Vol II File 13: The Paternal Ancestry of Homer Beers James

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Vol II File 13: The Paternal Ancestry of Homer Beers James

20. Grentemesnil (Grantmesnil) Line

21. Harcourt Line

There is a detailed pedigree of the Harcourt Family of Normandy in Table XI. in Crispin and Macary, and also pages 14 and 93-94. Refer to Burke, pg. 261-262.

The following material from Crispin and Macary (pg. 14) was derived from G. A. La Roque, "Hist. Geneal. Maison de Harcourt" and other sources:

"Errand de Harcourt. This family is one of the most illustrious in both France and England. Errand is mentioned by La Roque, the French historian of this great house, Pere Anselm, and other genealogists, as the personage referred to by Wace which reads "sire de Herervourt was there also, riding a very swift horse." They are supported in this conclusion by Le Prevost, as he favors Anchetil, the father of Errand, or Robert, his younger brother. The burden of opinion is, however, against this eminent historian. Turquetil, seigneur de Turqueville, and de Tanqueraye, about 1001, appears in several charters concerning the abbeys of Fecamp and Bernay. He was lord of Neufmarche-en-Lions, governor of the boy duke, William, and was treacherously assassinated between 1035 and 1040 by hirelings of Raoul de Gace. Turquetil was the second son of Torf, the son of Bernard the Dane, which latter was governor and regent of Normandy in 912, from whom descended the sires de Beaumont, comtes de Meulent, the barons of Cacelles and Saint-Pare, the lords of Gournay and Milly, the barons of Neubourg, the vicomtes of Evereux, the Earls of Leicester, and many other noble French and English houses. Turquetil married Anceline, sister of Toustain, seigneur de Montfort-sur-Risle, and had issue: Anchetil, and Walter de Lescelina who married Beatrice, abbess of Montivilliers, natural daughter of Robert I., Duke of Normandy, as well as Leceline de Turqueville, the wife of William, comte d'Exmes (later(d'Eu), an illegitimate son on the same duke. Anchetil was the first to assume the name of Harcourt from the bourg of Harcourt, near Brionne, and married Eve de Boessey-le-Chapel, by whom he had seven sons and one daughter. The eldest was Errand, who predeceased his father, and was succeeded by Robert as head of the house. Jean, Arnoul, Gervais, Yves, and Renauld were the other sons. Errand de Harcourt commanded the archers of Val de Ruel at the battle of Hastings, but returned to Normandy in 1078 and probably died soon after. His younger brother, Robert, who accompanied him to the conquest, was the ancestor of this distinguished family."

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