Re: Origin of Ijams family in Great Britian
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In reply to:
Re: Origin of Ijams family in Great Britian
5/15/01
William, Hello!I agree we have no indisputable documentation that gives William Ijams point of origin in England or Wales.To make matters even more confusing, Queen Elizabeth I had two similarly named courtiers in similarly named military positions.One was Sir Robert Innes, her Quartermaster General, and the other was Sir Robert I'Ans, Her Majesty's Master of Ordnance.As Quartermaster General, Innes would have been in charge of all men and material transport and supply - housing, clothing, food - you name it.I'Ans, in the shorter term position of Master of Ordnance (during "the troubles in the Lowlands"), was responsible for heavy weaponry - cannon, mortars, ammunition and gunpowder, possibly mines, and the men, horses and mules or oxen, gun carriages, etc. to serve the weapons.Innes was a Scot, and I'Ans seems to have been either Welsh or from Devonshire (sort of depends on where that border stood at the time).Lois Hartman found records in Devonshire mentioning sons(?) of Robert I'Ans - William, Thomas of Bideford, and Walter.She believed this William was the one who came to America before 1670, but could find no proof.I wish I could find a detailed history of Elizabeth I's court, but locally (upstate New York) I've had no success.Rosemary