Peach Genealogy - Newsletter, Issue 20
THE PEACH/PEACHEY PROJECT
The Electronic Peach Tree Issue 20
Editor: John Harding Peach Peachroot@aol.com
WEB PAGE: http://home1.gte.net/tpeach/Genealogy/Genealogy.htm
As I approach my 55th birthday on December 22, I find my mind reflecting over the 15 years of this Peach/Peachey Project. When I started it at the age of 40, most who heard from me by mail thought I was a senior citizen. From what they indicated, genealogy was mainly an older people's game they played after retirement.
How shocked several of these were when I first showed up on their doorstep for the first time after only having heard from me via the post office before that. They were looking for an "old man", rather than some young fellow who didn't have any better sense than to get involved in an "old man's game."
However, one of the advantages I have had by starting out so young was the opportunity to spend many years in research and writing before I got old and senile. If I had waited until I was 65 to start, I would now be 80 (if I happened to live that long) and would more than likely not have any mental capability to do what I am now doing with this Project.
Hopefully, my mind will stay clear enough for another 15 years to enable me to dig much deeper into the roots of our precious Peach/Peachey heritage. As I do this, I look forward to sharing what I find with each of you.
MY DREAM FOR NEXT DECADE
As I approach the year 2000 and the next millennium, I have begun to dream about the next stage of this Project. This dream is developing into a vision, and hopefully the vision will materialize into a reality.
My dream is to categorize all the Peach/Peachey descendants into a set of encyclopedias. This way, any time someone is researching and runs into one of these individuals, he can go to the index and locate where this person is found among the descendants of Peche.
Eventually, I would like to have every tidbit of information in my extensive files about the Peach/Peacheys in these encyclopedias. Thus, when I am no longer around, the vast collection from many years of research will be available to our descendants for the remainder of human life on earth.
The encyclopedias will be called: THE PEACH/PEACHEY GENEALOGIES
Since I have hundreds of pages of research on the Marblehead Branch and since never before have I written a book on this branch, my plans are to make this the subject of my first book for year 2000.
I have just begun to undertake this enormous project, and believe me I know it will be a great challenge, particularly in the thousands of hours that will be needed to put it all together. It also calls for a great sacrifice for my dear wife. With me working two jobs, I don't have that much time for her as it is.
In order for me to complete this insurmountable task, I have to spend a lot of time in the middle of the night writing, like I am doing right now. If you are one who believes in the power of prayer, believe me I could use all your prayers you could offer on my behalf.
I want to take this opportunity to welcome all those aboard who have recently signed on to our OneList and thus are journeying with us through England. The more the merrier. Please feel free to invite others.
THE PECHE COATS OF ARMS
In my latest book, THE PEACH/PEACHEY MIGRATIONS, I wrote an entire chapter on the 47 arms of the Peche. I spent tons of time to research and report on these because I believe they are the best source to categorize the Peche descendants of England into various branches.
For many years, Halbert's, a family heritage company, in Bath, Ohio, U.S.A. has been marketing one coat of arms for the entire Peach family. And since no research had been done to contradict this, we all were expected to accept this as the Gospel truth.
Thus, many of the Peaches had a plaque on their wall showing their "official" coat of arms. As a result of my research, I had the delicate task of offending Halbert's while unsettling the faith of many who had displayed this as their coat of arms.
But I believe the only way is the honest way. So I chose to risk offending many folks in the name of truth. The simple fact is twofold. One is that there is never only one coat of arms that represents an entire family over hundreds of years. Two is that the arms that Halbert's marketed as being our "official" one was granted as late as 11/8/1769.
Anyone that knows about the authenticity of arms knows that the "official" one representing a family must be the original arms. The first coat of arms belonging to the Peche can be traced back to 1200, which is 569 years prior to the one Halbert's promotes.
I find what I will be quoting from EDWIN PECK's unpublished manuscript is great value to us for several reasons. First, he will summarize the origin and evolution of the Peach/Peachey arms. Second, he will tie these in to the Clare family, one of the most powerful and influential families in English history. (One of our tour group has some connections to the Clare family).
"The first known arms of the Peche are the same as the arms of the cadet branch of the Clare, later called Fitz Walter and are a modified coat of the Clare, whose arms are said to be the oldest in Normandy. And by legend (are) taken from the roof baems of the Great Hall on the Norse kings from whom the dukes of Normandy descend.
"The Clare took their name from the ancient castle of Clare in Suffolk, where most of their lordships were located. And this castle was a fortress built generations before the Conquest, to defend that part of England from the Picts and Scots. Richard de Brionne, founder ot the Clare family, rebuilt Clare castle and also rebuilt Tonbridge Castle, which were the chief seats of the Clare family, earls of Hertford, Gloucester and Pembroke and the most powerful family in England next to the Royal House for many generations.
"The Fitz Walter should have been called Clare always, but in the haphazard customs in surnames in 11th and 12th centuries, while they were first called Clare their descendants after Walter de Clare I called themselves Fitz Walter (meaning son of Walter). Walter de Clare I was the eldest son of Robert de Clare I, younger son of Richard de Brionne and Rohese Giffard.
"The County of Clare, Ireland, was named after Richard de Clare, second earl of Pembroke, the celebrated Strongbow who conquered the east of Ireland. He was the eldest son of Gilbert de Clare II, first earl of Pembroke, second son of Gilbert de Clare I, eldest son of Richard de Brionne, the eldest son of Count Gilbert de Eu and Brionne.
"The senior line of Peche took their arms before 1200 after coats of arms were introduced into England from France. Whether the adoption of these arms was due to the marriage of Gilbert Peche II to Maud de Clare is not certain, but seems reasonable. There is some closer blood relationship between the Clare and Peche which has not yet been made definite and probably never will be.
"The barons Peche of Wormleighton, Warwickshire bore arms of Peche of Brunne the senior line (the original arms) up to around 1330. The baron John Peche III of Wormleighton bore the arms of Beauchamp when Governor of Warwick Castle and Guardian of Guy, earl of Warwick by marriage to a Beauchamp.
EDITOR'S NOTE: See how the arms of the Peche changed throughout the years, especially when the Peche descendants moved to another part of the country. We can see this further as follows.
"The Peche of Lullingstone Castle, Kent, never bore arms of the Peche of Brunne or arms of Peche of Wormleighton either Peche or Beauchamp. But the Peche bore arms of a lion rampant etc. and descend from a very early generation of a cadet branch of Peche in Essex and Kent as far as can now be determined. "Coats of arms tell the rank and antiquity of families clearly, for the simpler the arms the more noble and ancient the family. But the parvenu families who came up after the Tudor usurpation of the throne and in Stewart and Hanover times, adopted elaborate coats of arms to conceal their yeoman or serf origin.
"Peche branches not descended from the senior line bear coats of arms different from the Peche of Brunne . When coats of arms were introduced, they naturally took coats of their own and not arms of a branch from which they did not descend. They were only related by far distant kinship, the Peche being such an ancient family."
Much more has been written on these various arms, especially by yours truly in my latest book. In that book, I not only describe the arms and their meanings, but also illustrate them so they can be seen as they really were. If you are interested in this subject in detail, you can order THE PEACH/PEACHEY MIGRATIONS, 1066-1900 by writing to me at:
John H. Peach, 611 Herron Rd., Knoxville, TN 37922. Send $39.95 for the book and $5.00 shipping & handling if in North America. Let me know if you want one sent overseas, and I will get you a shipping rate. Designate whether you want it shipped by boat or air.
As I turn 55 in two days, I am re-evaluating every activity in which I am engaged. I am always trying to make improvements, especially when it comes to the use of my time.
Therefore, I need your imput to help me evaluate this Peach/Peachey Project. I feel that lately there has been little response to my Electronic Peach Tree. This has made me wonder if it is important to you. If it is, I wonder if I am on the right wave length.
If I continue to get little response, then I will discontinue writing the Electronic Peach Tree, but will keep Peach@OneList intact so we can communicate with each other when we want. What you have to say may be more important than what I have to say anyway.
Send e-mail to: Todd & Sharon