General Notes

Theobald Walter or Fitzwalter, son and heir of Hervey Walter of WestDereham, Norfolk (owner of large estates in Norfolk and Suffolk, by Maud,daughter and co-heir of Theobald de Valoignes, who accompanied John,Count of Mortain, Lord of Ireland, afterward King John of England, in1185, into Ireland, who conferred vast estates in that kindom, including,before 1189, the fief of Arklow, etc., and in or before May, 1192 theimportant Office of Butler or le Botiller, a dignity which, of itself,probably comprised (even if it did not comprise more) "Baronial rank andposition" for himself and his successors. Under the name of Butler or leBotiller, these barons appear on the roll of every Parliament to whichthey were summoned, the office giving henceforth the surname to thefamily. He is said subsequently to have obtained the vauable monopoly ofthe prisage of wine and is styled Theobald Butler as early as 1199.Returning to England he obtained from Richard I, in 1194, a grant of theWapentake of Amounderness with the lordship of Preston in Lancaster. Hewas Sheriff of Lancaster, personally or by deputy 1194-1199, and wasfounder of the Abbey of Cockersandin, that County. In 1197 he was one ofthe justices itinerant. He founded the Abbey of Nenagh in CountyTipperary in 1200, the Abbey of Wotheny, County Limerick, in 1205, andthe monastery of Arklow, County Wicklow. He married in or shortly before1200 Maud, daughter and heir of Robert le Vavasour, with whom he acquiredthe Manors of Edlington, Newborough, etc., County York. He died betweenAug. 4, 1205, and Feb. 14, 1206, and was buried at Wortheny Abbeyaforesaid. His widow, Maud, married 2nd in 1207 Fulke Fitzwarine.

Desperate for information on Stewart and Montgomery Families of Allegeheny Co., Pennsylvania. Your assistance would be most appreciated. Thanks