Gates and Josselyns in England - The Jane Grey Affair

Gates - Josselyn
English Heritage
Our Relationship to The Jane Grey Affair

Sir John Gates and The Jane Grey Affair

Gates and Josselyn Ties to Immigrant Stephen Gates

Immigrant Thomas Joslin

Links to Lady Jane Grey and Joslin/Gates English Genealogy

Believe it or not!

Return Links

Sir John Gates and the Jane Grey Affair

According to the Powers-Banks Genealogy, Sir John Gates was put to death as a chief supporter of the plot to continue Protestant control over the throne in 1553 and his brother Henry was implicated, but not put to death. This was the incident that placed seventeen year old Lady Jane Grey on the throne for nine days and resulted in her beheading by the Catholic Queen Bloody Mary. There was a commercial movie made of this event in 1985, and an A&E made-for-TV movie about it in 1997 or so.

My study to date, completely from secondary sources, indicates a picture of how our immigrant Gates and Josselin ancestors might tie into this picture. These lineages should be considered unproved assertions at this point. Enough data is known however, to suppose that our immigrant ancestors, Stephen Gates of Hingham and Lancaster, Mass and Thomas Joslin, are "in the mix" of these Josselyns and Gates.

The alleged lineage of the Sir John Gates, who was put to death in the failed attempt to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne, from the earliest known ancestor, is:

1 Thomas Gates 1327 -

......... 2 William Gates 1370 -

.................... 3 Sir Geoffrey Gates 1410 - 1477 d: 1477

........................ +Agnes Baldington 1420 -

............................... 4 William Gates 1450 -

................................... +Mabel Capdon 1450 -

........................................... 5 Sir Geoffrey Gates 1480 - 1526 d: 1526

............................................... +Elizabeth Clopton 1480 -

...................................................... 6 Sir John Gates 1504 - 1553 d: August 1553

Put to Death in Jane Grey Affair

...................................................... 6 Geoffrey Gates 1506 -

Asserted ancestor of immigrant Stephen Gates

...................................................... 6 Henry Gates 1508 -

...................................................... 6 William Gates 1510 -

...................................................... 6 Dorothy Gates 1512 - 1582 d: 1582

Asserted ancestor of immigrant Stephen Gates

Some dates above have been estimated by me in order to evaluate the reasonableness of assertions. John Gates' birthdate was given, as eldest son. I have used Dorothy as fifth born with two year increments per child.

My main source for the above is the Power-Banks Genealogy, 1921, which, in turn, cites

Stephen Gates of Hingham and Lancaster, by C. O. Gates.

Thomas Fuller's Worthies

Dictionary of National Biography

NEHGR 71, pp 20f

Walter's Gleanings

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Gates / Josselyn to Immigrant Stephen Gates

Sir John Gates, put to death in the Jane Grey affair, was the brother of Dorothy Gates, who married Sir Thomas Josselyn in 1524. He was also the brother of Sir Geoffrey Gates, who married Elizabeth Clopton. From those marriages comes one theory of the origins of the American immigrant, Stephen Gates. The exact lineage is in dispute. The assertion put forth by Powers-Banks is:

Gates Line

1 Geoffrey Gates, Sir 1470 - 1526 d: 1526

.. +Elizabeth Clopton 1470 -

......... 2 Geoffrey Gates 1506 -

............. +Pascall 1506 -

........................Ancestors of Gen Horatio Gates reportedly down this line

But, see note on doubt about that.

.................... 3 Geoffrey Gates 1536 -

.................... *2nd Wife of Geoffrey Gates:

........................ +Joan Wentworth 1536 -

............................... 4 [2] Peter Gates 1560 -

................................... +[1] Mary Josselyn 1560 -

........................................... 5 [3] Thomas Gates 1580 -

...................................................... 6 [4] Stephen Gates, Mass Immigrant 1600 - 1662

.......................................................6 [4] Sir Thomas Gates, VA Immigrant

Second line caused by cousin marriage: a Gates / Josselyn line

......... 2 Dorothy Gates 1512 - 1582 d: 1582

Will probated Dec 11, 1582

............. +Sir Thomas Josselyn 1510 - 1561 d: 1561

.................... 3 Edward Josselyn 1542 - 1627 d: April 15, 1627

........................ +Mary Lambe 1542 - 1614/15 d: February 22, 1614/15

............................... 4 [1] Mary Josselyn 1560 -

................................... +[2] Peter Gates 1560 -

........................................... 5 [3] Thomas Gates 1580 -

...................................................... 6 [4] Stephen Gates, Immigrant 1600 - 1662

.......................................................6 [4] Sir Thomas Gates, VA Immigrant

Note that Peter Gates and Mary Josselyn, 4 and 5 in both of the above charts, are first cousins, thus the double lineage.

Sir Thomas Gates, immigrant to Virginia, is said by Powers-Banks to have returned to England. This source doesn't indicate if he has any American descendants.

The above chart, under Geoffrey Gates, b 1506, shows the line from which Powers-Banks says comes the immigrant in whose line is General Horatio Gates, the bum who tried to overthrow General Washington in a covert plot during the Revolution (but that's a whole other story).

A Gates researcher has found a marriage between a Peter Gates and Mary Josselyn in 1605, which puts a kink in the lineage as above shown. I have not seen where there is evidence that this marriage is the one of the Mary, daughter of Edward Josselyn, to Peter, son of Geoffrey. If that is their marriage, several questions arise: Could Stephen be their son, and not their grandson? Married in 1628, this still gives a 5 year "window" for him to be born in, from 1605-1610. Is there no parental relationship at all?

Hopefully, future research will give us some answers.

Horatio Gates Note:

From Dictionary of Notable Americans, 1904: "GATES, Horatio, military commander, was born in Malden, Essex county, England, in 1728. The place of his birth was the castle of the Duke of Leeds, and but little is known of his parentage except rumors that he was the natural Soil of Sir Robert Walpole, and others that made his father the butler in the employ of the Duke." - So, there is some doubt about his heritage.... nmt

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Immigrant Thomas Josselyn / Joslin

It is interesting to note that although they arrived three years apart, immigrants Thomas Joslin and Stephen Gates were neighbors in Hingham, Mass and then both moved to, and were founders of Lancaster, Mass. Also, Nathaniel Joslin ( a son of Thomas Joslin) was a neighbor of Stephen Gates and apparently the same Nathaniel Joslin took the inventory of Stephen Gates estate when he died.

"Stephen (Gate's) house lot (in Lancaster) was "on the neck Lying north to the house Lott of John Whitcomb Juner bounded by the saaid Lott of John Whitcomb south by the house Lott of Nathaniel Joslin north by a Rang of Lotts Easterly which Lyeth on the west side of Penicook River and westward by a piece of entervail of his own nigh adjoyning to the North River the said house Lott being Laid out for twenty acors more or Less"

This is the Josselyn lineage to immigrant Thomas Joslin from NEHGR Vol 71:236-257, 1917. Some dates of birth estimates added by me.

1 Sir Gilbert Joselyn 1070 -

. 2 Geoffrey Jocelyn 1091 -

....... +de Bissett 1091 -

.... 3 William Jocelyn 1110 -

.......... +Oswalda Goushall 1110 -

........ 4 Robert Jocelyn 1130 -

.............. +Fleming 1130 -

........... 5 James Jocelyn 1150 -

................. +Joan Threckenholm 1150 -

.............. 6 Henry Jocelyn 1170 -

.................... +Jane Chastelin 1170 -

.................. 7 Ralph Jocelyn 1190 -

........................ +Beatrice 1190 -

..................... 8 John Jocelyn 1210 -

........................... +Katherine Battell 1210 -

........................ 9 Thomas Jocelyn 1230 - 1277

.............................. +Maud Hide 1230 -

............................ 10 Thomas Jocelyn 1249 - 1284

.................................. +Alice Liston 1249 -

............................... 11 Ralph Jocelyn 1275 - 1312

..................................... +Maud Sutton 1275 -

.................................. 12 Jeffrey Jocelyn 1310 - 1360

........................................ +Margaret Rockell 1310 -

...................................... 13 Ralph Jocelyn 1345 - 1383

............................................ +Margaret de Patmer 1355 -

......................................... 14 Jeffrey Jocelyn 1380 - 1425

............................................... +Katherine 1380 -

This is the common ancestor of the two branches

Sir Thomas Josselyn b 1510 above, the asserted line of immigrant

Stephen Gates, descends down another branch from here.

............................................ 15 Jeffrey Josselyn 1415 - 1471

.................................................. +Katherine 1415 -

................................................ 16 John Josselyn 1445 - 1524

...................................................... +Anne 1445 -

................................................... 17 Ralph Josselyn 1475 - 1525

......................................................... +Elizabeth Cornish 1475 -

...................................................... 18 Ralph Josselyn 1503 -

.......................................................... 19 John Josselyn 1525 -

................................................................ +Alice Nevell 1525 - 1601

............................................................. 20 Ralph Josselyn 1556 - 1632

............................................................. *3rd Wife of Ralph Josselyn:

................................................................... +Which Wife Mom? 1556 -

................................................................ 21 Thomas Joslin 1591 - 1661

Immigrant...

This is the Josselyn lineage to immigrant Stephen Gates, per Powers-Banks:

1 Sir Thomas Josselyn 1510 - 1561 d: 1561

.. +Dorothy Gates 1512 - 1582 d: 1582

(See above in Gates and Josselyn Lineages)

......... 2 Jane Josselyn 1536 -

......... 2 Mary Josselyn 1537 -

......... 2 Richard Josselyn 1538 - 1575 d: 1575

......... 2 Thomas Josselyn 1540 -

......... 2 John Josselyn 1542 - 1602 d: Abt. 1602

......... 2 Leonard Josselyn 1544 - 1561 d: Bef. 1561

......... 2 Henry Josselyn 1546 -

......... 2 Edward Josselyn 1542 - 1627 d: April 15, 1627

............. +Mary Lambe 1542 - 1614/15 d: February 22, 1614/15

.................... 3 Henry Josselyn 1560 -

.................... 3 John Josselyn 1562 -

.................... 3 Thomas Josselyn 1564 -

.................... 3 Winifred Josselyn 1566 -

........................ +John Syday 1566 -

.................... 3 Jane Josselyn 1568 -

.................... 3 Dorothy Josselyn 1570 -

........................ +Richard Stebbins 1570 -

.................... 3 Mary Josselyn 1560 -

........................ +Peter Gates 1560 -

............................... 4 Thomas Gates 1580 -

........................................... 5 Stephen Gates, Immigrant 1600 -

........................................... 5 Sir Thomas Gates 1610 -

.................... 3 Anne Josselyn 1572 -

For more information on this point, Michael Roman presents his Joslin ahnentafel to early times.

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Links for Lady Jane Grey / Gates / Joslin

InfoPlease article on Lady Jane

Our English / Puritan Heritage

An interesting thread in GenForum on the ancestry of Stephen Gates. Contentions made that Stephen was NOT the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Josselyn) Gates, surname of the wife, children, etc.

The Josselin Castle in France is supposed to be a source of our Joslin / Josselyn family's roots back to Charlemagne, although I put such information in the realm of folklore at this point - still fun to ponder. (This is a thumbnail photo, click on it and it will go to full screen.)

An interesting part of the Josselin folklore is that our progenitor in the Joslin / Josselyn line was Sir Gilbert Josselyn, who supposedly accompanied William the Conqueror. No such name appears on this list of Williams' warriors.

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Believe it or not... what a family:

The parents committed their daughter to this scheme without her knowledge.

Jane had no idea about the plan until after Edward died, and even then, she didn't realize till later that Dudley had set himself up for power by having her folks commit her to the marriage to his son.

Jane's father: Right after Bloody Mary took power, Jane's father went against Jane to save his own life. He proclaimed allegiance to the new Queen and the Catholic Church and was forgiven. Then, he went out and joined a Protestant revolt movement, was recaptured and beheaded.

Jane's mother: After Bloody Mary took over, Jane pleaded with her for her husband's life. There is no record that she made any efforts to save her innocent daughter.

Jane's mother: Was re-married two weeks after her husband was beheaded!

Jane's mother was accepted at Bloody Mary's court!

Jane's mother received a state funeral when she died!

Bloody Mary killed 250 protestants over the next five years, burned at the stake.

Believe it or not....

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Return Links:

The Thomas Josslyn Page

The Stephen Gates Page

Notable Kin Page

Our English / Puritan Heritage

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