Re: Thomas Grimshaw/ Sarah Ryley

The fact that Thomas and Sarah were from Ostwaldthistle would indicate that he originated from the Clayton-le-Moors line rather than the more junior (but more pervasive) Pendle Forest line, as shown in Thomas D. Whitaker. The descendant charts of the two lines are shown on the "Grimshaw Origins" website on the following two pages:

http://tomwgrim.home.texas.net/WebPages/EarlRecd.htmhttp://tomwgrim.home.texas.net/WebPages/EarlRecd.htm

http://tomwgrim.home.texas.net/WebPages/PendLine.htmhttp://tomwgrim.home.texas.net/WebPages/PendLine.htm

Thomas and Sarah don't seem to be shown on either chart. Thomas would have been born about the time that Clayton-le-Moors was passing from the Grimshaws to the Lomaxes.

A "most-probable candidate" for your Thomas' father might be "Thomas, mar. Jane, widow of William Duddell, of Longridge" (as shown on Whitaker's descendant chart for the Clayton-le-Moors line), who would probably have been about the right age to be your Thomas' father. This Thomas was the son of Nicholas and Helen (Rishworth) Grimshaw.

Just a guess though!