The Family of Kemmis
Edition 3.3 - 5 June 2020
Kemeys of Bertholey
Bertholey, or Bertholdy, a chapelry in the parish of Llandrissent, Monmouthshire, lies about half a mile north of Kemeys Inferior and is situated like it upon the western slope of Wentwood, but under the towering heights of Pencamawr. The Chapel, now in ruins, stands upon the Kemeys Inferior Estate which adjoins Bertholey Manor. Coxe in his "Monmouthshire" thus describes Bertholey: "an abrupt descent leads from these ruins (of Troggy Castle) through an open forest to Bertholey house, which deserves to be visited for the extreme beauty of the situation. It stands on a gentle rising ground above the lower road leading from Caerleon to Usk and commands a most delicious view of the fertile vale and distant mountains. The lawn and adjacent grounds are richly clothed with hanging groves of ancient oaks; and below the Usk forms a curve, which is almost a complete circle. The irregular shape of the house well accords with the romantic scenery with which it is surrounded."
- XIX. Edward Kemeys: third son of Edward Kemeys (XVIII) of Kemeys by Joan his wife: succeeded to Bertholey and Maesgenwith. By the will of his father Edward Kemeys, the capital Mansion House of Bertholey and the lands of the same were entailed upon him; also other lands in Bertholey chapelry, also Maesgenwith, and the Manors of Magor and Redwick. By this will he also, on the death of his brother Nicholas, in 1636-7, succeeded to various lands in St. Bride's, Undy and Llanvair, and to the Criiba Mill or House with lands in Shirenewton. High Sheriff of the Co. Monmouth in 1654; mentioned in Oliver's Survey of the Crown Manor of Undy in 1650 as "Sir Edward Kemish, Knight," and in a similar survey of Caldicot in 1650 as "Edward Kemis, Esq." Will dated 12th March 1657 and proved in London 19th March of the year following. Married prior to 1628 Alice, daughter of ......; she witnessed the will of her mother-in-law Joan Kemeys in 1628; sole executrix to her husband's will 1657-8; living January 16th 1662. Issue,
- 1. Edward,
- 2. Thomas; unmarried in 1657. (?) The Thomas Kemeys, gentleman, of the parish of Cholsey, Wilts, and afterwards of Littleton, Middlesex; lived with the Duke of Beauford; will dated 23rd January 1684 and proved in London May 1685: married Mary, daughter of ..... and was father of Charles and Thomas. (?) The Thomas Kemmis of the parish of St. Peter's, Cornhill; administration London 1617 by his widow Jane, whose will, dated 29th June 1719, was proved in London, 17th July of the same year. Father of
- (i) Thomas, living 1719.
- (ii) Jane married ...... Latham.
- (iii) A daughter who married ...... Golding. Probably the Richard Kemmis, whose son George by his wife Elizabeth was born 29th August 1718, and baptized at St. Anne's Westminster on 7th September following, was of this branch.
- 3. Nicholas, whence Kemeys of Fern, Co. Wexford. (see which branch)
- 4. John: of the parish of Llantrissaint in 1679, unmarried 1657: probably the John Kemeys mentioned in Roger's Memoirs as opposing the enclosure of Wentwood Chase in 1678 and for whose apprehension the Marquis of Worcester obtained a warrant: (see preface p. 1-7) appears to have died s.p. Will dated 18th February 1679, and proved at Llandaff, 26th November 1684.
- 5. Anne, living 1657-60, married Robert eldest son of Godfrey Havrecampe, who had lands and tenements in London and Westminster in 1657.
- 6. Margaret, spinster, of St. Martins-in-the-Fields, London; nuncupative will, 7th May 1668, proved in London, 10th February 1669. She succeeded to certain lands an tenements in the parish of Llantrissent under her father's will, which she left to her brother Nicholas, who administered her will.
- 7. Hester, married prior to 1679 to William Waters living 1699;
- 8. Caterine, unmarried 1657; living 1668.
- 9. A daughter married to William Power of London, "Silkman," in 1657.
- XX. Edward Kemeys. Mentioned in a manorial survey of 1670 as holding Bertholey, late his father's by Knight service, and also other lands in Bertholey, late John Thomas', by same tenure (48), mentioned in Blome's list of the Gentry of Co. Monmouth in 1673 as "Edward Kemeis of Bertholey Gent.," of Maesgenwith; of "the house at Cribba" in Shirenewton; Commissioner of Sewers in 1659; an executor to the will of his cousin, Colonel Edward Kemeys, in 1660; opposed the enclosure of Wentwood Chase by the Marquis of Worcester in 1678; (see preface); administration by his widow Margaret at Llandaff 2nd August 1682, her sureties being Roger Kemeys and David Thomas; married prior to 1656 Margaret, daughter of ......; her will is dated 19th June 1717, and proved at Llandaff, 29th August 1718, in it she is described as of the "Cribba House" in Shirenewton; she mentions her son Edward's children, her son Roger's children, her granddaughter Elizabeth, daughter of her deceased son William, but none of her other grandchildren, the sons of her second son Lewis. Issue.
- 1. Edward.
- 2. Lewis: father of Nicholas the eldest and other sons, who were living in 1728, as mentioned in the will of Edward Kemeys(XXII) of Bertholey; whence Kemmis of Shaen. (see which branch)
- 3. Roger; whence Kemeys of Pantêg. (see which branch)
- 4. William, of Chepstow; administration Llandaff 30th April 1707; married Elizabeth, daughter of ......; father of
- (a) Lewis; born 1692, (49) living 1707.
- (b) George; born 1695, (49) living 1707.
- (c) Edward; born 1696, (49) living 1707.
- (d) Elizabeth, living 1707; executrix to her grandmother in 1718. Probably the Richard Kemeys at school at Chepstow in 1728 was a son of one of these three brothers; possibly this Richard was father of Edward Kemeys of Chepstow, victualler; whose will dated 17th October 1810 was proved in London, 17th May 1811, and who died s.p.: and also of the "Mr. Francis Kemyss, died 6th February 1823, at Chepstow, nearly 100, the oldest inhabitant of that town," as mentioned in a newspaper obituary of that date. The Dorothy Kemeys who in 1770 and some years later had a small property in Caldicot was possibly also descended from this branch.
- 5. Elizabeth; married John Jones of Llantrissent; dead before 1717.
- XXI. Edward Kemeys: described in his Marriage Affidavit as "Edward Kemis of Bertholley Co. Mon. Gent".; of Maesgenwith; also of lands in Caldicot Manor: J. P. in 1708; mentioned by Rogers as a free tenant in Wentwood by prescription; one of those to whom Rogers dedicated his Memoirs, which were published in 1708: obiit 17th October 1710; buried at Llantrissent, Co. Monmouth, where he has a tomb; will, in which he only mentions his wife Anne to whom he left all his copyhold estates in the parish of Llantrissent, proved at Llandaff, 16th April 1711; married 30th March 1688-9 at Great Barrington, Anne, daughter of Reginald Bray of Great Barrington, Glos, and of the founder's kin of All Souls, she died in 1722; father of
- 1. Edward.
- 2. Reginald.
- 3. Charles, living 1728-9 and 1741; of Wentwood Lodge (?Ranger of Wentwood Forest) parish of Llanvaches. Will 29th September 1751, and proved 1st February 1760 in London.
- 4. Margaret, living 1728-9 and 1741. (?) The Margaret Kemeys of Isleworth, Middlesex, spinster, whose will dated 6th June 1769, was proved in London the July following, by which she left all her property to friends.
- 5. A daughter who was married to ...... Sawbridge and had issue, a son Thomas, living in 1729.
- XXII. Edward Kemeys: of Bertholey and Maesgenwith: M. P. for Monmouth Boroughs 1722 adn 1727. One of the Commissioners of Land Tax for Monmouthshire in 1726. Will dated 1st. February 1729 and proved in London 15th November 1736, by which he desired to be buried at Llantrissent. Died s. p.
- XXII. Reginald Kemeys: of Bertholey and of Maesgenwith on the death of his brother Edward in 1736. Captain of H.E.I.C. Ship "Normanton". Of Little Ormonde Street, St. Andrews, Holburne; elected July 1732, with others, a Director of the London Assurance Co; Will dated 15th October 1737, and proved in London, 21st January 1742; buried at Llantrissent; married Jane, daughter and co-heiress of Charles Proby, D.D., Rector of Tewin, Herts; her will dated, 17th November 1741, was proved in London, 21st January 1742, when she was of St. Andrews, Holburne. Buried in Tewin. Issue.
- 1. Jane.
- 2. Anne; married at St. Margaret's, Westminster, on 28th January 1757, John Clitheroe of Boston House, Brentford, who died 9th May 1805, aet. 73; she died 25th December 1801, aet. 71. M.I. to husband and wife at Brentford where they are buried.
- 3. Mary, living 1741.
- 4. Susannah Audrey, married Robert Riddell of Carzield, parish of
Kirkmahoe, Dumfrieshire; she died 4th November 1800 (50). A descendant of this marriage, William Kemeys Riddell, was of Glenlyn, Lynmouth, Devon, in 1888.
- XXIII. Jane Kemeys: of Bertholey and of Maesgenwith; baptized 30th December 1728 at St. Andrews, Holburne; Will February 1798; married John Gardner, who took the name of Kemeys; he was of Plantain Garden near Jamaica and died in 1793. Issue.
- 1. John.
- 2. Jane; married Providence Hansard, and had a son who died unmarried and a daughter married to Richard Amphlett of Monmouth.
- 3. Susan Margaret; died a spinster at Monmouth on 18th October 1848, aet. 86.
- XXIV. John Kemeys Gardner Kemeys: of Bertholey and Maesgenwith, the fee of which he sold; born 1757; matriculated at Queen's College Oxford, 22nd February 1777; High Sheriff Co. Monmouth 1809 (51); obiit 9th October 1830; there is a monument to him at Llantrissent, which also commemorates his wife and his daughter Jane Bateman; married Sarah, daughter of Mathew Broadbelt; she died 2nd January 1815, aet. 63 at R. Broadbelt's Esq., Batheston Villa" (52), and was buried on 10th January at Llantrissent, M.I. Issue.
- 1. Jane Sarah.
- 2. Susannah Broadbelt, baptized at Llantrissent, 21st October 1789, died 3rd October 1804, aet. 16 years and nine months.
Footnotes to Kemeys of Bertholey
- (48) Wakeman.
- (49) Vide, Chepstow Registers.
- (50) Gent. Mag. Vol. 70. pp. 11, -16.
- (51) Gent. Mag. Vol. 79. p. 176.
- (52) Gent. Mag. Vol. 86. p. 183.
Beginning of Document
Table of Contents
Kemeys of Kemeys
Kemmis of Shaen
John L. & Irene Kemmis
E-mail:john.kemmis@kemmisfamily.info