Francis Crozier - Ancestry

Ancestry

His ancestors were of Norman descent and first emerged when they joined the armies of William the Conqueror to invade England in 1066. A certain man called William was in the service of the Church also was the carrier of Bishop Odo's Crozier (half brother of William the Conqueror) and hence took the surname Crozier. Before this date surnames did not exist. He was the founder of the family. He was well known at that time and after Bishop Odo's departure to France, he continued to live in Canterbury and is buried there.

William Crozier is mentioned in the cartulary of Gloucester in 1258.

Robert Crozier obtained a grant of land from the abbot of St Bees in Cumberland in 1262. In the family arms which is used to this day are four bees and a cross indicating where they obtained their first grant.

The early family consisted of Simon Crozier who lived at Swanick and was Clerk of the market of Marshalsey of the Royal Household and his son Sir William Crozier (1368), who was household steward to John of Gaunt and held the office of Justice in the Eyre for Pleas of the Forest, his son Sir John Crozier (1402) who held many manors, including Hinwick, Aldenham, Maidencroft, Wrestingworth, Stoke D'Abernon, Fetcham, Swanick and Pavenham in England and lived with his family at Stoke D'Abernon in Surrey and at the Savoy Palace, London. Sir William was High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire for the years 1346 and 1347. He was also an Ensheator for the counties of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. Sir William was also Clerk of the Market of the Marshalsey of the Royal Household. He had two sons one Sir John Crozier and another William Crozier. In 1393 200 Oaks were cut from their land Stoke Park, they were used in the construction of the new roof which is still in existence on Westminster Hall.Some of that Oak is in the Carved Coat of Arms in the old Speakers Chair in Canberra, Australia.

Also of the family was another William Crozier who in the 15th century was Canon of Glasgow, Archdeacon of Teviotdale, and held many prebends, as well as being a Papal Legate, one of the founding fathers of St Andrews University and a Professor of Logic. He is well recorded in history and was a kinsman of James, Earl of Douglas.

John Crozier came to Ireland as a cavalry officer in 1630 with Lord Strafford. Prior to that he came from Redworth Hall (which still stands in the village of Heighington), County Durham; his family had been there since 1407. Before that time they were in Heversham, Westmoreland which was then part of Yorkshire.

John Crozier had two sons. The younger son, John, had lands in Fermanagh at Coa, Cavantillycormack, Ardvarny and in County Tyrone at Moorfields and founded the Fermanagh branch of the family. William, the elder son, went to County Down and had lands in Stramore, Lower Stramore and the Parke, all in Gilford near to Banbridge, Co. Down. William went on to be the founder of the Banbridge line.