The descent from Anthony Ashley Cooper. Doesn't the sheer number of royal lines in one family seem somewhat hard to believe? These families count amongst their ancestors powerful clan chieftains, extraordinary political leaders and monarchs and yet in Virginia all these powerful genes don't produce progeny any where near that caliber. The Washington's Randolph's, and other powerful Virginia families continued their "manor born" leadership from old country to new. Why not the Johnson's of Caskieben and the children of Lord Ashley-Cooper? Now don't get me wrong I'm not bad mouthing them (I am a descendant too!) but it seems that they should be on the same social level as the Washington's, Randolph's et al. and that doesn't seem the case. I am putting my neck out here but the only famous descendants I can think of is Mary Johnson the wife of Missouri's Civil War governor John McClurg....Mark Twain? and Lady Astor. However, they were well after the colonial period. Thank you all for allowing me to express my opinions, after all that's all they are! Gregory McReynolds 1. _William Skyvington_ (http://www.blogger.com/profile/10052367756561555096) _March 20, 2009 at 7:49 PM_ (http://skyvington.blogspot.com/2009/02/lord-and-his-lady.html?showComment=1237574940000#c4079797936084147890) 2. Your patriarchal Ashley brothers in America, William and John, would have been first cousins of Anthony Ashley-Cooper [1621-1683], the first Earl of Shaftesbury. Their father, William Ashley, was an older brother of Anthony's mother, Anne Ashley [1602-1628]. John Ashley married his cousin, Jane Cooper, the earl's sister. Your anecdote concerning the two brothers, both in love with their cousin, is amusing. According to what you say, Lady Jane was the jackpot, whereas the consolation prize for the loser was a trip to America. Or was it the other way round? 3. _Reply_ (javascript:;) _Delete_ (http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=8627322010786735293&postID=4079797936084147890) 4. 5. 6. Anonymous_May 10, 2009 at 2:52 AM_ (http://skyvington.blogspot.com/2009/02/lord-and-his-lady.html?showComment=1241916720000#c1206310560062667437) The Ashley Family Pedigree, attained the Peerage of England. History uncovered by paper trail and DNA The genetic continuity of this Family continues on to this day. Migrating from England, John Ashley married his cousin lady Jane Cooper moved to the colonies settled on the Eastern Seaboard of Virginia . Some of these Ashley descendents are currently living In Gainesville fl, Eugene B Ashley and family.NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Anthony Ashley Cooper Ashley Cooper Queen Elizabeth II is descended from this family. Anthony Ashley Cooper Lord (Earl) Shaftsbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper 1621-1683 was son of daughter of Anthony Ashley (secretary of War for Queen Elizbeth I) (and so the double name but he IS a Cooper) and John Cooper. Brit Chancellor of the Exchequer and later Lord Chancellor. Famous for running the Brit government during the 1670's and beginning of the 1680's , he passed the first habeas corpus act - beginning due process and ending the practice of jailing someone without a hearing; and he also passed an act to make the judiciary independent, beginning that important practice. He was also Lord Proprietor (with 7 others) of the Carolina's - today's US North and South Carolina but extending on the west to the Pacific Ocean. And on the committees running the Virginia and Massachusetts colonies. Esp famous too for accumulating wealth, he had at one time 40 men in livery to attend on guests at his parties. Falling out with others in mid 1680's , he spent some time in the Tower of London , with false charges, and on release left to live until his death a short time later (1683) in Amsterdam, Holland.... His family continues prominent in UK today, with each succeeding Earl of Shaftsbury with the same name of Anthony Ashley Cooper. The one in this position in the 1800's was esp successful in passing child labor laws stopping sweat shops using children. The family today remains esp involved in philanthropy. These families count amongst their ancestors powerful clan chieftains, extraordinary political leaders and monarchs and yet in Virginia all these powerful genes don't produce progeny any where near that caliber most likely candidates supported by DNA are.more like the Scot Modal than the Irish Modal .The powerful clan chieftains are most likely the following E B Ashley _http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#inx) Duncan/Dunbar Name origin: A powerful chieftain; from the Gaelic Dun, a fortress, and ceann, head or chief. Duncean or Duncan, strong-headed. * _Duncan, Lay Abbot of Dunkeld_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#du4) (920-965) * _Duncan, Lord of Mormaer_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#du3) (954-1010) * _Dunkeld, Crinan Mormaer Abbot_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#du2) (980-1045) * _Duncan I, King_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#du1) (1005-1040) * _Maldred FitzCrinan, 1st Earl of Dunbar_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#ma2) (1009-1045) * _Malcolm III_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#mal) (1031-1093) * _Donald "Bane" IIII, King of Scotland_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#don) (1033-1097) * _Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria, Moermarer of Dunbar_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#go2) (1040-1074) * _Waltheof, Earl of Dunbar_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#wal) (1062-1138) * _Gospatric, 3rd Earl of Dunbar_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#gos) (1073-1138) Duncan, Lay Abbot of Dunkeld b.920 Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland; parents ukn d.abt.965 Battle of Duncrub, Perthshire, Scotland CHILDREN included: 1. _Duncan, Lord of Mormaer_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#du3) b.abt.949/954 Return to _Duncan_ (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9004/Duncan.html#inx) Index