David Lloyd Blayney (Blaeney)

born 1523, died 1595

Born in Gregynog, in the parish of Tregynnon, a "genuine descendant of the ancient sovereigns of old Powys in the line of Brochwel Ysgythrog" [38], [389a]. See ancestry of David Lloyd.

Became High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1577 [389a] or 1579 [579] and had a new hall built at Gregynog the same year. In 1578 he bought the freehold of the Grange y Gelynnoc (of Celynog) from Lord Cheney who had aquired it from the Queen (QEI) in exchange for lands elsewhere [226]. High Sheriff again 1585 [389a] or 1587 [579].

Geneological Issues
The first problem is that aparently Archdall's "Lodge's Peerage" [238] and John Rhydderch's "Pedigrees of Montgomeryshire families" [39] list Thomas and Gwenthlean as parents, not grandparents of Sir Edward. Rhydderch doesn't mention David Lloyd Blayney and has Thomas ap Jevan, married to Gwenthlean, daughter of Thomas Herle, "and had issue four sons and three daughters...Sir Edward Blayney the third son, ...knighted "for his gallantry at the memorable siege of Kinsale, 1601". Archdall, "A Biographical Peerage of Ireland" [484] and Brydges [485], [587] have David Lloyd Blayney as a brother to Edward (1st lord), as well as Lewis Blayney, Morris ap Thomas Blayney and three daughters. Morris doesn't appear in any other genealogy, although at least two list Evan ap Maurice as the son-in-law (wife of Florence) of Thomas.

Problems with these apparently reliable sources not showing David Lloyd Blayney as Edward's father are:

• Thomas Blayney (born 1475) and would have had to have been 95 when Edward was born in 1570 (knighted 1603) although Gwenthlean Herle (born 1535) would have been 35.
• Rhydderch copied his information from "Lewis Dunn's original visitation", yet Lewis Dunn's actual paper (which I have copies of the relevant pages) [40] has David Lloyd Blayney as the son of Thomas and father of Lewis.
• All the "Peerage" books claiming Sir Edward Blayney was the son of Thomas ap Jeven Blayney also claim "his elder brother, David Lloyd Blaney (sic), was father of Thomas Blayney, seated at "Furgonan", in Montgomeryshire." There is no Furgonan in Montgomershire so this appears to be a copying error, perhaps of Manafon, Tregynog or most likely, Gregynon. Other than in "direct copy" type genealogies, the only source for this place is Lodges "Peerage of Ireland" [707]. In fact, there are sufficient errors in these claims to ignore not just the claim David Lloyd was Sir Edward's brother instead of his father but to raise doubts about the existence of a second Thomas son of David Lloyd Blayney at all.
• Archdall's "Lodge's Peerage" admits to a number of corrections in the title, so is clearly a compilation from other sources [238].
• According to virtually all on-line genealogies eg [10], [02], [45] AND the following books and papers (which I hold copies of), Thomas is given as David Lloyd Blayney's father and Edward as his third son to Elizabeth Jones:
  • "David Lloyd Blaeney ap Thomas ap Evan ap Griffith ap Evan Blaeney was the father of Lewis Blaeney, Sheriff of Montgomery 1630 & 1643" {Lewis Dwnn [40]}. There is general acceptance that Lewis and Edward were brothers.
  • David Lloyd Blayney, listed as the son of Thomas ap Evan Lloyd ap Griffith ap Evan (Evan, the first to adopt a surname = Blayney) and as having Lewis Blayney (Sheriff in 1566), Capt Thomas Blayney, and Sir Edward Blayney (Baron of Monaghan) by Elizabeth Jones {W. V. Lloyd [38]}.
  • In "The Family of Blayney" (Rowley-Morris) [35], pages three and 19, Rowley-Morris lists the family tree of David Lloyd Blayney (d. 1595), married to Elizabeth dau of Lewis Jones, showing Lewis Blayney, Capt Thomas Blayney and Edward (3rd son and 1st Lord Blayney) as his sons. This is widely recognised as the best work on the Blayneys and the Obituary to Edward Rowley Morris in "Archalogia Cambrensis" 1893 (which I also have a copy of) states that "As a genealogist he was one of the ablest that Wales has produced....and he was never satisfied with a pedigree until he had verified its details from the Public records."
  • In "Blayney Family, of Gregynog, Mont." (Welsh Biography Online) [784], we have "the 1st lord Blayney who, in turn, was the third son of David Lloyd Blayney (sheriff 1577,...).

  The weight of evidence is clearly that David Lloyd Blayney's father was Thomas and that Sir Edward Blayney was David Lloyd's son.

---

Next are the confusing claims about his wives.

• The LDS Family search gives Mary verch Richard as having the children other genealogies ascribe to Elizabeth Gwyn (or Jones).
• Some genealogies give the other wife as Elizabeth Jones, others as Elizabeth Gwyn. One could assume they are the same person as they often have the same b/m/d dates and children, a position suggested by Rev W. V. Lloyd [38] but he admits some difficulties with this possibility. The confusion seems to arise from the accounts in the Peerages (Lodge and Burke) and the inscription on a wooden tablet erected in memory of the Blayney family in the Church of Tregynon about 1709 where the mother of the first Lord Blayney (Edward) is given as Elizabeth, daughter of Lewis Jones of Bishopcastle. It would appear that this is incorrect:
  1. This is identified by Rowley-Morris as an error, stating Edward's mother (wife of David Lloyd) was Elisabeth, daughter, "not of Lewis Jones of Bishopcastle, Esq, but of Lewis Gwynn, a descedant of Einion Sais" [35]. This error confirmed by S.P. Thomas in 1979 [240].
  2. "Lewys Dwnn, on the occasion of Dafydd Llwyd Blaeniau's third marriage in 1580 equally praises the table in the great hall famous for its provision for the bards, and notes how the venerable old house has now been adorned with much timber and thick glass put in the windows to protect against the weather." [Dr Glyn Tegai Hughes, University of Wales Press ex Gregynog Warden [81]]
  3. Finally, the 1569 will of Lewis Jones, Constable of Bishop's Castle and thrice Sherriff of Montgomery (1543, 1545 & 1558)) mentions two daughters named Elizabeth, the first was the wife of William Ockley and the other was unmarried at a time Lewis Blayney was already married, so his mother could not have been a daughter of this Lewis Jones! However, Rowley-Morris doesn't exclude an Elizabeth Jones being the 3rd wife [35]
• The son Thomas Blayney has two different birth dates and two different sets of offspring so I assume there were two sons named Thomas.
• It is not at all clear why his second & third wives (Mari & Efa Lloyd, had children to him five years before the death of the first wife, Elizabeth.

However, by comparing and collating the most widely accepted genealogies and using a bit of logic, it would appear that the following is closer to the true picture:

1 David Lloyd BLAYNEY b.1523 d.1595

 +(1)Elizabeth (Elsbeth) GWYN b?1530s m?1547; dau of Lewis GWYN (~1515-1569) 
   (Constable of Bishop's Castle) and Jane (Joan).
   Lewis GWYN ap Jenkin(s) ap Llewelyn ap Gwylim ap Rees Lloyd ap Adam (of Brecknock) ap Howell ap Einion Sais.
   Often given as Elizabeth Jones, now confirmed as an error as noted in the wives comment.

  2 Lewis BLAYNEY b~1548 m.1577 d.1601 [570] ancestor of Gregynog Blayneys and Deputy-Sheriff to his father.
    Eldest son although the 1677 Bronwydd Manuscript "Blaines Descents" [241] lists Lewis 5th ?last son 
    (although the heir). 
    However, it also lists the children of Thomas in reverse order, and by reversing them here they better fit
    other accounts!
    See descent.
    
  2 Gwenllian BLAYNEY b~1549
   + David LLOYD ap MEREDITH (Meredydd) of Llanidloes ("Maior de Llanidloes" 1578, on the Grand
     Jury 1581-1589, Deputy-sheriff 1576 and Coroner 1598). 
     Son of Meredydd ap John Pryse (also Mayor of Llanidloes) and Elen verch Rhys ap Thomas ap Rhys
     descended from Elystan GLODRUDD
     Remarried to Mallt v. Jenkin ab Ieuan of Berthloyd and had another son, Richard [420] 
    3 Rowland LLOYD [420]
     + Bridget BLAYNEY (his mother's half-sister) 

  2 Lucy BLAYNEY b~1551; living 1641
   + Maurice OWEN Esq of Rhiwsaeson (Rhewsauson),  m.1577
     (Morris Owen ap Richard ap Morris ap Owen [707])
     The eldest son of Richard Morris of Rhiwsaeson (Sheriff in 1579) [341]
    3 Athelstan OWEN, (deputy sheriff). 
    3 Richard OWEN, M.A. 
    3 Rowland OWEN. 
    3 Cadwalader OWEN, 
     + 4 ? a daughter of John Lloyd of Dolvawr ap Evan Lloyd ap David Lloyd of Ceiswyn. 
    3 Lewis OWEN. 
    3 Rondle OWEN. 
    3 Ellen OWEN
     + William Price ap John Price of Peniarth. 

  2 Capt Thomas BLAYNEY b~1555 ancestor of many US Blaneys/Blayneys
   + Elizabeth POWEL (POWELL)
     
  2 Sir Edward (Edwart) 1st Lord BLAYNEY b~1559; d.11Feb1629  ancestor of Irish Blayneys
    "the spirited captain (capten ffraeth)" [poet Siôn Mawddwy [570]] 
    (eventually made Colonel and then Governor).
  2 Arthur BLAYNEY b?1561 o.s.p
    Lodge's Peerage of Ireland has him as a son of Mary [707]
  2 Elen BLAYNEY b?1567 
   + Owen ap REES (d.1614) and/or Richard SIENTYN [240].
  2 Catherine BLAYNEY (Katherine Blayne)  b~1569 
    living 1641 (will of nephew Henry Owen) 
   + Griffith JENKINS

  2 Lieutenant Richard [241], (Rhisiart) [570] BLAYNEY [707]

  2 Charles BLAYNEY [707] [241]

 +(2)Efa Lloyd b. in Eglwyseg. m.<1577 [570]
  2 Elizabeth b.1585 [this date cannot be accurate now it is confirmed that Efa was the
    2nd wife and married before 1577].
  2 Watkyn BLAYNEY b.1578 
   + a daughter of Thomas ap Rees ap Owen ap Gruffydd ap Howell ap Evan BLAYNEY (4th cousin once removed)
  2 Jane BLAYNEY (5th dau) b~1579
   + Evan (Jenkyn [707]) FYCHAN (Ieuan VAUGHAN) of the unrelated Kinsham Blayneys [240].

 +(3)Mary (Mari) verch RICHARD b.1549(65) m.1580 [570]
   Some histories have her as the second wife [571] [707].
   (Mary was elder daughter of Richard ap Maurice ap Owen Esq of Rhiewsaeson, Llanbrynmair 
    who was Sheriff in 1578/9).

  2 Bridget BLAYNEY (Bridgett Blayne) b~1580 
   + Rowland ap DAVID LLOYD [38] b.Nov1572
     Note: An Aggreement for them to marry when Royland reached 14 of age had been made on 18Apr1584
     between Rowland Pugh of Mathavarn (brother of Rowland's mother) and David Lloyd Blayney when
     Royland was 11 and Bridget 4 and in the event of the death of "Bridgett Blayne", Royland was to 
     marry "her sister Katherine Blayne" to enable him (at 21) to inherit the property of both his 
     grandfather Owen ap Howell GOCH and father David Lloyd OWEN (both deceased). [610]

  2 Thomas BLAYNEY b.1585 Gregynog 
   + Frances BERKELEY

  2 John BLAYNEY [707] of Helygar (Heligan) 
   + Elizabeth, daughter of Humphrey Lloyd of Darowen.
    3 Lewyn Dwnn dsp. [240]

Below are children(or possible children of unknown birth date and thus the Mother is not identified:

  2 ?Robert [240]
  2 ?Ellis [240]
  2 ?Margaret LLOYD-BLAENEY (dau of David LLOYD-BLAENEY of Grugynog) [419]
   + Evan ap David Esq of Clochfaen 
     Son of David ap Jenkyn and Catherine verch Evan ap David 
    3 Rhys LLOYD Esq of Clochfaen
     + Margaret, dau of Jenkyn LLOYD

 +(4)?Elizabeth Jones b.1557 .(?61, ?64) m?1589 at Bishop's Castle, Shropshire [45]
   d.1590 [10], daughter of Lewis Jones 1515-69, thrice Sheriff of 
   Montgomery (1543, 1545 & 1558)) & Jane b.1535)
   This is now considered an error, depite being repeatedly quoted - See wives

It would appear the man was a busy boy when it came to the ladies. Someone may have or will discover a reliable source to clarify matters, and hopefully contact me so the record can be set straight, at least on this web site. I have modified this list further based on information from Barker's "Families of Montgomeryshire" CD-Rom [72]