Nicholas Kellogg, Baron Audley

NICHOLAS KELLOGG, "LORD AUDLEY" / 1458 - Circa 1493 (Fictional)

"The Manor of Debden Hall in the Town of Debden hath an elegant and commodious mansion. The Manor was seized by King Henry II in 1155 and was granted to his son, King John (Lackland), who granted it to Lord Cromwall [sic], Earl of Essex. It came back to the Crown as part of the dowry of Mary Bohan [sic], wife of Henry VI, Edward IV, and Henry VIII, who granted it to Lord Audley, Nichols [sic] Kellogg, senior, born Debon [sic]. 18 Oct. 1558."

Source -- Rixford, Mary Elizabeth Leach, "Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service: Their Part in Making American History From 495 - 1934". 1934, Tuttle Company. Page 182

Commentary

Inasmuch as Rixford's "Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors..." is the sole source referencing 'Nicholas Kellogg, Lord Audley' it is worthwhile to deconstruct this garbled reference in detail to determine the veracity of this claim. Without recourse to a hard copy of Rixford's lengthy tome, it is difficult to know from whence she derived this material.

Consider first the history of the 'elegant and commodious mansion' of Debden Hall. The village of Debden, a suburb of Loughton, "originated as a manor of 40 acres...in the Ongar Hundred of Essex. The manor became the property of Waltham Abbey in 1086. By about 1254 the Manor of Loughton had absorbed Debden. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540 the manor passed to the king (Henry VIII) and later to private owners". (1) ... "Debden Hall, a large and handsome mansion in an extensive and well - wooded park (Epping Forest), is the seat of, and gives name to a manor, belonging to Sir Francis Vincent, Bart. This manor was granted by Henry VIII, as parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster, to THOMAS, LORD AUDLEY from whose only daughter it descended to her son, Thomas, Baron Howard de Walden and Earl of Suffolk. In 1715 it was sold, with the Manor of Deynes, to Richard Chiswell, Esq., whose grandson erected the present mansion in 1791, from a design by R. Holland...The daughter and heiress of the latter married Sir Francis Vincent, Bart., of Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey, whose baronetcy was created in 1620. The present baronet was born in 1803, and suceeded to the family estates in 1809". (2)

Consider secondly Rixford's assertion that "The Manor was seized by King Henry II in 1155 and was granted to his son, King John (ruled 1199 - 1216), who granted it to Lord Cromwall [sic], Earl of Essex". Cursory research renders this assertion a 'reductio ad absurdam', as the only 'Lord Cromwall [sic], Earl of Essex was Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex (circa 1485 - July 28, 1540). Considered indispensable during much of his service to King Henry VIII between 1533 and 1540, Thomas Cromwell incurred the wrath of Henry during his brief tenure as Lord Grand Chamberlain of England in 1540 and was beheaded in a badly botched execution at the hands of a drunken executioner. (3)

Consider thirdly Rixford's assertion that Debden Manor "came back to the Crown as part of the dowry of Mary Bohan [sic], wife of Henry VI, Edward IV, and Henry VIII". Taken at face value, 'Mary Bohan [sic]' was apparently a serial polyandrist, marrying three royal husbands over a period of 126 years!! In reality, 'Mary Bohan [sic]' was Mary de Bohun, Countess of Northampton and Derby (circa 1369 / 70 - June 4, 1394), the daughter of Sir Humphrey de Bohun (1347 - 1373), among other things the 6th Earl of Essex and 7th Earl of Hereford, and Joan FitzAlan, Countess of Essex (1347 - 1419). The last of his lineage, upon his death his extensive land holdings were bequeathed to his two daughters, the elder of whom, Eleanor de Bohun (1360 - 1399), married Thomas of Woodstock, youngest son of King Edward III and Queen Consort Phillipa de Hainault. (4) As previously noted, 'Debden Manor' was actually part of the landholdings of Waltham Abbey from 1086 - 1540, contradicting Rixford's assertion that the manor "came back to the Crown as part of the dowry of Mary Bohan".......Mary de Bohun, Countess of Northampton was, in fact, the first wife of Henry Bolingbroke (1367 - 1413), son of Duke of Lancaster John of Gaunt (3d son of Edward III and Phillipa of Hainault) and his first wife Blanche of Lancaster. The parents of six children, the eldest of whom was future King of England Henry V (1386 - 1422). Passing away in June 1394, well before Henry Bolingbroke ascended the throne as King Henry IV in 1399, Mary de Bohun was never Queen Consort of England. She was, however, the paternal grandmother of King Henry VI (1421 - 1471) and a great aunt of the usurper, King Edward (York) IV (1442 - 1483). (5) In further 'reductio ad absurdum', Rixford asserts that Mary de Bohun (died 1394) was married to her grandson, mad King Henry VI (1421 - 1471) and grand nephew King Edward IV (1442 - 1783). Rixford's assertion that Mary de Bohun was married to King Henry VIII (1491 - 1547) is the most absurd proposition of all!!

Consider, fourthly, Rixford's absurd assertion that King Henry VIII granted Debden Manor to "Lord Audley, Nichols (sic) Kellogg, senior, born Debon (sic), 18 October 1558". The late King Henry (died 1547) was in no way capable of granting anything to someone allegedly born in 1558!! As previously referenced, "This manor was granted by Henry VIII, as parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster, to THOMAS LORD AUDLEY, from whose only daughter it descended to her son, Thomas, Baron Howard de Walden and Earl of Suffolk". (6).......The referenced 'Thomas Lord Audley' was, in fact, Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden (Circa 1488 - 1544). Thomas Audley was Lord Chancellor of England from 1533 until his death in 1544. A willing henchman of King Henry VIII, Thomas Audley was created Baron Audley of Walden on 29 November, 1538 for his many services rendered up to that date. Ever the opportunistic sycophant, Baron Audley had no qualms over turning against his erstwhile colleague, Thomas Cromwell, and actively engineering his downfall and execution in 1540. In recognition of his service during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, Lord Audley was granted the landholdings of Holy Trinity Prior in Aldgate (London) and Walden Abbey in Saffron Walden, Essex. Walden Abbey was extensively remodeled to become Baron Audley's primary residence and was rebranded as 'Audley End'. With but one surviving child, Margaret Audley, both Debden Manor and Audley End were bequeathed to her subsequent to Baron Audley's death on April 30, 1544. In the absence of a male heir, the Barony of Audley became extinct. Subsequent title to both Debden Manor and Audley End descended to Baron Audley's grandson, Thomas Howard, created Baron Howard de Walden in 1597. (7) As Baron Howard de Walden and Earl of Essex, Thomas Howard demolished the original Walden Abbey / Audley End in the early 17th century and built the current Audley End House, primarily for entertaining King James I. (8)

With the identity of Thomas Audley (1st Baron Audley of Walden) and title to Debden Manor and Walden Abbey / Audley End clearly established, consider now the peculiar particulars of Alice and / or Phillipa Tuchet / Touchet a.k.a. Audley, erroneously identified as the wife of "Nicholas Kellogg, Lord Audley" (1558 - 1593). Whether as Alice or Phillipa, the spouse of Nicholas Kellogg is identified as a daughter of Lancastrian partisan Sir Humphrey Audley / a.k.a. Sir Humphrey Tuchet (Circa 1434 - 1471) and Elizabeth Courtenay (Circa 1430 - 1493), the widow of Lancastrian partisan Sir James Luttrell (Circa 1426 - 1461). Excommunicated from the Church of Rome for an overly close consanguinity after their presumptive, but undocumented, marriage circa 1462, the couple was reinstated in the church by papal edict and permitted to legally marry circa 1463. Depending on the source, 'Alice Audley' was born circa 1458 in Malden Bradley, Wiltshire and Phillipa Audley was born circa 1463 in the same location. In short, whether as Alice or Phillipa Audley, one is expected to believe that 'Nicholas Kellogg' was married to a woman who lived and died before he was born!!

Further muddling an already convoluted pseudo genealogy, various sources represent that the widowed Alice / Phillipa (Audley) Kellogg remarried to one Richard Hadley circa 1493. The primary source for this assertion is a 1916 text captioned "Hadley Family", authored by one Chalmers Hadley and published by the Carson - Harper Company of Denver, Colorado. Per this text -- "John Hadley married Joan, daughter of Richard Hadley, who married Phillipa, the daughter of Sir Humphrey Audley, Knight, and his wife, Elizabeth Courtenay, daughter of Sir Phillip Courtenay of Powderham Castle (Devon). Richard Hadley's wife, Phillipa Audley, was descended from two illustrious houses. Her father, Sir Humphrey Audley, was a brother of Lord Audley (i.e. Lancastrian partisan James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley / circa 1398 - 1459)......." Internet access to this text is notable for the highly unusual feature of a disclaimer -- "this information not to be used as proof, it is proven to be false". The disclaimer is further reinforced in the heading to the text by researcher Billie Walsh -- "I was in contact with a gentleman by the name of Nigel Batty - Smith from England after I put this page up that gave me some information that 'proves' the genealogy in this document is not correct. It's very much 'wishful thinking' on the part of Mr. Hadley."

Recourse to "The Hadley Society" website is positive for an article entitled "Impossible Ancestral Theories" which clarifies much of Mr. (Chalmers) Hadley's 'wishful thinking'. Based on an article published in "The Quaker Yeoman" (Volume 18 / Number 3, October 1991) and captioned "The Immigrant Quaker Hadley Family: Compiled by James E. Bellarts", it is revealed that Chalmers Hadley's 1916 "Notes of The Quaker Family of Hadley" was an attempt to fabricate a distinguished lineage for one Simon Hadley of Dublin, Ireland (born circa 1640 or earlier). Per the introduction by compiler Bellarts -- "Hardly a month passes that I do not receive a document attempting to trace the ancestry of Simon Hadley I...frequently, stating as reference "Notes of The Quaker Family of Hadley" published by Chalmers Hadley in 1916: Phillipa Audley, daughter of Sir Humphrey Audley, who was descended from Sir Hugh Courtenay". Per Bellart's paraphrase of Hadley's genealogy -- "7. Phillipa Audley supposedly married Richard Hadley, son of John Hadley.....Richard Hadley and Phillipa Audley were the supposed parents of: 8. James Hadley.....who married (1) Friedeswith Matthew.....married (2) Elizabeth (- -), and was supposedly the father of: 9. Simon Hadley I, who was born 1640." Bellarts concludes -- "If the above appears vague or somewhat far - fetched, it should!!...There is no record of James Hadley and his second wife, Elizabeth (- -) having children. In any event, no record has been located in Ireland or England tracing the ancestry of Simon Hadley I. Any attempt to make such a connection with existing data is pure fakelore!!"
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Update 3/8/2024
Per Family Search.Org, Nicholas Kellogg of Debden was married to Alice HADLEY. The daughter Sir Humphrey Touchet Audley (1434 - 1471) and Elizabeth Courtenay (1430 - 1493)

Sources

1.) "Debden, Epping Forest" / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debden,_Epping_Forest

2.) History House -- "White's Directory of Essex 1848 -- History of Debden"

    historyhouse.co.uk/placeD/essexd02a.html

3.) "Thomas Cromwell" / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cromwell

4.) "Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford"

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_de_Bohun_7th_Earl_of_Hereford

5.) "Mary de Bohun" / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_de_Bohun

6.) History House -- "White's Directory of Essex 1848 -- History of Debden"

     historyhouse.co.uk/placeD/essexd02a.html

7.) "Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden" --

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Audley_1st_Baron_Audley_of_Walden

8.) "Audley End House" / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audley_End_House

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1. Nicholas KELLOGG
2. Given Name: Nicholas
3. Surname: Kellogg
4. Suffix: LORD AUDLEY
5. Title: LORD AUDLEY
6. Sex: M
7. Birth: 18 Oct 1458 in Debden, Essex, England
8. Death: Y
9. Change Date: 24 Apr 2004 at 14:53

Marriage 1 Spouse Unknown

   * Change Date: 24 Apr 2004

Children

  1. Has Children Nicholas KELLOGG b: 1488 in Debden, Essex, England

Lord of Audley

Nicholas Kellogg, Lord of Audley was born on Oct. 18, 1458 in Debden, Essex, England and died on an unknown date. He married Alice Audley. Alice was born Between 1458 and 1473 in England and died on an unknown date