John (Grey) de Grey (abt. 1258 - 1323)

Born about 1258 in Wilton, Herefordshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Maud (Verdun) de Grey — married before 1276 in England

Descendants

Died 28 Oct 1323 at about age 65 in Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales

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Biography

This profile is part of the Gray Name Study.

John de Grey, 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton of Wilton, Herefordshire (b. abt. 1268, age 40 in 1308), was only s. & h. of Reginald de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton,^[1] and Maud, d. & h. of William, Baron FitzHugh. He had livery of father's lands 5 May 1308.^[1]

"As for Eleanor's son-in-law, John de Grey, his father's IPM shows that he was aged 40 in 1408, or born about 1268. However, he must have been closer to 50 in 1408, as he shows up regularly in the records from 1277 functioning as an adult [see Rev. C. Moor, Knights of Edward I, vol. 2 (Harleian Soc. Pub., vol. 81) (1929), pp. 148-150]. As such, he was clearly not a child in 1275/6, as I previously thought, when Eleanor de Verdun gave property in Debden, Essex to him and his wife, Maud. As for an approximate birth date for John de Grey, we know that John de Grey's parents, Reynold and Maud de Grey, were married in or before 1257. If we pegged John de Grey's birth at 1258/60, he would still be in the 40-50 age bracket at the time of his father's death. That would makes him 17-19 when he first shows up in the records. If correct, then we might assume his wife, Maud de Verdun, was born say 1260/2. That would make Maud 13-16 years old in 1275/6 when her mother settled property at Debden, Essex on Maud and her husband, John de Grey."^[2]

"In 1291, John de Grey and Maud his wife, and Walter de Lacy and Rose his wife , sued Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, in the Court of Common Pleas regarding 90 acres of land in Debden, Essex, which Maud and Rose claimed in right of their inheritance as heirs of Humphrey de Verdun their brother. (Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/91, image 808d (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/E1/CP40no91/bCP40no91dorses/IMG_0808.htm). Maud de Grey and Rose de Lacy are identified in the lawsuit as the heirs of Humphrey de Verdun their brother. Humphrey de Verdun (born 1267, died 1285) is known to have been the son of Sir John de Verdun (died 1274), by his 2nd wife, Eleanor de Bohun. Surprisingly, this lawsuit reveals another hitherto unknown full sister for Humphrey de Verdun, namely Rose, wife of Walter de Lacy."^[3]

Marriage

According to Magna Carta Ancestry (2011), John married Maud Verdun sometime before c. 1275/6.^[1] Traditionally, however, antiquarians asserted that John married twice to:

1. Anne, sis. of William Ferrers, 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby.
2. and Maud, dau. of Ralph Bassett, Baron Bassett

Maud Verdun was the daughter of:^[1]

• John Verdun,^[1]
• and Eleanor.^[1]

John and Maud had five children, including two sons and three daughters:^[1]

• Sir Henry, Knt., 3rd Lord Grey of Wilton,^[1]
• Sir Roger, 1st Lord Grey of Ruthin.^[1]
• Iseult.^[1]
• Maud.^[1]
• Joan.^[1] m. Sir Ralph Bassett, 2nd Lord Basset of Drayton.^[1]

Occupation

• summoned to Parliament from 1309 to 1322,^[1]
• Justice of North Wales,^[1] in c.1316
• Governor of Caernarfon Castle.
• first parliamentary appointment was that of Lord Ordainer in 1310<^[1]
• called to raise troops in response to the insurrection led by Llywelyn Bren.
• served as Conservator of the peace for Bedfordshire in 1320.
• 1322, commanded to raise troops in Wales and join royal muster at Coventry.

Death

John Grey, 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton, died 28 October 1323 and was buried at the Collegiate and Parochial Church of St. Petersburg Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales.

Research Notes

DISPUTED WIVES^[1]

• m.1 Anne, sis. of William Ferrers, 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby.
• m.2 Maud, dau. of Ralph Bassett, Baron Bassett

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16} Richardson, D. (2011). Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd ed., I, p. 341-342. Kimball G. Everingham, Ed. Google Books.
2. ↑ "Eleanor de Verdun, and her daughter, Maud, wife of John de Grey, of Wilton" in soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup 2002 post.
3. ↑ 6 Oct 2019 post of Douglas Richardson on SGM Google group: https://groups.google.com/g/soc.genealogy.medieval/c/OEdGdK1nwmY/m/xPZiaaKtCgAJ

• Musson, A. "Grey, John, second Lord Grey of Wilton (d. 1323), nobleman and administrator" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 3 Jan 2008. ODNB($).
• Richardson, Douglas; Royal Ancestry 2013 Vol. V p. 368-370
• Richardson, D. (2011). Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd ed., 2, p. 271; 3, p. 147. Kimball G. Everingham, Ed.
• Camden, W. (1870). Vis. of Leics., 1619, II, p. 74. Publications of the Harleian Society.
• Bryges, E. (1812). Collins's Peerage of England, 3, p. 342. London: T. Bensley.

see: Wikipedia: John Grey, 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton Burke's publications:

• Burke, B. (1978). Genealogical History of the Dormant, Aberant, Forfeited, & Extinct Peerages, p. 245-6. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co
• Burke, J. (1831). A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerages of England, Ireland, and Scotland, Extinct, Dormant, and in Abeyance, p. 27. London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley.
• Burkes Peerage and Baronetage (1939), s.v. Grey de Ruthyn

FamilySearch Books:

• Baker, G. (n.d.). The History and Antiquities of the County of Northampton, 1, p. 103. London: J. B. Nichols & Son, (1822-141), FHL book Q 942.55 H2bal; FHL microfilm 962,237.
• Fletcher, WGD (1887). Leics. Pedigrees & Royal Descents, p. 68. Leics: Clarke & Hodgson. FHL 942.54 D2f; FHL microfilm 990,306 item 1
• Paget, G. (n.d.). "Chart 2: Ferrers of Groby," in An Official Genealogical and Heraldic Baronage of England (filmed 1957). FHL microfilm 170,063-170,067., Film #170063 Chart 2.
• Norris, H. (1897). Baddesley Clinton, its manor, church and hall, p. 112. London : Art and Book. FHL.
• Norr, V.M. (1968). Some Early English Pedigrees. FHL book 942 D2no; FHL microfilm 897,045 item 2., p. 61.