This, you will remember, is an imaginary family only, and is purposely made very simple. Much matter is usually added the surnames of the persons whom the sons and daughters married, the date and place of birth, etc., as shown in the complete chart or diagram taken from the Visitation of Somersetshire, 1623, page 101; which is reproduced on page 83, exactly as it is given in the published Visitation.

This diagram is more complicated than the simple one we have drawn, but the same principles of construction hold in each. Let us now use an actual diagramed pedigree with which to illustrate the subject of the lesson-chapter. In all European diagrams there are many abbreviations used which are confusing to beginners. Students should consult the Chapter on Abbreviations in this Book which will give all of these signs and many more.

Now observe how this family of Smith works out.

Smith

The griffin's head which they anciently bore for their crest was granted by Wm. Hawley, Cla. 36 H. 8, which was after ratified and confirmed by all the Kings and Heralds of Arms under the common seal of their office 1568, 10 Q. Elizabeth.

Explanation of Diagram.

First comes the explanation of the Crest of this branch of the Smith family; and when, and by whom, it was granted.

The pedigree begins with John Smith of Alberton, in the county of Gloucester, com. meaning county; and it states that he lived in the 14th year of the reign of Henry the VI, King of Eng. By consulting the list of the English Rulers, on a later page, it will be found that Henry VI began his reign in the year 1422. Adding 14 to 1422 tells us that John Smith was known or mentioned in some public way in 1436, not that he was born on that date. When entering this name on the Temple record, the date 1436,

John Smith of Alberton in com. Glouc. lived in the 14 of H. 6.=

John Smith of Longe Ashton in com. Som. 36 H. 8.=

would be entered in the death column and the word "since" would precede it, meaning, that he died since 1436.

=

The marriage sign follows and the rest is blank, showing that the name of his wife was unknown. Robert, is the name of his son; and the pedigree shows that the name of Robert's wife was unknown. John's wife would be designated as Mrs. John Smith, and Robert's as Mrs. Robert Smith, when recording these names.

Robert's son is named John, and this John's son is Mathew. There is no information concerning these three generations except the names; and it may be that they were also of Alberton, in Gloucestershire. Dates for these families will have to be estimated, or approximated, when the pedigree has all been copied, and all known dates and information written in.

Mathew's son is John, and John is of Long Ashton, in the county of Somerset. This John was known to be living in the 36th year of the reign of Henry VIII. Henry VIII came to the throne in 1509, and 1509 plus 36 equals 1545, so the last named John "died since 1545," and that is the way it is written in the record. His wife has to be designated as Mrs. John Smith. They had two sons, Hugh and Mathew.

Hugh being the elder son, was the heir; he married, and had one daughter, but he evidently died before his brother Mathew, for "s. and h. to his brother," means that Mathew was successor and heir to his brother Hugh's estates; and the figure 2, near Mathew's name, indicates that Mathew was the second son. In the English law, entailed estates must pass to the next male heir, however distant, if there be any; so Hugh's daughter could not inherit her father's estates, while there was a man to carry on the family name. She probably inherited money or property of some kind, for “d. and h." means daughter and heiress. She married a Mr. Morgan of Lanterner, Christian name not known.

Mathew Smith of Long Ashton married a daughter of -blank-(maiden name unknown.) She was the widow (relicta) of a Mr. Skerne. Mathew, and Mrs. Skerne had

four children; two daughters, whose names were not known, one of whom married Sir George Rodney, and the other a Mr. Gifford of Shropshire; the unbroken line which extends down the right-hand margin and then runs across to the left of the page again, has two more short lines which indicate the other two children, running down to the name of Jane, who married a Mr. Mathewes of Radnor in Wales; and to Hugh who was the first of the family to be knighted. This Sir Hugh Smith of Long Ashton, was living in 1623, but the date is put in the death column when recording the name and it is said that he died since that date. He married Elizabeth Gorge, of Langford, in the county of Wiltshire; she was the daughter of Sir Thomas Gorge and sister to Lord Gorge.

Sir Hugh was the man who furnished this pedigree to the officers of King James I—when they were sent out from the Heralds' College on their periodical visits to the various shires and estates of the realm. His children were Helena, who married Sir Francis Rogers of Cannington, Somersetshire; Mary, who married Sir Thomas Smith of Westchester; and Thomas, his son and heir, aged fourteen, in 1623, when the visitation was made.

For the rules governing the estimation or approximation of the dates for the foregoing family pedigree see chapter on Alison pedigree.

CHAPTER 8

ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY OF FOREIGN
WORDS

In all genealogical books there are abbreviations, some simple phonetic ones and some rare Latin ones, especially in European books. In this chapter will be found a glossary of practically every name and place abbreviation found in standard European or American genealogical books.

Abbreviations of Christian Names