77V- /57^37

The Pynes of Monroe County, West V i r g i n i a ; descendents of Robert Pyne of Dublin, Ireland.

A sketch - Pyne - from History of Monroe County, West V i r g i n i a , by Oren F. Morton,

1916, pages 394-395

"This surname came into England with the Norman-French Conquerours and for many centuries has held an honored place i n the annals of the B r i t i s h gentry. Robert (1755-1847) was the son of a B r i t i s h Army Of­f i c e r who was k i l l e d i n b a t t l e , and was reared by an uncle, a wealthy shipmaster of Dublin. He accompanied the uncle on a voyage to New York i n 1768, and then ran away, hiding himself i n a wagon belonging to two brothers of the name of McGuire, and who seem to have l i v e d i n Pennsylvania. Thus the boy f o r f e i t e d an inheritance that would have made him r i c h . The McGuires were kind-hearted, and he spent the time with them u n t i l he was of age, alternating a year,at a time, between the brothers. He then received horse, saddle, a||id b r i d l e . He ac­companied them to the Greenbrier about 1780, and'made himself a home near Centennial. He was a s t r i c t Methodist and impatient of misbe­havior i n time of worship. His f i r s t wife was a Stevenson, the second being Nancy McGuire of the family of his benefactors. Children: S a l l y (1791-1897) (Archibald B o s t i c ) ; by second wife; - James McGuire ( E l i z ­abeth Mahan) - William -- John - - Elizabeth (John Keyes) - - Robert (3).

William went to Wisconsin before 1860. John was k i l l e d by a r a f t on Coal River, and Robert, a teacher, never recovered from an i n j u r y to his head caused while using a f l a i l . The children of James McGuire who went to Ohio, were John W., Mary A., Louis G., James P., Nancy J . , William T., and Ruthie F. James McG., and his sons J.P., and W.T., served under General Custer i n the Second West V i r g i n i a Cavalry, U.S.A., and were present at the surrender of Lee. L.G. was i n the Confederate service. The brothers were i n the b a t t l e of Lewisburg and afterward had a f r i e n d l y t a l k under a f l a g of truce. L.G. was i n the Confederate Army and k i l l e d during the b a t t l e of Lynchburg.

A Pyne not known to be related to the foregoing was James, who died i n 1799, leaving personalty worth $486.17. S t i l l another was Absalon.

Madison M i l h o l l i n Pyne (1817-1902) (Great Grandfather of the L.R. Honaker Family) weighed over 200 pounds and was considered the most muscular man i n Monroe. In 1844 he qcquired 176 acres at the head of Dropping Lick and added to i t from time to time u n t i l he was the owner of 1000 acres, the estate being known as "Pyne's E y r e i " . He married i n 1836 Mahala Smith. He had a brother William, who went to Minnesota, and three s i s t e r s , J u l i a , Martha, and Isabel, who married, r e s p e c t i v e l y , Joseph Ramsey, Richard Ramsey and Robert McCleary. Children of Madison and Mahala: James A. (b. 1837)(Virginia H. Shanklin, 1861); Martha C , (Ramsey 1884); Eleanor F.,(Josephus Shepherd); Mary Ann (Ephraim S. Honaker); Lewis S.,(Mary Neighbors); Louisa (Christopher Neighbors); John W.,(b. 1855) (Sarah M. Humphreys); Jacob W.,(Rosetta Smith). ^A^K^ FAM Hi ST

^ 7 3 GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY S OF THE CHURCI1 OF JESUS CHRIST

OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

The following i s a b i t of history r e l a t i v e to Robert Pyne and his family given i n l e t t e r s by James P. Pyne, a grandson of Robert

/ Pyne, who came from Ireland (Dublin), and was the f i r s t to s e t t l e i n Greenbrier County, V i r g i n i a (Now Monroe County, West V i r g i n i a ) : -

Anderson, Indiana, March 28th, 1912

James M. Pyne, Webster Groves, Mo.

Dear Cousin:-

Your very in t e r e s t i n g l e t t e r of inquiry of 21st i n s t . came duly to hand, and i t has been read and re-read.

My grandfather's father, a lieutenant i n the B r i t i s h Army; was k i l l e d i n b a t t l e , so the family t r a d i t i o n says, and my grandfather, Robert Pyne, a young boy, was adopted by his r i c h uncle, a Captain Pyne of Dublin, Ireland. I do not know the f i r s t name of either Lieu­tenant Pyne or Captain Pyne. They were Pines, or Pynes. I do not know how they spelt the name i n Ireland.

I w i l l r e l a t e to you a story which a Court might c a l l a "Fairy Tale", but i s i s true: - When Captain Pine's ship came to New York, about the year of 1768, i t lay there for three or four weeks and his nephew, as well as his son by adoption, Robert Pine, dreading the thought of a return voyage over the stormy A t l a n t i c , ran away from his uncle and aunt - his parents by adoption - hid himself under the sheets i n a covered wagon i n a wagon-yard i n New York C i t y . There he was found by the owners of the wagon - two brothers by the name of McGuire. The McGuire brothers gave the lad a good, old I r i s h quiz and got a t r u t h f u l story from him: He was 13 years o l d , dreaded the sea and, rather than return to Dublin, Ireland on a s a i l i n g ship over the wild A t l a n t i c Ocean, he had run away from his uncle and aunt and expressed a wish, that he might go home with them. So, the McGuires agreed to take him to t h e i r homes i n Greenbrier Valley of V i r g i n i a ; provided he would work for one of them a year and then a year for the other u n t i l he was 21 years of age, when, as was the custom i n Colonial V i r g i n i a . Robert was to have a horse, b r i d l e and saddle. The only trouble Robert Pine ever had with his benefactors was at the time every year when he had to go from one home to the other. It was then a good, old-fashioned quarrel always occurred between the McGuire brothers as to the time for the change to be made. Robert Pine then learned how d i f f i c u l t i t i s to serve two masters.

The McGuire brothers l i v e d i n Monroe County, V i r g i n i a , and grand­father Pine l i v e d there u n t i l his death which occurred i n October or November 1847, or thereabouts. He was 92 years old and he died when the cholera was raging i n Kanawha County, V i r g i n i a , where my father and family were then l i v i n g .

Robert Pine would not claim the large fortune l e f t i n Ireland by his adopted parents because he had run away from them and did not f e e l worthy to take that which l e g a l l y belonged to him. I w i l l renumerate you well i f you w i l l successfully prosecute my claim, as the oldest

l i v i n g h e i r , i n the male l i n e to the fortune l e f t i n Ireland by Captain Pine, or Pyne, as the name may be spelt over there.

Besides the l i n e of ships trading between Ireland and India, Captain Pine was a manufacturer i n Dublin. I remember hearing about his large button factory where a l l sorts of buttons were made.

My s i s t e r informs me that grandmother Pine's maiden name was Nancy McGuire. She was grandfather's second wife and no doubt a r e l a t i v e of the McGuire brothers.

That his f i r s t wife was a Miss Stevenson of Pennsylvania there can be no question since you got the information from her own daughter's l i p s .

My father (1) James McGuire Pine, eldest son of Robert Pyne, Sr., was born A p r i l 8, 1808, i n Monroe County, V i r g i n i a . His childhood and early manhood were spent there. He married Elizabeth Mahan and to t h i s union were born the following children: John Washington Pine, borne February 22, Mary Ann Pine, born -- , Lewis Greene Pine, born October 3rd, 1838, James Pondester Pine, born October 20, 1839, Nancy Jane Pine, born November 14 , 1840, William Thomas Pine, born , Ruthis Frances Pine, born , and "Dock Pine - the l a s t named was from a second marriage.

Grandfather Robert Pine was an overseer of slaves on the McNutt Plantation near Gap M i l l s , Monroe County, V i r g i n i a , and my father was for f i v e years an overseer on the Plunkett Beirne Plantation near Union, Monroe County, V i r g i n i a .

I was borned i n a house which stood beside the road that led from Union to Salt Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, V i r g i n i a , October 20, 1839, married Charles Anna Parker, August 9, 1866. I volunteered to serve i n the 2nd V i r g i n i a Cavalry, August 15, 1861, and served u n t i l the close of the war.

My father and my brother, William T., served with me. We served under General Sheridan and General Custer - the i l l - f a t e d Custer. We were i n many battles but escaped i n j u r y .

When I married, after the war, we moved from Kanawha County, West V i r g i n i a , to Lawrence County, Ohio, l i v e d there f i v e years, then moved to Carthage, Missouri, then moved to Pheonix, Arizona. A l l t h i s time I was a farmer.

In the year 1900 I went to Moundsville, West V i r g i n i a and engaged in the publication of r e l i g i o u s l i t e r a t u r e and became an active church worker. From Moundsville, we came to Anderson, Indiana, where our pub­l i c a t i o n s are continued, and here I have several pieces of property.

I s h a l l v i s i t you as soon as the weather w i l l permit.

Your saved cousin, James Pine

P.S. Brother Greene served i n the Rebel Army and was k i l l e d at Lynchburg, V i r g i n i a .

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My father and grandfather Mahan owned the Hot Springs i n V i r g i n i a , and were running stage l i n e s through that part of V i r g i n i a They were doing very well u n t i l the President signed a b i l l changing the currency from State to National. This broke up father and grand-lather and af t e r t h e i r reverse father worked at his trade as a car­penter.

Brother Greene drove a stage coach from Hot Springs to Old Sweet Springs. He did not go west but remained in Virginia and that is why he got into the Rebel Army. 3

J.P.

Cousin James Pyne dropped his middle name - Pondexter - because as he said, too many Ps did not sound well i n a name. He died February 1, 1926, and was buried at Anderson, Indiana.

S a l l y Pyne, borned i n October 1791, was the only c h i l d of Robert (the 13 years old boy who ran away from his uncle and aunt i n New York

¥ \ y * 7 h l S £ i r s t w i f e , a Miss Stephenson or Stevenson of Pennsylvania and had not her oldest son by Robert N i c k e l l , Madison M., assumed the name of Pyne - that name would now be extinct i n the Greenbrier Va l l e y of West V i r g i n i a . Her other children were Martha who married Richard Ramsey; J u l i a who married Joseph Ramsey; Isabel who married Robert McClary; and William Pyne who went to Minnesota and has never been heard from by any of his kinsmen.

Robert N i c k e l l went to Kentucky. He was a member of a highly respected family, but he was not as good as S a l l y Pyne according to family t r a d i t i o n s . Late i n l i f e S a l l y Pyne married Archibald Bostic a veteran of the War of 1812, borned i n 1794; died 1869, and to t h i s ' union one c h i l d was born - E l l e n Bostic, who died about the age of sixteen.

After the death of her daughter, E l l e n , and her husband, S a l l y Pyne Bostic l i v e d and worked for her step-children who loved and cherished her as i f she had been t h e i r own mother. The l a s t years of her long l i f e were spent m the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph Ramsey, near Ravens Eye, Fayette County, West V i r g i n i a , and the writer of t h i s sketch v i s i t e d her, his great grandmother, i n that home when she was 104 years old. Her mind was as clear as a b e l l " . She said her father came from Ireland

and her mother, who was a Stephenson came from Pennsylvania. She re­membered well when Gen. George Washington died; she never taken a dose of medicine from a doctor i n her l i f e ; she remembered her old friends and neighbors, and esp e c i a l l y the old ministers i n Monroe County, West V i r g i n i a , she died March 4th, 1897, age 105 years and 5 months.

When night came and bedtime that evening Uncle Joe Ramsey read a chapter from his Bible and those three aged saints joined i n a prayer that was more earnest and touching than any t h i s writer had ever knelt m before or since. They were Methodists and the order was - "Let us kneel i n prayer".

If they had any sins I, a Presbyterian of my mother's f a i t h be­lieved they were a l l washed away that evening. There they were, those three aged people i n a snug l i t t l e farm home by the roadside, flowers shrubs, gardens and f i e l d crops a l l around them. Aunt J u l i a well up ' m her seventies, Uncle Joe i n his eighties and Old Grandma, one hundred and four. Truly i t was the most remarkable prayer-meeting i n my l i f e ,

and with the most remarkable kinsman a boy ever saw.

If that triumvirate did not go to heaven the rest of us have a poor chance.

S a l l y Pyne Bostic was buried at Bethel Church, near Uncle Joe Ramsey's home. Saved by the Grace of God as she and a l l good Christians believe.

She gave me several locks of hair from her head to carry back to the k i n s f o l k i n Monroe County, and I can s t i l l see those step-children, the Bostics, weeping as they fondled those locks of hair from "Granny's" head. Strange to say the hair had more black than gray i n i t .

The old Bostic home was s t i l l i n existence at the time, a log house with puncheon f l o o r s , b u i l t by old Grandpa Archibald Bostic on top of Wiseman (now c a l l e d Pyne) mountain, above Dropping Lick M.E. Church. Archibald Bostic served i n the War of 1812, not i n the Mexican War as stated in the History of Monroe County.

Madison M i l h o l l i n Pyne was borned i n Monroe County, V i r g i n i a , July 9, 1817, and died September 9, 1902, age 85 years and two months. He was the oldest c h i l d of S a l l y Pyne, and his birthplace i s i n the v i c i n i t y of Old Sweet Springs, the famous summer resort of that time. He grew l i k e a Pine tree, straight and strong. He had large bones and muscles of i r o n , a lean man with a standing-weight of 202 pounds. When twelve years old he was l i v i n g i n the splendid home of "Uncle William" and "Aunt N e l l i e " M i l h o l l i n on Dropping Lick Creek, near the present v i l l a g e of Rock Camp, Monroe County, West V i r g i n i a . From them he took his middle name, M i l h o l l i n .

In the M i l h o l l i n home he educated himself with the help of "Aunt Nel l i e " M i l h o l l i n , a most excellent woman. He studied before an old-fashioned f i r e p l a c e i n the brick mansion house by the f i r e l i g h t of burning pine-knots, or fat pine, gathered from the l i t t l e mountain nearby.

He read the Bible and the English C l a s s i c s and a l l the h i s t o r y within his reach. As he grew to manhood his strength increased to such an extent that he was the strongest man i n Monroe County, and his voice was l i k e that of a giant.

At the age of twelve he carried a 200 pound bag of s a l t up a f l i g h t of s t a i r s ; at seventeen he cut the timber, s p l i t and l a i d up 200 fence r a i l s as a day's work for Anderson Brown; i n a tournament he won the prize for p u l l i n g the head off the greased-neck gander (the gander was suspended over the race course and the contestants rode by at f u l l speed; grandfather grabbed the gander's neck i n an underhand way and, with a quick t w i s t , jerked the head o f f ) ; i n a blacksmith's shop, Matt Pyne, as he was c a l l e d , not only l i f t e d an a n v i l up onto the block by the horn with one hand, but also held an a n v i l i n each hand by the horn and clapped them together three times; he hauled s a l t from the wells i n Kanawha Valley and i n passing Marshall's shaft, better known as the Hawk's Nest, he wagered that he could throw a stone into New River, from the top of the Hawk's Nest and won. (He shot the stone downward over that 1000 foot c l i f f i n such a way that the wind could not carry i t back against the face of the c l i f f before reaching the r i v e r ) ; he carried the heaviest stone which went into the old Stone Hotel Building

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at Salt Sulphur Springs; and while working on that b u i l d i n g , he played a joke on a darkey who kept begging for a ride i n his wheelbarrow. F i n a l l y Matt Pyne said: "Get i n , I ' l l give you a r i d e " , and while crossing the nearby Indian Creek on an open bridge, Matt gave the wheel­barrow a quick f l i p which sent the darkey into the muddy waters of the creek; Matt Pyne never met a man who could handle him i n "rough and tumble" bout, or whip him i n a f a i r f i g h t ; and when the war between the States came on, General Chapman said at a public meeting: "There i s Matt Pyne over there, he can surround and whip a f i e l d f u l l of yankees".

He did e n l i s t i n Bryan' Battery and served for a short time, u n t i l attack of acute rheumatism sent him home. He was then forty-four years of age. He never bushwacked a yankee although he saw them rob his home of everything f i t to eat, and burn up his fences while they camped on his property. He never owned a slave, did not believe i n slavery; yet he believed i n the Confederates had the r i g h t under the Constitution to protection i n t h e i r slaves and would have s e t t l e d the question through time and patience, by purchase of the slaves and freedom, with­out bloodshed. Lincoln t r i e d mightily to do the things that Matt Pyne would have done, even suggested colonization of the slaves, but the people, the f o o l i s h people, were a flame of hate. Reason was cast to the winds, the Constitution was v i o l a t e d , and " C i v i l i z a t i o n " makes and unmakes Constitutions", they say; and " C i v i l i z a t i o n " i s unmaking our Supreme Court at t h i s present time, i n windy March 1937. C i v i l i z a t i o n i s great s t u f f , "believe i t or not".

On November 5th, 1836, Madison M. Pyne married Mahala Smith, daughter of Jacob Smith who came with his brother, Abraham Smith, from Rockingham County, V i r g i n i a and s e t t l e d on Indian Creek, below Salt Sulphur Springs, Monroe County. Mahala Smith's mother was a B a l l a r d from Albermerle County, V i r g i n i a . Madison and Mahala Pyne worked to­gether, saved, bought land u n t i l they possessed more than 1,000 acres, reared a large family and were well o f f when the great so-called C i v i l War wrecked them. (Is there anything c i v i l about any war?).

(The revolution of 1861-1865 i n the United States of America, would be a better name for that f o o l i s h , f r a r t i c i d a l s t r i f e ) .

Then horses and c a t t l e were sold for confederate money and that money became so worthless that Mahala Pyne used a l o t of i t for w a l l ­paper and, in l a t e r years, gave me several b i l l s to use as markers i n my school books. After the war Madison M. Pyne sold off several farms to his chi l d r e n , keeping only about 300 acres for himself. He employed an I t a l i a n to st a r t a vineyard on the South side of Pyne Mountain where he grew grapes i n large q u a n t i t i e s , also the damson plum and peaches, for the White Sulphur Springs market. He also ranged c a t t l e on the Big Survey 180,000 - acre tract i n Giles County, V i r g i n i a , embracing the present Mountain Lake summer resort and Bald Knob, one of the highest peaks i n V i r g i n i a . Every year i n the autumn he took his c a t t l e to the Valtimore market and brought back money and nice things for us a l l . L i t t l e children "shied away" from Matt Pyne's g i a n t - l i k e voice u n t i l they learned from his actions that he had a heart of gold. Mahala Pyne's kitchen had a fragrance of good things to eat which, the c h i l d ' s mind can never forget and was excelled only by her kind and generous heart. She was the best grandmother i n a l l the world.

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Mahala Pyne, borned November 9th, 1817, died December 25th, 1900, age 83.

The children of Madison M. and Mahala Pyne were i n the order as named below: -

James Alexander; Eleanor Frances; Malinda Jane; Mary Ann (Grand­mother of the L.R. Honaker ch i l d r e n ) ; Lewis Stewart; Rebecca Susan; Louisa; Elizabeth Stepp; John Wesley; and Jacob Wilson Pyne.

The descendants of Robert Pyne, the f i r s t of the name to s e t t l e i n the Greenbrier Valley of V i r g i n i a , are scattered over the greater part of the United States, the majority of them follow the noble art of a g r i c u l t u r e ; some of them have mechanical a b i l i t y and some are en­gaged i n the profession of teaching. They believe i n honesty and ' follow the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth; they take an active i n t e r e s t i n the s o c i a l , p o l i t i c a l , and r e l i g i o u s l i f e of our country; they serve in a l l our wars. Today they stand guard on land and sea ready to de­fend our country against any and a l l enemies.

They agree with the great a r i s t o c r a t of democracy, Thomas Jefferson, and subscribe to his motto: " F i a t J u s t i t i a Ruat Colum" (Let j u s t i c e be done though the heavens f a l l ) . They spread the gospel of freedom for a l l mankind; they advocate, aya, they pray peace; but, in righteousness, they wage war. They jealously guard the motto of West V i r g i n i a : "Montni Semper L i b e r i " . (Mountaineers are always free men), and the motto of the mother State - V i r g i n i a : "Sic Semper Tyrannis", (Ever thus to tyrants).

May our t r i b e continue to increase and progress and f l o u r i s h i n fullment of the ancient motto of the family of Pyne: "In Tempestate Floresco" (I floursh i n the tempest).

The name of Pine may be seen on the wall of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. This Pine went down with his ship on the coast of France. The ship carried Cleopatra's Needle which was l a t e r recovered from the wreckage and set up on the Thames Embankment, London.

In days long since past Valentine Pyne was chief gunner i n the Tower of London.

Si r Benjamin Shelley Pine, a noted scholar, was a Governor-General i n the West Indies and i n Natal, South A f r i c a , where he quelled a r e b e l l i o n i n a masterful manner. He served i n the reign of Queen

Miss Louise Pyne, a noted singer of England, was c a l l e d "The Queen's Double" because of her resemblance to Queen V i c t o r i a . She sang on the Continent and i n America.

James Kendall Pyne, organist i n the Manchester Cathedral, i s one of the most accomplished musicians i n England.

Robert Edge Pine came from London to Philadelphia soon a f t e r our American Revolution to paint p o r t r a i t s of famous Americans. He was the guest for two weeks of General Washington at Mt. Vernon, V i r g i n i a . Sketches of these notables members of the Pyne and Pine family would be i n t e r e s t i n g .

The f i n e s t p o r t r a i t of General Robert E. Lee adorns the Lee Memorial Chapel on Washington and Lee University Campus i n Lexington, V i r g i n i a , and the a r t i s t was Theodore Pine. The b r i e f sketch below has just come to my hands:

"Mr. Pine died i n Ogdensburg i n 1905. He was born i n New York Ci t y , a son of Mr. § Mrs. James Pine. His father was a talented a r t i s t and Theodore began to manifest his a r t i s t i c a b i l i t y at an early age. As a boy he did considerable sketching and p a i n t i n g , and by the time he had reached early manhood his work had drawn considerable attention.

He went abroad, studying i n P a r i s , Munich and Rome, and upon his return became associated with his father i n his studio on Broadway, New York City. He carried on his work there for many years.

Mr. Pine was married to Miss Cornelia S t i l w e l l i n Ogdensburg, New York.

His painting of General Lee was done i n 1904, a year before Mr. Pine's death".

HELEN E. WEBSTER, Asst. Treas. Washington $ Lee University

For lack of records the Pyne or Pine family i n America w i l l never be able to make such a complete genealogical chart as i t has i n England. Family Bibles and t r a d i t i o n s are the bases of a l l that has been set down pertaining to Robert Pyne of V i r g i n i a and his descendants.

J. M. P.

A picture of "Pynes" may be seen i n a book t i t l e d - "Davon; Its Moorlands, Streams, and Coasts" - by Lady Rosalind Northcote, daughter of S i r William Northcote, Earl of Iddesleigh, present owner of "Pynes", Lady Northcote gives the following description of "Pynes": -

Pynes stands i n the Exa V a l l e y , just within three miles of Exter Cathedral. I t i s of red brick with white dressings, and as many high narrow windows.

0051937 - 8 -

A view has been put forward that the p o l i t i c s of country gentle­men i n the early part of the eighteenth century may always be traced by trees; those who were i n favor of William I I I set lime-avenues, while Jacobites planted Scotch f i r s .

There i s a t r a d i t i o n i n the family, that while the Northcotes for the Price of Orange, the Staffords were for King James, but i t seems quite as l i k e l y that p o l i t i c a l s i gnificance was not always the chief point i n planting trees.

In any case, there are many Scotch f i r s , and a lime-avenue (peculiarly i n keeping with the s t y l e of the house) i s shown by p r i n t s to have led far over the h i l l to Upton Pyne, but i s now, alas! re­presented only by one or two aged survivors.

The manor belonged to the family of Pyne i n the reign of Henry I, and after another i n t e r v a l , i t passed by marriage to the Coplestones, of whom i t was bought by Hugh Stafford; and the daughter and heiress of Mr. Stafford married her neighbor, S i r Henry Northcote".

"As Marley 1s bright green leaves give place To t i n t s of r i c h and mellowed glow; As close the shortening autumn days, Whilst summer l i n g e r s , l o t h to go; Quick r i s e s each f a m i l i a r scene, And fancy homewards runs her gaze, Such are the hues i n Oakford seen, And such a l i g h t o'er Iddesleigh plays -Me thinks the oaks of dear old Pynes With richer brown delight the eye; Nor would I take these reddening vines For our wild cherry's crimson dyd".

As the years r o l l by i t i s my hope that some other and abler member of the t r i b e of Pyne or Pine w i l l correct, improve, and enlarge th i s c o l l e c t i o n of memorials of the Pyne Family.

This portion of the History of the Pine or Pyne Family was taken from pages 69, 70, 71, 74, 82, 113, 114, 115 of the typewritten manu­sc r i p t of the MEMORIALS OF THE PYNE FAMILY by.James Mádison Pyne.

Castles and Country Mouses

Ear l of Iddesleigh.

Money cannot buy Pynes.

J.M.P.

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D N § Q 3 THE FAMILY OF PYNE

from

MEMORIALS OF THE PYNE FAMILY by

James Madison Pyne

The Manor of Upton Pyne, as the records show, was held by Herbert de Pyne i n 1147, and descended from him i n l i n e a l succession to S i r Simon F i r z Herbert de Pyne, Herbert de Pyne I I , S i r Herbert de Pyne I I I , who was lord of the Manor of Upton Pyne, Branford Pyne and Washford Pyne i n 1234. Simon de Pyne I I , S i r Herbert de Pyne IV, who was also lord of the Manor of Ham i n Morwenstowe, and John de Pyne, who was member of Parliament i n 1332. William, the eldest son of John de Pyne, inherited Upton Pyne, which remained with his descendants u n t i l 1487, when Constance Pyne carried i t to William Larder i n marriage; while the younger son Thomas, or S i r Thomas de Pyne, inherited Ham i n Morwenstowe and other manors. The l a t t e r ' s grandson, Oliver Pyne, acquired East Down by marriage i n 1397, and became the ancestor of what i s now the elder branch of the family, which i n 1797 assumed the add i t i o n a l sur­name of Co f f i n .

While much of the foregoing i s known to students of Devonshire family h i s t o r y , additional knowledge has recently come to l i g h t con­necting the English family with a family of l i k e name on the Continent, whose records far antedate the conquest, v i s . : the h i s t o r y of the seig­neurs and Barons de Pines of Languedoo and Acquitaine, who are represen­ted today by the Marquis de Pins de Montgrun, the Comte de Pins, and the Baron de Pins of Catalonia, through a branch which s e t t l e d i n France about 1090 AD. The arms of the French family, which they brought with them from Spain, are: Gules, three pine cones erect, or.

The history of the Spanish and French houses, which has been re­corded by historians and preserved i n both public and private documents and records, i s not a matter of presumption, but of c e r t a i n t y . In the eighth century, about 754 AD, nine German Knights, "as distinguished by thei r high b i r t h as by t h e i r proved valour", crossed the Pyrenees and entered Catalonia at the c a l l of a leader who had gathered together i n the mountains of Northeastern Spain the f u g i t i v e Christians who had been driven from t h e i r homes by the Moors. With the aid of those nine nobles, who were put i n command, the war against the i n f i d e l s was begun. Living i n t h e i r mountains fastnesses and at f i r s t making occasional forays, they gradually advanced into the p l a i n s , waging continual war­fare with the Moors for many years u n t i l the capture of Barcelona i n 801. An a l l u s i o n to the family may be found i n the Chanson de Roland, l i n e 199, where mention i s made of " l a terro de Pine".

In recompense for the services of those nine knights, Charlemagne gave the representative of each knight a barony carved out of the con­quered possessions i n Catalonia. Some of these noble fa m i l i e s have continued to t h i s day, and the head of each family for many centuries bore the t i t l e of "One of the Nine Barons of Catalonia". The motto of the French family, descendants of t h i s Spanish family, i s "L'un des Neuf Barons de Catalogne".

The nine knights i n the order i n which they are always named were:

The Senesschal de Moncada Galceran de Pines Guilem de Cervera Guilem Ramon de Cervello Hugo de Mataplana Pedro Allemann Ramon de Angesola Gisebert de Ribelles Berenguer Roger d ' E r i l l

Baron Pedro Galceran de Pines, son of the above Galceran de Pines, was present at the siege and capture of Barcelona. He received a grant from Charlemagne of land l y i n g a few miles to the Southease of the present Republic of Andorra, adjacent to the town of Baga, where his father had b u i l t his c a s t l e , "La Rocca de San Jaime", and was the ancestor of a l i n e of nobles who became Marquises de Pinos, Counts of Gurrea, Castro, Guimera and Luna, Viscounts of Evol, Canst, I l i a and Alverforadat, etc., and grandess of Spain. For a thousand years the members of the Spanish family bore the name of Galceran i n addition to t h e i r surname, i n memory of the f i r s t of the race who crossed the Pyrenees, and the eldest son of the Marquis de Pins, the present head of the French family, i s c a l l e d Galcerand de Pins.

The family t r a d i t i o n s go back to a s t i l l e a r l i e r home. I t i s the common b e l i e f of both the French and Spanish houses, that Galceran de Pinos was a German knight named Gerau von Thann of Waldburgin Suabia. The Princes of Waldburg, d i r e c t descendants i n the male l i n e of the Counts of Thann, have repeatedly reaffirmed t h i s b e l i e f by l e t t e r s and documents interchanged between the three families dwelling i n Germany, France and Spain. This common o r i g i n i s confirmed not only by ancient t r a d i t i o n s , but also by the fact that the name "Von Thann", translated into French becomes "de Pins" and into Spanish "de Pinos", and i t i s interesting circumstance that the ancient arms of the Thann-Waldburg family, except for the colour of the s h i e l d , are i d e n t i c a l with those of the families Pins, Pinos, and Pyne, being: Azure, three pine cones erect, or. It i s certain that the f i r s t Galceran de Pinos was a German; and the name of another of the nine barons, that of Pedro Allemann, which means "Peter the Suabian", the Suabians and Allemanni at that period being the same people, seems to be a further corroboration.

This Suabian family, - the Counts of Thann - appears to have been founded about 700 AD. Matthew von Pappenheim, Canon of Augsburg, i n his "Chronik der Truchsesson von Waldburg", wr i t t e n i n 1527, t e l l s us that Romulus, Duke of Suabia, made one of his o f f i c e r s Count of Thann, giving him the Castle of Waldburg and making him his hereditary Truchses (or Seneschal). That t i t l e has been borne ever since by the family, which i n 1525, became Truchsessen of the Holy Roman Empire. It has been a noble Suabian family for over twelve hundred years and today i s one of the most ancient of the sovereign princely houses i n Germany. The present head of the family, His Serene Highness, the Prince of Waldburg.

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The arms borne by the Devon family at the present time, Gules, a chevron ermine between three pine cones erect, or., are i d e n t i c a l with the ancient arms of the Pinos of Upton Pyne. Being "canting arms", based on the name, we can be sure that they were not adopted from those of some other family to mark descent or inheritance. We also know that they were borne by the grandson of the f i r s t Herbert de Pune and that with the exception of the Chevron evidently added for d i s t i n c t i o n they are i d e n t i c a l with the arms of the French family. It therefore seems more than probable that the f i r s t Herbert was a cadet of the French family who came to England i n the f i r s t h a l f of the 12th century with the Empress Maude. He probably landed at Arundel with her army i n 1139, and received a grant of the Manor of Upton Pyne, from her brother and supporter, the Earl of Gloucester.

The e a r l i e s t contemporary description of the arms of the Pyne family i n England, which the writer has as yet been able to discover, are contained i n two Harleim Manuscripts, No's. 6137 and 6589, i n the B r i t i s h Museum, both written between 1277 and 1285 AD., i n which the arms of S i r Thomas de Pune of Combe Pyne and Shute are drawn and des­cribed as Gules, a Chevron Argent Between Three Pine Cones, or. As these are the arms of the Upton Pune l i n e , they must have been those of a common ancestor, S i r Thomas de Pune's father, Thomas de Pune, was not the head of the Upton Pyne Line so we must go back at least one generation further. This would make the elder Thomas a brother or cousin of S i r Herbert de Pune I I I , whose father was l o r d of Upton Pyne i n 1206.

The i d e n t i t y of both name and arms makes i t p r a c t i c a l l y c e r t a i n that the Pyne family of Devonshire i s descended from the Spanish barons through the French branch. It would be i n t e r e s t i n g to f i n d some record of the arms borne by the f i r s t Herbert or his son, S i r Simon de Pune, although there can be no doubt that they were the same as those of S i r Thomas de Pyne.

M.T.P. (M. Taylor Pyne)

The Empress Maud, referred to i n the above a r t i c l e , was Matilda, daughter of King Henry I, of England. She married the Emperor Henry V, r u l e r of the Holy Roman Empire from 1106 to 1125, the second son of Henry IV.

The Holy Roman Empire refers to the empire receted by Charles the Great and comprised the greater part of Western Europe.

Matilda was given the t i t l e of Empress Maud.

Did the Punes go to England with t h i s Empress Maude i n 1139, or, did the f i r s t Pyne go to England i n 1066, with William the Conqueror?

Those who went to England with the Empress Maud i n 1139 may have been r e l a t i v e s of the f i r s t s e t t l e r . A l l were of V i s i r o t h o r i g i n . They came out of the North and made t h e i r way to England through Germany, Spain, and France.

J.M.P. (James Madison Pyne)

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The West Goths were the Visigoths: the East Goths were the Ostro­goths. See Outline of History by H.G. Wells and the Encyclopedia B r i t ­annica, Vol. 10, pp. 549-552.

See Descendants of Galceran de Pinos i n Spain, France, England, and America by M. Taylor Pyne (1915) for a complete genealogy of the family. It may be 'seen i n the Princeton University L i b r a r y , the Public Library, or the Library of New York, New York Genealogy Society, Columbia University Library, or the Library of Congress, Washington, d.c. Robert A. Pyne of St. Louis, Missouri, has a copy.

HISTORY OF THE PYNE FAMILY

Sources of Information and References to the e a r l i e r Branch

NAME REFERENCES

THE SIRE DES PYNS 1066 Norman leader at Hasting Wace,

FULKE DE PYNE 1083 Witness to deed of William I,

MROIN DE PYNE 1080 Witness to deed of William I, 1087 Witness to a charter of Roger de Beaumont

1118 Witness to a n o t i f i c a t i o n of g i f t of Gualeran, son and heir of Robert Count de Mellent to the Abbey of Preaux.

1123 Dapifer to Earl of Montain Governor to Count of Mellent

1124 Rebelled against Henry I, 1124 Defended Castle of Brionne and banished

(His daughter married G i l b e r t , son of Ralf de Bonnesbose, one of the Norman leaders)

Brompton

Orderie V i t a l i s

Orderie V i t a l i s Cal. of Documents

(France)

Cal. of Documents (France)

Orderie V i t a l i s

GILBERT DE PYN, son of Morin, "renowned Warrier"

1090 Commander of King's Army, Orderio V i t a l i s K i l l e d at Brionne

WILLIAM DE PYN 1118 Witness to a 1141 Witness to a 1143 Witness to a 1155 Witness to a

g i f t of the Abbey of Preaux charter of Empress M i t i l d a charter of the countess of Warwick charter of the Count of Mellent

ODARD DE PYN, son of Morin 1123 Rebelled against King Henry I 1124 Eyes put out Orderie V i t a l i s

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ROBERT ODARD, and WALTER DE PYN 1166 Charter of King Henry II to Hugh Cal. of

81 de Laci of Lands formerly held by above known as l e Pin or Pinus

ALEXANDER DE PUNE 1165 Held Knight's fee i n Devon of

Reginald Courtenay, Earl of Devon

Documents (France)

Pipe R o l l s of Henry II

HERBERT DE PUNE Before 1135 of Branford Pyne and Upton Pyne, Pole Prince

SIR SIMON FITZ HERBERT DE PUNE Before 1199 of same and Combe

Married A l i c e , daughter of E l i a s (or Richard) de C o f f i n .

Pole Prince, Risdon

Before 1189 Holds a Knight's fee of Robert, son of the King, of old enfeoffment,

MARCUS DE PYNE 1166-7 Paid taxes 1168 Debt due by Richard Colbain of

Braunton, Devon, on account of su i t brought against Marcus de Pyne and l o s t

1168 $ 1176 Paid Tax to K. Henry II on account of Castle at Wrennoc i n Herefordshire

1175 Owed 106 Marks for same, but he resided i n Devonshire where i t must be c o l l e c t e d .

1176 Paid tax 1 0 . - s h i l l i n g s at Wrennoc i n Herefordshire

1175 Paid 36 Marks acct. forests 1189 Paid 23 Pounds to King Richard I8s

forester on account of his ca s t l e at Wrenno i n Herefordshire

NICHOLAS DE PYNE 1191 Crusader under King Richard I

STEPHEN DE PINN, C l e r i c 1209 Falsely accused of deer s t e a l i n g ,

HERBERT DE PYNE, of Branford and Upton Pyne (Son of S i r Simon)

1211 Order from King John on William Lord Briwer for payment on monies to Herbert

1211 Order from King John on Archdeacon of taunton for payment of monies to him

1216 Grant by King John of Gatcombe, Stapledon, and Essesestor Taxed 100 s o l i d i on his land i n Marwon church held i n fee of the King

Red Book of the Exchequer

Pipe R o l l s

II n

11

n

Pipe R o l l s

Comptois C o l l e c t i o n

(Selden Society (Select Pleas

P r a e s t i t a R o l l s

Polwhele

Close R o l l s

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HERBERT DE PYNE (Cont'd.) 1218 Defendant i n s u i t regarding land i n

Meddleland 1219 Defendant i n su i t regarding lands

i n Washford Pyne 1219 Leased land i n Washford Pyne 1221 Summoned to appear before Barons of

Exchequer at Westminster 1223 Justice of Assize

Patent R o l l s

Feet of Fines

Closed R o l l s Patent R o l l s

SIMON DE PYNE of same, (Son of Preceeding) 13th Witness to deed of Robert Cent. De Tintagel.

SIR ROBERT DE PYNE 1243 Held Manor of Washford Pyne

SIR HERBERT DE PUNE of Branford and Upton Pyne

(Son of Simon) 1223 £j 1225 Justice of Assize 1226 Defendant i n suit for arrearages

due William Lord Briwer 1229 Defendant i n su i t regarding land

at Middleland 1230 Justice of Assize i n su i t against

Hugh de Pyn and Richard, his son, regarding land at Wortheale

1234 Held Manor of Branford Pyne 1235 Paid tax on Marroage of King

Henry I l l ' s s i s t e r to Roman Emperor 1235 Held several Knight's fees i n

Middleland inherited through his wife 1237 Appointed by King Henry I I I

Collector of Tax for Devon 1235-1242 Held Washfor Pyne, Upton Pyne

and Branford Pyne, Colum Pyne and Sidenahm

1237 Justice of Assize 1243 Justice of Assize 1245 Held Knight's fee i n Middleland i n

Cornwall Testa de N e v i l l e 1245 Held Manors of Washford Pyne,

Colum Pyne, Branford Pyne, Upton Pyne and Sidenham

SIR HERBERT DE PYNE, of same and Washford Pyne (Son of S i r Herbert)

1264 Parton of Upton Pyne

1266 Presented Jordan de Pyne to Living of Llaudulph

127 5 Held Branford and Upton Pyne 1273 Patron of Ham Morwinstow 1280 " " Washford Pyne 1282 " " Ham i n Morwinstow 1283 " " Upton Pyne

Cat. of Anc. Deeds

Pole Risdon

Patent R o l l s M 1!

Risdon

Testa de N e v i l l e

I l I! II

Close R o l l s

Tax Ro l l s Pole FöTë

Testa de N e v i l l e

Bishop Bronescombe reg.

Hundred Ro l l s Bp. Bronescombe Reg. n n 11

Q u i v i l ' s u u

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SIR HERBERT DE PYNE (Cont'd.) 1286 Held Upton and Branford Pyne

of Earl of Devon and Combe Herbert an Alwington of Earl of Cornwall

1292 Witness to deed 1293 Held Manor of Colum Pyne 1296 Called "of the Hundred of Wonford" 1296 Held Manor of Washford Pyne 1301 Aummoned to fi g h t against Scots 1302 $ 1303 Held Branford Middleland, Bere,

Marwin-Church Alwington Ç c. 1306 Held Bere

1308 Barton of Washford Pyn 1309 Died

Bp. Q u i v i l ' s Reg.

Feudal Aids.

Risdon Holland Pole

Writs of Parliament

Feudal Aids M II

Bishop Stapledon's Reg

AUBREY DE PYNE 1243 Held Manor of Malston 1235 " " " "

ROBERT DE PYNE Held Rowleigh 1285 1308 Held Washford Pyne and Sidenham

JOHN DE PYNE of Upton Pyne, Ham § c. (Son of S i r Herbert)

1309 Parton of Washford Pyne 1328 Church of Upton Pyne dedicated 1322 Surety for Member of Parliament 1331 Witness to release from bond of

Ralph de Speke, 1332 Member of Parliament from Totnes 1334 Summoned to Great Council at Westminster

SIR THOMAS DE PYNE (Grandson of S i r Herbert) 1328 Knighted by King Edward II I

WILLIAM DE PYNE OF UPTON PYNE (Son of John)

1364 Suit against, for k i l l i n g King's deer

OSBERT PYNE of Ham Before 1428 Held Middleland

HELD DE PYNE of Ham $ c. (Son of Thomas)

1402 Held Manors of Ham, Middleland, Marhamchurch, Alwington, etc., etc.

EDMOND PYNE OF UPTON AND COMBE PYNE (Son of William)

1405 Cited for attempted insurrection and Murder 1381 Married Maude Reynell Before 1400 Married A l i c e , widow of

Si r William Umphraville 1403 Knighted of the Shire an Member

of Parliament

(Pole (Testa de Nevelle

Tax R o l l s

Fuedal Aids

Bishop Stapledon's Reg Writs of Grandison's ' Writ of Parliament

Close R o l l s Writs of Parliament

Risdon

Pleas of Exmoor Forest

Feudal Aids

Record of M i l i t a r y : F i e f s

Patent R o l l s Polwhele

Rol l s of Parliament

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EDMOND PYNE OF UPTON AND COMBE PYNE (Cont'd.) (Son of William)

1407-1410 High Sheri f f of Devon 1422 Witness to agreement between

newenham and A l i c e , widow of N. Br o n v i l l e

EDWARD PYNE 1433 High S h e r i f f of Devon

NICHOLAS PYNE OF UPTON PYNE (Son of Edmond)

1487 Died February 11th

CONSTANCE PYNE OF UPTON PYNE (Daughter of Nicholas)

Married William Larder

EDMOND PYNE 1490 Held Marwonchurch

EDMOND LARDER OF UPTON PYNE (Son of Constance)

1521 Died

R o l l s of Parliament

O r i g i n a l deed-Rogers

Rol l s of Parliament Isaacke, Risdon, Pole

Pole, Risdon, V i s i t a t i o I n q u i s i t i o n s Post-Morte

Pole, Risdon, V i s i t a t i o

I n q u i s i t i o n s Post Mort

Inq u i s i t i o n s Post Mort

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