GUILLAUME DE SAINT-JEAN.

William de St-John came from St-Jean-le-Thomas, near Avranches. Wace (1. 13642 ) remarks "The men of Saint Johan" were at Hastings. Their leader, according to a tradition of the St-John family, had charge of the transports and munitions of the invading army, for which reason his posterity ever afterwards bore the horse-hemes, or collars, as their cognizance. This was probably William de St-John, who married Olivia, daughter of Raoul de Fougeres of Normandy, and had issue Thomas, who died childless, and John de St- John, who succeeded his brother as lord of Staunton-St-John in Oxfordshire and who was a benefactor of St-Peter's abbey, Gloucester, in 1112. He was one of twelve knights who invaded Glamorgan with Robert Fitz Hamon and received the castle of Falmont or Faumont as his share of the conquest. He had two sons, Roger the eldest and Thomas. The latter inherited Staunton-St-John. Roger married the great Sussex heiress Cecily, daughter of Robert de la Haie, and had two sons, with whom the male line became extinct. Muriel, a daughter, married Reginald de Orival, whose daughter Mabel became the wife of Adam de Port, and their son assumed the name of St-John. Hence the lords St-John of Basing, the baron St-John of Beltshoe, the viscounts Grandison, the earls of Jersey, the earls and viscounts Bolingbroke, the marquesses of Winchester and dukes of Bolton.

--(This name appears on the Falaise Roll)