Across the Pond to early 1500s: the GAYLORD/GAYLARD/GAYLAUD/GAYLER family

The GAYLORD family in the Pitminster region of Somerset England is known in early Connecticut by Alice GAYLORD who had married Richard TREAT 27 Apr 1615. Richard and Alice came to America in 1630 with their 9 surviving children. [Treat Genealogy].  Note that TREAT is TROTT in England. Alice is the first Gaylord I ran across in my research.

Alice and her husband, Richard TREAT, were the parents of (Gov.) Robert TREAT, Robert being the 6th of 11 known children of this early settler couple. Some information on Alice was found through searching the TREAT biographies and records. I found Alice's surname unusual and went searching for any possible ancestors in Pitminster. There are many variants of the name as shown in the title of this blog.  It is believed the original surname is of French Huguenot origin: GAILLARD of Normandy. There are also early Gaillard settlers in the southeast states who came directly from Normandy. For those who love history: The Bayeux Tapestry may be 'read' for the history of the conquest of England by William, the Conqueror, uniting England and Normandy.

Alice seems to have been the youngest of 5 children of Hugh GAYLORD and wife Johane AILVYN, and was baptised 10 May 1594 at the church of St. Andrew & St. Mary, built about 1300.
    His daughter Alice was baptized at Pitminster, 10 May, 1594, and married there, 27 April, 1615, Richard Trott (Treat), and came to America with her husband and their nine surviving children in 1630.  (The image above of the Pitminster parish church is from Mike Searle)

Hugh assisted his mother in executing his father Nicholas' will in 1546, and later was executor of his mother Johane's will in 1572. Thank heavens for wills - they provide confirmation or strong evidence of lines of descent, siblings, occupations, land holdings, and more.

Hugh's will unfortunately perished [via bombs, WW2], but is recorded in the Taunton Calendars (File 1614, No. 110). He had a number of lands in the region around Pitminster: Poundisford, Smalecross, Trull, Lakemead, Southgrove, and Smalrest.

Hugh's parents were Nicholas GAYLORD and Johane [surname possibly SEVENOAK - not proven]. Nicholas died 25 Mar 1546 and was buried 7 Apr 1546 at Pitminster, at age 31. A very young man. I do not have the reason for his death. His wife Johane would have been left with 3 known children, and she married Giles Alvyn, and had at least two more children. She died about 29 Aug 1572, aged 49 years. Nicholas GAYLORD's will is dated 25 March 1546; he is noted to have been buried on 7 Apr 1546.

As you can see there were two Joan/Johane ALVYN/AILVYN women who married GAYLORD men. I have seen online trees with the children thoroughly mixed up because of this issue. Giles and Joan Alvyn were possibly cousins of the GAYLORD family. A little hard to research and prove after so many centuries!

Nicholas GAYLORD (abt 1515-1546) & Johane [SEVENOAK] (abt 1523-1572)
                                                                Johane's 2nd marriage, Giles ALVYN
Hugh GAYLORD (abt 1543-Oct 1614)  & Joane AILVYN (abt 1553-aft 1591)
Alice GAYLORD (May 1594-abt 1670) & Richard TREAT (bef 28 Aug 1584-Mar 1669)

If you know anything more about any of the above individuals, I would be so pleased for more details. And if you wish more information on them, I'm also happy to share. Contact me at my address at the bottom of the page or, in the Comments section.

My Blogger account seems not to allow me to "reply" to your comments. However, I will post replies to your comments, so check back later.  Do know that I value your comments immensely.  You make my day! Thanks for stopping by to read my personal genealogy posts.

52 WEEKS, 52 THEMES, No. 4: Alice GAYLORD, bap.1595, CLOSEST TO MY BIRTHDAY

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was Tough Woman. This week it's CLOSEST TO MY BIRTHDAY!  And the lucky ancestor closest to my birthday is: Alice GAYLORD/Gaylaud, bap. 10 May 1595, Pitminster, Somerset, England.  See on the right, a gorgeous photo of the Church by Mike Searle, built approximately 1300.

Hugh and Joan Gaylord, the parents of Alice, had five other children.  However, I have not been able to determine if any of them emigrated as well. This family surname is sometimes listed as Gayler, Gaylaud, Gaylord, and other variations. Details of the history of the surname Gaylord may be found here.  This family can trace back another generation as well, Hugh being one of 5 boys of Nicholas GAYLORD & Johane ALVYN, all living in Pitminster.  Hugh died in October 1614 in Pitminster.  

Note that the Pitminster parish registers of marriages (St Andrew & St Mary Church) have been transcribed from 1542. Clicking on this link takes you to the Phillimore transcripts, completed in the early 20th Century.

Alice is one of my early settlers to Connecticut from the Pitminster area, arriving approximately 1635-1637 with husband, Richard TREAT (Trott, in England) and their 9 children. Two of their original 11 children had died before they immigrated. Some records state that Richard immigrated on the ship "Mary & John", settling in Connecticut where he had several important roles, e.g., Deputy to the General Court, Magistrate, and was also on Gov. Winthrop's council in 1663-1664. My line goes through their 6th child, the 3rd boy, Robert TREAT, 1625-1710, Governor of Connecticut 1683-98 in two separate terms.

When Richard and Alice TREAT arrived in Connecticut about 1638, their children were between 18 [Honor Treat] and under 1 year [Catharine Treat].  Alice's husband left a sizeable estate when he died, and the family seem to have lived relatively well, with positions showing high social status and recognition. 

As is common with the tough women who came with their husbands and children to a new country, very little is known about Alice as a person.  We have her baptism on 10 May 1595, her marriage date of 27 Apr 1615 in Pitminster, her immigration with her husband and 9 living children, and an estimate of her death a year or two after husband who died in March 1668/69 in Wethersfield, Hartford, CT.  I have not found a will for her as yet

I certainly didn't have 11 children, nor travel across the Atlantic ocean in a sail boat with them all, to live in a relatively new community without family support!   We share a birthday, but not many other characteristics.  Alice - I'm pleased to share a birthday with such an intrepid woman. 

Cheers! (clink)

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, No. 47: Richard TREAT, 1584-1668/9

Following the challenge from Amy Johnson Crow to write a post weekly, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, here is my 47th installment, Richard TREAT, 1584-1668/9, my 8th great-grandfather on my mother's side.

My direct line from Richard Treat(1): Robert (Gov.) Robert Treat (2), Joseph (Capt) Treat (3), Samuel Treat (4), Samuel Peet Treat (5), Anna Treat (6), Charles Giles Graves (7), Clara Augusta Graves (8), Marguerite Josephine Terwilliger (9), Mary Marguerite Kuhn (10), Celia Gillespie (me).

Richard TREAT is another of the early New England settlers in my mother's ancestral line, having arrived approximately 1635.  Note that in England, this TREAT ancestral name is directly related to the TROTT surname, this group of ancestors having changed spelling in America shortly after settling in the New England Colonies. Another group of TROTT immigrants in New England did not change the spelling and are likely relatives - not as yet proven with DNA and genealogy research.

Richard TREAT's parents were Robert & Honora TROTT; he was one of 5 children attributed to this couple who lived in Pitminster, Somerset, England. Richard was baptised 28 Aug 1584 in Pitminster, and his wife, Alice GAYLORD (Gaylaud, var.) was baptised there 10 May 1595.  They married 27 Apr 1615 in Pitminster, and they emigrated from Somerset after the death of both Richard's parents: Robert in 1598/99, and Honora on 17 Sep 1627, and very shortly after the birth of their youngest child, Katharine. 

Richard & Alice TREAT had 11 children baptized in Pitminster, but 2 died before the family emigrated. The Treat family settled first in Dorchester, Massachusetts before moving to Wethersfield, Connecticut, where they remained:
        A first son, Robert, apparently died as an infant
   1.  Honor, bap 19 Mar 1615/16; m. John Deming in CT, 10 children
   2.  Joanna, bap 24 May 1618, d. Oct 1694; m. Lieut. John Hollster; 8 children
   3.  Sarah, bap 3 Dec 1620, d. after Jun 1673; m. Matthew Canfield, 9 children
   4.  Richard, bap 9 Sep 1623, d. 1693 Newark NJ; m. Sarah Coleman, 4 children; apparently an alternate date of 9 Jan 1621/22.
   5.  Robert [ancestor], bap 23 Feb 1623/4 or 1624/25, d. 12 Jul 1710; m. 25 Dec 1646 to Jane TAPP, 8 children [Governor of Connecticut]
   6.  Elizabeth, bap 25 Jul 1627; m. George Wolcott, 4 children
   7.  Susanna, bap 8 Oct 1629, d. bef 7 Nov 1705; m. 1652 to Lieut. Robert Webster, 5 children
   8.  Alice, bap 16 Feb  1630/31, d. 2 Aug 1633 Pitminster Eng.
   9.  James (Lieut), bap 20 Jul 1634, d. 12 Feb 1708/09; m. 26 Jan 1664/65 to Rebecca Lattimer, 9 known children
 10.  Catharine, bap 29 Jun 1637;  m. 19 Nov 1655 to Rev. William Thompson

Richard was one of the Patentees of the Charter of Connecticut  to King Charles II. Written in May 1661, it was taken to England by their current Governor, John Winthrop, and finally approved 1 May 1662.  Richard was Deputy to the Connecticut General Court 1644-1658, Magistrate or Assistant Magistrate between 1657-1665; he was on Governor Winthrop's Council in 1663-1664. He left a sizeable estate when he died, detailed in his will.

Richard wrote his will 13 Feb 1668/9 in Milford, New Haven, CT, and is said to have died a year later, on 3 Mar 1669/70 in Wethersfield.  His wife, Alice died shortly afterwards. Although he is 'known' to have been buried in the Wethersfield Village Cemetery, there is no headstone left standing. 

If you have information or corrections, please do not hesitate to contact me through calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  Thanks for stopping by to read this very brief history.