The
Cefn Mabli
branch of the
Kemeys
family is said to be descended from one
Stephen de
Kemeys
, who held land in what is now
Monmouthshire
c.
1234
. The first connection with
Cefn Mabli
came when
DAVID
KEMEYS
, son of
Ievan
Kemeys
of
Began
, m.
Cecil
, daughter of
Llewelyn ab Evan ap Llewelyn ap Cynfig
of
Cefn Mabli
c.
1450
. They were succeeded by their son
LEWIS
. The next heirs were
JOHN
KEMEYS
and his son
DAVID
(d.
1564?
).
David
's eldest son,
EDWARD
, was
sheriff
of
Glamorgan
,
1574-5
, but d. without issue. The estate came to
Edward
's nephew
DAVID
, son of
Rhys
Kemeys
of
Llanvair Castle
.
David
was
sheriff
of
Glamorgan
,
1616-17
, and was succeeded by his son
EDWARD
, whose children either died in infancy or without issue. The estate then developed upon
Sir
NICHOLAS
KEMEYS
of
Llanvair
, son of the afore-mentioned
Rhys
of
Llanvair Castle
. He served as
sheriff
of
Monmouthshire
,
1631-2
, and of
Glamorgan
,
1638-9
. He was also
M.P.
for
Monmouthshire
,
1628-9
. In
1642
he was created a
baronet
. An ardent
Royalist
, he took an active part in the
Civil War
, and d. in defence of
Chepstow Castle
,
25 May 1648
. His son,
CHARLES
KEMEYS
, who had been student at
Jesus College
,
Oxford
, and had been
knighted
in
1643
, became the
2nd baronet
. Like his father he took an active part in the
Civil War
, and held
Pembroke castle
for the king. On its fall he was fined £3,500, and exiled for two years. He d.
1658
. He was succeeded by his son
CHARLES
KEMEYS
, who had been a student at
Wadham College
,
Oxford
. He was
M.P.
for
Monmouthshire
,
1685-7
,
1695-8
, and for
Monmouth Borough
,
1690-5
. His name appears as
sheriff
of
Glamorgan
for the period
18-24 March 1689
. He was also
governor
of
Cardiff castle
in
1702
. He d.
Dec. 1702
. His son, again named
CHARLES
KEMEYS
, b.
23 Nov. 1688
, became the
4th baronet
on his father's death. He was
sheriff
of
Glamorgan
,
1712-13
,
M.P.
for
Monmouthshire
,
1713-15
, and
M.P.
for
Glamorgan
,
1716-34
. He d.
29 Jan. 1735
, without issue, and the baronetcy became extinct.
JANE
KEMEYS
(d.
1747
),
sister of the last
baronet
, had m.,
1704
,
Sir
John
Tynte
,
bart.
(
1683
-
1710
), of
Halswell, Som.
They had three sons,
HALSWELL
(
1705
-
1730
),
JOHN
(
1707
-
1740
), and
CHARLES
(
1710
-
1785
), and one daughter,
JANE
(
1708
-
1741
). All their grandchildren d. young with the exception of
JANE
(
1738
-
1825
), daughter of the afore-mentioned
Jane
and
Ruishe
Hassell
,
major
in the
Royal Horse Guards
. The estate devolved on her. She m.
19 Feb. 1765
,
colonel
JOHN
JOHNSON
of
Glaiston
,
Rutland
, and he assumed the family name of
Kemeys-Tynte
. He d.
1807
. During the
19th cent.
the succession was as follows, in each instance from father to eldest son.
CHARLES
KEMEYS
,
b.
29 May 1778
,
M.P.
for
Bridgwater
1820-37
,
colonel
of the
West Somerset Yeomanry
. He m.
25 April 1798
,
Anne
daughter’ of the
Rev.
T.
Leyson
,
vicar
of
Bassaleg, Mon.
He d.
22 Nov. 1860
.
CHARLES
KEMEYS
,
b.
1800
,
colonel
Royal Glamorgan Light Infantry
,
M.P.
for
West Somerset
,
1832-7
, and
Bridgwater
,
1847-65
. He m., as his first wife,
18 July 1820
,
Elizabeth
, daughter of
Thomas
Swinnerton
, of
Butterton Hall, Staffs.
, and, as his second wife,
Vincentia
, daughter of
W.
Brabazon
, of
Rath House
,
Louth
,
15 April 1841
. He d.
16 Sept. 1882
.
CHARLES
KEMEYS
, b.
16 March 1822
,
J.P.
,
D.L.
, for
Monmouthshire
and
Somerset
,
colonel
Somerset Militia
. He m., as his first wife,
2 Nov. 1848
,
Mary
, daughter of
George
Frome
, of
Puncknoll
,
Dorset
; as his second wife,
1873
,
Hannah
Lewis
; and, as his third,
1879
,
Elizabeth
, daughter of
Richard
Fothergill
(see
Fothergill
),
M.P.
,
Tenby
. He d.
10 Jan. 1891
.
HALSWELL
KEMEYS
,
b.
1852
,
J.P.
, and
D.L.
, for
Monmouthshire
,
J.P.
, for
Glamorgan
and
Somerset
. He m.
25 Sept. 1875
,
Rosabelle
, daughter of
Theobald
Walsh
of
co. Kildare
. He d.
18 Feb. 1899
.
The next heir was
CHARLES
KEMEYS
, b.
18 Sept. 1876
.
He served as
J.P.
for
Monmouthshire
and
Somerset
. He m.
10 Aug. 1899
,
Dorothy
, daughter of
major-general Sir
Arthur E. A.
Ellis
. The abeyance of the barony of
Wharton
, with which a branch of the family had been connected, was terminated in his favour by writ of summons to
Parliament
15 Feb. 1916
, and he became
8th baron Wharton
. He d.
4 March 1934
.
