An interesting discovery

I received an email from Ann Layton regarding her husband Greg's family who had found a marriage in 1814 between Francis B. Layton and Elizabeth Blencowe. Did we have any more information? They certainly didn't expect what they found.

Surprisingly, Elizabeth's husband's full name was Francis Blencowe Layton, the son of Mary Blencowe and John Layton. Elizabeth was the daughter of Timothy Blencowe and Jenny Hearn. Their great grandparents-in-common being John Blencowe and Temperance Painter thus making Elizabeth and Francis second cousins.

Layton Blencowe Tree

As John & Temperances lineage is one of the better documented branches and is supported by DNA matching, Greg can trace his way back to Adam de Blencow and the northern, Cumbrian line of the family. It is here we find that one time Squire of Blencowe Hall, Christopher Blencowe (1643-1678) married Mary Layton, daughter of William Layton of Dalemain House. Mary's wealthy, prestigious lineage traces back to Henry II. It was due to this Blencowe/Layton connection that many of us toured Dalemain House at the 2010 Blencowe Reunion. The house sold to the present owners in the 1679 making Mary's generation the last of the Layton family to be born there.

So Greg Layton is related to Laytons in Cumbria and Northamptonshire, now his challenge is to see if both Layton branches are connected other than via marriages to Blencowes.