WICKSTED, OF NANTWICH. WICKSTED, CHARLES, esq. of Nantwich, in the county of Chester, b. in October, 1796. This gentleman, the only son of George Tollet, esq. of Betley Hall, in the county of Stafford, assumed by sign manual, 25th March, 1814, the surname and arms of WICKSTED, upon inheriting the property of his great-uncle, THOMAS WICKSTED, esq. of Nantwich. He served the office of sheriff for the county of Chester, in 1822. DE DE Lineage. JOHN WICKSTED, a younger son of Wickstead of Wicksted, living in the time of HENRY VIII. m. Anne, daughter of Henry Bradford, and was s. by his son, HENRY WICKSTED, who espoused Mary, daughter of Henry Hassal, esq. Hankelow, and had issue, RICHARD, his successor, Henry, who m. Ellen, daughter of John The elder son and heir, RICHARD WICKSTED, of Nantwich, b. in 1543, purchased the Weaver Meadows, and other property there, from Thomas Bromley. He m. Margaret, daughter of Roger Walthall, and had, with three daughters, 1. RICHARD, his heir. 2. John, m. the daughter of William Browne, 3. Thomas, of Shrewsbury, m. Eleanor, daughter of Rowland Langley, and d. in 1623, leaving issue, 4. Ralph, of Nantwich. RICHARD WICKSTED, esq. of Nantwich, who d. in 1681, and was s. by his son, RICHARD WICKSTED, esq. of Nantwich, who was born after the Herald's Visitation in 1613. He m. Lucretia, daughter, of John Yonge, esq. of Pembly, in the county of Salop, and was s. at his decease, by his eldest 5. Robert, m. Margaret, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Elcock. Richard Wicksted, died about the year 1623, and was s. by his eldest son, son, THOMAS WICKSTED, esq. of Nantwich, who m. Susanna Haycock, and dying in 1701, was s. by his son, THOMAS WICKSTED, esq. of Nantwich, who was baptized there on the 11th April, 1683. He m. Katherine, daughter of Samuel Watkiss, esq. of Aston,, in the county of Salop, and being killed by a fall from his horse in 1707, was s. by his posthumous son, THOMAS WICKSTED, esq. of Nantwich, who wedded Grissel, daughter of Charles Fletcher, esq. of Witchurch, in the county of Salop, (by his wife, daughter of Ralph Thickness, esq. of Balterley, and Bridget, one of the daughters of Sir John Egerton, bart.) and had issue, 1. THOMAS, of Nantwich, his successor. 2. Charles, both died issueless. 3. Samuel, ing the estates of his great | his grand-nephew, CHARLES TOLLET, who uncle, assumed the surname assumed upon inheriting, as already stated, of WICKSTED. the surname and arms of WICKSTED. Mr. Wicksted was s. at his decease by his eldest son, THOMAS WICKSTED, esq. This gentleman inherited under a settlement, upon the decease of his maternal uncle, John Fletcher, esq. of Lichfield, the manor of Wigland and other estates in the county of Chester. He m. Anne, daughter of John Bennion, esq. of Chorlton, in that shire, but died without issue in 1814, when he devised all his estates to (the son of his niece, Frances Tollet,) ARMS OF TOLLET, see Tollet. Of WICKSTED, Arg. on a bend az. charged with three garbs, or, between three crows sa. beaked and legged gules. CREST-On a wreath, two serpents ppr. issuing from, and round a Garb, or. Estates-The manors of Baddeley, and Wigland, and other lands in Baddeley Wigland, Nantwich, Wardle, Acton, Chorley, &c., all in the county of Chester. BARNETT, OF STRATTON PARK. BARNETT, CHARLES, esq. of Stratton Park, in the county of Bedford, b. 31st October, 1796, m. 1st February, 1826, Elizabeth, third daughter of Sir Peter Payne, bart. and has issue, CHARLES-FITZROY, b. 12th October, 1830. Laura-Janet-Emma. Mr. Barnett inherited the estates at the decease of his father, in 1804, and was highsheriff of the county of Bedford in 1821. Lineage. LIEUTENANT BARNETT, who was lost in the Stirling Castle man of war, on the Goodwin Sands in the great storm, 26th November, 1703, was father of CURTIS BARNETT, esq. who espoused, 13th May, 1725, Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Rosewell, esq. and had issue, Benjamin, who died in infancy in 1732, at Gibraltar; his father being at that time captain of the Biddiford. CHARLES. Benjamin, b. 29th September, 1735, and d. in 1804. Elizabeth, d. young. Curtis Barnett died 29th April, 1746, at Fort St. David's, in the East Indies, being commander-in-chief of his Majesty's ships designed on a particular service. The eldest surviving son, CHARLES BARNETT, esq. was of Stratton Park, in the county of Bedford, which estate and manor had been purchased, by the trustees of Curtis Barnett, in 1764, from the heirs of Sir John Cotton, bart. Mr. Barnett wedded, 17th February, 1756, Bridget, third daughter of Alexander Clayton, esq. and had (with other children who died young), CHARLES, his heir. James, banker, of Lombard Street. Louisa-Elizabeth, deceased. Amelia, d. unmarried. The eldest son and heir, CHARLES BARNETT, esq. of Stratton Park, b. in March, 1758, entering, at the age of seventeen, into the third regiment of Foot Guards, rose progressively to the rank of Arms Arg. a saltier sa. in chief a leopard's head of the second. Crest-A trefoil. major-general. He espoused, 22nd Febru- | of which garrison he was then second in ary, 1796, Harriet, eldest daughter of Ad- command. miral Sir Richard King, bart. by whom, who died 17th September, 1799, he had, with three daughters (who all died unmarried), an only son and successor, the present CHARLES BARNETT, esq. of Stratton Park. Major-general Barnett died, 10th October, 1804, of the epidemic fever, at Gibraltar; Estates The estate and manor of Stratton, near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire; purchased in 1764. Seat-Stratton Park. VASSALL, OF MILFORD. VASSALL, SPENCER-LAMBERT-HUNTER, esq. of Milford, in the county of Southampton, and of Newfound River, in the island of Jamaica, a captain in the royal navy, b. 17th May, 1799. 38 MONTE VIDEO Lineage. The family of VASSALL derives from the ancient house of "DE VASSALL, Barons de Gourdon, in Querci, Perigord.*" In the year 1588, "The following narrative of this house is extracted from a French author :-- JOHN VASSALL, an alderman of London, equipped, and himself commanded two ships of war, the Samuel, and the Little Toby, against the Spanish Armada. His son, branche de la maison des Comtes de Toulouse). La maison de Vassall a produit un nombre considérable d'hommes recommandables et distingués dans l'église et dans l'état militaire. Geoffroi de Vassal fut crée Cardinal diacre du titre de St. Eustache par le Pape Innocent II. en 1134, et il souscrivit en cette qualité deux chartes de l'Abbeye de Chini en 1136 et en 1142. Fortanier de Vassall, général des frères mineurs nommé Archevêque de Ravennes en 1374, patriarche de Grade en 1351. Nommé puis legat du Pape, il fut fait Cardinal en 1361, et mourut la même année. Geoffroi de Vassal, Archevêque de Vienne, fut transferé à l'archevêché de Lyons en 1444, et mourut en 1446. Helis de Vassal, étoit grande prieure des dames de St. Jean de Jérusalem ou Maltaises de Martel, depuis l'an 1334 jusqu'en 1355, et Huguette de Vassal étoit prieure claustral de la même maison et dans le même siècle. Pons de Vassal étoit grand vicaire de Sartat et Camerier de Tulle en 1360. Gerand de Vassall, de la Quaizée licencié de Sorbonne, étoit Abbé royal de St. Amand de Coli, et grand vicare de Sartat. Jean de Vassall, de la branche de Sineuil étoit prevôt de Sartât en 1695, et Louise de Vassall étoit abbesse de l'Abbeye royal de Buque en 1703. "La maison de Vassall, originaire de Quercy, et dont plusieurs branches ont formé depuis long temps des établissemens en Perigord, et dans d'autres provinces, a toujours tenu un rang distingué dans l'ordre de la noblesse, par une grande ancienneté, de nombreux services, de bonnes alliances, et par dessus tout, une fidélité inviolable toute épreuve envers ses Souverains. Jean de Vassall, seigneur de la Tourette fut fait Elle est connue dès le XI siècle, et sa filiation chancellier de l'ordre de St. Michel par le roi Franest prouvée littéralement depuis l'an 1343. Quel-çois I. qui lui écrivit et lui envoya le collier de ques généalogistes la font descendre des anciens l'ordre le 7 Octobre, 1520. barons de Gourdon en Querci, lesquels étoient une et Antoine de Vassall, seigneur de la Tourette et for the conservation of the peace with Scotland; about the same time he was chosen with Sir Thomas Soane, to give answer to the persons who brought up the city petition, and in 1648, he was appointed with the other members of the house who were citizens, to form a committee. This Samuel Vassall had two twentieths of all the Massachusetts bay, in New England. He left a son, SAMUEL VASSALL, likewise an alderman, Commissioners for the Kingdom of England, of London, represented that city in parliament in 1640, and again in 1641. In the latter he was voted the sum of £10,445. 12s. 2d. for the damage he had sustained during his patriotic resistance of the arbitrary import of tonnage and poundage, and it was further resolved to consider him for his imprisonment and personal sufferings. He was one of the three hundred members who signed the protestation to support the church of England, and the liberty of Parliament, and was appointed a member of the council during the recess. He subscribed £1200. against the rebels in Ireland, his name appearing at the head of the list. In 1643, Alderman Vassall took the cove- | nant, and was appointed in 1646, one of the de la Curemont, prêta serment de fidélité pour l'ordre de Chevalier de St. Michel, dont il fut décoré par le roi Charles IX. le 13 Nov. 1570. M. le Marquis de Vassall, de Montoiel, fut fait gentilhomme de la Manche, et puis successivement Major Général, Brigadier, l'un de huit inspecteurs d'infanterie, ensuite Maréchal de camp, et Lieutenant-Général. M. le Chevalier de Vassall, de Montoiel, fut colonel du régiment de Dauphine brigadier, inspecteur d'infanterie, ensuite Maréchal de camp. M. de Vassall de Sardigni fut colonel au régiment de la vieille marine, ensuite brigadier, et fut tué au siège de Barcelonne. M. de Vassall de Marsac fut Major au régiment du Roi, inspecteur, et brigadier. M. de Vassall de Taradel fut lieutenant de Roi à Marsal in Lorraine. Nicolas de Vassall, Chevalier de la Quaizée, capitaine au régiment du roi cavalerie, fut fait lieutenant-colonel par brévet en 1761, pour récompense de diverses actions de valeur, et entr'autres d'avoir avec un détachement de quatre-vingt hommes forcé trois-cent Prussiens, avec un officier général qui les commandoit, à mettre bas les armes et à se rendre prisonniers de guerre. Dans la guerre de 1735, quatre-vingt officiers du nom de Vassall servoient tous à la fois dans tous les grades, depuis celui de lieutenant général, jusqu' à celui de simple cadet gentilhomme. La maison de Vassall a toujours été, et elle est encore une des plus nombreuses en individus, que l'on connoisse; elle étoit déjà partagée du temps de St. Louis en plusieurs branches dont les deux principales étoient connue sous les noms de "Fraissinet" et " de Vaillac," c'est de la première qu'étoit noble Bertrand de Vassall, seigneur de Rinhac, chef de toutes les branches actuellement existantes; ces deux branches qu'on peut appeller anciennes parcequ'elles précèdent l'année 1400, et auxquelles on peut ajouter celles de Yvars, de Balaguié, et autres, établies en Quercy, en Albigeois, en Rouisgue, &c. ont contracté des alliances avec les maisons d'Angoulesme, d'Auriale, de Belcastel, de Caltrets, de Casnac, de Puycalwel, d'Ebrard, &c. &c. et parmi les alliances modernes on compte celles d'Abzae, de Favars, de Broglie, de Gontaut, de la Roque, de Villars, &c. JOHN VASSALL, esq. who purchased large tracts of land in Jamaica, and settled there. He m. Anne, daughter of John Lewis, esq. for many years English resident at Genoa, and had issue.* His younger son, LEONARD VASSALL, esq. wedded Miss Gale, and his second son, JOHN VASSELL, esq. having espoused Eli Cette maison est une de celles que l'on connoit avoir produit plus de branches, et on cite comme un fait remarquable et peut-être unique en France, qu'elle a formé en moins de quatre-cent anstrente-sept branches ou rameaux; et si l'on ajoute à ce nombre les branches qui ont existé avant quelques traces dans les anciens titres; la totalité l'an 1400 et sur l'existence des quelles il reste pourroit s'élever à près de cinquante; singularité qu'on peut regarder comme une espèce de phénomène généalogique. Ces trente-sept branches ou rameaux tirent leur origène de trois branches principales connues sous les noms de Rinhac, de Nozac, et de la Tourette; trois branches ont été formées dans le XV siècle et c'est d'elles que dérivent toutes les autres; ces de la manière suivante : . Bertrand de Vassall, damoiseau, fils de Bason de Vassall et de Nina de Raffilhac, épousa vers l'an 1360, demoiselle Resplandine de Rinhac, qui lui porta la terre de son nom; il étoit déjà Seigneur, du chef de sa mère, de celles de Nozac, et de la Tourette; il fit son testament le 2 Août, 1395, en faveur de son fils qui suit, Jean de Vassall, seigneur de Rinhac, de Nozac, de la Tourette, &c. épousa, en 1414, demoiselle Jeanne de St. Gilly, dont il eut trois fils, Jean, Pierre, et autre Jean, ce dernier mourut sans postérité, laissant pour héritier Pierre son frère. 1o Jean de Vassall l'aîné épousa, en 1443, demoiselle Louise de Touchebœuf, dont il eut Jacques, qui a continué la branche aînée connue sous le nom de Rinhac. 2o Pierre de Vassall s'allia avec demoiselle Marguerite de la Johannie en 1460, de ce marriage provinrent deux fils, dont l'un nommé Jean épousa demoiselle Marguerite de Paulin, et devint la tige de la branche de Nozac; le second, nommé aussi Jean, est auteur de la branche de la Tourette. La branche de Rinhac a formé quatorze rameaux dont huit sont éteints. De la branche de Nozac, sont sortis huit rameaux dont quatre sont éteints. La branche de la Tourette a produit quinze rameaux dont neuf sont éteints. * All the senior branches of this family are now extinct, excepting the descendants of two of the children of FLORENTIUS VASSALL, namely :— zabeth, daughter of Spencer Phipps, esq. had (with three daughters, Ruth, Elizabeth, and Lucy,) a son, JOHN VASSALL, esq. who settled at Boston in America, but was deprived of his lands there in the first American war for his attachment to the parent state. He returned to England, and resided alternately between Charles Lodge, in the county of Wilts, and the city of Bath. He m. Miss Elizabeth Oliver, and had issue, 1. JOHN, who wedded Miss Elizabeth Athill, and his son, JOHN, d. 23rd March, 1827, s. p. 2. SPENCER-THOMAS. 3. Thomas Oliver, who d. s. p. rited contempt, immediately replied, "Sir, I disdain your pity, and am ready to share the fate of my general." After experiencing every kind of indignity, and having been twice led out for execution, these brave men were at length released, and allowed to return to England. Shortly afterwards Major Vassall purchased the lieutenantcolonelcy of the 38th regiment, and was for some years stationed in Ireland, where it was his fortune to be the field officer, of the day in Dublin, on the memorable 23rd July, when Lord Kilwarden, and many others were killed by the insurgent populace. His cool determined conduct upon that occasion obtained for him the high commendation of 4. Robert Oliver, who settled in Ja- the Irish Government, and of the com The second son, SPENCER THOMAS VASSALL, being designed for a military life, obtained an ensigncy in the 59th regiment of foot, at the early age of twelve. He soon afterwards embarked for Gibraltar, where he served during the memorable siege, and from that period until his gallant career closed on the ramparts of Monte Video, he was uninterruptedly engaged upon active service in almost every part of the globe. He was twice with the army in Flanders, once in the West Indies, several times on the coast of France, and once on that of Spain. He was the first man that landed in the Isle Dieu, and planted the British colours there. He formed part of both expeditions to Holland; in the last of which he was ordered by the Duke of York to attend General Don to the enemy's camp with a flag of truce. On that occasion, when Brun, the French commander in chief, in a fit of rage, pretending to suspect the motives of the mission, declared to General Don that he was determined to treat him as a spy, he turned round to Major Vassall, and said with a contemptuous smile, "Pour vous, monsieur, je vous plains," Vassall receiving the proffered sympathy with me mander in chief. He subsequently embarked with his regiment for the Cape of Good Hope, and assisted at the capture of that important settlement; of the town and fortress of which he was appointed commandant. This lucrative and honorable post he resigned to embark with his regiment in the second expedition dispatched to the coast of Spanish America, and there he found a soldier's grave in gallantly leading his troops to the assault of Monte Video. His conduct, his courage, his fate are so faithfully depicted in the following letter from his orderly serjeant, to Sir Home Popham, that we know not how we could better close this summary of his valiant achievements. SIR, Monte Video, 10 Feb. 1807. Pardon the liberty I am taking, as the gratitude I owe to my everlamented and best friend, Colonel Vassall, obliges me to give you and his friends an authentic account of his last; I being his orderly serjeant, and the chief person to witness his bravery, and the gallant manner in which he acquitted himself in doing his duty, in that unfortunate hour in which he fell. On our approach to the wall we missed the breach; the grape and musketry flew so hot it drove the men into confusion, and would have made numbers of them retreat but for his exertions. When he observed any of the men stoop or flinch, he cried out as loud as possible, "Brave 38th, my brave men, don't flinch; every bullet has its billet. Push on, follow me, thirty eighth !" He rallied them repeatedly in this manner, until he got them inside the breach. He immediately directed a party to take possession of the corner battery next the sea, which was done in a few minutes, and another, under the command of Major Ross, to advance to the great church, and he was advancing himself to the main battery on the right, when a grape shot broke his leg, and as soon as he fell he cried out, "Push on, |