SMALLWOOD FAMILY HISTORY


THE EARLY SMALLWOOD FAMILY OF NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE (TREE 197)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In August 1568, administration of the effects of Edmund Smallwood of Foxholes, in the northern part of the East Riding, was granted to Robert and William Smallwood, his probable sons. After the fragmentary evidence for the earlier history of the Yorkshire Smallwoods discussed on the Yorkshire introductory page, Edmund emerges as the most likely candidate for the common ancestor of several of the later Yorkshire lines, and the tentative tree below outlines a viable structure for the family. It remains, however, subject to considerable uncertainty (with many questionable parent-child relationships denoted by a [?]), and it is hoped that future research will continue to refine and clarify the picture.

Edmund's son Robert appears to have been recorded as the dispossessed vicar of Kirkburn in 1554, as a 'clerk, of Foxholes' on receipt of a royal pardon for outlawry in 1561, and to have later moved to Rillington. Robert's own 1570 will (and the related inquisition post mortem) names his brother Ralph as executor and principal beneficiary following his mother's death, and it seems likely that this Ralph was the same individual taxed in Egton in 1543 and 1568, who transacted property at Rillington in 1573, and whose will was proved in 1576. Later probate evidence clarifies Ralph's role as the ancestor of the later Smallwoods of Egton, of whom more below. Other contemporary Smallwoods including the Francis Smallwood taxed at Egton in 1543, the Matthew Smallwood engaged in land transactions in Rillington between 1552 and 1558, and the James Smallwood of Malton whose probate was granted in 1591, have all been tentatively assumed to be part of this family, and a court case of 1573-74 appears to provide some evidence for a link between these families. The case, brought in the Court of Star Chamber by the widow of Sir John Salvin, describes a fracas at Gilly Park in the parish of Egton led by Francis Smallwood and involving (among others) Alan Smallwood (son of Ralph), Robert Smallwood (possible son of William), and Christopher Smallwood (possible son of James, granted administration of his effects in 1591). Interestingly, it has so far proven difficult to uncover evidence of any of the East Riding lines among the relevant Tudor taxation records.

The Smallwoods of Egton

During the latter half of the 16th century, Ralph Smallwood's children appear to have risen from relatively moderate means to a fair level of affluence, with his son Adam appearing as the highest taxpayer in Lythe parish in the lay subsidy of 1600. Whether this change took place as a result of inheritance of earlier family lands in the East Riding or by other means remains unclear, but the pattern of land transactions during the period lends some support to the theory that the Smallwoods exploited a decline in fortunes in the Salvin family to expropriate some of their wealth. The Salvins were noted recusants during the period in question, and it is possible that the 1573-74 court case represents the start of a process to exploit the changed political mood under Queen Elizabeth to the benefit of the family. Ralph's descendants probably account for around 4% of modern Smallwoods, and the majority of the Smallwoods in North and East Yorkshire

Ralph’s son Alan Smallwood (d. 1614) was recorded by his grandson George in the visitation of 1666, and noted as 'a younger branch of the Smallwoods of Staffordshire', although this may merely be a pretension based on the contemporary prominence of Matthew Smallwood, Dean of Lichfield. Alan's son Thomas (whose family is referred to in several histories of the Cleveland area) remained in Egton, and his descendants continued to flourish in the area until the late 17th century, notably in Upleatham, Marske and Norton, Durham. Thomas's son Alan Smallwood MA was vicar of Marske from 1638 to 1653 when he was replaced by a Commonwealth minister. He later moved to Greystoke, near Penrith, in Cumberland, where his descendants continued to flourish, although the Smallwood name later died out in the male line. There are references to Alan's activities in repressing the Quakers in Cumbria on Pete Ostle's family website. In parallel with this, Alan's son George settled in York as a draper, later moving to Hemingbrough near Selby. His son George moved to Thorganby and thence to Sutton upon Derwent (to the south-east of York), where he probably fathered the George Smallwood who married Catherine Gibson in 1696, initiating a substantial descendant line (tree 19) which continued to flourish in the area.

Although the picture of the other later Smallwood lines remains unclear because of gaps in the surviving records, it would appear that they derive from Ralph's son Ralph Smallwood (d. 1592), whose descendants seem to have settled along the Murk Esk River in Egton parish. As described on the related web page, this line appears to be ancestral to the John Smallwood of Beckhole (d. 1743) who represents the start of the later Egton line (tree 17) which continued to flourish in the area down to the present, spreading outwards to many other parts of the country. This part of the Smallwood family was also ancestral to the later Underwood family of Egton, members of which intermarried with the Smallwoods on several occasions.

The Smallwoods of Rillington, Malton and Allerston

Returning to the parallel Rillington line, Matthew Smallwood's apparent son William and his wife Jenetta were active there between 1589 and 1592, with William described as a ‘gentleman’ when letters of administration were granted over his estate in 1597. A generation who could represent William’s children and siblings flourished in the area around Malton and Allerston in the late 16th and early 17th century, with a persuasively named Matthew Smallwood marrying Alice Smith at Allerston in 1606. This Matthew was probably the grandfather of Richard Smallwood of Allerston (married 1661, died 1682), who initiated a reasonably substantial descendant line in the Allerston area (tree 53). While the Smallwood name ultimately dwindled away among the descendants of Richard’s son Philip, his son Thomas was probably the antecedent of the substantial Scalby Smallwood line ( tree 227), which still flourishes throughout Yorkshire .


OUTLINE OF TREE

While this version of the consolidated tree has been prepared by Ian Hall, it may also incorporate the input of several of the other researchers listed below, and also that of David Smallwood of Worcestershire. It remains a work in progress, and any comments and contributions are very welcome. Ancestral lines of family researchers are highlighted in bold type, with a link to the corresponding lists of researchers. Individuals whose parentage is uncertain have a [?] inserted into their name.

Edmund Smallwood (~1495 - ~1568) & Elizabeth (~1495 - >1571)
|   Ralph (Raphe) [?] Smallwood (~1516 - ~1575) & Margarette (~1516 - )
|   |   George Smallwood (~1538 - ~1571)
|   |   Ralph (Raufe) Smallwood (~1542 - 1592) & Barbara (~1542 - )
|   |   |   William [?] Smallwood (~1565 - )
|   |   |   |   Barbara Smallwood (~1590 - ) & Simon Beilby ( - >1632)
|   |   |   |   |   Anna Beilby (~1612 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Dorothy Beilby (~1614 - ) & William Hurd
|   |   |   |   |   Jane Beilby (~1616 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Robert Beilby (~1631 - )
|   |   |   |   William [?] Smallwood* (~1595 - ) & Ann Haigh
|   |   |   |   |   William Smallwood (~1627 - ) & Jane [or Elizabeth] Ethrington (~1630 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Barbara Smallwood (~1633 - 1639)
|   |   |   |   William [?] Smallwood* (~1595 - ) & Jane (~1600 - )
|   |   |   Agnes Smallwood (~1567 - )
|   |   |   Francis Smallwood* (~1569 - ~1616) & Agnes Wilson ( - <1590)
|   |   |   Francis Smallwood* (~1569 - ~1616) & Isabell (~1570 - )
|   |   |   |   Raufe Smallwood (~1590 - ) & Margerie Sowley
|   |   |   |   |   Ralph Smallwood (~1635 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   John [?] Smallwood (~1660 - ~1709) & Elinor Boyes (~1659 - ) WHITBY LINE
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Deo (?) Smallwood (~1689 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   John Smallwood (~1692 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Thomas Smallwood (~1694 - ) & Deborah Coats (~1695 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Thomas Smallwood (~1716 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   John Smallwood (~1717 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jarvas Smallwood (~1719 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Deborah Smallwood (~1721 - <1725)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Elliner (Ellen) Smallwood (~1723 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Deborah Smallwood (~1725 - ) & William Jackson
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Thomas Jackson (~1758 - ) & Hannah Brown
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Mercy Smallwood (~1729 - ) & William Swales
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jane Swales (~1761 - ) & Walter Carr
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Richard Smallwood (~1729 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Francis Smallwood (~1731 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Benjamin Smallwood (1733 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Elizabeth Smallwood (<1741 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   George Smallwood (<1696 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Barbara Smallwood (~1698 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Richard Smallwood (~1700 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Eleanor Smallwood (~1703 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Margery Smallwood (~1704 - ) & Cornelius [?] Clark (~1701 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jane Clark (~1726 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Barbara Smallwood (~1707 - )
|   |   |   |   |   William [?] Smallwood (~1637 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Ellen Smallwood (~1638 - ) & Thomas Pennock (~1634 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Isabell Smallwood (~1641 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Child Smallwood (~1644 - )
|   |   |   |   Francis Smallwood* (~1595 - ~1645) & Frances Lovell [?]
|   |   |   |   Francis Smallwood* (~1595 - ~1645) & Maria Richardson (~1595 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Thomas [?] Smallwood (~1625 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   John [?] Smallwood (~1648 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   John [?] Smallwood (~1670 - ) & Mary (~1670 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   >>> See Tree 17, the Later Smallwood Family of Egton
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jaine Smallwood (~1685 - ) & George Luck
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Antony Smallwood (~1691 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Mary [?] Smallwood (~1692 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   Thomas [?] Smallwood (~1650 - ) & Anne Dowson
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Thomas Smallwood (~1682 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   Francis [?] Smallwood (~1660 - ) & Jane Cubril [or Cockerell] (~1660 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ellen Smallwood (~1681 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jane Smallwood (~1682 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ellen Smallwood (~1685 - ) & John Hill
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   George Smallwood (~1687 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1691 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1662 - ) & Thomas Underwood (~1649 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   >>> See tree for Underwood of Egton
|   |   |   |   |   |   William Smallwood (~1663 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Richard [?] Smallwood (~1630 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Francis [?] Smallwood (~1632 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Maria Smallwood (~1634 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Jane Smallwood (~1637 - )
|   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1571 - )
|   |   Female Smallwood (~1545 - ) & Robert Lande [?]
|   |   Alan Smallwood (~1547 - 1614) & Alice (~1549 - ) PRINCIPAL EGTON LINE
|   |   |   John Smallwood (~1569 - ~1606) & Agnes Lepton (~1575 - )
|   |   |   Richard Smallwood (~1575 - ) & Dorothy
|   |   |   |   No issue
|   |   |   Thomas Smallwood* (~1580 - ~1651) & Jane Garnett (~1581 - <1616)
|   |   |   |   Alan Smallwood (1608 - 1686) & Dorothy Pursglove ( - 1691)  CUMBRIAN LINE
|   |   |   |   |   James Smallwood (~1641 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Catherine Smallwood (~1643 - 1715) & Richard Lumley ( - 1694)
|   |   |   |   |   Charles Smallwood (~1645 - 1716) & Mary [?] Sandford (~1650 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   Dorithy Smallwood (~1688 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   Alan Smallwood (~1689 - 1734) & Jane Sleddal (~1690 - ) 
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1715 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Eliner [?] Smallwood (~1716 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Elizabeth [?] Smallwood (~1719 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Charles Smallwood (~1720 - ) & Joyce Fetherstonhaugh (~1727 - 1778)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jane Smallwood (~1754 - 1838) & Thomas Carew (1755 - 1805) DEVONSHIRE
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Thomas Carew
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Henry Carew
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Male Carew
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   At least five daughters
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Lidston Smallwood (~1756 - 1795) & John West Carew
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Four sons
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Female Carew
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Bridget Smallwood (~1758 - 1758)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1759 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Timothy Smallwood (~1761 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Charles Smallwood (~1762 - ~1839) & Elizabeth Hartley
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Timothy Fetherstonhaugh (~1810 - 1856) & Eliza Were Clark
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Charles Fetherstonhaugh (1812 - ) & Louisa L
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Alan Smallwood (~1766 - 1768)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   John Smallwood (~1724 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Jane Smallwood (~1727 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Gabriel Smallwood (~1729 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Thomas Smallwood (~1647 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Gabriel Smallwood (1650 - 1698)
|   |   |   |   |   Alan Smallwood (~1652 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Dorothy Smallwood (~1653 - 1694) & Jonathan Banks ( - 1720)
|   |   |   Thomas Smallwood* (~1580 - ~1651) & Alice (Ellis) Watson (~1590 - >1654)
|   |   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1617 - ) & Richard [?] Pursglove
|   |   |   |   Jane Smallwood (~1622 - ) & John Twisley (or Tinsley)
|   |   |   |   Elizabeth Smallwood (~1625 - ) & Samuel Dickenson
|   |   |   |   George Smallwood (1627 - 1680) & Dorothy Coulthurst
|   |   |   |   |   Dorothy Smallwood (~1657 - 1735) & William [?] Sandford (~1650 - 1730)
|   |   |   |   |   |   Mildred Sandford (1688 - 1763) & William Tatham (1687 - 1724)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   William Tatham (1712 - 1775)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Sandford Tatham (1721 - 1777) & Elizabeth Marsden
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Sandford Tatham (~1754 - 1840)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   John Tatham
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Females Tatham
|   |   |   |   |   |   Elizabeth Sandford & Henry Marsden
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   Elizabeth Marsden & Sandford Tatham (1721 - 1777)
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Sandford Tatham (~1754 - 1840)
|   |   |   |   Thomas Smallwood (~1629 - ) & Frances (Hannah) Rickinson (~1630 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Dorothy Smallwood (~1660 - ) & Joseph Wood
|   |   |   |   |   Katherine Smallwood (~1663 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Alan Smallwood (~1665 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Thomas Smallwood (~1667 - )
|   |   |   Ralph (Raphe) Smallwood (~1585 - )
|   |   |   |   John Smallwood (~1610 - ) & Jane Huggard (~1610 - )
|   |   |   |   Alicia Smallwood (~1628 - )
|   |   |   George Smallwood (~1588 - ) & Elizabeth Wright (~1595 - ) YORK LINE
|   |   |   |   Elizabeth Smallwood (~1619 - ) & James Storman [?]
|   |   |   |   Marie Smallwood (~1625 - )
|   |   |   |   Rebecca Smallwood (~1628 - )
|   |   |   |   George Smallwood (~1629 - <1638)
|   |   |   |   John Smallwood* (~1630 - ) & ... ( - <1689)
|   |   |   |   |   Mary Smallwood (~1653 - )
|   |   |   |   |   William [?] Smallwood (~1660 - ) & Jane Palleser (~1685 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   Jane [?] Smallwood (~1720 - ) & Edward Lucas (~1722 - )
|   |   |   |   |   John Smallwood (~1665 - ) & Margaret [?] (~1671 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   William Smallwood (~1691 - )
|   |   |   |   John Smallwood* (~1630 - ) & Thomasin (~1646 - )
|   |   |   |   Ellenar Smallwood (~1634 - )
|   |   |   |   Anna Smallwood (~1636 - )
|   |   |   |   George Smallwood* (~1638 - ) & Alice Raimes (~1637 - <1683)
|   |   |   |   |   George [?] Smallwood (~1670 - ) & Catherine Gibson (~1675 - )
|   |   |   |   |   |   >>> See Tree 19, the Smallwood Family of Sutton-on-Derwent
|   |   |   |   George Smallwood* (~1638 - ) & Joan Cammis (~1652 - <1696)
|   |   |   James Smallwood (~1590 - ~1617) & Martha Wheath
|   |   |   |   John [?] Smallwood (~1616 - ) & Barbara Langdale (~1617 - )
|   |   Adam Smallwood (~1550 - ) & Mary Marshall
|   |   |   John Smallwood (~1590 - )
|   |   |   Francis Smallwood (~1590 - )
|   |   |   Richard Smallwood (~1590 - )
|   |   |   |   Adam [?] Smallwood (~1620 - ) & Elizabeth Langdale
|   William [?] Smallwood (~1518 - )
|   |   Robert [?] Smallwood (~1538 - )
|   |   |   Robert [?] Smallwood* (~1560 - ) & Margaret Straker ( - <1597)
|   |   |   Robert [?] Smallwood* (~1560 - ) & Prudence (~1565 - )
|   |   Richard [?] Smallwood (~1545 - ) & Isabella
|   |   |   Edward Smallwood (~1565 - ~1616) & Alice (~1570 - ~1634)
|   |   |   |   Elizabeth Smallwood (~1595 - )
|   |   |   Henry [?] Smallwood (~1570 - ) & Elizabeth Johnson
|   |   |   |   Joseph [?] Smallwood (~1600 - ) & Anne
|   |   |   |   Henry [?] Smallwood (~1605 - )
|   |   |   Ursula Smallwood (~1575 - )
|   Francis [?] Smallwood (~1520 - )
|   Robert [?] Smallwood (~1522 - 1571)
|   Matthew [?] Smallwood (~1524 - )  RILLINGTON AND ALLERSTON LINE
|   |   William [?] Smallwood (~1545 - ) & Jenetta
|   |   |   George [?] Smallwood* (~1580 - ) & Ann Dawson ( - <1636)
|   |   |   |   Robert Smallwood (~1612 - )
|   |   |   |   Ailes Smallwood (~1615 - )
|   |   |   |   Richard Smallwood (~1621 - )
|   |   |   George [?] Smallwood* (~1580 - ) & Katherane Hebton
|   |   |   Matthew [?] Smallwood (~1580 - ) & Alice Smith
|   |   |   |   Habell Smallwood (~1609 - )
|   |   |   |   Male [?] Smallwood (~1610 - ) & Judith [?] (~1610 - )
|   |   |   |   |   Richard [?] Smallwood (~1635 - ) & Alice Allan (~1635 - ~1706)
|   |   |   |   |   |   >>> See Tree 53, the Smallwood Family of Allerston
|   |   |   |   |   Catherine [?] Smallwood (~1645 - ) & Thomas Lockwood
|   |   Francis [?] Smallwood (~1550 - )
|   |   |   Jane Smallwood (~1575 - ) & Edward Postgate
|   |   |   William [?] Smallwood (~1575 - ) & Elyzabeth Snaw
|   |   Syth [?] Smallwood (~1552 - ) & Leonard Nelson
|   James [?] Smallwood (~1526 - )
|   |   Christopher [?] Smallwood (~1550 - )

SUMMARY OF RESEARCHERS

Descendant line Name of researcher Location Notes
Dorothy Beilby (~1614 - ) Carl Schaefer

If you are researching this branch of the Smallwoods and would like to have your name or contact details listed here, please contact Ian Hall.

 

This page was last updated 19 November 2007 Return to main page >>>