thePeerage.com

[kirkmansharon]

Hello again Francis, and so sorry, I was on the wrong track last night with my last post - too late to read properly! I now understand your query about the likely connection between Mellifont and Foston as opposed to Foston and the Irish Faunts.

The only evidence I have seen is what is written in the History and Antiquities of Leicestershire which says basically that the first Faunt to arrive in England around 1385 had killed the Baron Hooth (could be Howth?) and had sought the pardon of the King of England and that this Faunt was descended from the Barons Hardy/Hardie of Ireland who had been responsible for the building of Mellifont/Mellifount.

What is interesting is that I have read that St. Malachy was instrumental in forming the Cistercian Monastry of Mellifont in 1142 AFTER a visit to Rome - en route calling in to see St. Bernard of Clairvaulx at his Cistercian Monastry at Clairvaulx. St. Malachy was so enamoured with St. Bernard's work that he asked St. Bernard for help in forming this monastry in Drogheda, and eventually St. Bernard sent some French monks to Ireland to help out.

It is written that St. Malachy died in St. Bernard of Clairvaulx's arms at Clairvaulx.

It is this Clairvaulx connection, with Mellifont, and also with Faunt, I find very interesting indeed.

I have not been able to find anything at all relating to the Barons Hooth/Howth of Ireland, nor of Barons Hardy/Hardie.

As I mentioned in my last post, Sir Hamon Clervaux arrived reputedly with William the Conqueror in 1066. On www.familysearch.org there is an entry of Alban Clervaux being the son of Hamon Clervaux around 1086 (from my memory). This is way before Sir Bernard of Clarevaulx as I think he was born around 1090 and after his visit to Citeaux, he formed the monastry and called it Clarevaulx!

The seat of the Clarevaulx family in England was in Croft on Tees, North Yorkshire. There is a lot of things on the internet about this family, which is the family which had two marriages with the Faunt family of Leicestershire, as mentioned in my previous post. This was eventually inherited by the Chaytor family, who hold the seat to this day I believe.

There is a Clervaux village (and castle) in Luxembourg to this day. I guess the question is, did Sir Hamon Clervaux come originally from that village? I have looked at a website which mentions this castle and there is a banner which is sold (I am not sure if this is the original banner or not - most likely not, but who knows) and it is quite different from the Clarevaulx/Clervaux angled cross which appears BOTH on the Foston tomb and also on Lt. Col. Thomas Faunt's grave in Youghal, Cork.

What a mystery?

I have also obtained a record from the Patent Rolls around 1319 which says that a Roger Faunt, (English) King's merchant was travelling back and forth between Depe in Normandy and England with merchandise.

That's it for me, a lot of bits and pieces! If anyone can shed any light on anything, please do reply!

Best wishes,
Sharon

[kathlingram]

Sharon and all
I am Francis' cousin Kathleen.We of the Irish Fant/Faunts have both genetic genealogy and paper records which show our family close to Kilmallock for 700 years.
My immigrant ancestor William Fant was born in Fethard Tipperary in 1840.His father was a 'nailer' by trade which dictated where they lived.
William Fant and his brother Patrick were in the British army and both received pensions.William Faunt is in New Jersey in 1869 and Pat in Mitchelstown Cork where many family baptisms both from Kilmallock Limerick, Cork and Tipperary were performed.
An Irish researcher has assisted me and indicates our ties to Archbishop Patrick Fant from Templemore Tipperary. Our progenitor and Archishop pt's both were from Bansha Tipperary in the early 1700s.
9-10 men have tested their Y DNA and all but 2 show a male line relationship. This includes the line in Virginia by 1674 and a Font from possibly Dublin.Since I know this about my family from extensive research ( hundreds of birth records pulled)I am much less concerned about the family crest.
My grandfather indicated we were Norman French and his father was born in Ireland. My many birth records indicate that my line at least was quite exclusive in marrying patterns with other Norman lines.
My family is of the line in Kimallock Ireland and the castle.
My William Faunt's great grandfather was a Maloney of the line currently in the Castle.They, Fran and I have collaborated on this and they visited Fran in NJ.
My thoughts are that my line anyway, which is in Ireland since 1230 with Sir Walter's family did not have the Clairvaux tie with Mellifont but rather in Clairvaux France near Anjou. Henry II's sons fell out over Richard's building Clairvaux castle which he built to safeguard a route from Aquitaine to Normandy and the port to England.
I am Co-Administrator of the Fant/Faunt DNA group at FTDNA. My own folks have tested and also tested autosomally at 23andme.I encourage everyone to do the same as science cannot be misinterpreted.

[kathlingram]

One thing I forgot to mention is that the Y DNA haplotype shared by most of the Faunt/Fant/Font males is I2a which is called "Sardinian I2a".
The reason for that is it is a "Founder Haplotype" shared in some extent by 40% of Sardinian males.

Clairvaux Castle being in what was historically maybe South Aquitaine or Poitou makes a lot of sense to me.I am told by another Fant cousin that a lot of males from the Pyrenees region have this one also.

My family to my knowledge did not use "Clairvaux" in any iteration in their names but we have lots of Walters and Edmunds..my great uncle Walt Grandpop Edmund's brother and himself from Philadelphia being one example. Sir Walter L'enfant being the first Irish Justiciar in the 1300s and several Edmund Fants were living in Tipperary in the 16th century.
Fethard Tipperary is situated in the Golden Vale, a valley in the moutains leading to Fantstown and Kilmallock Limerick.It was in this walled Norman town of Fethard that at least 5 generations of my family lived consecutively .Sometimes they are in Bansha Tipp. and sometimes in Kilmallock Limerick but never far back to about 1400 AD.
_________________
Granddaughter of Edward(Born Edmund) Faunt son of Patrick Fant born in Limerick Ireland 1865.
DNA Y I2a

[kathlingram]

'Freda' has mentioned being able to go back to the 12th century, and 'Phoenix' has said the same thing or thereabouts. If anybody has any information, please post it on this website for us all to see.


The Fant/Faunt Y DNA group has had another match to my cousin and others.. A family from Cork who emigrated to upper New York and then to Connecticut about 1845.
This gives us 12 Faunt/Fant men who have tested with 10 as matches which indicate the same family of males is involved..

Because of that I went looking this week-end and found some new information at various places( Archives of Ireland etc.)..so great to live in the computer age..
"Grant and release from Gervase de Raley to Henry Laffayn, his heirs and assigns for ever, of one carucate of land in Slefardath, which is called Greyston. Witnesses: The Lord Walter Lenfant, Walter Le Brit, Knights: William de Cantwell, Miles de Cantwell, John de Cantwell, William de Monte, Richard de Cantwell, Alexander Cerdel, and others. Dated at Cassell, the 23rd---- (sic.)
Ibidem," 31 Edw. I.
Grant by Theobald Butler of Ireland to the Lady Joan La Bottiller his mother of two mills of Tirlagh in Ofelmith, to wit, the old mill and the new, in exchange for 25 marks of annual rent, which the said Lady his mother held as dower in the manor of Arthmail, to hold during her life, rendering annually 76s. 8d, a year; saving to him and his assigns free milling (moltura) in the same mills of the corn and malt of his house at his own expense, and that of his family, without any toll or rent. Tirlath, Tuesday next before Sts. Philip and James, 26th year of King Edward "

and

" 6On October 5, 1312, John Lenfant, knight, was appointed seneschal of. Ponthieu and Monstreuil (Calendar of the Patent Rolls, 1307-1313, p.

J. SENESCHALS OF PONTHIEU AND MONTREUIL. RICHARD OP ROKESLE, knight, JOHN DELAUNAY, knight, JOHN LENFANT, knight, ROBERT DE FIENNES, knight, JOHN DE CASTRE, ..."

Kathleen Ingram
_________________
Granddaughter of Edward(Born Edmund) Faunt son of Patrick Fant born in Limerick Ireland 1865.
DNA Y I2a

[kirkmansharon]

Hi all, sorry I have been absent for quite a while. My brother has just visited our 2nd cousin, Peter Faunt, in my birthplace in Queensland, Australia, and it has stimulated me into some more research.

FOR PHOENIX: Phoenix, I would love to get in touch with you as mentioned before. I now think I know your immediate family line, I met with your brother William Patrick in Cork 1.5 years ago, so as you mentioned above, your great grandfather was Lt. Col. Thomas Faunt. His brother Charles Faunt, as also mentioned before, was Lt. Col. Thomas Faunt' brother, who went to Australia around 1826. My 2nd cousin Peter Faunt in Queensland comes from Charles's line.

I hope to be visiting Youghal and Lt. Col Thomas Fauint's grave sometime over the summer to see what state his grave is in and to clean it up if need be. The family crest there is so important as it is the only link we have with the Leicestershire Faunts, even though we can't make the link on paper.

It would be very nice to meet you if that is possible, and I would dearly love to see what you have regarding going back to the 12th century. Is it the Leicestershire Faunt pedigree or the Visitations of Leicestershire 1619 by any chance? Perhaps you have something more concrete, if so it would be wonderful if you were able to share it. Family history is the only thing I am interested in.

Is there any male Faunt in your family line (I guess you or William) who are prepared to undertake a DNA test with FamilyTree DNA. I will gladly fund the test if a male Faunt is willing.

I really hope we can meet. I am trying to get some family photos from my Auntie in Queensland as when I met William in Cork, I could definitely see the Faunt family resemblance through my great uncles in Queensland.

All the best,
Sharon

[kathlingram]

There is a quick very incredible sale on Y DNA at Family Tree DNA until 2/28/2013.. it is $39 US dollars.

Several Fants in US just tested and we now have 17 men who have tested..3 of them are recently from Ireland ( 1860-80).My line is last found in Cork City in 1913.

Here is a link..
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/fant/

and a link for the sale
http://www.familytreedna.com/landing/Y-DNA12-Promo.aspx

Kathleen Carrow Ingram
_________________
Granddaughter of Edward(Born Edmund) Faunt son of Patrick Fant born in Limerick Ireland 1865.
DNA Y I2a

[kathlingram]

Note to Faunts and Fants ..the $39 price at www.familytreedna.com has been extended for the immediate future.
The very best way to find how all are related is through DNA..Y DNA shows the male line back for many hundreds of years. Autosomal DNA which are "Cousin Matches" can compare between males and females for at least 6 generations. Many of us have done both at www.23andme.com and www.familytreedna.com. One new test has been completed and matches with the others, one is pending.
James Fant and myself ( Faunt of Tipperary/Cork/Limerick) are Administrators at Fant Faunt Font group.. we also have a Facebook groups with 50+ persons..
Kathleen
_________________
Granddaughter of Edward(Born Edmund) Faunt son of Patrick Fant born in Limerick Ireland 1865.
DNA Y I2a