I thought the Blaney's were important.
http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-BLAY-NEY-1400.htmlBLAYNEY family, of Gregynog, Mont. The family claimed descent from Brochwel Ysgythrog . The first member of the family about whom there is definite information is EVAN BLAYNEY , whose name appears eighteenth in the roll of burgesses found in the charter of Welshpool , 7 June, 7 Henry IV (1406) , where he is described as of Tregynon .
His son, GRIFFITH AP EVAN BLAYNEY , is mentioned by the poet Lewis Glyn Cothi . The Gregynog line of the family was continued by Griffith 's son EVAN LLOYD ap GRIFFITH and by his grandson THOMAS AP EVAN LLOYD whose son, DAVID LLOYD BLAYNEY , was sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1577 and 1585 .
David Lloyd Blayney 's wife was Elizabeth , daughter of Lewis Jones of Bishop's Castle , and their eldest son, LEWIS BLAYNEY , was deputy-sheriff to his father in 1577 and 1585 .
Lewis Blayney m. Bridget , daughter of John Price of Newtown , and their son, JOHN BLAYNEY , was entered a barrister of the Inner Temple in 1609 and was sheriff in 1630 and 1643 . In 8 Charles I he was chief steward of the lordships of Kerry , Cydewain , Halcetor , and Montgomery . In 1666 he was one of those deemed qualified to be made Knights of the Royal Oak , an order intended by Charles II as a reward to his followers. He m. Elizabeth , daughter of Jenkin Lloyd of Berth-lwyd , Llanidloes .
Their daughter and heiress, JOYCE , m. her second cousin, Sir Arthur Blayney , who belonged to the Irish branch of the family. His father was the 1st lord Blayney who, in turn, was the third son of David Lloyd Blayney ( sheriff 1577 , v. supra ).
EDWARD , the 1st LORD BLAYNEY , was a soldier from his youth, and in 1598 he accompanied the earl of Essex to Ireland . He distinguished himself in the fighting in Ireland , and in 1603 he was knighted and, in 1621 , elevated to the peerage of Ireland as lord Blayney , baron of Monaghan , co. Monaghan .
His second son, ARTHUR (the husband of Joyce Blayney ), was knighted for bravery in the battle of Beaumaris . He was sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1644 . During the Civil War he assisted Sir William Owen of Brogyntyn in the defence of Harlech Castle for the king , and was one of the Commissioners appointed by him to sign the articles of surrender in March 1647 . He d. in 1659 .
Arthur 's third son, HENRY , was the father of JOHN BLAYNEY , who was sheriff in 1716 . John Blayney m. Anne , daughter of Arthur Weaver of Morville , Salop , the sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1667 . Their youngest son and eventual heir, Arthur Blayney ( v. infra ), was the last of the Blayneys of Gregynog , though the Irish line the Blayneys of Blayney Castle continued for some years.
The Blayney estates in Montgomeryshire and Salop passed to the Hon. Henry Tracy , who became the 8th viscount Tracy and whose wife was Susanna Weaver , a second cousin of Arthur Blayney [see note at end of article Hanbury , John ].
BLAYNEY , ARTHUR ( 1716 - 1795 ), the last of the Blayneys of Gregynog . Born 11 Feb. 1716 , was the youngest of the eight children of John Blayney and Anne Weaver his wife. As a result of the death of his elder brother he succeeded to the family estates. In 1764 he served the office of sheriff . He was noteworthy as a fine example of a country gentleman . He was a good landlord and concerned himself with the welfare of his tenants, often assisting them by buying their produce. He gave land for the building of good roads , and encouraged the planting of trees . He d. 1 Oct. 1795 and was buried at Tregynon on 6 Oct .
Bibliography:
Collections Historical and Archaeological relating to Montgomeryshire , xviii, 229, xxi, 273, xxii, 71, xxv, 105;
R. Williams , Montgomeryshire Worthies , second ed., 1894 ;
National Library of Wales Manuscript 9252.
Author:
Elwyn Evans, M.A., Aberystwyth
