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Blodgett History
Information received from Regis Leroy Blodgett - February 21, 2000 via e-mail.
In the History of Stowmarket, a book published in England in 1850, it
quotes a record made about 1580. Officials had made a perambulation of a
farm, charging the owner for their refreshments. The man who paid the
bill was Mr. Blodgett; the earliest use found or this spelling.
The Blodgett (de Blogate) name is of Norman origin and although ancestors
did not come to England with William the Conqueror, they probably
followed during the 100-l50 year period thereafter. The name in
analogous with Colgate, Westgate, Highgate, etc. The "gate" suffix means
a pass through the mountains; the "b1o" is less certain, and could mean
(1) blowy or Windy, (2) a contraction for belleau, the French word for
beautiful. Hence, for Blogate, one can derive (1) a blowy or windy pass
through the mountains, or (2) a beautiful pass through the mountains.
Perhaps both. Names originally designated a person living in the locale
described.
The Blodgett name is not entitled to a coat of arms. None is registered
in the College of Heraldry, London, England. Blodgett's of this day were
of the artisan-merchant class. The last four generations prior to
immigration to America were glove makers, innkeepers, and farmers. (I)
Argent three bugle horns sable, stringed or. This is as close as there
is to an ancient Blodgett Coat of Arms; apparently having been used when
occasionally a daughter married into the nobility. (II) Per pale ermine
and erminois an elephant rampant gules.
Origin of this before the watercolor is unknown. Indications are it is
of comparative recent origins but has been used by at least one branch of
the American family.
At least one source (Holmes) lists Robert Bloet as the original occurence
of the name Blodgett in England. Robert Bloet was Chancellor of England
c1088-1094 under King William II Rufus, and later second Bishop of
Lincoln. He died 10 Jan 1123 suddenly, while riding with the king in a
deer-fold near Woodstock.
An unknown de Blogate, born about 1170, died about 1210, left a widow,
Rose, who about 1248, sold land in Athelington to her son Hugh de
Blogate. Hugh sold it to a brother Richard. This property became the
subject of a lawsuit claiming that Rose only had dower rights and could
not dispose of the property. This litigation lasted three generations
and in 1272 involved Matilda and Philip, children of Hugh, and in 1323,
Richard, son of Philip.
Hugh de Blogate 1272-1330 Suffolk, England probably had as a wife, Hawys
de Blogate. Their son, Richard, married a daughter of Robert de Thorpe,
Lord of Westthorpe in Norfolk, & Beatrix de Hengrave. These are the first
definite instances of the family. Richard's eldest son Geoffrey de
Blogate, left extensive estates to his only daughter Joan, who married
Sir Ralph de Hemenhale. The de Blogate estates eventually reverted to
John de Blogate, about a great grandson of Richard de Blogate; and about
a grand nephew of Goeffrey, above. In 1428 John de Blogate became Lord
of Westthorpe in Norfolk, inheriting several of the ancient de Blogate
lands in Suffolk. Another John de Blogate of Yaxley, Suffolk quartered
the Blodgett coat of arms (I) mentioned above at the marriage of his
daughter Jane to John Herbert of Yaxley. This John's descendants rose to
prominence in Suffolk by the time of Elizabeth I and married into the
peerage. An Edmond de Blogate, gentleman of Stowlangtoft, Suffolk died
c1523, but it is recorded his daughter Elizabeth married James Noon of
Norfolk.
The de Blogate, Blowgate, Blogget, Blodgett ancestors of Thomas, the
immigrant, lived in the western part of County Suffolk, at Stowmarket and
Haughley, villages about two miles apart and 10-12 miles northwest of
Ipswich. Thomas, the immigrant, was the great grandson of Thomas Blogate
(Blodgett) of Haughley born about 1490, died in 1560. This Thomas Blogate
could be a son, grandson or nephew of the foregoing, but the relationship
is not established. His will provides he be buried in the churchyard of
St. Mary's in Hawley and makes son, Robert, executor or his will. Robert
died in 1602 leaving a will and his son, Robert II, father or Thomas, the
immigrant, moved from Haughley to Stowmarket 17 May 1597. Robert II died
in 1625 at Stowmarket. "
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