The Family of Kemmis
Edition 3.3 - 5 June 2020
Kemeys of Llanblethian
Llanblethian or Llanbleiddan, is a picturesque village in a parish of the same name in Glamorganshire, lying S.W. of and close to Cowbridge; it is situated in a warm and well sheltered glen upon the banks of the river Ddau and possesses a handsome old church. Leland thus speaks of it "From Landouhe to Lanlithian village half a mile, and herre is a stone bridge. Most of the village is on the west ripe; the other part and the castle is on the est ripe. The Castel longging to the King is yet partly standing and is in Terstuard lordship and kept as the prison for it"... "Coubridge is a quarter of a mile above Lanlithian.... as much of Coubridge as is enclosed with a waull stondith on the est ripe and the bridge of ston there.... the waulle of Coubridge is a three quarters of a mile aboute. There be three gates in the waulles, the est, the west and Port Meline by south. There is a chirche in the town, but the saying is that Lanlithan is the paroch chirch to Coubridge. The town self of Coubridge standeth in a valle."
- XVIII. John Kemeys: 3rd. son of John Kemeys of Newport (XVII) by his wife Nest (Isabella); of Llanblethian: probably the John Kemeys who was sub-sheriff of Glamorgan 1562; defendant as before mentioned, with David Gibbons in an action, in which his brother Giles was plaintiff, to recover title deeds of the Manor of Rogerston and Sutton and a capital messuage and divers lands in Newport (140); sued for the illegal seizure of the goods of a felon by Sir Thos. Stradling, Knt. of Donat's, Sheriff of Glamorgan 1547-8, who farmed for the Crown Alnblethon, Ogmore, Ewenny and Colwinstone (141); married Friswith (142), daughter of Jno. Turberville of Llanblethian, son of Jenkin Turberville (143). Father of,
- XIX. George Kemeys: of Llanblethian Manor House; High Sheriff of Glamorgan, 1588; married Maud, daughter of David Evans of the Great House, Neath. Father of
- 1. John: who seems to have died in his father's lifetime, and was father of
- (a) George, of Llanblethian Manor House which he sold to his uncle Thomas, and of Lloydarth in Llangonydd: probably the George Kemeys described as of Llanblethian, whose will was administered by Maud Kemeys at Llandaff 13th. May 1679;
- (b) John, of Llanblethian, will proved at Llandaff, 28th. December 1685, married Ann, daughter of .... Mathew of Miros, and became father of Amy, who married David Price and was living in 1726:
- (c) Joan, married ..... Williams and had a son Alderman John Williams of Cowbridge who was living in 1726;
- (d) Maud, of Cowbridge, married ..... Evers (144), Will proved at Llandaff, 4th. October 1726.
- 2. Thomas.
- XX. Thomas Kemeys: of Llanblethian Manor House, which he purchased, as before said, from his nephew George; died 5th. September 1678, aet. 80; buried at Llanblethian 6th. September; Will proved at Llandaff, 27th. September of the same year; a benefactor under his will to the Cathedral Church of Llandaff: married Jennet, daughter of John Morgan (146). Father of
- 1. George: probably father of George of Llanblethian, whose will was dated 9th. December 1706 and proved at Llandaff 7th. October 1707, and who was father of a daughter married to .... Richard and mother of two daughters Margaret and Elizabeth living 1707, also possibly father of Ann, married to Lleison, natural son of Thomas of Brigan.
- 2. Goorond: father of Friswith, born 4th. and baptised 11th. January 1661, buried at Llanblethian 24th. January 1678: possibly also father of Catherine, married to Richard David of Llantrissant at Llanblethian 10th. June 1680.
- 3. John: of Llanblethian and lather of Llancarvan (147): administration at Llandaff, 6th. April 1682, by his brother Thomas; married Mary, daughter of .....: father of
- (a) Edward, born 25th. September and baptised 5th. October 1663, died 26th. September, 1688, buried at Llanblethian.
- (b) Elizabeth, born 26th. May 1661 and baptised at Llanbelthian 2nd. June following.
- 4. Thomas: of Llanblethian Manor House, on the death of his sister Elizabeth and under her will; died 6th. March 1685; Will proved at Llandaff, 13th. April 1686.
- 5. Richard
- 6. Elizabeth: of Llanblethian Manor House; will dated 23rd. January and proved at Llandaff 24th. March 1682.
- 7. Katherine; married Richard Bassett of Llanblethian, living 1682.
- 8. Friswith; married David Thomas, clerk.
- 9. Ann; married Jenkin Stradling, second son of John Stradling of Ruthyn.
- 10. Cicely: of Llanblethian Manor House on the death of her brother Thomas and under his will; married Edward Thomas on 4th. February 1684, at Llanblethian.
- XXI. Richard Kemeys: of Llanblethian: churchwarden of the parish in 1680; buried there 29th. September 1689; will administered at Llandaff 14th. October 1689; married Mary, daughter of ..... Jenkins (148). Issue
- 1. Thomas.
- 2. Philippia, born 29th. January 1687; died Monday, 20th. February 1689; buried at Llanblethian.
- 3. A daughter, married Evan Jenkins.
- XXII. Thomas Kemeys: of Cowbridge, born 21st. December 1684; had the fee of lands in Llanblethian and also copyhold lands in the same Manor, also "Chapter Leases" in Monmouthshire from the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff; Will dated 16th. July 1722 and proved at Llandaff 2nd. October following, whereby he left his wife his sole executrix and desired that the Right Honourable Thomas, Lord Mansell, the Hon. Sir Charles Kemeys, Bart., his dear brother Evan Jenkins and his uncle Edmund Jenkins, gent, should assist his executrix and children in what might be needful, he also mentions therein his sons Edmund, John, and Thomas, his other children, his dear friend, the Rev. Robert Powell of Llysworny, then Head Master of Cowbridge Grammar School, and his cousin Thomas Williams; married Anne, daughter of ....., she died in 1744 and was buried 1st. February of that year at Llanblethian. Issue.
- 1. Edmund.
- 2. John; matriculated at Jesus College, Oxford, 21st. March 1729-30, aet. 19 (149).
- 3. Thomas.
- 4. Edward; baptised at Cowbridge 1st. July 1719; buried at Llanblethian 27th. August 1723.
- 5. Philippia; baptised at Cowbridge 16th. March 1720.
- XXIII. Edmund Kemeys: of Cowbridge; married Mary, daughter of .....; Father of Mary, who was baptised at Cowbridge, 20th. July 1733, and probably also of Moses and Aaron, who were buried at Llanblethian in 1749, respectively on 8th. and 21st. June.
Footnotes to Kemeys of Llanblethian
- (140) "Calendar of Pleadings in Chancery", temp. Queen Elizabeth, Vol. II, p. 120.
- (141) "The Stradling Correspondence", p. 146.
- (142) Fristwith was the surname of a family that furnished Queen Katherine with one of her four chambers, 1540-2; the names of these ladies are recorded in a list of that unfortunate Queen's household, preserved in the State Paper Office. Miss Strickland in her "Lives of the Queen's of England", Vol. IV., pp. 393, 415, publishes the document and mentions from another State Paper the name of this lady.
- (143) Jenkin was base son of Rd. Turberville of Lythegston; Trustee of the Lythegston estate 1525 and under Sheriff to Wm. Basset of Beaupr{ 1544: he bore "Chequy, a fesse ermine, ap Jenkin Turberville". In the "Stradling Correspondence", temp. Elizabeth, Jenkin Turberville is described as of Penlline Castle, Co. Glamorgan.
- (144) Wakeman.
- (146) Vide the Morgan pedigree in the Cambrian Register, Vol. II, 1799. p: 463.
- (147) Llancarvan is about 4 miles S.E. from Cowbridge.
- (148) Probably a relative of Sir Leoline Jenkins, L.L.D. Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, Judge of the Admiralty, Privy Counsellor, Secretary of State, etc., who was born at Llantrissant, Co. Glamorgan in 1623, and died 1st. September 1685. He endowed Cowbridge Grammar School which he had purchased from Sir Ed. Stradling of St. Donat's and devised it to Jesus College, Oxford.
- (149) "Alumni Oxonienses".
Beginning of Document
Table of Contents
Kemeys of Newport
Kemeys Syston and Oldbury
John L. & Irene Kemmis
E-mail:john.kemmis@kemmisfamily.info