The Rogers tree

When you don't really know a thing about where they lived, but their birth and death dates, and names which are spelled anywhich way, looking at a list of names is not all that exciting.

One of the first things I do is check how old mom would have been when she had the next baby in line.  Has to be within certain ages or I figure it's just not likely, right?

And women who had 17 babies were rare, as well as outliving everyone in the family.  I get my eyebrows raised about then.

So the other day I gave you the earliest Rogers ancestor that I know of (from those family records that are free and public.)  The next generation ends up with knighthood, and several documents that may (or may not) be historically accurate.


John Fitz Roger, 1335 – 1386 married Dame Elizabeth deFurneaux, Birth 1329 in Stringham, Sommerset, England, Death 1386 in Abbey, Somerset, England

Their son was Sir John Fitz Rogers, Birth 1386 in Ashington, Somerset, England, Death 4 Oct 1441 in Bryanston, Dorset, England

The Ancestry people (well, other Rogers trees) say several things about Sir John.

Sir John Fitz Roger, the second generation, was born 1386-7. He married Agnes de Mercaunt of Seamer, Suffolk Co. in 1406 when he was just past the age of 19. He was the manager of the vast Furneaux estates and bought 'Benham-Valence' and other properties in Berkshire and Dorset. He received a Knighthood through recognition of military service performed. He was one of the wealthiest people in his section of England. He and Agnes had two sons, John and Thomas. He died 4 October 1441 at his home at Bryanstone. He is buried at St. Martin's Church there. His will was dated 21 September and proved 10 November 1441 and it was at this time the 'Fitz' to the Roger name was dropped and ultimately a terminal 's' added.  (Source:  Rousseau Rogers Family Tree, 2007)

He has a crest of course.

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More information:

Rogers Family 

  ROGERS ARMS: Argent, a chevron between three stags sable, attired or. 

CREST: A stag trippant sable, bezantee, ducally gorged and attired or. 

MOTTO: Nil conscire sibi  - To have a conscience free from guilt

Source of the following is:

 History of MF Planters by L.C. Hills: 

The Rogers Family: 

Sir Tancred de Hautville, born c970. died aft 1058, a nobleman of Hautville near Cautauces, Normandy, m. firstly c992 Moriella; m. secondly c1013 Fredistand. There among their sons were Robert, Roger and William.  Robert "Guiscard" born 1015, became a great General, commanding Norman troops in Italy, and was created Duke of Apulia 1059; King of Naples and had other honors, and died in 1085.  His brother Roger became Grand Count Roger I 1089-1102 of Sicily. He was born 1030 and died in 1101/2. Duke Robert and his brother Grand Count Roger were largely responsible for the Norman conquest of Sicily, and the FitzRoger name in South West England is said to have arose from descendants of these brothers. Religious upheaval in Sicily forced Aaron Fitz Rogers, a merchant of Rome, to flee to London where he engaged in business. The Rogers Family were given the right to bear the coat of arms accredited to Grand Count Roger I of Sicily. Aaron Rogers was born in Italy c1260/70. 

1.  Aaron FitzRoger born c1265 of Rome, Italy; died c1330 London, Middlesex, England.  The family business was merchandising after settling in Kent, Gloucestershire and Somersetshire.  

2. John FitzRoger b. 1335 m. Elizabeth de Furneaux b. 1330 son and heir of Sir Symon de Furneaux of Ashington, and other manors in Somersetshire and Devonshire and Alice de Umfraville, widow of Sir John Blount, Constable of the Tower of London.  John FitzRoger was her second husbland.  John was their only son and heir.  John gained great wealth by marrying Elizabeth. With John FitzRoger she was co-founder of 'Rogers House' of South West England.  Sir Symon's only surviving child, and sole heiress, was his daughter, Elizabeth de Furneaux b. c1334. She m. 1351, Sir Blount, Knight and a Constable of the Tower, by whom she (had?) Alice later that year in 1351. Sir  Blount d. 1358, leaving an attractive and wealthy widow, who inherited many large estates.

The Furneaux's were from France, near Coutances, Normandy, the same area as the Sicilian Rogers family.  Odo de Furneaux, b. c1040 in Normandy came to England with William the Conqueror. and his son Sir Alan de Furneaux was born c1075 in Normandy, but settled in Devon and received from King Henry I, a manor house and land near Honiton, Devon. He had four sons: Sir Alan Furneaux, a Justiciary, 1165; Philip Furneaux; William Furneaux, and the eldest, his son and heir Sir Geoffrey Furneaux b. c1117-22.  Sir Geoffrey was appointed Sheriff of Devon.  He was a very influential man; was knighted and married late - about 1155 and had four sons - Geoffrey Furneaux, b. c1158; Sir Robert Furneaux, b. c1160, Sir Alan Furneaux , b. c1162 and his eldest son and heir -Sir Henry Furneaux (b. c1156. He also became Sheriff of Devon. He married, c1180, Johanna, daughter of Robert Fitz William, who brought to her husband the manor of Ashington in Somerset. Having by right of his wife become Lord of the manors in Somerset, he ultimately settled there; and had a least one son, Henry Furneaux, b. c1181-1214. The eldest sons, in the next two generations were called Matthew Furneaux I and Matthew Furneaux II, b. c1220, was a Sheriff of Devon under King Edward I (1276). Matthew II was b. c1245 and, c1270, married Matilda (or Maud), d/o Sir Warren deRaleigh of 'Nettlecombe' in Somerset. Sir Walter Raleigh, becoming famous two centuries later, descended from this Raleigh family. Matthew Furneaux II also had a son, Sir Matthew Furneaux III, ancestor of Thomas Rogers but not the eldest son in this generation, Lord of Ashington, his principal residence, he was knighted then summoned in 1295 into military service against the Welsh, and in 1296-98 and 1300 against the Scots. He was Sheriff of Somerset, Dorset & Devon variously and from 1304-1316, the year of his death. In 1312 he had custody of Devon and the King's Castle of Exeter; and in 1315 was custodian of the counties of Somerset & Dorset, and the Castle of Shireborn. He was a prominent member of the Furneaux family. His son and heir was Sir Symon de Furneaux, b. c1271. Symon married Alice, daughter of Sir Henry de Umfraville of Penarth Point in Glamorgan Wales, and was a principal landowner of his county. He died without surviving male issue as his son William, born 1328, predeceased him. Among the many honors bestowed upon him was a Knighthood of the Shire of Somerset, in the Parliament of Edward III (1328). His recorded arms were: 'Gules, a bend between six crosses-crosslet, or; which are still preserved on some encaustic tiles in 'Cleve Abbey' - where he and his father were benefactors - to which, later heraldic authorities add a crest. The insignia & colors displayed by father & son were practically identical. This Coat of Arms, as well as the many other Coats of Arms of the Furneaux Family, can be seen in Burke's Armory and any other book listing Coat of Arms for England.  

3.  Sir John Fitz Roger, was born 1386-7. He married Agnes de Mercaunt of Seamer, Suffolk Co. in 1406 when he was just past the age of 19. He was the manager of the vast Furneaux estates and bought 'Benham-Valence' and other properties in Berkshire and Dorset. He received a Knighthood through recognition of military service performed. He was one of the wealthiest people in his section of England. He and Agnes had two sons, John and Thomas. He died 4 Oct 1441 at his home at Bryanstone, and is buried at St. Martin's Church there. His will was dated 21 Sep and proved 10 Nov 1441 and it was at this time the 'Fitz' to the Roger name was dropped and ultimately a terminal 's' added.

4.  Thomas Rogers, b. c1408 of Ashington, Somerset, in one of the Roger-Furneaux mansions, residing there until grown, then permanently settled at Bryanstone, Dorset.  He was the Burgess, Mayor and Sheriff of Bristol in 1455, 1458 and 1459 he m.  unknown spouse.  Manor of Oare, Wilcot, Swanborough Hundred, Wiltshire was held by Thomas Rogers (d. circa 1479) when it passed to his son William Rogers, then to his son Sir Edward Rogers whose son George Rogers married Jane Winter.  (Victoria County History of Wiltshire). He had a son, Thomas, by his first wife who was born in 1435. In his second marriage he had a daughter, Elizabeth. Thomas Rogers (4th generation) never claimed the property of his father so it went to his sister. 

Source for the following: A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, by Barnard Burke: Rogers of Rainscombe, Rogers, Rev. Edward-Henry of Rainscombe, co. Wilts, M.A. &. 1827.  Burke states:

Burke States, “The family of Rogers were seated at Bryanstone, co. Dorset, till the close of the 17th century.  Of that line was Thomas Rogers, Esq., serjeant-at-law, temp. Edward IV, who settled at Bradford.  He m. 1st, one of the daus. and co-heirs of William Besyll, of Bradford, and by her had a son, William, of whom presently.  He m. 2ndly, a dau. of ----Courtenay, of Powderham, and widow of Sir Thomas Pomeroy, and by her had a son, George, of Luppit, co. Dorset, whose son Edward (Sir) was of Cannington.  The son of the 1st marriage, William Rogers, Esq. m. Jone, dau. of John Horton, Esq. of Ilford, and had (with a dau., Cecily, m. to Robert Maten) two sons, I. Anthony, m. Dorothy Erneley, of Cannings, and had issue; and II. Henry, of whose line we treat.  The latter, Henry Rogers, Esq., was father of Henry Rogers, Esq. of Heddington, who m. Sarah, dau. of Thomas Hall, Esq. of Bradford, and had a son Robert Rogers, Esq. of Heddington, who m. Anne, dau. of John Seager, Esq. of Bromham, Wilts, and was a. by his son, Henry Rogers, Esq. of Heddington, who, by Sarah, his wife, dau. of Francis Eagles, Esq. of South Broom, Wilts, was the father of Henry Rogers, Esq. of Heddington and Rainscombe, who m. Ellen, dau. of Henry Pyke, Esq. of Rainscombe, and was a. by his son.  Robert rogers, Esq. of Rainscombe, sho m. Eliza, dau. of Thomas Smith, of Potterne, Wilts, and was father of Elizabeth, dau. of William Johnson, Esq. of Chippenham Hills, and by her had (with a dau., Amella-Eliza, and a son, William) another son.  The Rev. James Rogers, D.D. of Rainscombe, who m. 1788, Catherine, youngest dau. and co-heir of Francis Newman, Esq. of Canbury House, co. Somerset, and by her (who d. 1832) had issue, of whom the last survivor was Q. C., recorder of Exeter, b. 1791.  who m. 29 June 1822, Julia-Eleanora, 3rd dau. of William-Walter Yea, Esq. of Pyrland Hall, co. Somerset, and sister of Sir Henry-Lacy Yea, Bart., and has issue, 1. Francis-Newman, his heir; 2. Edward-Henry, now of Rainscombe; 3.Walter-Lacy.

5. Thomas Rogers, Esq. (1433/34-1489) of Bristol, admitted to Lincolns Inn, London, on the Sunday before Lent , 1454, created Serjeant-at-law 1478, of Bradford on Avon, m. Cecilia Besill d. and co-heir of William Besyll or Besill of Bradford.  He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn at the same time as Walter Hungerford. This was possibly the grandson of the great Walter Lord Hungerford, who had amassed estates in Wiltshire, Somerset , Berkshire and elsewhere and who died in 1449.  Pupil lawyers were about 16 years old giving Thomas a possible date of birth c1438. The Hungerford's were hugely important landowners and allied to the Lancastrian cause of Henry Vl as was most of the West Country. At the time of Thomas's admission his father Thomas of Bristol was a Burgess, then Sheriff in 1455, and Mayor in 1459. In 1460 Pakenham sold Smallbrook to Thomas Rogers of Bradford, serjeant-at-law, who died in possession in 1478. It descended in the same way as Rogers's manor of Bradford to his great grandson Anthony Rogers.

Thomas chose instead to practice law. He went to Oxford University and ultimately settled in Bradford in Wiltshire. He became an honorable and distinguished lawyer. In 1478, when he was 43 years old, under appointment by the Crown he was created "Serviens ad Legem," a life office bestowed because of professional attainments and worth of character. He was a great influence in his community and amassed a considerable fortune. He was appointed Sergeant-at-Law, a little before his first marriage. A son William was born of this marriage. After the death of his first wife, he married Catherine de Courtenay in 1483. She was the daughter of Sir Philip de Courtney, Knight of Powderham Castle in Devon. She and Thomas had two sons, George, the elder and John. Catherine or Katherine (as it was more frequently spelled) was the second daughter and youngest child of Sir Philip, who was born in 1404 and died in 1463. Her mother was Elizabeth Hungerford, daughter of Lord Walter Hungerford and Catherine Peverell. 

Source for the following: Pedigree of Rogers (see below)

6.  William Rogers, Esq. m. Joan Horton, d. of John Horton, Esq. of Iford and Lullington Co. Somerset, Gentleman, granddaughter. of Sir Roger Horton of Catton Co. Derby.  Their daughter Cecily married Robert Maten.

7.  Anthony Rogers m. Dorothy Erneley of Bishops Cannings d. of John Erneley of Erneley (a 1490) m. Anne Darell (dau of Constantyn Darell of Cottingbourne (sb Collingbourne?).  John Erneley was the s. of John Erneley of Erneley m. Joan Best d. of Simon Best of Cannings. Visitation of Wiltshire.

8. Anthony Rogers, Bradford on Avon, died in 1583. He married Ann Wroughton, born 1507, d/o Sir William Wroughton, who died in 1559.  The tomb of Sir William has a canopy and inscription in a fine strapwork cartouche, and is located at the Wiltshire, Bradford-on-Avon, Holy Trinity Church. Dorothy Wroughton, her sister, married c1566, Sir John Thynne of Longleat. Their daughter and heir was Dorothy Rogers.

9.  Dorothy Rogers, b. c1555, Stratford-upon-Avon, daughter and heir, married John Hall I born c1555 of Bradford on Avon.

10.  John Hall II, b. c1570 Bradford on Avon, England m. Elizabeth Brune c1591 Bradford on Avon, England, d. of Henry Brune and Elizabeth Martin (Martyn).  It is through the lineage of Elizabeth Martin (Martyn), through her father Sir Nicholas Martyn of Athelhampton, Dorsetshire, that this lineage can be connected to the Royal families of Scotland, England and France. 

Source: "Lineage of Rogers Family", Underwood, published in NY in 1911.

  Glasgow/Middlebrooks Family Tree 2010

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This posting on Ancestry is a kind of entry into some pedigree document, which is not given credit.  

John FITZROGERS (AFN:LM1C-LM) Pedigree

Husband's Name John FITZROGERS (AFN:LM1C-LM) Pedigree

Born: 1386 Place: , Ashington, Somerset, England
Died: 4 Oct 1441 Place: , Bryanston, Dorsetshire, England

Father: John FITZROGER (AFN:GGCZ-QC) Family
Mother: Elizabeth FURNEAUX (AFN:9BMJ-8J)

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Wife's Name
Agnes MORDAUNT (MERCAUNT) (AFN:HQVR-9F) Pedigree

Born: Abt 1390 Place: Of Bedfordshire, England

Father: Eustace MORDAUNT (AFN:9G23-ZV) Family
Mother: Alice DANNO (AFN:9RKB-BQ)

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Children

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1. Sex Name
M John ROGERS (AFN:158H-MBL) Pedigree

Born: Abt 1425 Place: Of, Bryanston, Dorsetshire, England
Died: Aug 1450 Place: , Bryanstone, Dorset, England

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2. Sex Name
M Thomas ROGERS (AFN:GGCZ-JB) Pedigree

Born: 1408 Place: Ashington, Somerset, Eng.