The Norman People
and Their Existing Descendants in the British DominionsThe Origins of Some Anglo-Norman Families
by Lewis C. Loyd
New Jersey
: The History of New Jersey Colony, 1664-1776by Roberta Wiener
Jolliff Family
The Jolliff family, says one old account, “descended from an ancient and
honorable family which dates its origin from the incursion of the Norman [French]
Conquerors, [who] allied to some of of the chief nobles of the kingdom.”
William of Normandy conquered England in 1066, becoming known there as William
the Conqueror. The use of surnames appears to have started in Normandy, with the Normans then bringing this practice to England with them. The nobility began to adopt hereditary surnames in the 1100’s, with it spreading to the common people by the 1300’s, until Edward IV (1461-83) enforced it. The book, Norman People, lists N. Giolif of Normandy, 1195; Robert Jolif, 1198; William Jolyf, 1295, bailsman for Thirsk; Robert Jolyf, 1305.
Burke’s Landed Gentry of Great Britain says “The family of Jolliffe (originally Jolli) is of considerable antiquity in the counties of Stafford and Worcester.” The Origin of English Surnames says “Jolliffe and Jolly are both from jolif and joly [meaning] joyous, mirthsome, sprightly, spirited, which occurs in a number of nicknames, as Roger Jolifboye (in 1308) and Robert Goleboye (in 1317).”
The History of the Upper Monongahela Valley of West Virginia gives this information on the early Jolliff family:
“During the troublous times of [King] Charles I and the revolution under Cromwell, they were staunch royalists, and adherents of the Established Church, one of them attending Charles to the place of execution. For their loyalty and religious convictions, they were made to suffer by being deprived of their rank, position and estates. At the Restoration [of the Crown] their property was restored to them, and they were reinstated in royal favor. They furnished from their number magistrates and sheriffs of the counties of Stafford and Worcester during the reigns of Charles II and later kings. They have been aldermen and lord mayors of the city of London, members of Parliament, and governors of provinces. Many of them were men of note as authors, physicians, soldiers, and above all as philanthropists. One of the grammar schools established here and there throughout England by private means was that founded at Stratford-on-Avon by a Thomas Jollyffe, a native of the town, who had gone up to London to become lord mayor. It bore on its rolls the name of William Shakespeare...” [from Genealogical and Personal History of the Upper Monongahela Valley, WV, by James Morton Callahand, Vol. 1, p 390-95]
Some of the early Jolliffs made their money as wool merchants, some of them acquiring land and castles.
American Jolliffs:
The first Jolliffs seem to have arrived in Virginia in about 1648-1651, many continuing there as merchants. The English Jolliffs were wealthy Cavaliers (Royalists), supporters of King Charles I who was beheaded by the Puritans in 1649 after the English Civil War between the Cavaliers and the Roundheads. After the War some of them came to Virginia along with other Royalists. This strong support for the English monarchy among the Virginia planters lasted to the Revolutionary War.
The ancestor of our Jolliff family seems to have been Arnon or Aaron Jolliff, born 1680, died 1777. His wife was possibly Jane who died in 1790.
They lived in Morris County, New Jersey. I don't know if our Jolliff line
came straight from England to New Jersey, or by way of the Jolliff clan in
Virginia. This couple seems to have had the following children:
1. Richard Jolliff, born 1733
2. Mary Jolliff, born 1737
3. Sarah Jolliff, b 1740, maybe married a Nightser? Very likely since both families lived in Morris Co, NJ
4. Elizabeth, born 1742, married Joshua Lewis in 1773. Morris Co, NJ Deaths shows some children who would the same age of Elizabeth's but their father is Joseph Lewis.
The above names and dates are from an old Nightster family Bible [however, I have lost the source for this information]. The Nightster family also lived in Morris Co, NJ and also moved to Washington Co, PA along with our Jolliff family. Richard Jolliff joined the Morris County militia and later his son James moved to Washington Co, PA. [At right is a map of New Jersey with Morris County highlighted.]
Obviously, there is some connection between the Nightster and Jolliff family but no one knows yet what it is. There is speculation that Sarah Jolliff married a Nightser (Nightzer/Nitzer/Nitser).
Nightsers I have found:
Jeptha Nightser, b 1771, m Abigail Guest, lived Morris Co, NJ, the Guest family also lived in Morris Co, NJ;
Harriet Nightser, daug of Jeptha, baptz 1811 in the Hilltop Presbyterian Church of Mendham, Morris Co, NJ; This church also had Guest family baptisms (no Jolliff or Lewis).
Mary A. Nightser, b 1804 Somerset Co, NJ, m John Honeyman Lane.
The records of the First Presbyterian Church of Mendham, Morris Co. NJ, 1738-1938 contains Nightsers, but I don't have any dates.
It was previously thought that our ancestor, James Jolliff, the Frontiersman, was connected with the Norfolk County, Virginia Jolliffes whose ancestor Thomas Jolliffe had come to Virginia with the influx of Cavaliers in 1642. There was a James Jolliff Sr. there who made his will in Norfolk County, Va, Nov. 18, 1775 and mentioned that James, Jr. was living on a 50-acre tract of his farm in Portsmouth. However, there were many James, John & William Jolliffs, and it's difficult, if not impossible, to sort them out accurately. Much of this earlier research was done by Elizabeth Hartline and printed in a book she published in the 1980s. However, since then other documents have come to light that disprove that this James Jolliff Sr was the father of our frontiersman, James Jolliff - particularly the story about how Richard Jolliff died, told by his nephew (Ben Allen) to Richard's grandson, Col. James Jolliff, Jr. (see link below to Richard Jolliff).
My Jolliff Line:
Richard Jolliff
James Jolliff, the Frontiersman, b abt 1753; m Elizabeth Norris
Elijah Summers Jolliff, b abt 1797; m Lucinda Nobles
Randolph Casey Jolliff, b 1818; m Peggy Huddleston
James Rasmus "Rab" Jolliff, b 1858; m Matilda Tatum