Person Page - 869

     Philip Gittings was born in 1670.¹ He married Ann Sprigg, daughter of Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall, in 1694 at Maryland, USA.^1,2,3

Philip Gittings died in 1720.¹
      ; Married a1694. Was in Western Branch Hundred, MD in 1699. Was a Justice of Co Court of Prince George's Co. per Greenup Witten Cecil 929.273 G854j by E G Jourdan.¹ GKJ-7.

     Ann Sprigg was born in 1676 at Maryland, USA.¹ She married Philip Gittings in 1694 at Maryland, USA.^1,3,2

Ann Sprigg died in 1720.¹
     GKJ-7. She was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Ann Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     Thomas Gittings was born in 1694.¹

     Philip Gittings was born in 1696.¹

     Kinsey Gittings was born in 1700.¹

     John Gittings was born in 1702.¹

     Ann Gittings was born in 1704.¹

     Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. married Catherine Stone
;
Per Bowie [1975:593] His 1st wife; apparently died without issue.² Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. was born between October 1629 and December 1629 at Kettering, Northamptonshire, England; The WikiTree article does not prove his birth place as Kettering, Northamptonshire.^1,3,4 He married Eleanor Nuthall, daughter of John Nuttle Esq. and Elizabeth Bacon, on 1 September 1668 at Calvert Co., Maryland, USA,
;
Per Bowie [1975:593] His 2nd wife.^1,2
Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. died on 9 May 1704 at Prince George's Co., Maryland, USA.^1,3
Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. was buried on 29 December 1704 at Prince George's Co., Maryland, USA.¹
     GKJ-8.

; Name Prefix: Lt.
LDS B: 28 Oct 1930 E: 22 Feb 1944 SP 22 Feb 1968 LA per AF.
'Greenup Witten Cecil' G854j: arrived in MD after 1650 from Northamptonshire, Eng; well to do planter; one of the first Justices of Prince George'sCo; instrumental in development of Prince George's Co; owned 1000 acre tract called 'Northampton', granted 1 Mar 1673, and 325 acre tract called 'Kettering', granted 1 Aug 1686, on the west side of the Western Branch of Patuxent River; wd 9 May 1704. TITL 'Greenup Witten Cecil' FHL 929.273 G854j AUTH Elise Greenup Jourdan PUBL Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore 1989.¹ He was Justice of Calvert Co. at Calvert Co., Maryland, USA.²

;
Research note found on Kentuck Kindred Genealogy website:
Thomas Sprigg 1630-1704 – England to Prince George’s County, Maryland
By Kentucky Kindred Genealogical Research on April 26, 2024 • ( 3 Comments )
[quote]Today we travel to Prince George’s County, Maryland, looking for my husband’s 8th great-grandfather, Thomas Sprigg. Thomas was born about 1630 in Northamptonshire, England. He came to Maryland about 1655, and January 18, 1658, was issued a patent for transporting seven persons – himself, his wife Catherine and five others. It is believed that no children were born to Thomas and Catherine. For his second wife Thomas married Eleanor Nuthall the daughter of John Nuthall, Sr., and his wife, Elizabeth Bacon. Thomas and Eleanor had eight children.

Sarah Sprigg married John Pearce
Thomas Sprigg married Margaret Mariarte
Martha Sprigg married Thomas Prather (my husband’s 7th great-grandparents)
Elizabeth Sprigg married Robert Wade
Ann Sprigg married Philip Gittings
Eleanor Sprigg married Thomas Hilleary
John Sprigg died before marrying.
Mary Sprigg married Thomas Stockett
Thomas Sprigg first lived in Anne Arundel County, until Calvert County was formed from a portion of Anne Arundel in 1658. In Calvert County he was a Justice of the Peace. He was also a member of the Quorum for several years, 1658-61-67-69-70-74. He was commissioned High Sheriff of Calvert County 1 April 1664 and held office until 4 May 1665.

Land records show that Thomas Sprigg owned 1,000 acres of land called Northampton – after the English shire of his birth. He also owned Kettering, 325 acres which adjoined Northampton. It was located on the west side of the Patuxent River. In 1692 he purchased 500 acres which he called Spriggs Request. Thomas Sprigg purchased Bear Garden November 10, 1703, shortly before he died. This was a 137-acre piece of property on the eastern branch of the Potomac River. His total acreage was just shy of 2,000. In 1696 Prince George’s County was formed, the majority of lands were not included in any county, but a small portion of Calvert County was added. Thomas Sprigg’s property was in the portion that became Prince George’s County.

Thomas Sprigg, Sr., died between May 9, 1704, when he wrote his will (copy attached) , and December 29, 1704, when the will was probated, in Prince George’s County. Eleanor Nuthall Spriggs predeceased Thomas, as he asks to be buried by ‘my wife and children.’ The children being son John and daughter Mary Spriggs Stockett.

Daughter Sarah Pearce was given one gold ring worth ten shillings. I must add that in March 1700, Thomas Sprigg, through a deed of gift, gave to ‘Sarah Pearce, eldest daughter of Thomas Sprigg, and John Pearce, grandson of Thomas Sprigg, Senior, and son of said Sarah . . . for love and affection a 200 acres part of the 1,000 acre tract called Northampton and the 325 acre tract called Kettering.’

Thomas, being the only son, received the majority of his father’s wealth. He was given the dwelling house and all the houses and land of Northampton and Kettering that ‘had not disposed of’, and one-third of 500 acres patented in the Manor of Colington. He also received his father’s silver seal, Bible and silver tankard.

Martha Prather received one third of the 500-acre tract in the Manor of Colington. The other third went to daughter Eleanor Nuthall.

Martha, Elizabeth, Ann and Eleanor received ‘all my movables within doors and without’ to be divided between them.

Mary Stockett, Thomas’ deceased daughter, her husband, Thomas Stockett, received five shillings, their son (Thomas Sprigg’s grandson) seven shillings and the horse called Button. Eleanor Stockett, granddaughter, received five shillings. Thomas Sprigg ten shillings for a ring and each of his children five shillings. Elizabeth Wade ten shillings and each of her children five shillings. Ann Gittings ten shillings and each of her children five shillings. Daughter Eleanor Nuthall ten shillings and her children five shillings. Martha Prather ten shillings and each of her children five shillings. Five shillings in 1704 would be worth about $27 today.

[Transcription of will of Thomas SPRIGG - image attached]
In the name of God, Amen. This 9th day of May 1704, I, Thomas Sprigg, Senior, of Prince George’s County in the province of Maryland, being in perfect health and memory, praised be God for the same, and knowing the uncertainty of my life and health and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, and being willing so to order and dispose of my affairs, that it hath pleased God to bless me with all in this world, that there may be no difference between my children after my death, I make this my last will and testament in manner following. First, I surrender my soul into the hands of God, hoping through the merits of Jesus Christ I shall receive the same in the resurrection, to be reunited to my body both together, to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, and my body to be buried by my wife and children in Christian burial as shall think fit by my executor or executors hear after named.

First. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Pearce one gold ring of ten shillings price.

Item. I give unto my son Thomas Sprigg my dwelling house and all the houses and land of Northampton and Kettering that I have not disposed of and one-third part of the 500 acres of the land I patented in the Manor of Colington, to have his third part in the middle of the said 500 acres, to him and his heirs forever. And also, I give him my silver seal and great Bible and my silver tankard.

Item. I give unto my daughter Martha Prather one-third part of the land above mentioned, at that end next to William Prather’s where he now lives, unto her and her heirs forever. And further I give unto my daughter Eleanor Nuthall the other one-third part at the other end of the said land near unto Jonathan Limons, unto her and her heirs forever.

Item. I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Wade and to my daughter Anne Gittins and my daughter Eleanor Nuttall and my daughter Martha Prather all my movables within doors and without, to be divided between them, and my daughter Elizabeth Wade to have her first choice. It is my will and desire that after it is appraised, if the son doth require it, then my Executor or Executors, with what has, can be to have it equally divided between Elizabeth Wade, Ann Gittings, Eleanor Nuttall and Martha Prater, as it is appraised and that they may have their parts in goods and chattels, in species as they in themselves and not converted into money nor paid them the other way, if they do not agree then I do desire my loving friends Samuel Magruder, Senior, Edward Willett, John Smith at Mattaponi or any two of them to make an equal division between them, and case of their absence to choose other in their stead and when divided my daughter Elizabeth Wade to have her first choice.

Further I give unto Thomas Stockett five shillings and to my grandson Thomas Stockett seven shillings and my horse called Button and to Eleanor Stockett five shillings and to my son Thomas Sprigg ten shillings for a ring and all his children five shillings to each and my daughter Elizabeth Wade ten shillings and all her children five shillings; and to Anne Gittings ten shillings and all her children five shillings and to Eleanor Nuttall ten shillings and her children five shillings and to Martha Prater ten shillings and her children five shillings and to my loving friends Samuel Magruder, Edward Willett and John Smith, or others that are at the trouble in dividing between them, ten shillings each person to buy them rings, and my will is that my mulatto John Cabby be set free after four years’ service and to have what is due to white servants.

Item. Of this my last will and testament I do constitute and appoint my loving son Thomas Sprigg my sole executor making void all others and in case of mortality or absence out of the country I do hereby appoint my sons-in-law James Wade, Phillip Gittings and Thomas Prater, or any one or two of them with the same power and authority as I have given unto my son Thomas Sprigg. In witness hereof I have set to my hand and fixed my seal this ninth day of May one thousand seven hundred and four.

Thomas Sprigg

Witnessed and signed and sealed before us Thomas Lucas Senior, Thomas Lucas, Dority Lucas

On the back of this will was endorsed to wit December 29, 1704. Then came Thomas Lucas. Senior, Thomas Lucas, Junior, and Dorothy Lucas as witnesses to the within will and made oath to the same in common form before me. Edward Willett, Deputy Commission. Thomas Sprigg, Senior, last will and testament.

Reference: (an unknown value.)⁵

Reference: (an unknown value.) He and Sir Thomas Sprigg Sr. were Research Issues
This is an interesting analysis, found on WikiTree, of the possible English ancestry of Thomas SPRIGG (Jr.) and it casts doubt on whether his parents were actually Thomas and Katherine (GRIFFIN) SPRIGG, Sr.
[quote]Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:07:46 -0400
From: "David Armstrong" heraldry(at)meer.net>
To: MDSTMARY(at)rootsweb.com>
Subject: [MDSTMARY] Sprigg
THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
     For many years persons interested in the background of Thomas Sprigg (1629-1704) , colonial leader of Maryland, have cast about looking for the identity of his parents. It has become the general belief that his parents were one Thomas Sprigg of London and wife Catherine Griffin. This has made its way into the IGI and onto the Internet to such an extent that it will likely be around for a very long time. The unfortunate thing is that those who have followed this line of thought have not confirmed the sources.
     The confusion apparently began when some person or persons looked at two London wills, one of a Sprigg relative and one apparently not. The will of David Griffin mentions his sister Catherine Sprigg and her children (one of whom was named Thomas) but clearly shows that this Catherine was living in Gloucestershire. This document has been merged with another, the will of London merchant Thomas Sprigg who died in 1678 and WAS related to Maryland Thomas but was not his father. This Sprigg mentions children in his will but not a son Thomas. There is no evidence of a connection between these two documents and thus the fictional "Thomas Sprigg and Catherine Griffin" never existed as a couple and were not the parents of Maryland Thomas.
     Having dealt briefly with what is NOT the background of the Sprigg family of present interest it is thought useful to provide some notes about his real English background. One of the British gentry he lived in the time of the English Civil Wars, and was one of thousands who colonized America.
     The Maryland Hall of Records in Annapolis has an inventory of the estate of one Martin Faulkner upon which is still affixed the seal impressed in wax by Thomas Sprigg. It is likely that he would have carried this seal on a ring. The seal is a coat of arms, the one that illustrates many Sprigg genealogy writings in America. The language of heraldry is complicated, cumbersome and almost mathematical. It would be useless to try to explain such a thing here. For the present purpose it can be said that the seal that Sprigg impressed on the Faulkner estate record can be officially described as "Checky...A Fess Ermine."
     The College of Heralds in London is the official body responsible for the granting and recording of any officially sanctioned coat of arms. They were good enough to check their records and provide a list of persons (there is no such thing as a FAMILY coat of arms) who were entitled to use that pattern as coat armor. There are several but the ones of interest are Spriggy in Norfolk and St. John of Bletsoe. Taking these in order the shield was officially recognized as having belonged to one Lawrence Spriggy who lived in Norfolk in the 1300s. This Lawrence and his family are in various records during the period but curiously not among those listed in the Norfolk roll of arms in 1395.
     At that time complete regulation of heraldry had not yet been established and the shield could have been carried from him to anywhere including Northamptonshire where the name Spriggy appears in the 1400s and becomes Sprigge and Sprigg. No proof of any connection between these early Spriggs and Maryland Thomas Sprigg has been found but such a link is an avenue for further research.
     The College of Heralds also reports that the pattern was an unidentified quartering on the arms of St. John of Bletsoe. This may be a clue as the actual English ancestors of Maryland Thomas Sprigg's relatives were associates and perhaps relatives of the St. Johns in Northamptonshire.
     The coat of arms that Sprigg was using had a differencing mark that usually indicates the bearer being a sixth son of his father. Since the heralds do not record that Thomas Sprigg was ever entitled to this coat armor it may be that he was using it without sanction and may have taken it "as is" from some other shield. It is not certain however that his father was old enough to have had five older boys by 1629 unless there were some twins in the family. Whether the pattern had been brought to Northamptonshire by the Spriggs above mentioned or Thomas Sprigg picked it up from the St. Johns is not clear.
     It has been suggested that Thomas Sprigg was born at Kettering in Northamptonshire since he gave that name to a tract of land in Maryland. The parish registers for Kettering are not extant for the time period that would confirm this. While a record of Sprigg's birth has not been found his family has. The confirmed record of the Sprigg family of Maryland and West Virginia begins with the 1690 will of John Sprigg of Great Bowden, Leicester, which is on the Northamptonshire border. This document is in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills at the PRO in Kew. Further mention of Maryland Thomas will follow but first a bit about the Spriggs in the will may be useful.
     John Sprigg was apparently an old man and single as he mentions no children but does mention over a dozen relatives including "Thomas Sprigg son of my brother William Sprigg should the the said Thomas Sprigg ever return into England and demand the same (his legacy)." This alone would not identify the family but other statements in the document do.
     The difficulty with researching the Spriggs in Northamptonshire even as early as the 1500s is the sheer numbers. There are 12 male Spriggs born in the one little parish of Great Bowden (then in Northamptonshire) between 1571 and 1597. Untangling all of the family connections would be an ambitious project if it were even possible. Perhaps some future energetic descendant will undertake this task. Mention is made of these numbers to show why it will be difficult to identify exactly how the earliest generation of Thomas Sprigg's family were connected. The repetition of the names of Thomas and Richard in the family does not help matters, but the name of Edward is more rare and apparently common in Maryland Tom's branch of the family. The John Sprigg who left the will was a son of Thomas Sprigg of Harrington, Northamptonshire. This Thomas Sprigg was in the "trained bands" (militia) of the shire and shows up at Kettering in a muster in 1618. Based on the John Sprigg will Harrington Thomas had a daughter married to one William Osborne and a granddaughter married to Robert Osborne. He also had a son named Edward Sprigg, an uncle of Maryland Thomas. These connections account for Lt. Col. Thomas Sprigg Jr., son of the immigrant, naming sons Edward Sprigg and Osborn Sprigg. Osborn Sprigg was the ancestor of governor Sprigg of Maryland.
     Harrington Thomas Sprigg was closely associated with one Richard Sprigg who lived at Scaldwell in Northamptonshire. Thomas Sprigg of Harrington had a son William (one of many William Spriggs in the records) and this William was the father of Thomas Sprigg of Maryland and Virginia. Another son of Harrington Thomas Sprigg was John, of Great Bowden, who left the will noticed above.
     American Thomas Sprigg was born between October and December of 1629 based on calculating the change in his age between two depositions in Maryland rather than in 1630 as had been thought. When Maryland Thomas was 12 years old this uncle John Sprigg married Ann Wright. The bond for this marriage has several people as securities and one of them is Richard Sprigg, Gentleman, of Scaldwell. "Gentleman" was the class of society next below the nobility and they were eligible to have a coat of arms. If Richard Sprigg had one no record has turned up to show it. The will of John Sprigg (eldest son of Thomas according to the marriage bond) named a niece Mary Wright.
     Also mentioned in John Sprigg's will was his brother in law Thomas Watts. In 1646 a bond was executed between Thomas Watts of Sur Langdon, County Leicester and Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. This bond was for the marriage of Thomas Watts to Mary, daughter of Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. Watts was alive in 1690 when John Sprigg wrote his will. Sprigg must have been getting on in years by that time, being the eldest son of Harrington Thomas, perhaps over 80.
     Thomas Sprigg of Harrington must have been born about 1580 or a bit before, despite family trees that use a later date. When the "trayned man" Thomas Sprigg was mustered at Kettering in October of 1617 his residence was "Bowden Parva" or "Little Bowden." He may have gone to Harrington by 1624 as someone named Sprigg paid 2 shillings tax there in that year according to the "Survey of Harrington and Great Bowden." His wife was named Ann, and he must have had ten or more children. The bonds mentioned above with the will of John Sprigg identify the known ones as John, Mary, Edward, William (father of Maryland Thomas), Richard, and Thomas. In addition there was one daughter who married one William Osborne, a daughter who married John Dix and had a son Jonathan, and a daughter Anne who Henry Robinson and had a daughter Ann. There may have been others.
     Richard Sprigg son of Harrington Thomas may be identical with the Richard Sprigg of Northampton town who is identified as having a daughter Elizabeth who married Robert Osborne of Hackleton about 1680. She died shortly and brother John left a bequest to the children of Osborne "begotten by my kinswoman Elizabeth Sprigg." Edward Sprigg may have been named after an earlier Edward Sprigg, known to have been christened at Lubenham in Leicestershire in the 1500s, son of Robert Sprigg.
     Little is known about William Sprigg the father of Maryland Thomas. There were several William Spriggs in the area. It is one of the given names that the Spriggs loved to repeat. One William Sprigg was among the appraisers of the estate of William Palmer of Scaldwell in 1682. This is too recent to be the father of Thomas but it is interesting. The Spriggs and Palmers were associated from the 1617 muster rolls through the marriage of one Humphrey Sprigg to Elizabeth Palmer at Kettering when Maryland Thomas was a child.
     The notes here are an all too brief mention of the proven ancestors of Maryland Thomas Sprigg. As noted a possible theory is that Harrington Thomas Sprigg could have been a brother of Richard Sprigg of Scaldwell who in turn was likely the father of Thomas of London. This Thomas went to London where he died leaving a will and it is that will that has been erroneously paired with the Griffin will to create fictional parents of Maryland Thomas as noticed above. A few words about this branch of the family may be useful however as it is possible that this Thomas Sprigg was a factor in the immigration of Maryland Thomas. At the time Maryland Thomas Sprigg became a teenager England was a war zone. Parliamentary forces under Cromwell battled Cavaliers (Royalists) who favored the Stuart king. Part of this fighting took place in Northamptonshire, including the great battle of Naseby. The general population of the shire was overwhelmingly Parliamentarian and it may be that Maryland Thomas left (he being a Cavalier) for that reason. In addition to this Thomas Sprigg grew up in a time that the colonization of the Americas was in full swing. In America younger sons of English gentry (who would inherit nothing under the system of primogeniture) could buy offices and make their fortunes. Many royalists fled to Virginia at the time of the Civil Wars and one of these was Thomas Sprigg.
     The life of Thomas Sprigg of Maryland between 1629 and 1651 is not known. Some speculations can be made however. He MIGHT be the Thomas Sprigg who was "absent abroad" in the 1649 estate record of John Andrews of London. If so he had an earlier wife than Catherine Graves as this absent Thomas Sprigg was married to a woman named Maudlin in 1649. One of the colonial leaders of Eastern Shore Virginia (where Sprigg went first) was Obedience Robbins from Northamptonshire whose brother immigrated from Long Buckby via St Dunstans in the East parish in London. This is the same parish in which the merchant Thomas Sprigg lived.
     At the time of his removal to America Thomas Sprigg was about 21 years old. Shortly after his arrival in Virginia he married the widow Catherine (Graves) Roper who at the time was the sister in law of William Stone, governor of Maryland. She was about ten years older than Thomas. Sprigg soon was a lieutenant and given these circumstances it seems likely that this marriage was not a romance as much as a way for a younger son to make good in the new world. London Thomas Sprigg identified his brother Richard of Scaldwell in his will and also noted that he (Thomas) owned land at Scaldwell. The merchant Thomas had became quite wealthy, leaving over 2000 pounds in cash to various people in his will. At that time he was married to Ruth, the apparent widow of one Hugh Horton. He also may have been the Thomas Sprigg who was "absent abroad" in 1649 if he had an earlier marriage to a lady named Maudlin. This could be accounted for as a business trip (he was affiliated with the British West India Company) or maybe he brought Maryland Thomas to Virginia, introducing him to the right people. Such is only speculation however.
     Another avenue of speculation might be that Sprigg's immigration had something to do with the Obedience Robbins mentioned above. Robbins was a leader on the Eastern Shore of Virginia which area was as Royalist as Northamptonshire was Parliamentarian. Robbins was a witness along with one William Andrews to the first American document that names Thomas Sprigg. This was essentially a pre-nuptial agreement in which it was stated that Sprigg was to have no part of the estate of Catherine Roper's daughter Verlinda. From this point on the life of Thomas Sprigg is well documented.
     Sprigg moved in just a few years to Maryland and lived most of his life at Resurrection Manor in today's St. Mary's County. Late in life he moved to a tract which he named Northampton in today's Prince Georges County. The house there stood until the early 1900s and in modern terms was located just outside and east of the interstate beltway that goes around Washington, DC. This tract was inherited by his son, Lt. Col. Thomas Sprigg Jr. at the time of Sprigg Sr.'s death in 1704.
     It was Thomas Jr. who named sons Edward and Osborn, reflecting the family connections back in Northamptonshire. Osborn Sprigg was the progenitor Governor Samuel Sprigg of Maryland. Space does not permit anything even close to a complete accounting of the known English ancestors of Maryland Thomas Sprigg. It may be however that the notes above will settle the matter of his parentage and prove the error of the tale that has created a couple "Thomas Sprigg and Catherine Griffin" and made them his parents. Perhaps some researcher in the future will want to attempt to untangle the family connections in England. There is plenty left to do.
     By David Armstrong, 201 Graham St., Elkins, WV, 26241 e-mail heraldry(at)meer.net (Based on new information found in May 2007. Subject to correction and/or update)
     THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
     When Maryland Thomas was 12 years old this uncle John Sprigg married Ann Wright. The bond for this marriage has several people as securities and one of them is Richard Sprigg, Gentleman, of Scaldwell. "Gentleman" was the class of society next below the nobility and they were eligible to have a coat of arms. If Richard Sprigg had one no record has turned up to show it. The will of John Sprigg (eldest son of Thomas according to the marriage bond) named a niece Mary Wright.
     Also mentioned in John Sprigg's will was his brother in law Thomas Watts. In 1646 a bond was executed between Thomas Watts of Sur Langdon, County Leicester and Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. This bond was for the marriage of Thomas Watts to Mary, daughter of Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. Watts was alive in 1690 when John Sprigg wrote his will.
     Sprigg must have been getting on in years by that time, being the eldest son of Harrington Thomas, perhaps over 80. Thomas Sprigg of Harrington must have been born about 1580 or a bit before, despite family trees that use a later date. When the "trayned man" Thomas Sprigg was mustered at Kettering in October of 1617 his residence was "Bowden Parva" or "Little Bowden." He may have gone to Harrington by 1624 as someone named Sprigg paid 2 shillings tax there in that year according to the "Survey of Harrington and Great Bowden."
     His wife was named Ann, and he must have had ten or more children. The bonds mentioned above with the will of John Sprigg identify the known ones as John, Mary, Edward, William (father of Maryland Thomas), Richard, and Thomas. In addition there was one daughter who married one William Osborne, a daughter who married John Dix and had a son Jonathan, and a daughter Anne who Henry Robinson and had a daughter Ann. There may have been others. Richard Sprigg son of Harrington Thomas may be identical with the Richard Sprigg of Northampton town who is identified as having a daughter Elizabeth who married Robert Osborne of Hackleton about 1680. She died shortly and brother John left a bequest to the children of Osborne "begotten by my kinswoman Elizabeth Sprigg." Edward Sprigg may have been named after an earlier Edward Sprigg, known to have been christened at Lubenham in Leicestershire in the 1500s, son of Robert Sprigg.
     David Armstrong, 201 Graham St., Elkins, WV, 26241 e-mail heraldry(at)meer.net (Based on new information found in May 2007. Subject to correction and/or update)
---Original Message ---
From: Gwen Boyer Bjorkman
To: David Armstrong
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 10:54 PM
Subject: Thomas Sprigg
     I was reading your report on Thomas Sprigg in 2007 and I wondered if you have found any more information on the Sprigg family. Thanks so much for sharing all of this with everyone on the internet!
(http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=nlndgrn&id=I13541)
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:07:46 -0400
From: "David Armstrong" heraldry(at)meer.net>
To: MDSTMARY(at)rootsweb.com>
Subject: THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
     Gwen, Thanks for your positive comments and for putting my article on Worldconnect. It is rare to get any positive feedback for my efforts in family history. Sorry, I haven't learned much new since I wrote that. In a sense I tend to lose interest after I find answers and I felt like I found my English roots (as in the article) and left it there.
     I did find out that John Sprigg was disclaimed at the herald's visitation of Leicester in 1682 and that was of great interest as that would mean he showed up with a coat of arms and was denied.
     If you learn anything new please let me know.
Best regards,
David Armstrong, In the Tygart Valley, Elkins, WV
     The following was written in reply to a comment about the information provided in this profile above on another forum> There is quite extensive information given above, some of which may be useful or valuable, but the retraction below should be an important context within which it should be considered....
The full exchange can be found here.
     Wow, Christanel - I completely forgot that I posted that all those years ago. Interesting? Not sure. Accurate? Even less sure. I wrote it as an e-mail about ten years ago and at that time I did not know what I was talking about.
SOME CORRECTIONS FOR THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
I should not have said this - it is not confirmed:
     "The confirmed record of the Sprigg family of Maryland and West Virginia begins with the 1690 will of John Sprigg of Great Bowden, Leicester, which is on the Northamptonshire border."
I should not have said this:
     "These connections account for Lt. Col. Thomas Sprigg Jr., son of the immigrant, naming sons Edward Sprigg and Osborn Sprigg"
     It turns out that Thomas Junior married the daughter of Edward Mariarte and Edward's wife's maiden name is not known. She could be the Osborn.
I should not have said this:
     "Part of this fighting took place in Northamptonshire...... The general population of the shire was overwhelmingly Parliamentarian and it may be that Maryland Thomas left (he being a Cavalier) for that reason."
     I have since learned that there was no place in the UK "overwhelmingly Parliamentarian" and that families were split, some people switched sides, in short it reminds me of our American Civil War. I didn't know that when I wrote that.
I should not have said this:
     "Some speculations can be made however. He MIGHT be the Thomas Sprigg who was "absent abroad" in the 1649 estate record of John Andrews of London."
     I have since eliminated this other Thomas Sprigg, he died on Barbados right after mine got here.
     It was raw notes and was not checked with anyone well versed in the UK and the culture. I know better now, to ask first. Not long after I wrote that I dropped genealogy to keep up with 21st century matters. Now I have picked it up again and want to actually learn more about what I thought I knew then. I would love to have anybody with better knowledge of the UK to look at it, critique it, and pick it apart, find flaws, etc.... I joined here to learn. When I wrote that I thought I knew something - but I know better now how much I didn't know then.....[end quote]
Additional research notes are posted on the WikiTree page for Thomas SPRIGG (c 1604-bef 1679), and also call into question the identity of the parents of of Thomas SPRIGG (Jr.):
[quote]Thomas Sprigg of Foxton Leics., who married Katherine Griffin in 1662, should not be confused with his contemporary Thomas Sprigg (1604-1678), merchant of London. The merchant's wife, Ruth, mentioned in his 1675 will, was still living when he died in 1678. Similarly, Katherine Sprigg, wife of Thomas Sprigg of Foxton, was also living when her brother David Griffin made his will in 1679. The children of Thomas and Katherine Sprigg (ie. Thomas, Abraham, Katherine and Joanne) named in this profile are also confirmed by David Griffin's will, and also partially by Foxton church records, and therefore are not the children of the merchant of London. The merchant of London named his own children in his will (ie. Richard, William, Jane, and Anna).
     A consequence of the above, is that the association with this family of the historically significant figures, Capt. Thomas Sprigg (1629-1704) and his purported sister, Joane (Sprigg) Beale (c.1631-1675), cannot be supported by evidence. The Foxton siblings, Thomas and Joane, would most likely have been born after their parents' marriage in 1662. Similarly the 1679 will of David Griffin refers to the Foxton family, and so probably not to the Maryland family. Capt. Thomas Sprigg (c.1628/30 - 1704) Born Kettering. Immigrated with family and servants, first to Virginia, by 1651, and then to Calvert County, Maryland, by 1658. [1][5]
     Some information suggests that a Thomas Sprigg married a Katherine Griffin, in 1629, at Kettering, in Northamptonshire, however this seems to be incorrect, and probably stems from attempts to reconcile events with the known details of the Maryland family. This Katherine was said to have died after 17 Aug 1661 (possibly in Maryland). She was reportedly a daughter of George Griffin of Kettering (born 1594). It is unclear whether any of those details have any basis whatsoever in actual historical documents. [1].
     It seems that a significant revisitation of the Sprigg family from around Kettering (or Banbury) is in order to properly investigate the origins of Capt. Thomas Sprigg of Maryland. Any documented evidence mentioning an association with Banbury would be of particular interest, as a starting point, as this appears a likely red herring, but could quickly resolve the matter if it turned out to be correct. There was a Thomas Sprigge (b. c.1608) associated with the Sprigge family of Banbury, who was baptized at Lubenham, LEICS., in 1608, and who seems to disappear from the historical record. This person would have links to both the Banbury family and the northern families around Kettering, Foxton, and Lubenham, and would seem an ideal candidate, if actual documented evidence emerged to support a link to Banbury.
SPRIGG, Thomas (in the UK, Extracted Probate Records)
[end quote]^4,6

Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Catherine Stone immigrated in 1655 to Maryland, USA;
Per Bowie [1975:593]: "Thomas Sprigg, Gentleman, 1630-1704, arrived about 1655, probably from Northamptonshire, England. January 18, 1658, patent was issued to hijm for transporting to Maryland, Catherine his wife and five other persons; the tract of 600 acres was called Sprigley in chester River (l. O. Annap.)"²

     Eleanor Nuthall was born in 1648 at Northampton, Prince George's Co., Maryland, USA.^1,3 She married Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent., son of Sir Thomas Sprigg Sr. and Katherine Ann Griffin, on 1 September 1668 at Calvert Co., Maryland, USA,
;
Per Bowie [1975:593] His 2nd wife.^1,2
Eleanor Nuthall died on 16 March 1700/1 at Prince George's Co., Maryland, USA.¹
     Reference: (an unknown value.)⁴

Reference: (an unknown value.) GKJ-8.

; 'Greenup Witten Cecil' by Jourdan 929.273 G854j: died in 1700 or 1701.\LDS B: 28 Oct 1939 E: 4 Nov 1939 SP: 7 Apr 1953 SL SS: 22 Oct 1985 LG (Thos Sprigg b a1630 m a1668) per AF.¹

     Elias Sprigg died between 1696 and 1704; d. unmarried.²

     Eleanor Sprigg married Thomas Hilleary
; Her 1st husband.² Eleanor Sprigg married John Nuthall, son of John Nuthall,
; Her 2nd husband.² Eleanor Sprigg was born circa 1671 at Maryland, USA.¹
Eleanor Sprigg died in November 1742.¹
     She was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Eleanor Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     Col. Thomas Sprigg married Margaret Mariarte, daughter of Edward Mariarte and Honor (?).²
Col. Thomas Sprigg was born in 1670.¹
     He was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Col. Thomas Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     John Sprigg was born in 1671 at Northampton, Prince George's Co., Maryland, USA.¹
John Sprigg died in 1700 at Calvert Co., Maryland, USA; per Bowie [1975:594] d. unmarried.^1,2
     He was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² John Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     Mary Sprigg was born in 1671.¹ She married Thomas Stockett on 12 March 1688/89 at Anne Arundel Co., Maryland, USA.^1,2

Mary Sprigg died on 27 January 1694.²
     She was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Mary Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     Sarah Sprigg married John Pearce.²
Sarah Sprigg was born in 1673.¹
     She was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Sarah Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     Martha Sprigg was born circa 1677 at Calvert Co., Maryland, USA.^1,3,4 She married Col. Thomas MacKay Prather II in 1695 at Maryland, USA.⁴

Martha Sprigg died on 13 November 1742 at Charles Co., Maryland, USA.^1,4
     She was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Martha Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     Elizabeth Sprigg married Robert Wade.²
Elizabeth Sprigg was born circa 1672 at Maryland, USA.¹ She married an unknown person on 17 February 1725/26 at Prince George's Co., Maryland, USA.¹

     She was a witness to (an unknown value) with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.² Elizabeth Sprigg was a mentioned with Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. and Eleanor Nuthall.

     John Nuttle Esq. was born in 1620 at London, City of London, Greater London, England.¹ He married Elizabeth Bacon, daughter of Nathaniel Bacon Sr. and Elizabeth (Tayloe) Kingsmill, in 1643/44.^1,2

John Nuttle Esq. died in 1668 at St. Mary's, Culver Co., Maryland, USA.^1,2
     GKJ-9.

; LDS B: 28 Apr 1952 E: 27 May 1952 SP: 11 Jun 1969 LA SS: 7 Apr 1953 SL per AF. 'Greenup....' G854j: of St Mary's Co, MD; had 2 sons John & James.¹ John Nuttle Esq. was also known as John Nuthall.³

     Elizabeth Bacon married Dr. John Holloway Md circa 1643 at Northampton Co., Virginia, USA.¹
Elizabeth Bacon married John Nuttle Esq., son of John Nuttle and Mary Hyde, in 1643/44.^1,2

Elizabeth Bacon died in 1728/29.¹
     GKJ-9.

     Sir Thomas Sprigg Sr. married Katherine Ann Griffin, daughter of George Griffin.¹
Sir Thomas Sprigg Sr. was born in 1604 at Banbury, Northamptonshire, England.^1,2
Sir Thomas Sprigg Sr. died on 14 January 1677/78 at London, City of London, Greater London, England.¹
     GKJ-9.¹ He and Lt. Thomas Sprigg Gent. were Research Issues
This is an interesting analysis, found on WikiTree, of the possible English ancestry of Thomas SPRIGG (Jr.) and it casts doubt on whether his parents were actually Thomas and Katherine (GRIFFIN) SPRIGG, Sr.
[quote]Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:07:46 -0400
From: "David Armstrong" heraldry(at)meer.net>
To: MDSTMARY(at)rootsweb.com>
Subject: [MDSTMARY] Sprigg
THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
     For many years persons interested in the background of Thomas Sprigg (1629-1704) , colonial leader of Maryland, have cast about looking for the identity of his parents. It has become the general belief that his parents were one Thomas Sprigg of London and wife Catherine Griffin. This has made its way into the IGI and onto the Internet to such an extent that it will likely be around for a very long time. The unfortunate thing is that those who have followed this line of thought have not confirmed the sources.
     The confusion apparently began when some person or persons looked at two London wills, one of a Sprigg relative and one apparently not. The will of David Griffin mentions his sister Catherine Sprigg and her children (one of whom was named Thomas) but clearly shows that this Catherine was living in Gloucestershire. This document has been merged with another, the will of London merchant Thomas Sprigg who died in 1678 and WAS related to Maryland Thomas but was not his father. This Sprigg mentions children in his will but not a son Thomas. There is no evidence of a connection between these two documents and thus the fictional "Thomas Sprigg and Catherine Griffin" never existed as a couple and were not the parents of Maryland Thomas.
     Having dealt briefly with what is NOT the background of the Sprigg family of present interest it is thought useful to provide some notes about his real English background. One of the British gentry he lived in the time of the English Civil Wars, and was one of thousands who colonized America.
     The Maryland Hall of Records in Annapolis has an inventory of the estate of one Martin Faulkner upon which is still affixed the seal impressed in wax by Thomas Sprigg. It is likely that he would have carried this seal on a ring. The seal is a coat of arms, the one that illustrates many Sprigg genealogy writings in America. The language of heraldry is complicated, cumbersome and almost mathematical. It would be useless to try to explain such a thing here. For the present purpose it can be said that the seal that Sprigg impressed on the Faulkner estate record can be officially described as "Checky...A Fess Ermine."
     The College of Heralds in London is the official body responsible for the granting and recording of any officially sanctioned coat of arms. They were good enough to check their records and provide a list of persons (there is no such thing as a FAMILY coat of arms) who were entitled to use that pattern as coat armor. There are several but the ones of interest are Spriggy in Norfolk and St. John of Bletsoe. Taking these in order the shield was officially recognized as having belonged to one Lawrence Spriggy who lived in Norfolk in the 1300s. This Lawrence and his family are in various records during the period but curiously not among those listed in the Norfolk roll of arms in 1395.
     At that time complete regulation of heraldry had not yet been established and the shield could have been carried from him to anywhere including Northamptonshire where the name Spriggy appears in the 1400s and becomes Sprigge and Sprigg. No proof of any connection between these early Spriggs and Maryland Thomas Sprigg has been found but such a link is an avenue for further research.
     The College of Heralds also reports that the pattern was an unidentified quartering on the arms of St. John of Bletsoe. This may be a clue as the actual English ancestors of Maryland Thomas Sprigg's relatives were associates and perhaps relatives of the St. Johns in Northamptonshire.
     The coat of arms that Sprigg was using had a differencing mark that usually indicates the bearer being a sixth son of his father. Since the heralds do not record that Thomas Sprigg was ever entitled to this coat armor it may be that he was using it without sanction and may have taken it "as is" from some other shield. It is not certain however that his father was old enough to have had five older boys by 1629 unless there were some twins in the family. Whether the pattern had been brought to Northamptonshire by the Spriggs above mentioned or Thomas Sprigg picked it up from the St. Johns is not clear.
     It has been suggested that Thomas Sprigg was born at Kettering in Northamptonshire since he gave that name to a tract of land in Maryland. The parish registers for Kettering are not extant for the time period that would confirm this. While a record of Sprigg's birth has not been found his family has. The confirmed record of the Sprigg family of Maryland and West Virginia begins with the 1690 will of John Sprigg of Great Bowden, Leicester, which is on the Northamptonshire border. This document is in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills at the PRO in Kew. Further mention of Maryland Thomas will follow but first a bit about the Spriggs in the will may be useful.
     John Sprigg was apparently an old man and single as he mentions no children but does mention over a dozen relatives including "Thomas Sprigg son of my brother William Sprigg should the the said Thomas Sprigg ever return into England and demand the same (his legacy)." This alone would not identify the family but other statements in the document do.
     The difficulty with researching the Spriggs in Northamptonshire even as early as the 1500s is the sheer numbers. There are 12 male Spriggs born in the one little parish of Great Bowden (then in Northamptonshire) between 1571 and 1597. Untangling all of the family connections would be an ambitious project if it were even possible. Perhaps some future energetic descendant will undertake this task. Mention is made of these numbers to show why it will be difficult to identify exactly how the earliest generation of Thomas Sprigg's family were connected. The repetition of the names of Thomas and Richard in the family does not help matters, but the name of Edward is more rare and apparently common in Maryland Tom's branch of the family. The John Sprigg who left the will was a son of Thomas Sprigg of Harrington, Northamptonshire. This Thomas Sprigg was in the "trained bands" (militia) of the shire and shows up at Kettering in a muster in 1618. Based on the John Sprigg will Harrington Thomas had a daughter married to one William Osborne and a granddaughter married to Robert Osborne. He also had a son named Edward Sprigg, an uncle of Maryland Thomas. These connections account for Lt. Col. Thomas Sprigg Jr., son of the immigrant, naming sons Edward Sprigg and Osborn Sprigg. Osborn Sprigg was the ancestor of governor Sprigg of Maryland.
     Harrington Thomas Sprigg was closely associated with one Richard Sprigg who lived at Scaldwell in Northamptonshire. Thomas Sprigg of Harrington had a son William (one of many William Spriggs in the records) and this William was the father of Thomas Sprigg of Maryland and Virginia. Another son of Harrington Thomas Sprigg was John, of Great Bowden, who left the will noticed above.
     American Thomas Sprigg was born between October and December of 1629 based on calculating the change in his age between two depositions in Maryland rather than in 1630 as had been thought. When Maryland Thomas was 12 years old this uncle John Sprigg married Ann Wright. The bond for this marriage has several people as securities and one of them is Richard Sprigg, Gentleman, of Scaldwell. "Gentleman" was the class of society next below the nobility and they were eligible to have a coat of arms. If Richard Sprigg had one no record has turned up to show it. The will of John Sprigg (eldest son of Thomas according to the marriage bond) named a niece Mary Wright.
     Also mentioned in John Sprigg's will was his brother in law Thomas Watts. In 1646 a bond was executed between Thomas Watts of Sur Langdon, County Leicester and Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. This bond was for the marriage of Thomas Watts to Mary, daughter of Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. Watts was alive in 1690 when John Sprigg wrote his will. Sprigg must have been getting on in years by that time, being the eldest son of Harrington Thomas, perhaps over 80.
     Thomas Sprigg of Harrington must have been born about 1580 or a bit before, despite family trees that use a later date. When the "trayned man" Thomas Sprigg was mustered at Kettering in October of 1617 his residence was "Bowden Parva" or "Little Bowden." He may have gone to Harrington by 1624 as someone named Sprigg paid 2 shillings tax there in that year according to the "Survey of Harrington and Great Bowden." His wife was named Ann, and he must have had ten or more children. The bonds mentioned above with the will of John Sprigg identify the known ones as John, Mary, Edward, William (father of Maryland Thomas), Richard, and Thomas. In addition there was one daughter who married one William Osborne, a daughter who married John Dix and had a son Jonathan, and a daughter Anne who Henry Robinson and had a daughter Ann. There may have been others.
     Richard Sprigg son of Harrington Thomas may be identical with the Richard Sprigg of Northampton town who is identified as having a daughter Elizabeth who married Robert Osborne of Hackleton about 1680. She died shortly and brother John left a bequest to the children of Osborne "begotten by my kinswoman Elizabeth Sprigg." Edward Sprigg may have been named after an earlier Edward Sprigg, known to have been christened at Lubenham in Leicestershire in the 1500s, son of Robert Sprigg.
     Little is known about William Sprigg the father of Maryland Thomas. There were several William Spriggs in the area. It is one of the given names that the Spriggs loved to repeat. One William Sprigg was among the appraisers of the estate of William Palmer of Scaldwell in 1682. This is too recent to be the father of Thomas but it is interesting. The Spriggs and Palmers were associated from the 1617 muster rolls through the marriage of one Humphrey Sprigg to Elizabeth Palmer at Kettering when Maryland Thomas was a child.
     The notes here are an all too brief mention of the proven ancestors of Maryland Thomas Sprigg. As noted a possible theory is that Harrington Thomas Sprigg could have been a brother of Richard Sprigg of Scaldwell who in turn was likely the father of Thomas of London. This Thomas went to London where he died leaving a will and it is that will that has been erroneously paired with the Griffin will to create fictional parents of Maryland Thomas as noticed above. A few words about this branch of the family may be useful however as it is possible that this Thomas Sprigg was a factor in the immigration of Maryland Thomas. At the time Maryland Thomas Sprigg became a teenager England was a war zone. Parliamentary forces under Cromwell battled Cavaliers (Royalists) who favored the Stuart king. Part of this fighting took place in Northamptonshire, including the great battle of Naseby. The general population of the shire was overwhelmingly Parliamentarian and it may be that Maryland Thomas left (he being a Cavalier) for that reason. In addition to this Thomas Sprigg grew up in a time that the colonization of the Americas was in full swing. In America younger sons of English gentry (who would inherit nothing under the system of primogeniture) could buy offices and make their fortunes. Many royalists fled to Virginia at the time of the Civil Wars and one of these was Thomas Sprigg.
     The life of Thomas Sprigg of Maryland between 1629 and 1651 is not known. Some speculations can be made however. He MIGHT be the Thomas Sprigg who was "absent abroad" in the 1649 estate record of John Andrews of London. If so he had an earlier wife than Catherine Graves as this absent Thomas Sprigg was married to a woman named Maudlin in 1649. One of the colonial leaders of Eastern Shore Virginia (where Sprigg went first) was Obedience Robbins from Northamptonshire whose brother immigrated from Long Buckby via St Dunstans in the East parish in London. This is the same parish in which the merchant Thomas Sprigg lived.
     At the time of his removal to America Thomas Sprigg was about 21 years old. Shortly after his arrival in Virginia he married the widow Catherine (Graves) Roper who at the time was the sister in law of William Stone, governor of Maryland. She was about ten years older than Thomas. Sprigg soon was a lieutenant and given these circumstances it seems likely that this marriage was not a romance as much as a way for a younger son to make good in the new world. London Thomas Sprigg identified his brother Richard of Scaldwell in his will and also noted that he (Thomas) owned land at Scaldwell. The merchant Thomas had became quite wealthy, leaving over 2000 pounds in cash to various people in his will. At that time he was married to Ruth, the apparent widow of one Hugh Horton. He also may have been the Thomas Sprigg who was "absent abroad" in 1649 if he had an earlier marriage to a lady named Maudlin. This could be accounted for as a business trip (he was affiliated with the British West India Company) or maybe he brought Maryland Thomas to Virginia, introducing him to the right people. Such is only speculation however.
     Another avenue of speculation might be that Sprigg's immigration had something to do with the Obedience Robbins mentioned above. Robbins was a leader on the Eastern Shore of Virginia which area was as Royalist as Northamptonshire was Parliamentarian. Robbins was a witness along with one William Andrews to the first American document that names Thomas Sprigg. This was essentially a pre-nuptial agreement in which it was stated that Sprigg was to have no part of the estate of Catherine Roper's daughter Verlinda. From this point on the life of Thomas Sprigg is well documented.
     Sprigg moved in just a few years to Maryland and lived most of his life at Resurrection Manor in today's St. Mary's County. Late in life he moved to a tract which he named Northampton in today's Prince Georges County. The house there stood until the early 1900s and in modern terms was located just outside and east of the interstate beltway that goes around Washington, DC. This tract was inherited by his son, Lt. Col. Thomas Sprigg Jr. at the time of Sprigg Sr.'s death in 1704.
     It was Thomas Jr. who named sons Edward and Osborn, reflecting the family connections back in Northamptonshire. Osborn Sprigg was the progenitor Governor Samuel Sprigg of Maryland. Space does not permit anything even close to a complete accounting of the known English ancestors of Maryland Thomas Sprigg. It may be however that the notes above will settle the matter of his parentage and prove the error of the tale that has created a couple "Thomas Sprigg and Catherine Griffin" and made them his parents. Perhaps some researcher in the future will want to attempt to untangle the family connections in England. There is plenty left to do.
     By David Armstrong, 201 Graham St., Elkins, WV, 26241 e-mail heraldry(at)meer.net (Based on new information found in May 2007. Subject to correction and/or update)
     THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
     When Maryland Thomas was 12 years old this uncle John Sprigg married Ann Wright. The bond for this marriage has several people as securities and one of them is Richard Sprigg, Gentleman, of Scaldwell. "Gentleman" was the class of society next below the nobility and they were eligible to have a coat of arms. If Richard Sprigg had one no record has turned up to show it. The will of John Sprigg (eldest son of Thomas according to the marriage bond) named a niece Mary Wright.
     Also mentioned in John Sprigg's will was his brother in law Thomas Watts. In 1646 a bond was executed between Thomas Watts of Sur Langdon, County Leicester and Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. This bond was for the marriage of Thomas Watts to Mary, daughter of Thomas Sprigg of Harrington. Watts was alive in 1690 when John Sprigg wrote his will.
     Sprigg must have been getting on in years by that time, being the eldest son of Harrington Thomas, perhaps over 80. Thomas Sprigg of Harrington must have been born about 1580 or a bit before, despite family trees that use a later date. When the "trayned man" Thomas Sprigg was mustered at Kettering in October of 1617 his residence was "Bowden Parva" or "Little Bowden." He may have gone to Harrington by 1624 as someone named Sprigg paid 2 shillings tax there in that year according to the "Survey of Harrington and Great Bowden."
     His wife was named Ann, and he must have had ten or more children. The bonds mentioned above with the will of John Sprigg identify the known ones as John, Mary, Edward, William (father of Maryland Thomas), Richard, and Thomas. In addition there was one daughter who married one William Osborne, a daughter who married John Dix and had a son Jonathan, and a daughter Anne who Henry Robinson and had a daughter Ann. There may have been others. Richard Sprigg son of Harrington Thomas may be identical with the Richard Sprigg of Northampton town who is identified as having a daughter Elizabeth who married Robert Osborne of Hackleton about 1680. She died shortly and brother John left a bequest to the children of Osborne "begotten by my kinswoman Elizabeth Sprigg." Edward Sprigg may have been named after an earlier Edward Sprigg, known to have been christened at Lubenham in Leicestershire in the 1500s, son of Robert Sprigg.
     David Armstrong, 201 Graham St., Elkins, WV, 26241 e-mail heraldry(at)meer.net (Based on new information found in May 2007. Subject to correction and/or update)
---Original Message ---
From: Gwen Boyer Bjorkman
To: David Armstrong
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 10:54 PM
Subject: Thomas Sprigg
     I was reading your report on Thomas Sprigg in 2007 and I wondered if you have found any more information on the Sprigg family. Thanks so much for sharing all of this with everyone on the internet!
(http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=nlndgrn&id=I13541)
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:07:46 -0400
From: "David Armstrong" heraldry(at)meer.net>
To: MDSTMARY(at)rootsweb.com>
Subject: THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
     Gwen, Thanks for your positive comments and for putting my article on Worldconnect. It is rare to get any positive feedback for my efforts in family history. Sorry, I haven't learned much new since I wrote that. In a sense I tend to lose interest after I find answers and I felt like I found my English roots (as in the article) and left it there.
     I did find out that John Sprigg was disclaimed at the herald's visitation of Leicester in 1682 and that was of great interest as that would mean he showed up with a coat of arms and was denied.
     If you learn anything new please let me know.
Best regards,
David Armstrong, In the Tygart Valley, Elkins, WV
     The following was written in reply to a comment about the information provided in this profile above on another forum> There is quite extensive information given above, some of which may be useful or valuable, but the retraction below should be an important context within which it should be considered....
The full exchange can be found here.
     Wow, Christanel - I completely forgot that I posted that all those years ago. Interesting? Not sure. Accurate? Even less sure. I wrote it as an e-mail about ten years ago and at that time I did not know what I was talking about.
SOME CORRECTIONS FOR THE ENGLISH ANCESTRY OF MARYLAND THOMAS SPRIGG
I should not have said this - it is not confirmed:
     "The confirmed record of the Sprigg family of Maryland and West Virginia begins with the 1690 will of John Sprigg of Great Bowden, Leicester, which is on the Northamptonshire border."
I should not have said this:
     "These connections account for Lt. Col. Thomas Sprigg Jr., son of the immigrant, naming sons Edward Sprigg and Osborn Sprigg"
     It turns out that Thomas Junior married the daughter of Edward Mariarte and Edward's wife's maiden name is not known. She could be the Osborn.
I should not have said this:
     "Part of this fighting took place in Northamptonshire...... The general population of the shire was overwhelmingly Parliamentarian and it may be that Maryland Thomas left (he being a Cavalier) for that reason."
     I have since learned that there was no place in the UK "overwhelmingly Parliamentarian" and that families were split, some people switched sides, in short it reminds me of our American Civil War. I didn't know that when I wrote that.
I should not have said this:
     "Some speculations can be made however. He MIGHT be the Thomas Sprigg who was "absent abroad" in the 1649 estate record of John Andrews of London."
     I have since eliminated this other Thomas Sprigg, he died on Barbados right after mine got here.
     It was raw notes and was not checked with anyone well versed in the UK and the culture. I know better now, to ask first. Not long after I wrote that I dropped genealogy to keep up with 21st century matters. Now I have picked it up again and want to actually learn more about what I thought I knew then. I would love to have anybody with better knowledge of the UK to look at it, critique it, and pick it apart, find flaws, etc.... I joined here to learn. When I wrote that I thought I knew something - but I know better now how much I didn't know then.....[end quote]
Additional research notes are posted on the WikiTree page for Thomas SPRIGG (c 1604-bef 1679), and also call into question the identity of the parents of of Thomas SPRIGG (Jr.):
[quote]Thomas Sprigg of Foxton Leics., who married Katherine Griffin in 1662, should not be confused with his contemporary Thomas Sprigg (1604-1678), merchant of London. The merchant's wife, Ruth, mentioned in his 1675 will, was still living when he died in 1678. Similarly, Katherine Sprigg, wife of Thomas Sprigg of Foxton, was also living when her brother David Griffin made his will in 1679. The children of Thomas and Katherine Sprigg (ie. Thomas, Abraham, Katherine and Joanne) named in this profile are also confirmed by David Griffin's will, and also partially by Foxton church records, and therefore are not the children of the merchant of London. The merchant of London named his own children in his will (ie. Richard, William, Jane, and Anna).
     A consequence of the above, is that the association with this family of the historically significant figures, Capt. Thomas Sprigg (1629-1704) and his purported sister, Joane (Sprigg) Beale (c.1631-1675), cannot be supported by evidence. The Foxton siblings, Thomas and Joane, would most likely have been born after their parents' marriage in 1662. Similarly the 1679 will of David Griffin refers to the Foxton family, and so probably not to the Maryland family. Capt. Thomas Sprigg (c.1628/30 - 1704) Born Kettering. Immigrated with family and servants, first to Virginia, by 1651, and then to Calvert County, Maryland, by 1658. [1][5]
     Some information suggests that a Thomas Sprigg married a Katherine Griffin, in 1629, at Kettering, in Northamptonshire, however this seems to be incorrect, and probably stems from attempts to reconcile events with the known details of the Maryland family. This Katherine was said to have died after 17 Aug 1661 (possibly in Maryland). She was reportedly a daughter of George Griffin of Kettering (born 1594). It is unclear whether any of those details have any basis whatsoever in actual historical documents. [1].
     It seems that a significant revisitation of the Sprigg family from around Kettering (or Banbury) is in order to properly investigate the origins of Capt. Thomas Sprigg of Maryland. Any documented evidence mentioning an association with Banbury would be of particular interest, as a starting point, as this appears a likely red herring, but could quickly resolve the matter if it turned out to be correct. There was a Thomas Sprigge (b. c.1608) associated with the Sprigge family of Banbury, who was baptized at Lubenham, LEICS., in 1608, and who seems to disappear from the historical record. This person would have links to both the Banbury family and the northern families around Kettering, Foxton, and Lubenham, and would seem an ideal candidate, if actual documented evidence emerged to support a link to Banbury.
SPRIGG, Thomas (in the UK, Extracted Probate Records)
[end quote]^3,4

     Katherine Ann Griffin married Sir Thomas Sprigg Sr.¹
Katherine Ann Griffin was born in 1610 at Kettering, Northamptonshire, England.^1,2
Katherine Ann Griffin died after 17 August 1661 at Maryland, USA.²
     GKJ-9.¹

     Abraham Sprigg was born in 1634.¹

     Katherine Sprigg was born in 1640.¹

     Roger Madison married Elizabeth Taliaferro.²
Roger Madison was born in 1701.¹
Roger Madison died in 1801 at Halifax Co., North Carolina, USA.¹
Roger Madison was buried in 1801 at Burial location unknown ;
From Find A Grave:
     BIRTH     1701
     DEATH     1801 (aged 99–100), Halifax County, Virginia, USA
     DAR Ancestor #A073062
     Roger Madison was the son of John Madison Jr and Isabella Minor Todd. His exact birth is unknown; some sources say 1710 but this would be after his mother's 1706 death date. His 1801 death date is believed accurate; he signed his will 28 Apr 1789 and it was "proven by oath in court" 25 Jan 1802.
     He married Elizabeth Taliaferro in Halifax Co, Virginia. Roger and Elizabeth had 5 known children:
      1 Elizabeth (Madison) Moore; b abt 1734, d ?
      2 Ann (Madison) Cox; b abt 1736, d abt 1809
      3 Mary (Madison) Collins; b abt 1743, d ?
      4 Ambrose Madison; b abt 1745; d 1802
      5 Frances (Madison) Collins; b abt 1763; d 1830
     Family Members
     Parents
      John Madison 1660–1728
     Spouse
      Elizabeth Taliaferro Madison 1710 – unknown
     Siblings
      Catherine Madison Gaines 1683–1760
      Ambrose Madison 1696–1732
      Isabella Madison Abney 1740–1806
     Children
      Ann Madison Cox 1734–1809
      Frances Madison Collins 1763–1830
     BURIAL     Unknown
     Created by: Bob Matthews
     Added: 6 Jan 2015
     Find A Grave Memorial 140979800.¹

His estate was probated on 25 January 1802.¹

     Roger Madison left a will on 28 April 1789.¹

     George Griffin was born circa 1580 at England.²
     GKJ-10.

     William Douglas laird of Hermiston, Midlothian was born before 1277.¹
William Douglas laird of Hermiston, Midlothian died after 1296.¹
      ; William de Douglas. laird of Hermiston, Midlothian

had charter of confirmation for Hermiston from King Alexander III, 1277[1]

' William fiz Andrew de Douglas ', performed homage to King Edward I at
Berwick, 28 August 1296[1],[12]

1. Sir James Balfour Paul, ed., "The Scots Peerage," Edinburgh: David
Douglas, 1904-1914 (9 volumes).
2. W. H. Bliss, B.C.L. and C. Johnson, M.A., "Calendar of Entries in the
Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and Ireland," Papal Letters,
Vol. III (A.D. 1342-1362), London: for the Public Record Office, 1897,
(reprinted 1971, Kraus-Thomson, Liechtenstein).
3. Michael Brown, "The Black Douglases," East Linton: Tuckwell Press,
1998.
4. James Dennistoun, ed., "Cartularium Comitatus de Levenax," ab initio
seculo decimi tertii usque at annum M.CCC.XCVIII., Edinburgh, 1833.
5. "Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum," The Register of the Great Seal
of Scotland, ed. James Balfour Paul, Edinburgh: H. M. General Register
House, 1882 [A.D. 1424-1513]].
6. "Charter Chest of the Earldom of Wigtown, 1214-1681," Anonymous,
Edinburgh: Printed for the Society by J. Skinner & Co., 1910.pdf
image files provided by Genealogy.com www.genealogy.com.
7. Neil D Thompson and Charles M Hansen, "A Medieval Heritage: The
Ancestry of Charles II, King of England", The Genealogist, 2:157-168,
3:25-44, 3:175-194, 4:144-158, 5:64-72, 5:226-239, 6:100-103,
6:148-165, 7-8:137-143, 9:40-44, 10:73-85, 11:63-72, 11:184-193,
12:83-90, 12:250-256, 13:92-99, 13:252-256, 14:81-84, 14:207-210,
15:99-103, 15:220-224, 16:93-98, 16:227-231, 17:61-64, a graphical
summary of this ambitious project provided by the Foundation for
Medieval Genealogy, URL: http://fmg.ac/Projects/CharlesII/
8. "Genealogics," website by Leo van de Pas, http"//www.genealogics.com
cites Europäische Stammtafeln, J.A. Stargardt Verlag Marburg., Detlev
Schwennicke, Editor, [ES], and other sources
9. John P. Ravilious, "SP Addition: Agnes Graham, wife of Sir John
Douglas (d. ca. 1350)," 9 November 2005, GEN-MEDIEVAL-L@rootsweb.com,
cites papal dispensation, 12 Oct 1344 in Bliss, Vol. III
(A.D. 1342 - 1362) p. 165.
10. I. J. Sanders, "English Baronies: A Study of Their Origin and Descent,
1086-1327," Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960.
11. G. W. S. Barrow, "Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of
Scotland," Edinburgh University Press, 1976 (2nd ed.)
12. "Clan Stirling,"
http://www.clanstirling.org/uploads/ragmanrolls.pdf, provides
.pdf file of the names of those who swore allegiance to Edward I of
England at Berwick, 1296 (the 'Ragman Rolls').
13. "Gazetteer of Markets and Fairs to 1516,"
http://www.histparl.ac.uk/cmh/gaz/
14. William Alexander Lindsay, K.C., Windsor Herald; John Dowden, D.D.,
LL.D; and John Maitland Thomson, LL.D., eds., "Charters, Bulls and
Other Documents relating to the Abbey of Inchaffray," 3rd Series, Vol.
56, Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable, 1908.
15. William Fraser, ed., "The Lennox," Edinburgh, 1874, text of vol.
II:13-15 courtesy EARLY SCOTTISH CHARTERS,
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~kincaid/charters.htm
16. Samuel Cowan, "Three Celtic Earldoms : Atholl, Strathearn, Menteith,"
Edinburgh: N. Macleod, 1909.pdf image files provided by
Genealogy.com www.genealogy.com.
17. G. E. Cokayne, "The Complete Peerage," 1910 - [microprint, 1982 (Alan Sutton) ], The Complete Peerage of England Scotland Ireland
Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
18. R. L. Graeme Ritchie, "The Normans in Scotland," Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press, 1954, Edinburgh University Publications, History,
Philosophy and Economics No. 4.
19. Andrew B. W. MacEwen, telephone conference re: (1) William Fleming
of Barrochan and marriage to dau of Lord Sempill, (2) Sir George
Campbell and Elizabeth Stewart, evidently dau. of Sir Alan Stewart of
Darnley, and other matters, 17 November 2004, notes, library of John
P. Ravilious.
20. Hubert Hall, F.S.A., ed., "The Red Book of the Exchequer," London:
Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Eyre and Spottiswoode,
1896, Vols. I, II.
21. William Farrer, Hon.D.Litt., Editor, "Early Yorkshire Charters,"
Ballantyne, Hanson & Co., Edinburgh, 1915-1916, Vol. II (1915)
Vol. III (1916), Vol. XII [the family of Constable of Flamborough],
courtesy Rosie Bevan, Vol. V [Manfield fee, pp. 53-58 ], courtesy
Rosie Bevan, , SGM,
26 Feb 2002.


* John P. Ravilious.²

; fealty 1296 to EDWARD I of England for his lands in W Lothian.¹

     William Davenport married Margery Legh, daughter of Robert Legh Esq., of Adlington, Cheshire and Isabel Stanley of Hooton.¹
William Davenport was born in 1446 at Bramhall, Cheshire, England.¹
William Davenport died on 18 April 1528 at Stockport, Cheshire, England.¹
     GKJ-14.