Isaac Knowles II Family of Chatham & Canandaigua A Personal Comment From the Author, Fred T. Knowles

The Beginning of Royal Pedigree Within the Knowles / Knollys / Knolles Families Richard Knowles Family genealogy research for five centuries has focused on USA descendants of Progenitor Richard and Ruth Knowles who settled in Massachusetts. And, rightfully so, getting confirmation of Richard’s parents in England has been a most difficult task in the past. However, recently that task has been made much easier with the digital information age we live in today, along with the popularity of genealogy research and the explosion of getting historical records digitized on a world-wide basis.

Therefore, going beyond the research for Richard Knowles descendants, it has become easier to trace his ancestral pedigree - back to William T. Knollys (1270-1330) and wife, Jane Greenlees - totaling twenty-three generations. Through female Knollys ancestor marriages, many more non-Knollys relative names of distinction are now recorded. This book cannot possibly cover over 9,000 Knowles (paternal) and Christianson (maternal) family tree members. However, I have included relatives of distinction and those in whom I am most proud of their accomplishments under extreme hardships that are undergirded by a strong faith and incredible work ethic.

Here is an example: The famous “Boleyn” name enters the Knowles Family with the marriage of Sir Francis Knollys (1526-1569) to Mary Katherine Carey (1525-1568), the daughter of Sir William Carey (1492-1572) and Mary (Boleyn) Carey (1501- 1543). Mary was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn and Elizabeth Howard, and her sister, Anne Boleyn, was one of the wives of King Henry VIII - who were the parents of Queen Elizabeth I (my 1C14R). Queen Anne and brother George were beheaded by King Henry VIII - one of England’s most tragic events throughout the ages.

King Henry VIII Queen Anne Queen Elizabeth I Coat of Arms

Also, through English “Knollys” female marriages to English noblemen, famous Americans are descended. They are all featured in my next book. Among them are Sir Thomas Leighton West, 2nd Baron De La Warr (1556-1602) who married Lady Anne Knollys (1555-1608), the daughter of Sir Francis Knollys and Lady Katherine Carey. Their son Sir Thomas Richard West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, was a member of Parliament and Governor of Jamestown. His son, John West, Esquire became the Governor of the Virginia Colony and his 3,000+ acre plantation on the York River later became the town of West Point, Virginia. Governor John West is the 7th fraternal Great Grandfather of another distinguished American - Helen Adams Keller (my 10C3R).

The River and State of Delaware are named after Sir Thomas Richard West, the 3rd Baron “De La Warr”.

The Bunnell connections that began with Isaac Knowles II marriage to Polly “Mary” Bunnell c.1815 was another example of the Knowles family becoming united with a renowned European French-English family. The Bonnell/Bunnell line originated from Bonneville-sur-Marne, France. They were French Huguenots. Thomas Bonnell (1540-1607; my 10G Grandfather) and his wife left France for England. He became the Mayor of Norwich, England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603).

Isaac Knowles II was simply a carpenter who fathered seventeen children with two wives. He probably never knew his children and their descendants were blood kin to European aristocracy.

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