Re: Robert Traill Spence b. 1785 Orkney to Maryland connection
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In reply to:
Re: Robert Traill Spence b. 1785 Orkney to Maryland connection
Elsie Ritchie 12/23/03
Dear Tom and George
I need I believe to make a further explanation to you both. I have spent considerable time in tracing the Traills back in those far distant times Much more than I think either of you could believe there are continuous records of this family
From Tom McFadden's e-mail it is obvious that his cousin Florence held some information on the French connection which may help with the story of what happened to the Traills who remained in France after Geoffrey Traill migrated to England with William the Conquerer in 1066. It has been clear that like other northern English/Lowland Scottish baronial families they probabley kept their communications going with the French side of their family untill 1400, but due to the destruction of records in France in the world Wars and possibly changes in spelling for family names I have not been able to find any remnants of that Family in France.His information suggests that they may have moved from La Mancha to the Grenoble area. Certainly the Terrail family of Grenoble is of the same level in society and apparently similar to the original Traills other ways. There was a castle in La mancha as well
I have researched and found that the suggested connection with the Tyrell family does not hold water, both families have clear and connected records which come down through the centuries in different areas of both France and Britain and the patternof Christian names used is quite different. I may have offended Tom if so make him my apologies.
What I have found in Britain is this a connected and clear history of an educated family of minor political importance through 3 centuries. At the time of the bubonic plague outbreak in the mid 14th century, the head of the family died his wife and children left England while retaining ownership of their English Estates for another 40 years. They organised the sale of these between 1397 and 1401. They eventually moved to Scotland with the eldest son of the family already in France as he was in the employ of John of Gaunt who was based at Bordeaux. The younger sons of which three are known attended the University of Paris and had specatacular diplomatic careers in the Church. The eldest son became eventually the Mayor of Bordeaux, holding a high position in the retinue of John of Gaunt,Duke of Lancaster(who also held large French possessions). In the next generation two of the Traill family appear as knights in Scotland where their eldest uncle Walter was Bishop of St. Andrews. Walter had bought back from the Church a property called Blebo, which as Primate of Scotland he was well able to do. It would appear that Blebo was important to the Traills as theyappear to have had connections with it 150 years before. I have been able to follow through docuements the changes in the spelling of the name of Traille/Trelly/Trayl/Treyl/Trail in the British line of the family but it is important that if the remaining French line had a slightly different spelling change that I am able to know and show it in the docuement I am preparing.The first two spellings are alternative for the same people in various docuements one appears to be the French and theother the Norman spelling for the same surname. The present area in France has retained the spelling of Trelly, but it appears as does the first spelling to be pronounced with a silent ending(as the French still do) and emphasis on the first three letters, since surnames were spelt however one heard them, this would explain the changes in the spelling.
I do hope this further explanation gives you a better understanding of my interest in your cousins research Tom and you will find the time to reply to me. Elsie Ritchie