Sussex/Rowfant House Whitfields and Whitfields of Northumberland/Whitfield Hall, alleged connection

[p***@gmail.com]

Hi, everyone. I wondered if there was ever any development in the alleged connection between the Whitfield family in Sussex who lived in Rowfant House and the Whitfields of Whitfield Hall, up north. I've seen this connection mentioned in a few books and on a few websites, but here's the most concise one, in 'Sussex Archaeological Collections Relating to the Histories and Antiquities of the County':

goo.gl/EOpvUp

On Page 83 starts the section on the Whitfield family. Pages 84-85 describe a document found in Whitfield Hall; a copy of a certificate from 1522 confirming the English birth of Robert Whitfield (first recorded member of the family in Sussex), that he was not born in Scotland. It names several people who confirm his birth to a Myles and Maude Whitfield, and baptism by a Robert Jackson in the parish of Alston Moor.

Then page 86 includes a certificate by William Dethick (1542-1612) written in the 1575 Visitation of Northumberland, saying that he had testimony from named members of the Whitfield Hall Whitfields that Robert was a cousin and a son of Myles Whitfield.

Does anyone know if this connection has been confirmed by later genealogical investigation? And if the pedigree included on page 85 for Myles is also accurate?

Thanks for reading, I'd appreciate any updates on this.

[p***@gmail.com]

Clarification: testimony that he was a cousin of theirs and a son of Myles Whitfield.

[Patricia Junkin]

There is a connection. The Whitfields were affiliated with the Viponts of Alston Moor. Will have to visit my notes for more.
Pat

Sent from my iPhone

Post by p***@gmail.com
Clarification: testimony that he was a cousin of theirs and a son of Myles Whitfield.
-------------------------------

[p***@gmail.com]

Hi, sorry, I thought I replied to this but I must have made a mistake.

I had heard about the Vipont connection. From what I understand there are two, but one might be spurious. There was one Whitfield married to a Vipont who was the widow of a Clifford, that one I think might have been mistaken, but there was another more remote connection of a Robert Whitfield, I think, married to a Whetley whose mother was a Vipont.

Thanks-

Nick

[Robert O'Connor]

Hi Nick

I wonder why you doubt the veracity of the 1522 certificate? It looks likes fairly strong primary evidence of the parentage of Robert Whitfield to me.

I would also be interested in seeing details of the Vipont connection, if you have them?

Best wishes

Robert O'Connor

[p***@gmail.com]

Hi Robert, sorry I didn't respond to this sooner, it's been a busy semester and I forgot about the thread.

It isn't so much that I doubt the accuracy of the certificate, however, the lineage in the Sussex Archaeology book I posted in the OP, connects to an ancestress whose lineage through the Vieuxponts, goes back to Hugh Capet.

However, Reverend Henry Whitfield isn't listed, as far as I've seen, in any of the works by Gary Boyd Roberts on colonial immigrants of royal descent, or at least that lineage isn't (I seem to remember him mentioning another *possible* one somewhere taken from a vague statement in a visitation pedigree, but it's still unproved).

I don't know if this is because a lack of birth certificates make it impossible to confirm, or if Gary simply isn't aware of this possible line.

In the link in the OP, on page 85 is a lineage chart. Maude, daughter of John Whetlay, was grandaughter of Joan Vieuxpont. That Vieuxpont lineage seems to be correct. There is a different Vieuxpont lineage in the Whitfield family that I can't remember precisely off hand right now, that alleges a Whitfield married a Vieuxpont who was the widow of a Clifford, but that one is questionable.

[Patricia Junkin]

Joan married William Whitlaw.

Sent from my iPhone

Post by p***@gmail.com
Hi Robert, sorry I didn't respond to this sooner, it's been a busy semester and I forgot about the thread.
It isn't so much that I doubt the accuracy of the certificate, however, the lineage in the Sussex Archaeology book I posted in the OP, connects to an ancestress whose lineage through the Vieuxponts, goes back to Hugh Capet.
However, Reverend Henry Whitfield isn't listed, as far as I've seen, in any of the works by Gary Boyd Roberts on colonial immigrants of royal descent, or at least that lineage isn't (I seem to remember him mentioning another *possible* one somewhere taken from a vague statement in a visitation pedigree, but it's still unproved).
I don't know if this is because a lack of birth certificates make it impossible to confirm, or if Gary simply isn't aware of this possible line.
In the link in the OP, on page 85 is a lineage chart. Maude, daughter of John Whetlay, was grandaughter of Joan Vieuxpont. That Vieuxpont lineage seems to be correct. There is a different Vieuxpont lineage in the Whitfield family that I can't remember precisely off hand right now, that alleges a Whitfield married a Vieuxpont who was the widow of a Clifford, but that one is questionable.
-------------------------------

[p***@gmail.com]

Is that another spelling of Whetlay? I've seen it differently everywhere. "Whetlay," "Whitley," "Whitlow." I don't know what the original is but Whitlaw sounds like it's probably another variant. John Whetley was the son of William Whitley and Joan Vieuxpont, and John then had the Maud Whetley who married William Whitfield.

Page 111 of The ancestry of Reverend Henry Whitfield (1590-1657) and his wife Dorothy Sheafe (159?-1669) of Guilford, Connecticut, goes into some detail about Myles Whitfield and spells the name Whitley several ways during, including Whitlaw.

https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE86743

[Patricia A. Junkin]

1444, 11 May Chancery Proceedings concerning Thomas Bethome and Mary his wife, sometime wife of Nicholl Wapont and afterward wife to William of Stapultons. William de Stapilton Younger. Lands included: Kesclyff, Yanwyth, Penreth, Joneby, Burgh on Sands, Karliol, Castel Sourby, Alston Mine, Alston Moor, Kirkhaugh and Hubrightby {Hucumby?].[1]




1431 20 November Hen VI Quitclaim by William de Stapilton of Edenell [Eden hall] senior., esq. to William Henryson of Kirkehalgh of the lands in Kirkehalgh which Richard de Hoton vicar of Laysingby had by gift of Henry Joneson of Kirkehalgh late grandfather of the said William Henryson. Witnesses. William de Stapilton, junior, Thomas Vepond, William Vepond, Matthew Whitfield.




These documents are held at Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle HeadquartersContents:
D WAL 6/1 [1584]
Marriage settlement of Richard, son and heir of Edward Musgrave of Barhaugh [p. Kirkhaugh], Northumberland, gent., and Grace, daughter of John Whitfield of "Rander Holme" [Randalholme, p. Alston], Cumberland, gent. - Barhaugh demesne or lordship, and the two tenements called Blackcleugh in Northumberland