The leek, Ceninen in Welsh, is a traditional emblem of Wales.
It is used here to symbolize this branch of the Jannet family that eventually connects to the Griffith family that originated in Wales.
View a chart of these Griffith Collateral Lines.
This page does not try to be a comprehensive Janney site, but rather hopes to offer in-depth information from a variety of sources about one short line in England leading down to Mary JanneyA who married John Bancroft. If a reader has documentable corrections or additions to this specific line, I would be very glad to hear from you via e mail to .
The Sources and Notes are together at the bottom of this page, or they can be accessed individually by clicking on the number in brackets.
Although the Janney family has a long history in the United States, our connection with the family ends in England before our direct ancestor emigrated. The family name occurs from time to time in Cheshire records back to the 14th century, but there is no documentation linking them to our specific Janneys.[1] We begin with "The Quaker Janneys of Cheshire and Their Progenitors", an article by Miles White, Jr., printed in the Publications of the Southern History Association (not to be confused with the successor organization, the Southern Historical Association), Vol. 8, pp. 119-128, 196-211, 275-286.
Information from a web site that has no citations given, is offered here merely to provide a starting point.[2] The hope is that these entries can be verified through documentable sources, although they may not exist. First comes a ThomasF Janney, born about 1480 or 1485, suggested as the father of RandleE Janney, who was said to be born about 1520, when his father was 35 or 40. Randle was buried 7 October 1593. No will survives for him. The parish register of Prestbury shows that "Randelle Janney of Woodforde" married "Alice Wilkeson" on 26 November 1566 and was buried 7 October 1593.[3] [See the explanation of the National Genealogical Society's Numbering System used on this web page.] A "Randle Janney of Styall" was buried 13 January 1595/6, the name of his wife is unknown. There are no existing wills in Chester for a Randle Janney in either 1593 or 1595.[4] It is not proved which of these Randles was the father of Thomas. But if it was Randle of Woodeforde, then Alice Wilkeson could not have been Randle's first wife. Since many of our Janneys lived in Styall, it is possible the earlier generations are not ours.
We are on firm ground when we get to ThomasD Janney, son of RandleE Janney (whoever he was). Thomas was born ca. 1553, during the reign of "Bloody" Mary Stuart. He was buried 5 March 1602, as Elizabeth's reign was drawing to a close.
On various web sites Thomas is said to have had three wives. But the dates don't compute. The problematic first wife was Ellen __, who bore a daughter "Aylce Janney, daughter of Thos. Janney" who was christened 7 November 1570. Ellen was buried 7 February 1578. But as the date is Old Style, it was really 1578/9. See an explanation of Old Style Dates. "Our" Thomas married on 7 December 1578 Jone or Jane WORTHINGTON [perhaps the daughter of Henry Worthington], which is obviously before Ellen had died; so Ellen must have been married to a different Thomas Janney. Jone or Jane was born 22 October 1560 and was buried 10 August 1589.[5] Thomas's second and last wife was Katharine CASHE, of Styall, married on 4 November 1590. She survived him.[6]
Thomas was a husbandman, who held several parcels of land, including "Rounde Hey" and "Ryecrofte" which at the turn of the last century were still names of identifiable farms in Bowdon Parish. He also owned "Collshaw House" (with a variety of spellings) that appears in records in the thirteenth century being granted by Edmund FITTON, then Lord of Bolyn. In 1528 it passed by marriage of a Fitton heiress to the Newtons. Janney presumably did not own it, but had the use of it.[7] It can be seen at the highest resolution of the 1882 map of Cheshire on (last seen 3/22/2008). Originally the Fitton family held the entire parish of Wilmslow, under the Earl of Chester.
The Janneys lived in Wilmslow parish, which was made up of Pownall Fee, Bollin or Bolyn Fee, Chorley, and Fulshaw. The sketch map is from an old map of parishes in the Cheshire Record Office. Styal, sometimes spelled with two Ls, is in Bollin Fee. Morley is in Pownal Fee. St. Bartholomew's church was perhaps first built by Sir Richard Fitton of Bolyn in 1280. However, the current building was constructed in the 1520s. Although like most old churches there have been extensive repairs and remodelling since then, there are a few reminders of what the church would have looked like to the Janneys who presumably worshipped there, at least for some generations. On the floor of the Prescott Chapel (to the south or right of the chancel) is the oldest commemorative brass in Cheshire, dating from 1460. In the bottom of the south window are some old fragments of glass from 1523. Some of the sixteenth century carved wooden screens survive. In 1657 the church got a bell, with six more in 1733.[8]
Thomas's will is the oldest Janney will of our direct line still preserved in Cheshire. He wrote it 23 September 1601, identifying himself as a Husbandman of Styall, "beinge sicke in body and yet of ffyt mynd and sound memory (God be thanked for yt)". He left to "Rondull Janny my eldest Sonne" all his freehold lands in the Parish of Bowdon, while son Harry was to get the use of "Collshawe House". There is an interesting provision that if Harry got sued or otherwise "mollested for the occupation" of the house, Katherine and Randle were to "give him helpe & mayntennance wth money & other helpe so farr as there power will extend", which money Harry should then repay them, assuming that the lawsuit was settled in his favor. Thomas mentioned the will of his father, "Randull Janney" who had made bequests to Thomas's children "Mawld" [Maud], Margaret, and Anne, of £20 each. Mawld was also to get the "gretest brasse panne and one coffer" which were her mother's (i.e Thomas's first wife's). Son Harry was to receive "one payre of Iren bound wheeles and a cart chest and a wagens cheste" while son "Randull" was to get the other, better pair of iron-bound wheels. After his debts and other bequests were made, the residue was to be divided into thirds, with his wife Katherine getting one third and the other two to be divided equally among all his children.[9]
An inventory was made of Thomas's estate in Bowden on 9 March 1601/2, proved at the Bishops Consistory Court on 15 April 1602. It gives us a good snapshot of the material possessions of a fairly substantial Cheshire husbandman. Thomas's livestock included 2 steers and "mene kine" (£24), 7 little calves and a colt (£4.16.0), 2 mares (£5.13.4), 17 sheep (£4), 2 swine (£16). He also had crops: wheat in the barn (53/4), oats in the barn (£12), barley in the garner (24/), "oates in the garner" (53/4), hay (£3), beans in the barn (20/). In addition, he had 12/ worth of wool, and 20/ of hemp and flax. At Colshaw House he had more livestock, oats, and hay. There was farm equipment such as "Axes bills spades shovells" valued at 6/8. The contents of the house were lumped together: "coffers bords stooles cheares bedstocks &c." worth 46/8. There were bedding (£7), "sheets & other lynnins" (£5.8.0) as well as various brass and pewter pots and "Treeneware" (might include articles such as a wooden mortar, small wood boxes, wooden spoons, etc.), and one little silver spoon (3/). He also had "A sword and a dropper" (7/). Thomas had 20/ in gold, £17.8.6 in coin, and £104.12.3 in bills (presumably money loaned by him and due the estate). His entire worth, not counting real estate (which he probably didn't own anyway) came to £312.18.1.[10]
Children of Thomas and Jane (Worthington) Janney, spelling and dates from the Register of Wilmslow Parish:[11]
Children of Thomas and his second wife, Katharine (Cashe) Janney:
RandleC Janney, was baptized 23 February 1579/80 in Styall, Wilmslow Parish, Cheshire, the son of ThomasD and his first wife Jane (Worthington) Janney. Randle's body was buried 30 October 1613 in Styall. Randle married in Wilmslow on 14 July 1602 Ellen Alred or Alrodd. She was born [ca. 15] or 18 August 1583 in Hough, Wilmslow.[14] She died 13 January 1634/5.[15]
Randle appraised his father's estate in 1601, and inherited all of his freehold lands in the Parish of Bowdon. He was churchwarden of Wilmslow Parish in 1607.[16]
If the date of Randle's death is correct, in late October 1613, he left three young children and a fourth born posthumously. No will has been found for him, although as of a century ago there was an inventory of his estate in the Probate Registry.[17]
It is possible that Ellen then married on 29 May 1620 Thomas COTLEY. Or, she may have been the "Elen Jany Widdow" who was buried 13 January 1644.[18]
Children of Randle and Ellen (Allred) Janney[19]
a) Mary, bapt. 19 Mar. 1625/6; d. 3/7m/1698; m. 3/12m/1663/4 Robert PIERSON of Pownall Fee, who d. 23/5m/1674; had a son, Enoch Pierson, b. 30/11m/1665; d. 2/1m/1680/1.
b) Margaret,bapt. 16 Mar. 1627; d. 11/11m/1673; bur. at Mobberley.
c) Martha, bapt. 6 June 1630; d. 4/2m/1702; m. 12/12m/1672 Hugh BURGESS of Pownall Fee; Martha was a minister,
d) Randle, bapt. 16 Dec. 1632; d. 17/3m/1674; bur. Mobberley.
e) Thomas, bapt. 11 Jan. 1634/5; d. 12/12m/1696, bur. Mobberley; m. 24/9m/1660 Margery HEATH [25]; goods seized from him in 1663 worth 4 times the parish tithes due; immigrated to Bucks Co. arr. 29/7m/1683 on the Endeavor of London; he was a Friends minister, had 6 children.[26]
f) Henry, bapt. 1 Jan. 1637/8; d. at Eaton Norris [sic: Heaton Norris] 3/6m/1690, bur. Mobberley; m. 3/1m/1674/5 Barbara BAGULEY of Stockport; he was a tailor and chapman, also involved in the button trade and had considerable cattle, corn and hay in his estate inventory which was valued at �576.13.1. On 8/3m/1678 Henry andothers were appointed by Morley MM to speak to a Friend who had a difference with antoher; 5/9m/1679 he and others were asked to speak to a Friend "for some disorder", and on 7/2m/1680 the same Friend was admonished by Thomas Janney, Henry Janney, and William Janney. The three Janneys were to try and settle a dispute between some Friends, 5/3m/1680. [27] Three surviving daughters moved to Penna. after his death.
g) Elizabeth (in spite of frequent such postings on the web, she did not marry Lawrence, or John, or Lawrence John Pierson). [28] Elizabeth was a Quaker minister.
a) Marye, bapt. 1 Dec. 1639; m. John BOARDMAN; was bequeathed 5/ by her uncle Thomas in his will dated 10 Apr. 1677;
b) Martha, bapt. 11 May 1642; unmar. at time her father drew up his will, ca. 1678;
c) Thomas (not mentioned in Wilmslow Register prior to 1653; d. prior to April 1677, leaving 3 children; m. ___;
d) Randle, d. 1742; m. 23/2m/1702 at Manchester Rebeckah WHITTWHAM; had a son Thomas, b. 15/7m/1703.[31]
e) Anne, b. after 1672; m. 1710 John ROYLEY.[32]
RandleB Janney, son of Randle and Ellen, was baptized 26 May 1608. He is said to have died 28 December, and been buried 2 January 1698/9 in Wilmslow. On 16 July 1636 he married Ann KNEVETT, and the marriage is recorded in the Wilmslow Parish Register. Ann is said to have been born or baptized 11 February or ca. 2 November (clearly a confusion of Old Style/New Style dates) 1617 [the daughter of William {son of John} and Ellen (Cash) Knevett] and died or was buried 18 December 1699 or 28 or 29 Jan. 1699/00 in Etchells.[33]
In 1677/8 Randle's brother Thomas bequeathed him 5 shillings, "pt of the Money John Worthington oweth" to Thomas.[34]
Miles White did not do research on the Alred or Knevet families other than to note that the Knevetts seemed to be more prominent than the Alrodds. There are several Knevett coats of arms mentioned in Edmondson and Berry, Encyclopaedia of Heraldry, and there is a window in "one of the country churches" bearing their arms. There are also a number of Knevett wills preserved in the Chester Probate Court. But he concludes that none of them show evidence of being closely related to Ann.[35]
Miles White assumes that Randle Janney never joined Friends, although it is possible that Ann did. If so, he suggests, it is possible she was the "Anne Janney" who, along with Thomas Janney, Jr. and James HARRISON, had goods distrained worth £28.18.0 for £7.4.10 charged for payment of tithes.[36]This blatant theft by officialstaking four times the amount owedwas not all that unusual. However, if Ann was married at the time, she would not have been held liable for payment of tithes: her husband, who presumably was not a Friend, would have paid. It is possible that it was her death that Friends recorded as taking place 28 Twelfth Month [February] 1698/9 at Etchells. It is also possible that Edward Knevett, aged about 70 and among 18 people arrested at a Friends meeting in Mobberley in 1665, was related in some way to Ann. Because of the harsh winter conditions, Edward sickened and died in prison. But so far I have not found documentation of relationship.
The two known children of Randle and Ann were both Friends.[37] When two of their son William's children requested and received certificates of removal to Pennsylvania, they were described as being "born of and brought up by beleiving Parents."[38] (Of course there was nothing about having "believing" grandparents.) A Randle Janney signed the certificate of removal for granddaughter Elizabeth on 6 Second Month [April] 1698,[39] and it was either her grandfather, who died eight months later and wasn't known for being a Friend, or her brother, who was just two months past his 21st birthday, or her cousin (the son of Richard) who was married in 1702. It seems more likely that it was the cousin.
There is disappointingly little information on Randle compared to his more famous Quaker brother Thomas Janney. Randle and Ann lived in Handforth. We don't even have documentation for the date of his death, although 2 January 1698/99 has been suggested.[40]
Children of Randle and Ann (Knevett) Janney:[41]
a) Joseph, 1, b. 7/7m [Sept.] 1672 at Handforth, Cheshire; prob. d. by 1715.
b) Anne, b. 23/7m [Sept.] 1674 at Handforth, Cheshire; d. 28 Dec 1698.
c) Randle, b. 10/2m [Feb.] 1677/8 at Handforth, Cheshire, England; d. 7/10m. [Dec.] 1715 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; mar. Frances RIGHTON, daughter of William and Sarah Righton (cleared by Phila. MM 31/8m/1701) in 9m. [Nov.] 1701; she d. 17/4m [June] 1714; had 1 son, William (b. 27/1m/1704; d. 25/3m/1704). Received a cert. of removal from Morley Mo. Mtg. in 1699. He settled in Philadelphia and became a wealthy merchant. He visited England in 1702 and 1706, and 30/7m/1715 requested a cert. of removal to Bermuda, but d. before going there. He is mentioned several times in the William Penn-James Logan correspondence. Signed his will 1 Dec. 1715, and it was prov. 8 Dec. In it he mentions his father, brother Thomas, sister Mary Pawley (wife of George) and her children Debora, Mary, Sarah, and Thomas, plus various relatives of his [deceased] wife.[45]
d) Thomas, b. 18/3m [Mar.] 1679/80 at Handforth; will prob. 22 Mar. 1751; m. Magdalen HARTSHORNE.[46] Apparently when his brother Randle returned from Pennsylvania for a visit, Thomas decided to remove to Pennsylvania, "late a member of this meeting having transported himself into yt province [Penna.] and by our frd. Randle Janney his Brother" desires a certificate. He ''was born of and brought up by beleiving Parents." Dated 9 mo. 4, 1702, from Mo. Mtg. at Morley, in Pownel fee, Cheshire, England.[47] Thomas visited England with his brother Randle in 1706. Removed to West Nottingham, Chester Co., Penna. where he appeared among the taxables in 1719; after Mason-Dixon they were living in Cecil Co. Md. When Nottingham meeting was set off in 1730 his name appears from time to time in their minutes. He signed his will 7/4m/1750, and it was prov. 22 Mar. 1750/1. In it he mentions his wife Magdalen, and 5 children: Jemima Janney, Deborah "Lashly", William, Thomas, and Isaac Janney. Deborah m. ca. 1740 Robert LESLIE. The three sons all married and were the progenitors of the Maryland Janneys.[48]
e.) Mary, b. 17/6m [June] 1681 at Handforth, Cheshire, Eng.; d. 7/2m [Feb.] 1718 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; mar. George PAWLEY; he was bur. in Phila. 1/10m/1721; had at least 4 children mentioned in her brother Randle�s will of 1715: Deborah (m 21/9m/1727 at First Presby. Ch. in Philadelphia Samuel SIDDEN), Mary Pawley, Sarah (m. 24/7m/1734 at Phila. Mo. Mtg. William ATKINSON, Jr. of Phila; his will prov. 1794), and Thomas Pawley.[49]
f) William, b. 31/3m. [Mar.] 1683 at Handforth, Cheshire, Eng.; probably d. prior to 1715 as he is not mentioned in his brother Randle's will.
g.) Elizabeth, b. ca. 1683 at Handforth, Cheshire, England, d. 11/5m. [July] 1701 age about 16.
MaryA Janney was born 6 January 1639/40 in Cheadle, Cheshire, and died 5 January 1706/7 in Etchells, Cheshire. Her body was buried in Stockport. Mary "of Hanford" and John BANCROFT "of Etchells" were married 6 Seventh Month [September] 1663 at the house of James HARRISON in Pownall Fee.[50] They were Friends.
Mary was bequeathed 5 shillings by her uncle Thomas Janney (will signed 10/2m/1677, proved 10 Sept. 1678).[51]
John was recognized as a minister among Friends about 1659.[52] Mobberley, Pownall Fee, and Morley, which are all near Knutsford, and Cheadle which is near Stockport, were all part of Morley Monthly Meeting. Its minutes have been preserved beginning in 1677. Later it became Cheshire Monthly Meeting, which by the turn of the last century included Frandley, which is near Warrington and was originally a separate monthly meeting whose minutes began in 1679. Before a meetinghouse was built, while meetings were still proscribed, Friends met in each other's homes to worship. The houses of both Thomas and William Janney were frequently used. The meeting house was built in 1694 after the Act of Toleration. In 1831 a new building was constructed about a mile and a half closer to Wilmslow. Although there never appeared to have been a meeting house in Mobberley, there is a burial ground, first used in 1656, and purchased 20 August 1669 for £3 by "Thomas Janney, the Elder" and others. It was in use up until 1848.[53]
John Bancroft "of Etchells" died 25 Twelfth Month [February] 1699[/1700] and was buried in Mobberley. He was about 66 years old.[54]
Mary died 5 March 1706/7 she was buried in the Friends cemetery at Stockport, Cheshire. She is said to have left a will.[55]
Children of John and Mary (Janney) Bancroft:[56]
To continue the story of this family, go to the Heald page.
View a chart of the Collateral Lines that marry into the part of the Griffith Line that is featured on this web site. These are the other collateral lines that will eventually be included here in connection with the Griffith family (not all of them have been posted as yet): Balderston, Bancroft, David, Davis, Duck, Faulkner, Ferrée, Griffith, Hackney, Harlan, Heald, John, Jones, Lewis, McCool, Smith, Warembauer, and Wright.
However, before I leave this page, I'd like to pay my respects to a Janney descendant, Samuel McPherson Janney, a man of courage and progressive ideals. In 1826 he organized Friends and a few Methodists in Alexandria, Virginia, to spread anti-slavery sentiment. When the schism within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting reached Virginia in 1828 Janney identified with the so-called Hicksite branch. Although Janney represented a minority of opinion among white slave-holders in Virginia, in the early 1840s some farmers from New England moved to Fairfax County. Determined only to use free white labor, with no enslaved people, they had prospered. They also introduced crop rotation. Janney was a strong supporter of better education for both whites and blacks, insisting that such schools be free. He published articles supporting education as well as anti-slavery in the Alexandria Gazette. As tempers shortened and passions increased, in 1850 Janney was indicted by a grand jury in Loudon County for writing articles inciting Blacks to rebel. The case was thrown out on a technicality. He was indicted again for denying that "owners had right of property in their slaves". He conducted his own defense so brilliantly that he was aquited by the jury that consisted mostly of slave owners. During the Civil War, although he was a Union supporter he refused to engage in violence. He tended in his home wounded of both sides.[58]
If you have additions or corrections to this web page, I would be delighted to hear from you. Contact me via e mail at .
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View the index of other lines that are included in this website.
If you have additions or corrections to this web page, I would be delighted to hear from you. Contact me via e mail at .