This Tree section started as a simple attempt to find out more about Whitley Hall in Ecclesfield, England. Since the first day of it's posting in 1996, it has grown to include the base for one of my passions - history. My personal genealogy was added and built on, then the 1692 Shiercliffe genealogy and finally the online 1917 publication of the Descendents of William Shurtleff first published in 1917 in an attempt to assist others without the benefit of an actual copies.

The Tree section is now divided down into the following areas:

Stevens Shurtleff Genealogy Database: My genealogy:
From current day, across the misty lines of legend and myth to the year 60.
These pages include England to America Immigrants, Who, Where, When, Kings and Such, Bizarre Events, Castles & Stories, Photographs

Shiercliffe Genealogy:
Taken from the Shiercliffe genealogy documented in 1692 during the visitation.

William Shurtleff 1917 Genealogy Online:
"The Descendents of William Shurtleff" was published in 1917 by Benjamin Shurtleff, a two volume set that included William 1624 and the eight following generations. Later, Roy Shurtleff published the books again, including more generations. His grandson, Bill Shurtleff in California continues to research and maintain a data base on the ever expanding Shurtleff family. This database will be added to and extended as time permits. Please bookmark this page to return at a later date.

Pilgrim Ship and Passenger Lists
This is a listing of all ships with available passenger lists for the Pilgrims that traveled from England to the Massachusetts areas of New England in the early 1600's, the most complete on the entire web to date.

In my quest for the passages of many of my relatives I found many ship lists, but not one large cross reference, so I created one by both ships and passengers. I am hoping someday to add the ships that landed in Virginia and Maine as time permits.

Historical Timeline: 400BC to 1600AD:
One of my passions which developed into a data base as my own family history entwined with famous, as well as infamous, history. These pages include The Dictionary, Firsts in History and Tidbits of Time, interesting and esoteric facts.

The Maps
The maps developed as time progressed, another attempt to wrap my mind around the massive movement of humanity over the vastness of time. Who was where and when. Again, the authenticity and accuracy of these maps are based on information from others than my own experience, and I cannot swear, by any means, that they are completely accurate or true. Maps are created and added to as time permits.  

The Celts
Another passion, the study and discovery of who these people, my ancestors were.

My interest in the family line started when I was quite wee, and stumbled across a picture in my father's copy of the Shurtleff genealogy of Whitley Hall taken shortly after the turn of the century. My interest exploded in 1996. An old-family, distinquished visitor from England, upon hearing my family name, kneeled before me, took and kissed my hand, and proclaimed his loyalty. I was astounded, as were my companions, until he rose and because of my expression, explained, certainly, I must be aware of the status and position of my ancestors? That sent me researching, immediately, wherein I discovered that not only just who my family was, that Whitley Hall still stands, and it is completely restored, a famous lodge still bearing the Shiercliffe coat-of-arms. More information can be found at http://www.whitleyhall.com. The Shiercliffe church, St Mary's, bears witness to the generations of Shiercliffe's that were christened, wed and buried there by it's numerous Shiercliffe crypts and gravestones, both inside and outside the church.

The crest was awarded to Thomas Shiercliffe during the reign of Richard III (1483-1485), as 'Master of the Game for the Lords of Hallamshire', being the George Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury (Mary Stewart, Queen of Scot's custodian) and the fourth Duke of Norfolk (Thomas Howard, beheaded the second of June 1572 on Tower Hill by Elizabeth I for attempting to wed Mary Stewart and take Elizabeth's crown.)  The family jokes about how our ancestors tried to protect the King's deer in Sherwood Forest from Robin Hood. Funny, but probably true. The Shiercliffe pedigree was compiled in King James I 's time from the Shiercliffe names appearing in the 1692 court rolls for Ecclesfield Manor.

The Shurtleff Genealogy was published in 1912 by Benjamin Shurtleff.  It includes the entire Shiercliffe family from the Ecclesfield area, William's lineage in America from 1634, his death when struck by lightning, and  includes correspondence between Nicholas B. Shurtleff, known historian and Joseph Hunter concerning the family line. It rests with the birth of my father's brother. An updated edition was compiled and printed in 1976 by Roy Shurtleff, which includes my family.

I am interested in following William's heritage back to Nicholas de Shiercliffe, whose birth in 1353 is recorded in the Sheffield library.  The prominent Shiercliffe family was predominately in the Ecclesfield Hallamshire area. Whitley Hall was once named Launderhouse, renamed in 1579.  There are numerous other estates owned or married into, including the Ecclesfield Hall, Shiercliffe Hall, the Parkers of Riveling Lodge, the Greens of Thunder Cliffe, and Butterwaite.

If you have an interest or information regarding the Shiercliffe's, Whitley Hall, Shiercliffe Farms, Saint Mary's Sheffield church or the Shurtleff family,  I would truly enjoy hearing from you.    Anne

Kindly read the following before proceeding:

True genealogy is a science, based on hard facts and history. History, however, includes legend and mythology, incorrect information, assumption, opinions, heresay and a lack of clear documentation. Bards sang these tales, druids held information, however inaccurate, in order to send the knowledge down through the ages far before our use of pen and paper, so surely they had a basis, no? Many will argue my information is legendary. So be it.

Genealogy is a hobbie and past time, a passion, an obsession, a wonder, delight, sleuthing and a journey I will never forget, one that will occupy my remaining days. It is also frustration, exhaustion, impatience, disappointment and bewilderment.

Please be forgiving as you wander through my pages, especially when you encounter errors or opinions. In all honesty, it is my firm belief that Smith Johnsson, son of John Mathew should be filed under "J" instead of "S". Tradition has him filed under "S", so I gave up and tried to cross reference most of them, mainly for my own convenience. Please bear with me. Elfgifu is also Aelfgifu, Aelfaed, Alfgifu, Alfflaed, and Elfreda but I may not have included all the variations. Another tricky game is that while Tom was born to the most prominent family in Groatent, thusly becoming Tom Groatent, and he was a taylor by trade. His brother, Rick, was a baker by trade. When the brothers migrated to the colonies, no one could spell, and they became Tom Taylor and Rick Baker. The family who remained behind did something wonderful for King Sam, who gave them all the properties in Field, so now Tom and Rick's dad, Joe Green, became Joe of Field. The original Field family, dead from battles or locked up for some crime against the king, is in no way related to Joe. Joe then married Agnes of More, who had no brothers, took over running her family estates and dies Joe of More. It doth make it a true game to figure out who is whom.

I would love to know that Richard I's daughter Emma's link doesn't work, so please, please, please email me at Anne@packrat-pro.com should you encounter any of the link breakages.

What started my journey was to place the family on paper and try to absorb an understanding of those who made my life possible. In our family genealogy, when it was handed down to us after my father's death were the words, in his handwriting,

It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.

How true. Anyway, that piece of paper grew to a 36 x 48 inch graph paper with 1/8" handwriting, which grew to a wall sized chart, which grew to html pages. What caught me was the history, and I was hooked forever. I wanted to know who went where, why, and who were these people? I started in the year 5000 BC and went forward, gathering, reading, writing, noting, obssessed. I try not to miss a single PBS show on the Vikings, the journey of man and the endless wonderful informational shows available. The result is an endless timeline that will never be finished. The cd burner (thank you, John!) saves hours of backing it up on 3 inch disks.

As I continue to build on my actual family tree it is extremely difficult to exclude additional people who make up the richest of stories on earth. As I can, more is added every day as I learn their stories, so much more beyond their simple stats.

I am extremely fortunate in that my immediate family history was already documented for me in the "Descendants of William Shurtleff." However, the actual hard copy link that connects William and the Shiercliffe's of England still evade even the best of researchers, but give basis for the continuing search of our history.

Oh, and what I have learned, besides an enormous quantity of intriguing history, is that all races originate from the same people. Period. We may not know exactly who this was and when, but it simply amazing to see the conglomeration of people, locations, nationalities, religions and race that make up my genealogy.

I used to say I was English, with a little French and German thrown in. Actually, my ancestors come from Asia, Austria, Bavaria, Belgium, Canada, Celtic Wales, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Prussia, Rome, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Transylvania (I kid you not, check out Sarolta of Transylvania) and the Ukraine.  There isn't an "English" per se, as the originating people of England are as large a combination of races as the United States is! I now proudly state I am, as everyone else is, a true "Heinz 57."

I have stumbled across some truly weird and wonderful names!

Cunigunda
Gotheline
Josserane
Lodema Caroline - this is one of my great grandmothers and her legend looms large in my house along with her needlework and her preacher father's diary. (Hallelujah!)
Petronilla - actually quite common back then, now one of my favorite names
Repentence Harlow - what an image this brings to mind. My sixth great grandmother.
Rowena
Submit Terry - another name I grew up with
Symphorienne of Lorraine
Williswint
Olaf the Mighty - at first, we thought this was a Viking woman, what an image!!