Adam Bland, Skinner to the Queen

Adam Bland (c.1528-1594) was the son of Roger/Robert Bland He was probably born in Orton, Westmorland County, England and possibly died in London, although some sources say Sedbergh, and others say Yorkshire.

Adam was highly placed in the Skinners' Company, the medieval guild that prepared pelts brought in by hunters and trappers. In 1560 he was chosen Skinner to Queen Elizabeth I, a post he held until his death. He was succeeded by his son Peter, who held the position until 1618 when he was named Master Warden.

The relationship of the early Bland family with the Skinners' Company and the Crown seems to have been a source of great wealth. A great family conflict over the estate of Peter Bland ended to the advantage of John Bland "The Grosser" (1572-1632), a large volume merchant and a stockholder in the Virginia Company of London. After receiving his inheritance, John quickly made his will, which excluded brother Gregory and an infamous nephew Lawrence Lownes. Shortly after he died in 1632, John’s widow Susan appealed to the King for relief of debts amounting to 15,000 Pounds Sterling, an immense sum, which is indicative of the wealth that John possessed.

Adam married Joane Atkyns, daughter of William Atkyns, on November 8, 1551 at St. Mary Magdalen Church, Old Fish Street, in London. They were parents of 13 children, including the above named Peter, (c.1557-1627), Gregory (1567-? ), and John (1572-1632). Four of the children died before reaching maturity.

Adam and Joane lived in that part of London known as St. Gregory, named for the parish church, Saint Gregory by Saint Paul. This church was built against the walls of St. Paul's Cathedral. You can read about it here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Gregory_by_St_Paul's.

Children of Gregory and John settled in Virginia about the middle of the seventeenth century. From these two sons, primarily from the children of Theodorick Bland (1629-1671), youngest son of John and his wife Susannah Deblere (1590-1665), the 18th century Bland Family known as the "James River Blands" had its origins.:

Children of Adam Bland and wife Joane Atkyns:

• Robert Bland, born in 1552 and died before 1559
• Jane or Joane Bland, born in 1554 and married William Hope c.1586.
• Peter Bland, born in 1557, succeeded his father as Skinner to the Queen, married Susan (unk) c.1584. He died soon after June 27, 1625.
• Thomas Bland, born in 1558, married at least two times, and died in 1617.
• Elizabeth Bland, born in 1560, married William Burie, and died after 1627
• Frances Bland born in 1561 and died in 1566.
• John Bland, born in 1563 and died in 1564, should not be confused with his brother born in 1572, also named John.
• William Bland, born in 1566, married Judith Wood, and died in 1596.
• Gregory Bland, born in 1567, married but wife's name unknown, and died after 1627.
• Jasper Bland, born in 1568 and died in 1596.
• Mary Bland, born in 1569, married a Mr. Gilbie, and died before 1617. She should not be confused with her niece who married Emmanuel Proby.
• John Bland, born in 1572, married Susan Deblere, had seventeen children, and died in 1632. He was a successfull merchant, a backer of the Virginia Company, and was known as John Bland the "Grosser."

See also:

• http://www.blandheritage.org/GENEALOGY/Family_Lines/familylines1.htm
• http://home.windstream.net/t7789ter/RGarrett.htm
• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/a/l/Kevin-Howard-Walte...
• http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi...

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According to the Bland Heritage Organization,

Adam Bland and wife Joane Atkyns did not have a son named Anthony.

This fellow is from a different line of Blands than the family who emigrated to Virginia.

If we follow the wife, Adrian, (Adrean) also called Audrey in some texts,

we find that she married twice more after Anthony's death.

She married a Mr. Smith and then Jeremiah Norcross.

Jeremiah Norcross of Watertown, MA, had a step-son named John Bland alias Smith.

Supposedly, Jeremiah's wife Audrey was married first to a Bland,

then to a Smith and her son used the surname of his Smith step-father.

This explains a long list of New England Blands also known as Smiths.

It also helps to prove that Anthony was not the son of Adam Bland,

whose descendants emigrated to Virginia, and not to Massachusetts.

See also:

http://www.pcez.com/~bigshoe/du/Stub/bland.html http://www.blandheritage.org/GENEALOGY/Family_Lines/group1.pdf