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     Damaris Andrews was born circa 1643.

Damaris' father, Thomas Andrews, was the son of that Thomas Andrews who was interested in the Plymouth Colony and who held many important offices under Parliament. The elder Andrews was one of the treasurers of ordnance, a commissioner of custom*, and lord mayor of London in 1649, 1650, and 1651. In 1649 an act was presented in the House of Commons to authorize the Speaker "by laying on the sword" to create him a knight. In 1659 he was Governor of the East India Company.

Damaris married Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D., son of James ABNEY and Jane Mainwaring, on 20 July 1661 in London, England. Their wedding announcement read: "Edward Abney uf Wilsley, Co. Derby, gent, bach' aged 29 second son of James Abney of the same. Esq., and Damaris Andrewes Spin', about 18, dau. of Thomas Audrewes the younger, late of St Margaret's, New Fish Street, London, dec'd, with consent of her mother Damaris Cudworth, alias Andrewes, now wife of Dr. Ralph Cudworth, Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, to be married at St Gregory's or St Dionys Backchurch London."^1,2 She was buried on 9 June 1687 in Willesley Hall, Derbyshire, England. There also were buried her daughters Damaris 30 Oct. 1677, and Ann 1 Dec. 1693. Another daughter, Frances, aged 19, was licensed to marry, 5 July 1686, Sir John Parker, widower, aged about 31, of Formoyle, Longford, Ireland. Their son Abney Parker was of Gray's Inn 1 May 1705.

     James ABNEY, son of Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D. and Damaris Andrews, was born in 1662 in Willesley, Leicestershire, England. He was the heir apparent to Willesley but has been termed a "ne'er-do-well". He allegedly migrated to the British Colony of Virginia and settled there. However, there is no proof of this tale, and modern-day genealogists do not take this story seriously as not even one document can be found in the Virginia records of this James Abney. Nevertheless, James the eldest son of Edward was passed over for his brother Thomas, a child of Edward by his second wife. He was raised by his aunt, Abigail Abney Cotton.¹

     Judith Barre was born in 1660 in London, England.

Judith married Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D., son of James ABNEY and Jane Mainwaring, on 18 December 1688 in London, England. She was the daughter of Peter Barre, merchant of London.^1,2,3

     Sir Thomas ABNEY C. B. was baptised on 30 April 1691 in Willesley Hall, Derbyshire, England, son of Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D. and Judith Barre.¹

Thomas was educated in 1707 at Wadham College in Oxford University, England. He was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1707 and called to the bar in 1713.

Thomas married Frances Burton. She was the daughter of Joshua Burton of Brackley of Northamptonshire.

He was a barrister and judge. He settled in Middlesex and was appointed Chairman of Middlesex Quarter Sessions in 1731. He inherited Willesley from his father that same year. He was knighted KB 23 Dec 1735. He was attorney general of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1733, Judge of Marshalsea Court in 1735, Baron of the Exchequer 1740-43, Judge of the Common Pleas, 1743-50. As an antiquarian, in the 1720s he made substantial additions to the text of William Woolley's manuscript history of Derbyshire.²

Sir Thomas ABNEY C. B. was named an heir in the will of his father, Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D., dated in 1718 in Willesley, Leicestershire, England. His father in drawing up his will had excluded his oldest surviving, but mentally unfit son, leaving his estates in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire to his youngest son, Thomas.³

Sir Thomas ABNEY C. B. died on 19 May 1750 in London, England, at age 59. He fell victim to the gaol distemper at the "Black Sessions" at the Old Bailey. Of the judges and the commissioners, only the chief justice and the recorder escaped the illness.⁴ He was buried in Ashby-de-la-Zouch Cemetery, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.

     Frances married Sir Thomas ABNEY C. B., son of Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D. and Judith Barre. She was the daughter of Joshua Burton of Brackley of Northamptonshire.

     Thomas ABNEY, son of Sir Thomas ABNEY C. B. and Frances Burton, was born on 2 January 1725 at Willesley in Leicestershire, England.² He was the last Abney Lord of Willesley, having inherited the estate from his father in 1750. The Abney family's ownership of the Manor of Willesley lasted from 1424 until the death of Thomas Abney in 1791. Many family members are buried in the adjacent Church of St. Thomas Willesley or the Church of St. Mary de Castro in Leicester. A house existed on the site for over 500 years until the hall was demolished in 1953. Throughout its history it was enlarged and improved. The most significant building works were undertaken by James Abney, who served as High Sheriff of Derbyshire (in which for many years Willesley was situated before local government boundary changes). The house was further enlarged by Sir Edward Abney early in the 18th Century and later in the same century the park was laid out and a 24 acre lake was created submerging, it is thought, the village of Willesley.

Thomas married Parnell Villars on 11 May 1754 at Saint Clement Danes, Westminster in London, England. She was the daughter and co-heir of George Villars, Esq. of Hanbury, Staffordshire.

Thomas ABNEY died on 15 August 1791 in Willesley, Derbyshire, England, at age 66.¹ He was buried in Ashby-de-la-Zouch Cemetery, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.

     Parnell Villars was born in 1718.

Parnell married Thomas ABNEY, son of Sir Thomas ABNEY C. B. and Frances Burton, on 11 May 1754 at Saint Clement Danes, Westminster in London, England. She was the daughter and co-heir of George Villars, Esq. of Hanbury, Staffordshire.

Parnell Villars died in 1798.

     Lady Parnell ABNEY, daughter of Thomas ABNEY and Parnell Villars, was born on 29 January 1756 in Willesley, Derbyshire, England.¹ Since her father did not have a son, she became the heiress of Willesley. Lady Parnell was supposed, at her death, to have passed Willesley back to the Abney family. However, she passed it to her son who promptly changed his name to Abney-Hastings. Thus he became the first Abney-Hastings Lord of Willesley, and Willesley passed out of the Abney family forever.

Parnell married General Sir Charles Hastings on 2 June 1788 in Willesley, Derbyshire, England.¹

     General Sir Charles Hastings was born on 11 March 1752 in England. He was the illegitimate son of Francis Hastings, 10th Earl of Huntingdon and an unknown mother. He purchased an Ensigncy in the 12th Foot, in 1776 a Lieutenantcy, and in 1780 a Captaincy. In 1783 he purchased a majority in the 76th Foot, but by 1786 was a Lieutenant-Colonel on the half-pay of the 72nd Foot. In 1786 he became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34th Foot. In 1789 he retired on half-pay again, and during this time transferred to the 65th Foot. In 1798 he transferred to the 61st Foot as Lieutenant-Colonel and soon afterwards was promoted brevet Colonel and Major-General on the same day. In 1800 he became Lieutenant-Colonel of the 65th Foot. In 1806 he was promoted Colonel of the 4th Foot, then transferred to the 77th Foot, and in 1811 returned to his old regiment, the 12th Regiment of Infantry. He was later promoted General.

Charles married Lady Parnell ABNEY, daughter of Thomas ABNEY and Parnell Villars, on 2 June 1788 in Willesley, Derbyshire, England.¹ Charles was created the 1st Baronet of Willesley on 18 February 1806. He was also a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Hanoferian Guelphic Order. Hastings had an ancestral seat at Willesley from his marriage and a house at Harley Street in Middlesex.

Sir Charles was an atheist and took his own life and had acorns buried with him in 1823.

General Sir Charles Hastings died by suicide on 30 September 1823 in Willesley, Leicestershire, England, at age 71.

     Sir Charles Abney-Hastings, son of General Sir Charles Hastings and Lady Parnell ABNEY, was born on 1 October 1792 in Willesley, Derbyshire, England. He never married, and passed Willesley to his cousin, Edith Maud (not a descendant of the Abney family) who changed her name to Edith Abney-Hastings. He had succeeded his father, Gen. Sir Charles, 30 Sep 1823. On 1 Dec 1823 Sir Charles, out of respect to the memory of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Abney, of Willesley, obitained his Majesty's royal licence and authority that he and his descendants might take and use the surname, and bear the arms of Abney, in addition to and before that of Hastings, and that his younger brother, Frank Hastings, Esq., might likewise use the same. The Abney-Hastings family still owns Willesley to this day.¹

Sir Charles Abney-Hastings died in 1858.

     George ABNEY, son of James ABNEY and Jane Mainwaring, was born in 1629.¹

George ABNEY was christened on 4 March 1629 in Norton Juxta Twycross, Leicestershire, England, son of James ABNEY and Jane Mainwaring.²

George ABNEY died on 3 May 1661 in Leicester, England.^1,3 He was buried in St. Mary de Castro Church, Leicester, England.

     Frances ABNEY, daughter of James ABNEY, was born circa 1653.

Frances ABNEY died in 1666.¹

     Captain Frank Abney-Hastings, son of General Sir Charles Hastings and Lady Parnell ABNEY, was born on 14 February 1794 at Willesley Hall in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.¹

He entered the British Navy at the age of eleven, rising to midshipman on board the HMS Neptune where in 1805 he saw his first action at the Battle of Trafalgar. He rose through the ranks, took part in the Battle of New Orleans and took temporary command of a couple of ships. Following an incident in Jamaica in 1819, the details of which remain unclear, the Admiralty removed Hastings' name from the list of Officers of his Majesty's Navy.

His career brought to a premature end, Frank resolved instead to enter into foreign service. Three years later he traveled to Greece with the hope of securing a position in the Greek Navy fighting against the Turks. Serving first in operations off Chios he later distinguished himself while in charge of the island fort of Bourtzi at Nafplio. His experiences in the Greek Navy convinced him of the need to reform the fleet to make it a more effective force against the Turks. The keystone of his strategy was the construction of a steam warship and in autumn 1824 he left Greece for England witht the blue prints of the "Karteria", or in English, "Perseverance".

In 1825 the struggle for Greek Independence suffered a series of military disasters following the success of Ibrahim Pasha in the Morea. When Abney-Hastings returned to Greece aboard the Karteria in 1826, although the situation appeared desparate, it was not long before he was able to demonstrate the deadly effectiveness of his new ship. In March 1827 the Karteria took part in a combined naval and army attack upon the harbour of Oropos designed to cut the Turk's communications, thus releiving the Siege of Athens. A month later, in command of a squadron, Abney-Hastings made a successful raid against Turkish ships in the Gulf of Volos. This success was followed, in September, by further naval confrontations in the Gulf of Korinth during which he destroyed an entire Turkish squadron off the Bay of Itee.

Abney-Hastings also took part in the recapture of Messolongi, which had fallen to the Turks in 1824, causing the surrender of the strategically important island fort of Vasiladhi. He was at Vasiladhi again in May 1828 with the intention of launching an assault on Messolongi. During a failed attempt to storm Anatoliko, 25th May, Frank was struck in the left arm by a bullet; he died of blood poisoning six days later at Zakinthos.¹

Captain Frank Abney-Hastings died on 1 June 1828 in Zakinthos, Greece, at age 34.¹ He was buried in the Island of Poros, Greece. The Greek president ordered a national funeral ceremony for Hastings. His heart is immured in the Anglican church in Athens.

100 years after his death Greece honored his memory. Messalongi erected a large monument in the Garden of Heroes and the government issued a medallion. He is regarded as a hero of the Greek War of Indenpendence.

     Thomas Abney, son of Robert Abney and Arthurine Howe, was born in 1585 in Leicestershire, England.

Thomas Abney was baptised on 18 August 1585 in Newton-Burgoland, England, son of Robert Abney and Arthurine Howe. He was a yeoman farmer in Newton-Burgoland, England. On 20 December 1601 he inherited the 80 acres farm upon his father's death.¹

Thomas married Anne Smith on 29 May 1615 at Newton Nethercote in Swepstone parish, Leicestershire, England. She was the daughter of Robert Smith, Esq. of Lockington, Leicestershire.^2,3

Thomas Abney died on 4 June 1651 in Newton Burgoland, Leicestershire, England, at age 65.² He was buried in St. Peter's Churchyard, Swepstone, Leicestershire, England. His estate was probated on 7 July 1652 in Newton Burgoland, Leicestershire, England. He left a will.⁴

     Anne Smith was born in 1593 in Lockington, Derbyshire, England.¹

Anne married Thomas Abney, son of Robert Abney and Arthurine Howe, on 29 May 1615 at Newton Nethercote in Swepstone parish, Leicestershire, England. She was the daughter of Robert Smith, Esq. of Lockington, Leicestershire.^1,2

Anne Smith died on 4 June 1678 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.¹

     Thomas Abney was baptised on 10 July 1632 in Swepstone, Staffordshire, England, son of Thomas Abney and Anne Smith.^1,2 He was a grocer circa 1650 in London, England.²

Thomas Abney he inherited the estate of Newton-Burgoland from his older brother Robert when he died in 1658.²

Thomas married second Susannah Swindle on 3 June 1662 in St. Helen's Churchyard, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England. She was the daughter of George Swindale, Esq. of Ashby-de-la-Zouche.^3,4,5,6

Thomas Abney died on 29 May 1714 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England, at age 81.²

     Capt. Robert Abney was baptised on 25 March 1621 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England, son of Thomas Abney and Anne Smith.^1,2

During the English Civil War between 1642 and 1651, Capt. Robert Abney served in Lord Grey's Horse Guards.²

Capt. Robert Abney inherited the estate of Newton-Burgoland from his father in 1652.²

Robert married first Anne Ullock on 25 July in Lullington, Derbyshire, England. She was the daughter of George Ullock, Esq. of Church Gresley, Derbyshire.^3,2

Capt. Robert Abney died in 1658 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England. He died without issue.² His estate was probated on 27 April 1658 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England. The estate of Newton-Burgoland passed to his brother Thomas.^4,2 He was buried in St. Peter's Churchyard, Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.

     Robert Abney was baptised on 1 March 1672 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England, son of Thomas Abney and Susannah Swindle.^1,2

Robert married Mary Webb on 19 June 1701 at St. Michael & All Angels in Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, England. She was the daugther of William Webb, of Hamstal-Ridware, in the county of Stafford.¹

Robert Abney inherited the family estate at Newton-Burgoland at his father's death in 1714.

Robert Abney died in 1745 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England. He was buried on 26 April 1745 in St. Peter's Churchyard, Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.³

     Mary Webb was born on 26 February 1685 in Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, England.¹

Mary married Robert Abney, son of Thomas Abney and Susannah Swindle, on 19 June 1701 at St. Michael & All Angels in Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, England. She was the daugther of William Webb, of Hamstal-Ridware, in the county of Stafford.² She was buried on 23 August 1716 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.¹

     George Abney was christened on 18 May 1665 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England, son of Thomas Abney and Susannah Swindle.^1,2 He was buried on 14 April 1666 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.

     Robert Abney, son of Robert Abney and Mary Webb, was born on 29 December 1706 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.¹ He was baptised on 7 January 1707 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England, son of Robert Abney and Mary Webb.² 1722 Robert Abney was apprenticed to Robert Silke, ironmonger, in Birmingham, England.²

Robert married Mary Turton on 27 September 1735 at St. Mary Parish in Handsworth, Staffordshire, England. She was the daughter of Josiah Turton who died in 1735 leaving two daughters, Phoebe and Mary. Mary married a few months after his death. They owned the mill and forge at Bromford, having inherited it from Josiah.^2,3

Robert Abney died before 1770.

From the The London Gazette of 21 May 1771 the creditors of Robert Abney and Thomas Abney, late of London, England, ironmongers, who have proved their credits under the Commission of Bankruptcy against the said Robert Abney, desire to meet the assignees at the Half Moon Tavern in Cheapside on Friday the 14th day of June next, at five 0'clock in the afternoon to consider what is proper to be done concerning the estates of the said Thomas Abney.⁴

     George Abney, son of William Abney and Catherine Wootton, was born in 1753 in England.^1,2

George was educated in 1772 at Wadham College in Oxford University, England. He got into debt and was left only an allowance in his father's will.²

George Abney died on 15 July 1800 in Higham-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire, England.

     William Abney, son of Robert Abney and Mary Webb, was born on 25 November 1713 in Measham, Derbyshire, England.¹ He was a barrister educated at Inner Temple, admitted 1733 and called to the bar in 1739. He refused a judicial appointment and retired to his estate. He was JP for Leicestershire and high sheriff in 1791. He purchased the Measham estate in Derbyshire, and built Measham Hall in 1767. He was one of the last landowners to maintain traditional open-handed hospitality to his tenants and neighbors, and also retained the fashion and dress, livery and behavior of his youth. He was a Whig in politics and a fierce supporter of the House of Hanover. In 1745 he led a party to Derby to oppose the advance of Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite uprising. This gentleman, like many of his predecessors, lived to an advanced period of life, and died, after filling all the duties of a country gentleman in the exemplary manner, in 1800.

The estate passed to his sons Robert and Edward, and then to latter's grandson, William Wotten Abney, who died relitively young, leaving a life interest in the house to his widow, Helen John Sinclair Abney. It then passed to W. W. Abney's cousin, Sir William de Wivelslie Abney. After his death in 1920 it passed to his heir, Lancelot Edward Guy Abney sold the estate to Measham Colliery. The colliery workings later undermined the house, which had to be demolished in 1959.²

William married Catherine Wootton on 20 June 1743 in Shenley, Hertfordshire, England. She was the daughter and heir of Thomas Wootton, Esq. and Catherine Clarke Wootton of Little Cannons, Hertshire.^3,2,4

William Abney died on 2 August 1800 in Measham, Derbyshire, England, at age 86.⁵ He was buried in St. Peter's Churchyard, Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.⁶

     Catherine Wootton was born in 1722 in Little Cannons, Hertfordshire, England.²

Catherine married William Abney, son of Robert Abney and Mary Webb, on 20 June 1743 in Shenley, Hertfordshire, England. She was the daughter and heir of Thomas Wootton, Esq. and Catherine Clarke Wootton of Little Cannons, Hertshire.^1,2,3

Catherine Wootton died on 15 May 1790 in Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.²

     Mary Clarke Abney was baptised on 9 June 1744 in Shenley, Hertfordshire, England, daughter of William Abney and Catherine Wootton.¹

     Catherine Clarke Abney was baptised on 24 June 1760 at St. Edith in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, daughter of William Abney and Catherine Wootton.^2,1

Catherine married Rev. Thomas Beaumont Burnaby on 31 October 1780 at Measham Hall in Leicestershire, England. He was the rector of Asfordby, Leicestershire.²

     Robert Abney, son of William Abney and Catherine Wootton, was born on 29 October 1748 in Measham, Derbyshire, England.^1,2

Robert married first Anne Bracebridge on 17 March 1770 in Higham-on-the-Hill, Derbyshire, England. She was the daughter of the Rev. Phillip Bracebridge, rector of Fenny Drayton in Leicestershire and co-heir of her uncle Samuel Bracebridge of Lindley Hall, Leicestershire and Chios, Greece. Their only daughter and heir was Anne, wife of Samuel Bracebridge Heming, her cousin. He was the son of Anne's sister, and rector of Wadington, county Warwick, and Ravenstone of county Leicester and Derby.^3,4,2,5

Robert was High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1777. He was justice of the peace of Leicester and Warwick. He was captain commanding the Hinckley Volunteers in 1798.²

Robert Abney and his brother-in-law, Rev. Thomas Beaumont Burnaby, posted a bond for a debt they owed to Miss Hellen Simons on 8 December 1783 in Derbyshire, England.

In 1786 Robert inherited Lindley Hall in Leicestershire, England, by right of his first wife, and Measham Hall from his father in 1800.

Anne died in April 1793 in Lindley Hall, Leicestershire, England, leaving Robert Abney as a widower.⁵

Robert married second Elizabeth Kirk on 8 September 1800 in St. Helen Parish, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England. This was her third marrage. She was the widow Richards. Her first husband was named Bacon.^2,6,7

Robert Abney was plaintiff in a lawsuit against his son-in-law Rev. Samuel Bracebridge Heming, Amicia Heming (senior), Amicia Heming (junior), George Heming, Rose Heming, Margaret Heming, Richard Heming, Dempster Heming and Robert Heming in 1807.

Robert Abney died between 1807 and 1812.

     Anne married Robert Abney, son of William Abney and Catherine Wootton, on 17 March 1770 in Higham-on-the-Hill, Derbyshire, England. She was the daughter of the Rev. Phillip Bracebridge, rector of Fenny Drayton in Leicestershire and co-heir of her uncle Samuel Bracebridge of Lindley Hall, Leicestershire and Chios, Greece. Their only daughter and heir was Anne, wife of Samuel Bracebridge Heming, her cousin. He was the son of Anne's sister, and rector of Wadington, county Warwick, and Ravenstone of county Leicester and Derby.^1,2,3,4

In April 1793 Anne died in Lindley Hall, Leicestershire, England, leaving Robert a widower.⁴

     Edward Abney, son of William Abney and Catherine Wootton, was born on 8 February 1751 in Measham, Derbyshire, England.¹

Edward married first Mary Sharpe circa 1775 in St. Martin's Church, Leicester, England.²

Mary died in August 1776 in Measham, Derbyshire, England, leaving Edward Abney as a widower. She died in childbirth and her baby died a couple of weeks later.

Edward married second Hephzibah Need on 17 November 1779 in St. Peter's Parish, Nottinghamshire, England. She was the daughter of Lt. Gen. Samuel Need, Esq. (1718-1781), a successful hoser in Fountain Dale, Nottingham. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter.³

Edward Abney willed the estates of Measham to his grandson, William Wootton Abney Jr., on his death in in 1827. Edward's son, William's father, had died before him.¹

Edward Abney died on 26 June 1827 at Measham Hall in Measham, Derbyshire, England, at age 76. He was buried in St. Peter's Churchyard, Swepstone, Leicestershire, England.

     Hephzibah Need was born in 1758 in England.

Hephzibah married Edward Abney, son of William Abney and Catherine Wootton, on 17 November 1779 at St. Peter's Parish in Nottinghamshire, England. She was the daughter of Lt. Gen. Samuel Need, Esq. (1718-1781), a successful hoser in Fountain Dale, Nottingham. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter.¹

Hephzibah Need died in 1841 in Measham, Derbyshire, England.