Gwinnett of Wales and Georgia
The Gwinnett family settled in Great Shurneton in the parish of Badeworth, a village three miles southwest of Cheltenham. George Gynnedd, gentleman, fled from North Wales during the persecution of Queen Mary and resided in this village until the time of his death which was December 5, 1605. He was buried in the Church of St. Mary at Badgeworth beside his wife, Eleanor (died 1608).
Their son, Richard Gwinnett, survived and changed his name to Gwynett. Richard was married to Mary Estcourt, the daughter of Richard Estcourt of Gloucestor. Richard resided in an old farmhouse about a mile from the village of Shurneton, at a place called Crippetts. The house stood on the Cotswold Hills and overlooked the valley of Severn.
Rev. Samuel Gwinnett, son of Richard, was the vicar of the Church of St. Mary and Corpus Christie and settled near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. His wife was Anne Emes who died 1767 in Gloucester at Down Hatherley.
Rev. Samuel Gwinnett had two sons, Samuel (died 1/7/1792) and Button (died 1777 in Savannah, Georgia.)
Button Gwinnett, signed of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia, was christened on 4/10/1735 in Gloucester and died 1777 in Savannah, Georgia when he was shot and killed by patriot, General Lachlan McIntosh of the American Revolution over a poltical argument. Legend has it that the dual occurred in the Savannah streets, that Gwinnett was wounded and taken home where he died three days later. Button was married to Ann Bourne and the marriage was recorded on 4/19/1757 in the Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Wales.
On March 4, 1777 Button Gwinnett was commissioned President and Commander in Chief of Georgia and the Council of Safety directed him to use the militia to go against the British forces in East Florida and cutt off all supplies. In the meanwhile, Fort McIntosh was captured by the British troops. When General Howe arrived in Savannah, he met with Button Gwinnett to ask him whether charges had been brought against General McIntosh who was accused of conspiring with Sir Patrick Houstoun, and Tories Robert Baillie and William Panton of shipping rice from his plantation to a British colony. Gwinnett apparently believed that McIntosh was a British sympathizer, since his uncle George McIntosh was suspected. Gwinnett seized upon Howe's visit as an opportunity to request that McIntosh be removed him his command. McIntosh was thus sent to fight the Northern Campaign where he performed brilliantly. After the war when McIntosh returned to Savannah, the old argument was settled in a dual.
Button was married to Ann Bourn, the daughter of Aron and Sarah Bourn of Wolverhampton of Staffordshire. Apparently there was some sort of family quarrel with one, David Jones of Wales, because Ann made a Last Will and Testament dated 1770 which left her pew at the Canterbury Church to her mother if she did not allow David Jones to sit there. She later added a codicil which left all of the estate to her daughter, Ann Belin, the wife of Peter Belin, stipulating that Peter was to have no portion of it. The estate was probated in Savannah, granting Peter Berlin Letters of Administration in 1785, with a copy of it filed in the Perogative Court of Canterbury.
