SHEDENHELM-SIMMONS NOTABLE ANCESTORS

SHEDENHELM-SIMMONS NOTABLE ANCESTORS

      At our recent family reunion, someone asked me to mention a few of our “famous” ancestors and I was unprepared to answer the question- in part because I haven’t thought about this issue for quite awhile- and in part because “famous” is a loaded word. Still, it is a fair question, and beyond the hard-working men and women who are the backbone of our family... there are more than a few people who either earned, or were handed, a certain measure of fame. Many of these direct ancestors- but not all- are listed below/

Through the Shedenhelms, Schall’s and Hatzfeldt’s (note that Catherine Malinda Schall was Grafton Shedenhelm’s wife)

Charlemagne-16ggp-aka “Charles the Great” and “The Father of Europe”-died 28 January, 784- united a large part of Europe and laid foundation for Germany and France. my 36x great-grandfather
King Pepin i- 36th ggp- King of Franks
King Pepin II “The Short”- “Peppin der Kleine”- 37th ggp- Charles’ father
St. Gisela of Bavaria- 26th ggm- died 1065-daughter of Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, married King Stephen I of Hungary
Arnulf “the bad”- 32 ggp- died 14 July 537- said to have been “energetic and combative”
Heinrich “The Proud” of Bavaria- 25th ggf- 20 January 1139 in Ravensburg, Baden- Wuerttemberg, Germany
King Hermann de Salm- 27th ggf- died 1088
Emperor Berengar I- 34th ggf- Emperor of Holy Roman Empire, as are the others Emperor Conrad II of Bavaria- 32nd ggf- died 992- King of Burgundy, Italy, and Germany
Count Johann Drachenfels- 16ggf
Emperor Otto I der grosse- 32nd ggf- died 973 in Membien, Germany

Through the Shedenhelm-Agnew’s
First a word about the Agnew’s themselves. We are blessed with an unbroken “string” of Agnews from grandmother, Myrene (Agnew) Simmons to William d’Aignell, born 1290. The Agnews were hereditary

Sheriffs of Lochnaw, Scotland, for centuries and they were well integrated with the elite and royal families of their time.

King Robert ! of Scotland- 20ggp- aka “Robert the Bruce” King Robert II of Scotland- 19ggp- aka “Robert the Stewart” King Robert III- 18thggp- aka “Fiery Face”
King James I- aka “Black Knight”-16thggp- 1349-1437
King James II-17thggp- 1430-1460
King James III-18thggp- 1451-1488
King James IV-19thggp- 1473-1513- died in Battle of Flodden

Through the Simmons’ and Duvall’s (Mervin Simmons is my maternal great grandfather. It seems we are related to the royal Stewarts through 2 family lines. The Duvals and the Simmons were both respected Maryland families. The Simmons immigrated from England and the Duvalls immigrated from France).

King Robert Stewart II
King Robert de Brus I- 26th ggf
King Robert de Brus II “The Cadet”- 25th ggf Robert Brasseur “The French Hugenot”- 10th ggf King James I
King James II
King James III

Through the Simmon’s and Howard’s* (note that the Howard’s ancestry is in dispute when it reaches the Arundels)

King John “Jack” Lackland of England- 21st ggf, 1166-1216
King Henry II Plantagenet of England- 22nd ggf, 1133-1189
William the Conqueror- 23ggf- 1028-1087.
Also known as “William the Bastard,” he was the descendant of Viking raiders. King Hugh Capet of France- 27th ggf- 961-996
King Fulk V of Jerusalem- 24th ggf- 1092-1143
King Arnulf II- 28th ggf. Also known as Arnulf der Schlimme “The Bad”

Through Simmons and Wests
There are many “Knights” in our family and more than a few Sheriffs, but I can’t help but think of Robert Markham chasing Friar Tuck and Little John through Nottingham forest. Knights of the Bath took baths of purification before they were knighted. Knights of the Garter received the highest order of chivalry in the Medieval world.

Sir Thomas Lyttleton- 14th ggp- 1421-1481-Knight of the Bath Sir Robert Markham- High Sheriff of Nottingham

Through the Shedenhelms, Leases, and Davis’
Catherine Lease is my 3x ggm. She was married to George Shedenhelm of Maryland and many of her relatives married Shedenhelms in the early years of our family in America, Catherine’ mother was Dorothy Davis.

Crinan de Mormaer “The Hound”- 29th ggf- lay abbot of monastery of Dunkeld. Established the House of Dunkeld, which ruled Scotland for 250 years.
King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson- 36th ggf- King of Denmark and Norway. “The Viking King.” Called “Bluetooth” because of his ability to unite people.
King David I “Saint of Scotland”- 25th ggf, 1183-1253
King Henry of Scotland- 24th ggp- 1114-1152
King David II of Scotland- 23ggf- last male of House of Bruce

Through Shedenhelms/Johnson
Elizabeth Johnson is my paternal great-grandmother. She was married to Joshua Shedenhelm, and she is linked to any number of historical figures, including the men and women who founded America.

King Amyntas, Tetrach of Galatia- 63rd ggf-died 370BC
King Clovis I- 42nd ggf- 466-511- first King of Francs to unite all tribes Sir John Field “The Astonomer”- 10th ggf- 1512-1587proto Copernican Sir Wm. Mowbray, Crusader and Signer of Magna Charta- 26ggf
King Louis I of France- 34ggp- 778-840, aka “The Pious,” “The Fair” King Richard “le bon”- 30th ggf- engaged in War of the Roses

King Richard “The Fearless”- 31ggf- 993-996- owned all land in Normandy
King Wm. “Longsword” Beauclerc- 32nd ggf, 893-942, born to Viking King, Rollo King Rolo Rognvaldsson- 33rd ggf- 846-932- “The Viking King”
King Dagobert I- 38th ggf, 603-639, last Merovingian King with real power Empress Scibina Libo- 65th ggf, before 16AD-47AD, Father was stabbed to death by Tiberius in 16AD
King Flavius Ricimer, Chieftan of the Suevi- 44th ggf, 405-472, ruled through puppet emperors

DIRECT AMCESTORS IN COLONIAL AMERICA
Our family was deeply involved in Colonial America, especially, but not exclusively, in the north. Since the Shedenhelms, Schalls, and our Maryland ancestors were not in America during that time period, the following ancestors stem mostly from the Simmons, the Johnsons, and branches that come from them.

MY 8TH GREAT GRANDPARENTS
Rev. Roger Williams, 1603-1683, advocate for separation of church and state, and founder of Rhose Island.
Maj. John Greene, 1620-1707, deputy governor of Rhode Island
Phillip Sherman, 1610-1687, left Mass. Bay colony because of his dedication to yjr religious beliefs of Anne Hutchinson and then founded Portsmouth, RI.
Roger Mowry, 1612-1666, settled in Salem in 1628 and operated the first tavern John Rice, 1646-1731
Joshua Winsor, 1618-1679
Rev. William Wilkinson, 1612-1663, Virginia
Commodore Robert Brooke, 1602-1655. Brooke, who was wealthy in the first place, acquired 8,000 acres in Maryland
My 9th GREAT GRANDPARENTS
Roger Amidon, 1614-1673, French Hugenot who was an early settler in Salem and he received a distribution of land there in 1637
Dr. John Greene, the first settler in Warwick, Rhode Island
Captain John Johnson, 1590-1659, landed in Salem on June 22, 1630

Randall Holden, 1612-1692, co-founder of Warwick and Portsmouth, RI

Capt. John Whipple, 1617-1685, treasurer and clerk of Provdience, RI
Thomas Olney, 1600-1682, arrived on the ship, “Planter,” banished from Salem in 1638 for his religious views
Captain William Holbrook, 1620-1699, called “captain” and “deacon”