by-Sands, Nr Carlisle, Cumbria, aged 68 years, and 19 days and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

Henry III was the son of King John and Isabella of Angouleme. He was born onOctober 1, 1207 at Winchester and ascended to the throne on October 18, 1216 aged 9 years. He was crowned on October 28, 1216 at Westminster Abbey. He married Eleanor of Provence, Daughter of Raymond Berenger and had six sons including Edward I, and three daughters. He died on November 16, 1272 at Westminster, aged 65 years, 1 month, and 16 days and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

So King John of England was the father of Henry III and of Richard. Joan Plantagenet-Cornwall was the great granddaughter of King John through his son Richard and Joan Plantagenet of Acre was his great granddaughter through Henry III. So the Joans were second cousins.

My parents are both descended from King John of England and more importantly to me at least, from Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Royalty - Post #2 The Lyons

Virginia Lee Curtis was Born September 27 1930 in Middletown Ohio and Married William R. Fink on 9 March 1953 in Middletown Ohio. She is the Daughter of Sarah Helen Fox and Floyd Benjamin Curtis.

Sarah Helen Fox was Born February 1897 in Menifee County, Kentucky and Died 22 December 1949 in Middletown Ohio. She was the daughter of Leah Powers and James T Fox.

Leah Powers was in Kentucky, but I’ve found several years and places for her birth. They are -- 1855 in Bath Co KY; 8 Aug 1854 in Blackwater Morgan Co KY; 6 Aug 1854 Morgan County KY. She Married James T Fox about 1883 and Died 30 March 1936 in Mt Sterling, Montgomery Co, KY. She’s Buried – Machphela Cemetery, Mt Sterling, Montgomery County, KY. She was the Daughter of Amanda M Lyons and Gilson Powers. Her children with James are Mariba, William “Billy”, Lizzie, Nannie and Helen.

Amanda M Lyons was Born September 11 1834 in Bath Co KY and Married September 25 1853 in Bath Co. KY. She Died sometime between 1900 and 1907, maybe in 1903. She was the Daughter of Martha Ann Jones and John Clark Lyons.

John Clark Lyons was Born 1802 and Married three times. He was the son of Noah Lyons and Mary Clark(e).

Mary Clark(e) may have died before 1810. She was the daughter of Robert Clarke and Elizabeth Agnes Gay of Bourbon County. She had eight children with Noah Lyons -- John Clark, Sarah (Warner), Margaret (Bristoe), Samuel, Nancy (Garner), Elizabeth (Ingram), Mary (Sparks) and Robert.

Robert Clarke was Born 1745 in Augusta, Virginia and Married Agnes Elizabeth Gay in 1768 in Virginia. He Died 17 June 1800 in Bourbon, Kentucky. He was the Son of James Clark and Elizabeth Summers.

Elizabeth Summers was probably born between 1704 and 1707 in Augusta VA. She married James B Clark about 1724 in Virginia (alternatively in 1722 in Greenbrier WVa). She Died about 8 Oct 1781 in Augusta, VA (8 Oct 1778). She was the Daughter of John Summers and Elizabeth Thompson.

Elizabeth Thompson was Born 1689 in Virginia and was the Daughter of William Thompson and Eleanor / Ellen Montague.

Eleanor / Ellen Montague was Born 1633/1636 in Nansemond Co. VA. She Married William Thompson in 1649 in Lancaster Co. VA and Died 27 March 1659 in Middlesex Co VA. She was the Daughter of Peter Montague / Monteacute and Cicely Mathews or Hannah, I’m inclined to think its Hannah.

Peter Montague / Monteacute was Born 21 Jan 1603 in Boveney, Burnham, Buckingham, England. He married several times – First to Cicely Mathews in 1633 in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England; second to Cecily Reynolds about 1645 in Henrico Co, Virginia and finally to Hannah in Nansemond Co. VA. He Died 1 May 1659 in Lancaster, Lancaster, Virginia. He was the Son of Peter of Boveney Montague and Eleanor (Helen) Allen.

Peter of Boveney Montague was Born 11 Dec 1580 in Boveny Parish, Burnham, Buckingham, England. He Married in 1600 Eleanor or Helen Allen in Burnham, Boven, England and Died 16 March 1638 in Warfield, Berkshire Co. England, GB. He was the Son of William Montague and Margaret Malthus/Malthouse.

William Montague was Born 1548 in Boveney, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England and Died on 20 Mar 1594 in Boveney, Berkshire County, England. He married Margaret on 27 May 1560 in Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England. He was the son of Robert Montague and Margaret Cotton.

Robert Montague was born in 1528 in Beveney, Burnham, Buckingham, England and Died 16 Jan 1575/76 in Boveney, Buckingham, Buckingham, England. He married Margaret Cotton in 1547 in Boveney, Berkshire, England and they had six children: William Montague of Boveney, Catherine, a daughter, Agnes, Joan and Lawrence. He was the son of William Montague and Joan Grow.

William Montague was born in 1485 in Buckingham, Berkshire, England and died on 21 Mar 1555 in Boveney, Buckinghamshire, England. He married Joan Grow in 1513 and they had four children -- Robert Montague of Boveney, William Montague of Bray, Catherine Montague and Alice Montague. He was the son of Robert Montague.

Robert Montague was Born in 1455, Boveney, Berkshire, England and died in 1520 in Boveney, Berkshire, England. He was a yeoman. He had three sons – William, Robert and John. His father was Edward Montague.

Edward MONTAGUE was the son of Richard Montague.

Richard Montague was born after 1388. He had one son, Edward. He was the son of John MONTAGUE and Maud FRANCIS.

John MONTAGUE, the third Earl of Salisbury was Born about 1327 / 1350 in Donyatt, Somersetshire, England. He died 5 Jan 1399/00 in Cirencester, Gloucester, England and was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, England. He was the son of Sir John MONTAGUE and Margaret De MONTHERMER.

He married Maud FRANCIS, the daughter of Sir Adam Francis and Agnes Champnes' before 4 May 1383. They had six children -- Thomas MONTAGUE (4º E. Salisbury), Richard MONTAGUE, Elizabeth MONTAGUE (B. Willoughby of Eresby), Margaret MONTAGUE (B. Ferrers of Groby), Anne MONTAGUE (D. Huntington) and Robert MONTAGUE.

Margaret De MONTHERMER Died about 24 Mar 1394. She was the daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Monthermer and his wife Margaret Teyes.

Sir Thomas Monthermer was the son of Joan of Acre and her second husband, Ralph De Monthermer.

Joan Plantagenet of Acre was in 1272 in Acre, Palestine. She died on 23 Apr 1307 in Clare, Suffolk, England and was buried on 26 Apr 1307 in the Priory Church of the Austin Friars in Clare, Suffolk, England. She was the daughter of EDWARD I "Longshanks" PLANTAGENET (King of England) and Leonor of Castilla (Countess Ponthieu). She was the Countess of Gloucester and Hertford.

Joan was betrothed to Herman of Austria who died in 1282. She married several times. Her first marriage was to Gilbert "the Red" De CLARE, the third Earl of Gloucester. They wed on 30 Apr 1290 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. They had four children - Gilbert De CLARE (4º E. Gloucester) (b. 10 May 1291), Eleanor De CLARE (b. Oct 1292) (m.1 Hugh Despencer - m.2 William La Zouche of Mortimer), Margaret De CLARE (b. Oct 1292), and Elizabeth De CLARE (b. 16 Sep 1295).

Her father arranged for her to marry Amadeus V "the Great," the Count of Savoy, but she had already secretly wed another.

Her second marriage was to Ralph De MONTHERMER, the first Earl of Hertford and a member of her father’s household. They wed secretly on Jan 1297 and had four children: Mary De MONTHERMER (b. 1298), Thomas De MONTHERMER (2º B. Monthermer) (b. 1301) (m. Margaret Teyes), Edward De MONTHERMER (3º B. Monthermer) (b. 1304) and Joan De MONTHERMER (Nun at Amesbury).

Mother to Daughter - The True Bloodline

Not that everything doesn't matter to some extent, but I personally feel that the best way to trace your blood is mother to daughter. After all, there's no proof that 100 years ago man fathered child, but you know that woman was the mother. One of the first things I did when I first got into genealogy was to trace my maternal line, mother to daughter. I traced back six generations before I hit a wall, one that I still have yet to break through.

I am Jennilee Cookman. I was born on Dec 21 1981 in Hamilton Ohio. My mother is Helen Marie Fink.

She was Born on June 3 1958 in Hamilton Ohio, at the same hospital I was born at actually - Fort Hamilton Hughes. She married my father, Clifford Ray Cookman, onJuly 13 1979 in Hamilton Ohio at Pleasant Ave First Church of God. She is the daughter of Virginia Lee Curtis.

Virginia (more commonly known as Jenny or Jenny Lee - guess where I got my name?) was born on September 27 1930 in Middletown Ohio. She married William Ripley Fink on 9 March 1953 in Middletown Ohio. She is the daughter of Sarah Helen Fox. (Guess where my mother got her name?)

Sarah Helen (also known as Helen or Sarie Ellie like her father called her) was Born February 1897 in Menifee County, Kentucky. She married Floyd Benjamin Curtis and died 22 December 1949 in Middletown Ohio, from tuberculosis. She was the daughter of Leah Powers and I think she was named after an aunt.

Leah (who my grandma Jenny was named after) was Born 1855 in Bath Co KY OR 8 Aug 1854 in Blackwater Morgan Co KY. She married James T Fox about 1883 and died March 30 1936 in Mt Sterling, Montgomery Co, KY. She was the daughter of Amanda Lyons. Children of Leah and James – Mariba, William “Billy”, Lizzie, Nannie and Helen.

Amanda was born September 11 1834 in Bath Co KY. She married Gilson Powers on September 25 1853 in Bath Co. KY and died between 1900 and 1907, maybe in 1903. She was the daughter of Martha Ann Jones. Interesting fact - Gilson's mother was named Leah, so its likely that they named their daughter after her.

I have never found very much information on Martha Ann. I don't know when she was born, I don't know when she died. All I know is that she married John Clark Lyons on March 11, 1833 in Bath County, Kentucky. My research has told me that this was probably a second marriage for her. Martha Ann already had a daughter named Lucy when she married John Clark Lyons and Lucy ended up married to a man named Jack Bashford. The fact that it was a second marriage is what gives us the problems -- No one seems to know what her maiden name was. Without knowing her maiden name, there's no way to know who her parents were. And that, my dear readers, is the brick wall.

So there you go. Six generations of my direct maternal line (well, seven if you count me). And the family tradition of naming our daughters after our mothers.