The Ormsby Family in England is an ancient one. When Duke William invaded England, there was living in Lincolnshire, a Sir Richard de Ormsby who with other members of his family became a supporter of the Conqueror. After the subjugation of the country had been completed, the new King rewarded the Ormsby Family for faithful service by bestowing upon it estates in Lincolnshire and a Coat-of-Arms (as granted by William the Conqueror).
Sir Oswald de Ormsby, eldest son of Sir Richard, became head of the family and founded the Priory of Ormsby, in the reign of Henry Second. The name has been perpetuated in the Parish of Ormsby, and North Ormsby, Lincolnshire.
During the centuries succeeding the Conquest, the Ormsby Family held many manors and thru the deeds of Various representatives, obtained frequent and praiseworthy mention in the annals of England and Scotland. In Great Britain, the name is usually written Ormesby, but in America the common spelling is Ormsby or Ormsbee.
There seems to have been 3 basic migrations of the Family Ormsby (including all spellings) regardless of the more or less fictional incidents involved.
They were originally from the Scandinavian Peninsula
- 1st. Through some means they were in Scotland
- 2nd. The Scottish Clan split, part going to England where they remained for many generations, in Lincolnshire and are still there.
- 3rd. They are found in North East Ireland. Some of this Irish Clan may have come from Scotland, but I believe it is more likely they were a split-off from the Lincolnshire group. It seems evident that in Lincolnshire there was a Sir Richard de Ormsby, and it from him the Ormsbys of recent times choose to claim descent.
The Family in America
Richard Ormesby (Ormsby) founder of the family in America, was born in England but nothing is known of his ancestral line or early life there. He evidently came to New England toward the beginning of the Puritan migration for he was on record as a resident of Saco, Maine in 1640, and probably had arrived there several years earlier. He removed to Salisbury, Mass. about 1645 as a Planter of the Town, and staid until 1648 when he settled in the adjacent Town of Haverhill, Mass. In 1649, he became a Freeman of the Colony. He finally settled at Rehoboth, Mass. and died there in 1664.
In, The Ormsby Family of Pennsylvania by O.O. The line of descent is given from Sir Richard de Ormsby showing a branch going to Ireland, and from which the Penn. branch originated. The Louisville, Kentucky branch of Ormsbys who came from Ireland also show descent from this same Sir Richard de Ormsby.
References for both these branches are given in Pedigree of the Family of Ormsby, formerly Ormsby in Lincolnshire, now of Ireland Compiled by J.F. Fuller, F.S.A. London: Mitchell and Higgins (1886).
As stated in Colonial Families in America nothing is known of the connection of Richard Ormesby, of New England, to the line of Sir Richard, except he definitely did come from England.
Topographical Dictionary of English Emigrants to New England (1620-1650) by Banks, shows; Richard Ormesby came from Cambridge-Shire Parish of Ellsworth, England to York, Maine
Another source of Ormsby Families in America may have been from English soldiers who were here before the Revolution.
Ref: N.E.H.G.R. Vol. 49 p. 54
British Officers serving in America 1754 to 1774
Name Rank & Regt. Date of Commission
Ormsby, Arthur Capt. 22 5 July 1758
Ormsby, Arthur 2d Lt. 40 30 June 1755
Ormsby, Arthur Adj. 40 30 Sept. 1761
Ormsby, Eubule Lt. 35 24 Jan. 1758
Ormsby, James Ensign 45 30 Nov. 1756
Ormsby, James Lt. 45 8 Feb. 1761
Ormsby, James Adj. 45 29 Apr. 1761
Ormsby, James Lt. 45 19 Mar. 1764
Ormsby, John Capt. 35 24 Feb. 1756
Tradition in the Ormsby Families of Peru, N.Y. is that their ancestors came from England before or during the Revolution, and I can find no connection between them and the original Richard of New England.
Father: Thomas Ormsbee
Mother: Maria Underwood
Place of Birth: Theddlethorpe, All Saints, Lincolnshire, England
Date of Birth: July 28, 1602
***Christening: Aug. 31, 1606, Theddlethorpe, Lincoln, England
First Marriage: June 14, 1622, Mary Margaret Masterson, Of Lincolnshire, England
Second Marriage: Aug 9, 1640, Sarah Wanton (Upham), Saco, ME
Date of Death: June 10, 1664 (June 30, 1664)
Place of Death: Rehoboth, Bristol, Mass.
First Spouse: Mary Margaret Masterson
Date of Birth: Sept. 28, 1603
Place of Birth: Theddlethorpe All Saints, Lincolnshire, England
Date of Death: 1639
Place of Death: Saco, ME
Second Spouse: Sarah (Upham) Wanton
Father: Richard Upham
Mother: Maria
Date of Birth: About 1609
Place of Birth: Salsburg, Lanarkshire, Scotland (Yettington, Devonshire, England)
Date of Death: After Oct. 3, 1665
Place of Death: Probably Rehoboth, Bristol, Mass.
Children:
- Joane Ormesby, born about 1623, Theddlethorpe All Saints, Lincolnshire, England
- Edward Ormsby, born 1625, Theddlethorpe All Saints, Lincolnshire, England
- Thomas Ormsby, born 1640, Saco, York Maine
- John Ormsby, born Dec. 12, 1641, Saco, York, Maine
- Thomas Ormsby, born Nov. 11, 1645, Salisbury, Mass.
- Jacob Ormsbee, born Jan. 6. 1647, Salisbury, Essex, Mass.
Additional Facts of Interest:
Was a planter by trade.
Resided, after coming to America, in Saco, Maine, and Salisbury,
Haverhill, and Rehoboth, Massachusetts.
Last name is sometimes listed as Ormsbee.
From The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Richard Ormesby is believed to be the son of Thomas Ormsbee and Maria Underwood.
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Date of Birth: about 1580
Place of Birth: Of Alford, Lincolnshire, England
Date of Marriage: July 1, 1602, Alford, Lincolnshire, England
Date of Death:
Place of Death: Alford Lincoln, England
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: about 1584
Place of Birth: Of Alford, Lincolnshire, England
Date of Death: 1661
Place of Death: Boston, Lincolnshire, England
Children:
- Richard Ormsby, born July 28, 1602, Theddlethorpe, All Saints, Lincolnshire, England
- Jonathan Ormsby, born 1603, Lincoln, England
- Sarah Ormesby, born before Jan 19, 1605, Hareby, Lincoln, England
- Marie Ormesby, born about 1607, Lincolnshire, England
- Thomas ormesbie, born about 1607, Lincolnshire, England
- John Ormsby, born before June 2, 1609, Boston, Lincoln, England
- Mary Ormesby, born about 1610, Lincolnshire, England
- Samuel Ormseby, born before April 1, 1616, Croft, Lincoln, England
- Susan Ormsbee, born before Aug. 16, 1618, Lincolnshire, England
- Robert Ormseby, born Before Aug 29, 1621, Waithe Lincoln, England
Jonathan Ormsby (Elnathan Ormesbie)
Father: Thomas ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: 1603
Place of Birth: Lincoln, England
Christening: October 07, 1604, Alford, Lincoln, England
Place of Death:
Sarah Ormsbee
Father: Thomas ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: Before Jan. 19,1605
Place of Birth: Hareby, Lincoln, England
Christening: Jan 19, 1605, Hareby, Lincoln, England
Marriage: (Master) 1624, Lincolnshire, England
Place of Death: Probably Boston, Lincoln, England
Marie Ormesby
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: About 1607
Place of Birth: Lincolnshire, England
Christening: August 23, 1607, all Saints Theddlethorpe, Lincoln, England
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Thomas Ormesbie
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: About 1607
Place of Birth: Alford, Lincoln, England
Christening: August 7, 1607, Alford, Lincoln, England
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
John Ormsbee
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: May 31, 1609
Place of Birth: Boston Lincoln, England (Hareby,Lincolnshire)
Christening: June 2, 1609, Boston, Lincoln, England
Date of Death: 1689
Place of Death: Probably Boston Lincoln, England
Mary Ormesby
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: About 1610
Place of Birth: Lincolnshire, England
Christening: Sept 16, 1610, Boston, Lincoln, England
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Samuel Ormsbee
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: Before April 1, 1616
Place of Birth: Croft, Lincoln, England
Christening: April 1, 1616, Croft, Lincoln, England
Date of Death: 1616/1617
Place of Death: Probably Croft, Lincoln, England
Susan Ormsbee
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: Before Aug. 16, 1618
Place of Birth: Linconlshire, England
Christening: Aug 16, 1618, Boston, Lincoln, England
Marriage: 1636, Lincolnshire, England
Place of Death: Probably Boston, Lincoln, England
Robert Ormsbee
Father: Thomas Ormsbee (Ormesbie)
Mother: Maria Underwood
Date of Birth: Before Aug. 29, 1621
Place of Birth: Waithe, Lincoln, England
Christening: Aug 29, 1621, Waithe, Lincoln, England
Marriage: 1641, Lincolnshire, England
Place of Death: Probably Boston, Lincoln, England
Richard Ormsby is recorded at Saco, Maine (in Mass. Colony) in 1639 where his first wife died. He probably had been here some years before. About 1640, he married a second time., a widow, Sarah Wanton, who may have been an Upham. Richard moved from Saco, Me. to Haverhill, Mass., then to Salisbury, and finally settled in Rehoboth, Mass. where he died on June 10, 1664.
Probate Records of Rehoboth, Mass. Richard Ormesby’s Inventory presented 3d day, 5th month 1664 amounted to 45 pounds, 14 shillings, 6 pence.
It is thought by some that Richard came to America with a brother Jonathan, but the only record of a Jonathan, of the proper time, is in Rehoboth vital records, of deaths, of a Jonathan who died in 1662.
Richard is thought to have had a second daughter, Mary. Mary married Nicholas Iyde Juni on Dec 27, 1677 in Rehoboth Mass. Mary died Sept. 1690. However, Mary Ormsbee was the wife of Jacob Ormsby, Richards son, who remarried after Jacob’s death. See below.
Early Rehoboth by Bowen. Mary (Perrin) Ormsbee married (second) at Rehoboth, Dec. 27, 1677, Nicholas Ide, born Nov. 1654, died at Attleboro, MA. June 25, 1723, son of Nicholas Ide and Martha (Bliss) Ide. See below.
Source: Genealogy of the Bliss Family. – The Widow Ide had a son Nicholas Ide who is referred to as a son-in-law in Thomas Bliss’ will. Nicholas was b. about 1620 and was a contestant in King Philip’s War. He was m. May 16, 1647 at Springfield, Mass to Martha, whose surname is supposed by some to have been Bliss. She was buried Nov. 3, 1676 at Rehoboth, Mass. To this union was born a son. Lieut. Nicholas Ide, Nov, 1654 at Rehoboth. He was a weaver and married Dec. 27, 1677 at Rehoboth to Mary Ormsby (dau. of Richard Ormsby). Richard Ormsby was b. about 1602 in Lincolnshire, England and m. about 1640 to Sarah [Upham?) Wanton, a widow. Mary Ormsby was buried Sept 9, 1690 at Rehoboth. Their children were born between 1678 and 1693; Nathaniel (who d. Mar. 14, 1702/3), Jacob, Martha (b. Mar. 18, 1682 old style at Rehoboth, m. Nov. 8, 1705 to Zachariah Carpenter (b. July 1, 1680 at Rehoboth and d. there Apr. 18, 1718), and d. at Rehoboth June 17, 1727). Patience, John and Benjamin. Lieut. Nicholas Ide was m. a 2nd time to Eliza, and d. June 5, 1723. Another son, Nicholas Ide, Jr., was b. July 25, 1697 in Attleborough, Mass.
Sarah Upham Wanton was the daughter of Richard Upham, born 1584 in England, died 1635 in Bicton, Devonshire England and Maria. Richard Upham was the son of John Upham who died in 1584 in Bicton. John Upham was born in 1525 and married wife Joane about 1555. John’s father was Richard Upham (about 1500 – 1546) and mother was Agnus (about 1560 – after 1546). Richard’s father was Hugo de Upham. Sarah was born in 1609.
Church of the Latter-day Saints:
Richard Ormsby was born about 1608 in , Lincolnshire, England. He died on 30 Jun 1664 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts. He was baptized into the LDS church on 8 Feb 1944. He was endowed on 13 July 1944. He was christened. He was buried. He was sealed to parents. He apparently had a first wife, name unknown. He was married to Mrs. Sarah Ormsby. Mrs. Sarah Ormsby was born about 1619 in of Saco, York, Maine. She was baptized into the LDS church on 8 Feb 1944. She was endowed on 13 July 1944. She was christened. She died. She was buried. She was sealed to parents. Had a first husband, a “Mr. Wanton.”
Note: Many of the birth places are listed as Lincoln or Lincolnshire. Lincoln is the county seat of Lincolnshire.
Richard Ormsby was born in England and came as early as 1641 to Saco, Maine.
Thence he removed to Salisbury, Massachusetts. The records show that he was of the town of Salisbury 1645-48, 1652, 1656, 1658-60, and of the adjacent town of Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1649, 1653, 1662. In 1663 he was living in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and that year sold land there to Robert Pike. He was a planter. He died at Rehoboth, and the inventory of his estate is dated July 3, 1664. Children: John; Thomas, born November 11, 1645; Jacob, born March 6, 1647-48. New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume IV
Jan Robison <Janrobison@yahoo.com>
Richard came to America on the Abigail in the spring of 1628 and settled on the York River at Saco, Maine.[Robert coles.GED]
Richard came to America from Cambridgeshire, Ellsworth, Parish and landed at York, ME. Prior to 1635, he had a lot near Godfrey. He was a planter in the York settlement on Armenticus Creek (now York River) near Point Bollogne. The settlement, called Gorgeana, later became York.
Richard’s first wife probably died about 1639. Prior to 1641, he married Sarah who had come to Saco, ME from London in the late 1630’s.
In 1641, Richard was named as an arbiter in a court case, and his residence was stated as Saco. About 1645, he, his wife and their first son, John, moved to Salisbury where he was one of the original planters. Richard took the oath of freeman of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1649 and several other records indicate that he was in Salisbury and Haverhill until 1662.
In 1663 he was in Rehoboth, MA where he sold land to Robert Pike. He died there and his estate inventory was filed on June 30, 1664.
Additional References
Junkins Genealogy by Harry Alexander Davis
Colonial Families in America
Court records and deeds of York, Me.
History of York, Me.
Wanton Family by Bartlett (1878)
Paul Family by Paul (1914)
Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England 1620-1650 by Banks. Also see Bank’s mms. in Library of Congress.
Ancestry.com
Possible Father for Richard Ormsby
Edmund Or Brother Ormesby, born about 1575/1580, Of England and Ireland, died after 1611, spouse: Sussana Kilke. Sussana Kilke born about 1579, Lincolnshire, England.
Parents of Edmund Ormesby.
Thomas Ormesby, born about 1540, England and Ireland, died after 1540. Spouse: Malby, married about 1556, Cloumonieghan, Sligo, Ireland.. Malby born aobut 1553, England and Ireland.
Marjorie Ormsby Rines of Rochester, NH
Sources: World Family Tree Vol. 17, Ed. 1 Tree # 1018
Author: Briderbund Software, Inc.
Publication: Release date: December 11, 1997
***********
As with all information sent to me I add to the website the following information received from June Wallace via e-mail:
I have been looking up people that I have been stuck on for my own ancestery at the Family Hislory Library in Salt Lake City…I do not have e Mail at home so am writing you from here..and will not receive a reply.. However I found a record that Richard Ormsby our immigrant was christened in Theddlethorpe…It was extracted and those are ususally correct…but over the years I have taken the advice we give here in the library..that your have to check any record from any source…and over the years I have found many…This one was done by an extractor who could be another Richard Ormsby descendant…When I went to the All Saints Theddlethopre
Parish Register on FHL Brit Film 505760 Item 2..I did not find a Richard Ormsby on that christening date..but an Edward Crosby and his supposed sister Marie Ormsby is really Mary Crosby…If soomeone wanted a Richard Ormsby badly enough to take someone elses christening record…It is rather a cruel Hoax fior those of us who truley want to find our ancestors real christening date and place…
There is a related article for John Abby which has another commonly quoted mistake for William Knowlton…There is a couple married in Saint Dunstans’s Canterbury Richard Ormsby and Elizabeth Cantize..1577 and a son George christened there the next year… years ago I found the other sons christened in a parish West of Canterbury…the youngest son had his birthday stolen and made into a William who is supposedly our immigrant..I spent several week going from closest to farther out,,,. even checking the parish of Knowltonl which is east of Canterbury…no Williams christened in any of them…Finaily searched the I G I and there is a rather nice William christened in Hertford….Abby Saint Albans which record does Verify ..and since I had other early immigrants to massachusetts who also came from there and near there…I have placed his on my computer as my ancestor…..Could someone please stop the mistakes being circulated as true…there are so many of us out there…and nost of us really want to have reliable information… sincerely, June Wallace…
William Elliot Ormsby wrote, in 1941, about Sir Richard De Ormesby:
The name of Ormsby is of Saxon origin and founded before the Norman Conquest.
The name means, literally, “The dwelling of Orme.” It was first spelled Ormesby meaning “By the Orme.”
It was taken by the man who lived there.
That man was Sir Richard De Ormesby. He owned a large estate which he called Ormsby, leaving out the “e”. That estate is now Ormsby Parish, in Lincolnshire, England. The castle he lived in was “The Orme”.
Sir Richard was established at “The Orme” in the early eleventh century.
Because of his bravery, honesty, and integrity, King William “the Conqueror” allowed him to keep all his property and lands after the Conquest (1066) .
The various Ormsby spellings all have Sir Richard as a common progenitor.
From: Jim Ormsby <jimormsby@hotmail.com>
The following was taken from the London, England Genealogist. An issue prior to 1905.
The surname has appeared with the following spellings: Ormesby, Ormsby, Ormsbee
An old tradition, dating back before the year 1050, says that the first original ancestor of Ormesby-Ormsby-Ormsbee was Orm, so called because he came from a Place of Elms (Etymology Dictionary by William Arthur, M.D.). Orm was the old Scandinavian word for Elm or Elm Tree, or Elm Trees. Bey, By, Bye were places, any places where people resided.
The original Orm lived in the Scandinavian Peninsula. He was a Lord. (Lord meant, not nobility but a person who owned or who controlled large tracts of land) Orm did. In that section, and during those times a rich man might have as many wives as his possessions might support. Orm had several and raised a large family of boys. As the boys grew to manhood, Orm followed the custom of those times and gave each of his male offspring a portion of the land he owned. When the youngest and last son reached manhood there was no more land, so this latest son was required to seek and forge for himself.
He joined a Viking crew under the leadership of an old experienced Viking, who during about the middle of the eighth century plundered the coast of Scotland in one of those Long Ships of Rowing Galleries popular at that time among Vikings and Pirate Sea Kings.
On one of his excursions to Scotland, the Scots were better prepared and came out upon the sea to give battle. The Scots were getting the best of the fight when the old Viking called his crew together, together, asked them to fight harder, and promised to make that particular one the ruler of captured territory who should be the first to set foot on Scottish soil.
During the fight which ensued Young Orm had his leg severed just above the knee by the broad sword of the Scots. He tied it up. The Viking won, and as they neared the Scottish soil Young Orm suddenly arose, picked up his severed leg and threw it overboard onto the land and claimed the reward as being the first to put his foot on Scottish soil. He finally recovered from his wound and the Viking kept his word making Young Orm the ruler of the captured territory.
The termination bye meaning a place or settlement was added later, undoubtedly from the colony over which Orm was made ruler.
Many generations passed during which there was continual conflict between the Ormesbys and the King of England. The King’s troops could not subdue the Ormesbys and the Ormesbys could not conquer England. At the time of the conflict with England which terminated in the complete subjection of Scotland, the Ormesbys had become a powerful clan and England offered a Baronage to the then Ormesby leader if he would renounce his allegiance to Scotland and to his Clan and move himself and his personal family to Lincolnshire, England.
Ormesby did so renounce his Clan and Allegiance to Scotland and moved to Lincolnshire. Those who remained in Scotland fought until they could carry on the war no longer. A part of them submitted to English rule and remained in Scotland where the family still exists in large numbers. The greater part, however, refused to submit and emigrated to Ireland (northeast) where they are still a numerous people. Others moved to various sections, probably changing names according to the customs of the time.
The Ormesbys of Lincolnshire eventually became a massive family, and in the middle of the eleventh century, in a war with France, in which King William “the Conqueror” played such an important part, the then, Baron Ormesby captured the daughter of a French Nobleman and held her for high ransom. The Baron’s son, whose name was William, in defiance to his father’s project fell in love with the supposedly beautiful girl; helped her to escape, and went with her back to the Northerly part of France known as Normandy. Here, because of his heroic act, he became a hero to the Norman people. King William “the Conqueror” then took him into the army, and after the subjection of England in 1050 dispelled the leading Baron of the Ormesbys and in his place established Young William, giving him the title of William De Ormesby, Knight.(??) Many of the Ormesbys, byes, bys, bees of today claim descent from this character, meaning, or should mean no doubt, to the clan of people whom he headed.
The story of Orm and the Viking expedition has come down from the time recording began, and is supposed to account for the tradition regarding the severed leg used in the Ormsby Coat-of-Arms. More of the story accounts for the way the historic William de Ormesby, Knight, of whom so many descendants are proud, come into being.
Additional Facts of Interest:
From: Colonial Families of America
Ormsby is a combination of the old Scandinavian personal (as distinguished from family) name “ORM” and the Danish word “BY” or “BYE” meaning “Town”. Its original signification therefore, was “ORM’S Town” or possible estate. The Village of Ormsby in North Riding of Yorkshire, England is one surviving example of its original use as a place name. As a patronymic, Ormsby belongs to that large class derived from geographic locations.
A note dated 12 May 2002 by Jim Ormsby…
My name is Jim Ormsby and I am from a little hick town on the Gulf Coast called Clute, Texas. I started doing Ormsby family research in 1969, when I was in my mid-twenties. It had to be done by hand in those days, and it took weeks to get an answer, if you ever got one. I did a lot of research through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Genealogical Library in Salt Lake, and became very familiar with the Family Research Centers in England, including the Heraldic Historical Records of the Library of London. I hope you won’t mind my making a few comments about our family’s origin.
We are not decended from the native peoples of Scotland, but from Vikings.
The Historical Records Center in London is quite clear on the matter; our root name is ORME, not ORM, and all the early generations after the original ORME spelled the name ORMESBY, not ORMSBY. It was only after there came to be political differences and split alliances that the name began to be spelled differently, as to differentiate one family’s alliances from another. ORME means “snake”, although not as docile as “elm tree”, it is most significant from a Viking standpoint. The snake is a very powerful symbol in Viking religion and represents verility and strength. Based on heraldic records information, I believe that ORME came from Orme, Denmark, which was an ancient Viking settlement, around the year 495, and as your paper indicates, became a ruler of a portion of Scotland around that time. Descendants of ORME added the “sby” to indicate that they came from the land of ORME, and the name was further changed as political and territorial necessity required. Heraldic records show that there were three distinct family shields, depending on the era, and each has in common the arm holding the leg as if to throw it, giving credence to the legend of ORME’s ascension to kingship as true. When written records began to be made around 700 or so, such legends were written as fact, when most could not be verified. The Coat of Arms seems to verify ORME’s legend as fact.
This is the second record I have seen that mistakenly gives our family root name as ORM, and I hope you do not take offense at my aggressive posture regarding this issue. My own father paid about $500 for a so-called “family crest research” back in the 1970’s. I was in the middle of my own research at the time, and he did not know of my results until I had proof and verification of my findings. When he proudly showed me his “official” documents, listing our family shield as having “a dove rising on the wind” in one corner, and (I don’t even remember what the other items were) other ridiculous things, I couldn’t contain my displeasure, but I didn’t want my dad to feel bad, so I didn’t say anything right away, rather waited about six months to show him my research and the true shields and crests that I obtained from the Library of London. I appreciate all the work that is done in the name of good, even the mistakes. My intention is to correct a mistake, not to insult the researcher, who has spent much time and effort to come to their conclusion. I might suggest that for truly ancient records about family histories, that one go to the likeliest place where those records might be found and depend on them, not someone else’s opinion, even mine. Opinions are like armpits, everyone has at least two.
As genealogists say, good luck and good hunting! JimBO
From: http://www.ormsby.org/genie/Surname.html#anchor5502835
Added by Nofinercat@aol.com on 12 June 2010…who says
“Well, in my humble opinion…The Ormesby’s were not Knights…They were BARONS…so I have listed them as Barons in my work”
Note: I have numbered the generations for convenience of reference.
- Sir Richard de Ormesby, Kt. who held lands of Ormesby in the county of Loncolnshire, England. The King gave him, after the Conquest, all the lands he possessed before. He had a son
- Sir William de Ormesby, Kt., who had 2 sons, one of whom was,
- Sir Oswald de Ormesby, Kt., who was the founder of the priory of Ormesby in the time of Henry II, and had son,
- Sir Oswald de Ormesby, Kt., who by his wife Anastatia had son,
- Richard de Ormesby, who had son,
- Ansketill de Ormesby, who by his wife Agnes Langton, had son,
- William de Ormesby, who by his wife Anne Meeres, had son,
- Sir John de Ormesby, Kt., who by his wife Ann, daughter of Sir Nicholas Lamworth of Leake, Kt., had son,
- Roger Ormesby, who had son,
- Richard Ormesby, who had son,
- Robert Ormesby, of Portown, who had son,
- William Ormesby, who had son,
- John Ormesby, who had son,
- William Ormesby, who had son,
- Philip Ormesby, of Portney, in Lincolnshire, who had son,
- Thomas Ormesby, a younger son, who came over to Ireland early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He was living in the year 1569. He married a daughter of Henry Malby, son of Sir Nicholas Malby, chief commander of the English forces in Connaught in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Ref.: “The English in Ireland in the 18th Century” by James Anthony Froude.
- Note: This appears to be the beginning of the Family in Ireland, coming from a splinter of the Lincolnshire, England family. The author continues with the Irish branch as given by Fuller.
- Edmond Ormesby purchased lands of Cloumonieghan, in County Sligo in the reign of James I (1566-1625). His son by his first wife, Susannah Kelke was,
- Malby Ormsby of Cloghan, Co. Mayo, Esq. Who married Rose O’Naughton, son,
- John Ormsby of Cloghan, Co. Mayo, Esq. Who married Winifred Jordan, son
- Robert Ormsby of Cloghan, Co. Mayo, Esq. His will is dated 6 Dec. 1700. He married Mary, daughter of Robert Blakeney, had son,
- Oliver Ormsby, who married Deborah, daughter of Col. Barry, had son,
- John Ormsby of Pittsburgh, Pa., of this book.
John Ormsby, son of Oliver Ormsby was born in 1720, and came to America in 1752 and later settled at Pittsburgh, Penn. The book has a long biographical record of him. In July 1764, he married Jane McAllister, b. 1747 daughter of Archibald McAllister, who migrated from Scotland in 1732. Jane died at Pittsburgh June 13, 1799. They had five children: John, Jr.; Oliver m. Sarah Mahon; Jane m. Dr. Nathaniel Bedford; Joseph Blakeney, unmd.; Sidney m. Isaac Gregg.
John, his wife, Jane, and son Oliver are buried in the old Trinity Church yard now in the heart of Pittsburgh, where much of the family history is carved on their grave stones. I have seen them there. A Pittsburgh paper of Sunday, Sept. 8, 1963 has a very good story about this Cemetery by Murray Chase.
From the book: “Mr. Ormsby may truly be styled the Patriarch of the Western Ormsbys: he migrated to Fort Duquesne about the time the British took possession of it; at which time he was Commissary of Provisions, and Paymaster of Disbursements for the erection of Fort Pitt; subsequently he entered largely into the Indian trade; and in the year 1763 was plundered of all his property, his people murdered, and himself shut up in Fort Pitt during the seige.
“Mr. Ormsby was a large stockholder in the Indian(a) Grant, which would have remunerated him for all his losses by the Indians, had not the Revolution taken place; notwithstanding, he was a staunch Whig and gloried in our Independence.”