Individual Details
Edward Smallwood
(Abt 1525 - Abt 1590)
The present generation of the Smallwood family is only the most rece nt to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Br itain. Their name comes from having lived in the township of Smallwo od in the parish of Astbury in the county of Chesire. Habitation names fo rm a broad category of surnames that were derived from pre-existing nam es for towns, villages, parishes or farmsteads.
Smallwood is an Anglo-Saxon surname that has survived the rigorous cour se of history to the present day. Emerging from the shadows of time, the r ecords reveal the earliest origins of this distinguished family.
Historians have researched such ancient manuscripts as the Domesday Book c ompiled in 1086 A.D., by Duke William of Normandy, the Ragman Rolls(12 91 - 1296) collected by King Edward 1st of England, the Curia Regis Roll s, the Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish registers, baptismals, tax rec ords and other ancient documents. Researchers found the first record of t he name Smallwood in Cheshire where they were anciently seated, at Smallwo od in the parish of Astbury, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The name Smallwood, occurred in many manuscripts and from time to time t he surname was spelt Smallwood, Smalwood, Smalewood, with these chang es in spelling occurring, even between father and son. In the sixteenth ce ntury even literate people such as William Shakespeare varied the spelli ng of their own names. There are many reasons for these spelling variation s, for instance official court languages such as Latin and French had the ir influence on how a name was recorded. In general, church officials a nd scribes recorded a name as it was told to them, rather than follow a ny spelling rules or conventions.
The Anglo-Saxon tribes produced many surnames such as Smallwood. These fou nding cultures settled in England in about the 5th century A.D., displaci ng the ancient Britons who populated the area in Roman times. The Angles a nd the Saxons established several independent kingdoms, Northumbria, Merci a, Wessex, Kent, Essex, Sussex and East Anglia, collectively known as t he Heptarchy. All of these rival kingdoms were unified in the 9th centu ry by Egbert, King of Wessex.
In 1066, the relative peace which the country has been existing under w as shattered. The Norman invasion from France and their victory at the Bat tle of Hastings meant that many Anglo-Saxon landholders lost their proper ty to Duke William and his invading nobles. Under oppressive Norman rule m any families decided to move north to Yorkshire and beyond the border to S cotland.
The Smallwood family emerged as notable Englishmen in the county of Chesh ire. In the 14th century they branched into Queyslade in Leicestershire, a nd also moved north and acquired the lands known as Belton Land in Renfrew shire Scotland, which was eventually sold to the Monks of Paisley for thr ee pounds. Dorothea Smallwood of Queyslade married John Geste of Hanswor th in Warwikshire in 1601. Henry Smallwood married Elizabeth Long of Hampt on Lodge of Surrey. Distinguished members of the family at this time inclu de Smallwood of Chesire.
Throughout the Middle Ages the Smallwood family flourished and contribut ed to English society. Later during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries Engl and was devastated by religious and political conflict. Conflicts betwe en religious sects and between parliamentary and royalist forces creat ed an unstable society. Many families were banished by the prevailing powe rs for dissention, other families chose to leave the turmoil behind.
In Ireland, Protestant settlers and soldiers in Cromwell's army were grant ed lands which had been confiscated from the native Catholic owners. The n ame Smallwood may well have arrived in Ireland with the "Cromwellian Adven tures for Land." in the 17th century. At that time, 1,000 acres of land w as available to settlers in Ulster for two hundred pounds, in Connaught f or three hundred pounds, and in Leinster for six hundred pounds.
Upheaval at home forced some families to risk the perilous journey to t he New World in order that they might build a better future for themselve s. Members of the Smallwood family were amongst the settlers who boarded s hips bound for Canada, the United States, Australia and the other coloni es held by the British Crown.
Settlers bearing the surname Smallwood, or a variable spelling of the fami ly name include Colonel James Smallwood,who settled in Maryland and Randa ll Smallwood settled in Virginia in 1623, Samwell and Martha Smallwood set tled in Maryland in 1699; Randolf Smallwood settled at the Delaware Riv er in 1685; Mathew Smallwood settled in Virginia in 1652; Joseph Smallwoo d, ancestor of Joey Smallwood settled at Prince Edward Island in 1783; Dav id Smallwood was a trader at Ship Island, BonnaVista Bay, Newfoundla nd in 1871.
Many migrants chose Canada as their destination after the British conquer ed the territory in 1763. But large numbers of English speaking migrants d id not arrive in Canada until after the American War of Independence.
The Smallwood family has continued to produce distinguished individuals s uch as Hon. Joseph Smallwood, Premier of Newfoundland, the last living mem ber of the Confederation of Canada; Chief Marshall Sir Dennis Smallwood; G eneral Gerald Smallwood; Anne Smallwood, Commissioner of Taxes.Governor Wi lliam Smallwood of Maryland,Chief Benjamin Franklin Smallwood,William Smal lwood who died with General George Armstrong Custer at the Little Big Ho rn and we don't want to forget Norma Smallwood the 1926 Miss America and t hose who off springed from the Smallwood's like Colonel William Barett Tra vis of the Alamo and the Smallwood family who are connected to the Hatfiel ds and McCoy's and Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.
Smallwood is an Anglo-Saxon surname that has survived the rigorous cour se of history to the present day. Emerging from the shadows of time, the r ecords reveal the earliest origins of this distinguished family.
Historians have researched such ancient manuscripts as the Domesday Book c ompiled in 1086 A.D., by Duke William of Normandy, the Ragman Rolls(12 91 - 1296) collected by King Edward 1st of England, the Curia Regis Roll s, the Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish registers, baptismals, tax rec ords and other ancient documents. Researchers found the first record of t he name Smallwood in Cheshire where they were anciently seated, at Smallwo od in the parish of Astbury, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The name Smallwood, occurred in many manuscripts and from time to time t he surname was spelt Smallwood, Smalwood, Smalewood, with these chang es in spelling occurring, even between father and son. In the sixteenth ce ntury even literate people such as William Shakespeare varied the spelli ng of their own names. There are many reasons for these spelling variation s, for instance official court languages such as Latin and French had the ir influence on how a name was recorded. In general, church officials a nd scribes recorded a name as it was told to them, rather than follow a ny spelling rules or conventions.
The Anglo-Saxon tribes produced many surnames such as Smallwood. These fou nding cultures settled in England in about the 5th century A.D., displaci ng the ancient Britons who populated the area in Roman times. The Angles a nd the Saxons established several independent kingdoms, Northumbria, Merci a, Wessex, Kent, Essex, Sussex and East Anglia, collectively known as t he Heptarchy. All of these rival kingdoms were unified in the 9th centu ry by Egbert, King of Wessex.
In 1066, the relative peace which the country has been existing under w as shattered. The Norman invasion from France and their victory at the Bat tle of Hastings meant that many Anglo-Saxon landholders lost their proper ty to Duke William and his invading nobles. Under oppressive Norman rule m any families decided to move north to Yorkshire and beyond the border to S cotland.
The Smallwood family emerged as notable Englishmen in the county of Chesh ire. In the 14th century they branched into Queyslade in Leicestershire, a nd also moved north and acquired the lands known as Belton Land in Renfrew shire Scotland, which was eventually sold to the Monks of Paisley for thr ee pounds. Dorothea Smallwood of Queyslade married John Geste of Hanswor th in Warwikshire in 1601. Henry Smallwood married Elizabeth Long of Hampt on Lodge of Surrey. Distinguished members of the family at this time inclu de Smallwood of Chesire.
Throughout the Middle Ages the Smallwood family flourished and contribut ed to English society. Later during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries Engl and was devastated by religious and political conflict. Conflicts betwe en religious sects and between parliamentary and royalist forces creat ed an unstable society. Many families were banished by the prevailing powe rs for dissention, other families chose to leave the turmoil behind.
In Ireland, Protestant settlers and soldiers in Cromwell's army were grant ed lands which had been confiscated from the native Catholic owners. The n ame Smallwood may well have arrived in Ireland with the "Cromwellian Adven tures for Land." in the 17th century. At that time, 1,000 acres of land w as available to settlers in Ulster for two hundred pounds, in Connaught f or three hundred pounds, and in Leinster for six hundred pounds.
Upheaval at home forced some families to risk the perilous journey to t he New World in order that they might build a better future for themselve s. Members of the Smallwood family were amongst the settlers who boarded s hips bound for Canada, the United States, Australia and the other coloni es held by the British Crown.
Settlers bearing the surname Smallwood, or a variable spelling of the fami ly name include Colonel James Smallwood,who settled in Maryland and Randa ll Smallwood settled in Virginia in 1623, Samwell and Martha Smallwood set tled in Maryland in 1699; Randolf Smallwood settled at the Delaware Riv er in 1685; Mathew Smallwood settled in Virginia in 1652; Joseph Smallwoo d, ancestor of Joey Smallwood settled at Prince Edward Island in 1783; Dav id Smallwood was a trader at Ship Island, BonnaVista Bay, Newfoundla nd in 1871.
Many migrants chose Canada as their destination after the British conquer ed the territory in 1763. But large numbers of English speaking migrants d id not arrive in Canada until after the American War of Independence.
The Smallwood family has continued to produce distinguished individuals s uch as Hon. Joseph Smallwood, Premier of Newfoundland, the last living mem ber of the Confederation of Canada; Chief Marshall Sir Dennis Smallwood; G eneral Gerald Smallwood; Anne Smallwood, Commissioner of Taxes.Governor Wi lliam Smallwood of Maryland,Chief Benjamin Franklin Smallwood,William Smal lwood who died with General George Armstrong Custer at the Little Big Ho rn and we don't want to forget Norma Smallwood the 1926 Miss America and t hose who off springed from the Smallwood's like Colonel William Barett Tra vis of the Alamo and the Smallwood family who are connected to the Hatfiel ds and McCoy's and Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1525 | England | |||
| Death | Abt 1590 | England |
Families
| Child | Matthew Smallwood (1555 - 1610) |