From Holy Island to Holy Roman Emperor
Those who can trace their lineage back to the Brighams of Holy Island can look further back into history through a family that married into the Brigham line. The John Brigham who came to Holy Island and married Eleanor Hope, nee Ord, was marrying the daughter of an ancient Northumbrian noble family (arms, left) that through its links to to the Muschamp and Clervaux lines could claim kinship and descent from the Dukes of Northumberland, the royal houses of Europe and the Emperor Charlemagne.
The aim of this section will be not only to detail those claimed connections, but to provide evidence, documentation and context to the published pedigrees and to encourage further research in this area.
The document that links the Brighams to the Ords is the will of Thomas Ord of Holy Island, proved in 1735. In it he mentions his daughter Eleanor Brigham and granddaughter Elizabeth Brigham. We know from the Holy Island registers that Eleanor Ord married the castle gunner William Hope before marrying John Brigham as a widow.
The will reads as follows:
"In the name of God Amen I Thomas Ord of Holy Island in the County Palatine of Durham being weak & sick in body but in perfect & sound memory thanks be to God therefore do make & ordain this my last will and testament in manner following. Viz. First I bequeath my soul to Godand my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrixes hereafter mentioned. And as for my temporal estate I dispose thereof as followeth. Imprimis I give unto my grandson George Ord all my freehold estate in Holy Island excepting the fore yard after the termination of the lives of the liferenters hereafter mentioned. He paying out of the same the legacies hereafter mentioned.
The aim of this section will be not only to detail those claimed connections, but to provide evidence, documentation and context to the published pedigrees and to encourage further research in this area.
The document that links the Brighams to the Ords is the will of Thomas Ord of Holy Island, proved in 1735. In it he mentions his daughter Eleanor Brigham and granddaughter Elizabeth Brigham. We know from the Holy Island registers that Eleanor Ord married the castle gunner William Hope before marrying John Brigham as a widow.
The will reads as follows:
"In the name of God Amen I Thomas Ord of Holy Island in the County Palatine of Durham being weak & sick in body but in perfect & sound memory thanks be to God therefore do make & ordain this my last will and testament in manner following. Viz. First I bequeath my soul to Godand my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrixes hereafter mentioned. And as for my temporal estate I dispose thereof as followeth. Imprimis I give unto my grandson George Ord all my freehold estate in Holy Island excepting the fore yard after the termination of the lives of the liferenters hereafter mentioned. He paying out of the same the legacies hereafter mentioned.
Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth all my household plenishing, and ten pounds out of my said estate to be wholly at her disposal. Item. I give unto my welbeloved wife Isabel and my daughter Elizabeth the joynt possession of all my said freehold estate during the life of the longest liver of them two, excepting the South End now in the possession of Elizabeth the widow & relict of my son Thomas deceast, which South End I confirm unto the said widow during all the days of her natural life.
Item. I give unto my son Robert Ord five pounds, To Elizabeth Brigham my granddaughter five pounds to be all paid out of my said freehold estate. Item. I order the said George Ord to pay unto my wellbeloved wife ten shillings yearly & every year during her natural life. Item. I give unto my daughter Eleanor, & my said daughter Elizabeth whom I constitute & ordain joynt executrixes of this my last will and testament the said fore yard above excepted for to defray the charges of my funeral. Lastly. I do hereny revoke and disannul all former wills & testaments by me heretofore made, ratifying & confirming this & none other for my last will & testament I witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of August Anno Dom 1734."
Signed seal'd published & declared by the said Thomas Ord ashis last will & testament in presence of
Ja: Robertson
Richard Jackson
James Haswell
9th day of May 1735 James Robertson a witness & Elianor Brigham & Elizabeth Ord within named Ex'es were sworn before me Wm Noble AM.
Item. I give unto my son Robert Ord five pounds, To Elizabeth Brigham my granddaughter five pounds to be all paid out of my said freehold estate. Item. I order the said George Ord to pay unto my wellbeloved wife ten shillings yearly & every year during her natural life. Item. I give unto my daughter Eleanor, & my said daughter Elizabeth whom I constitute & ordain joynt executrixes of this my last will and testament the said fore yard above excepted for to defray the charges of my funeral. Lastly. I do hereny revoke and disannul all former wills & testaments by me heretofore made, ratifying & confirming this & none other for my last will & testament I witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventh day of August Anno Dom 1734."
Signed seal'd published & declared by the said Thomas Ord ashis last will & testament in presence of
Ja: Robertson
Richard Jackson
James Haswell
9th day of May 1735 James Robertson a witness & Elianor Brigham & Elizabeth Ord within named Ex'es were sworn before me Wm Noble AM.