The Wickliffe Family in America
The following is an attempt to trace the descent of the American Wickliffes all the way back to the father of John Wycliffe, the English reformer. This is the best information seen so far. It comes from the book Notes on Early History and Genealogy of the Wickliffe Family in America compiled by Clement Ross Jones in 1937. It is a very well documented and researched work, more so than the book by John D. Wickliffe which was written around 1920. However, all this should be taken with a grain of salt. No work has been done to prove this research. (His research does not have page numbers so it is a little hard to reference.)
The history of the Wickliffes begins around the year 1100 near the town of Wycliffe in England. This is in the north of England near Richmond. Over the years, they gradually acquired more and more land in the township of Wycliffe, Ulvington (or Ovington), Thorpe and Morthan until they owned vast amounts. In time, one of the Wycliffes was appointed Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. All of them are not discussed here, this information begins with the father of John Wycliffe, the reformer.
I Roger de Wycliffe, Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. He was a knight. He married Catherine _____ about 1319. He died about 1362. He had three sons: Sir Roger de Wycliffe, John Wycliffe, and Robert de Wycliffe. These three sons represented the highpoint of the Wycliffe family's fame and fortune.
II The oldest son was Sir Roger de Wycliffe. Edward III knighted him after he fought in the battle of Crecy in 1346. His brother, John Wycliffe (who did not marry) was born about 1320. He later became a priest. In his study of the Bible, he found that many traditions and practices of the church were against the Scriptures. He preached against such things as absolution, the celibacy of the priesthood, the veneration of statues and relics, and masses for the dead. He was the first man to translate the Bible into the English language. He is a well-known figure in the history of England and the world. He was later called the Morning Star of the Reformation since his influence could be traced in many of the later reformers, including Martin Luther and John Calvin. He died on December 31, 1384. The other brother, Robert, was appointed rector at the church in Wycliffe. This was a highly esteemed position in those days.
III Roger's son was Robert de Wycliffe, Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. d. 1412
IV His son was John de Wycliffe, Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. He married Agnes Rokeby.
V His son was Robert Wycliffe, Esq., Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. He married Margaret Conyers. He died in 1494.
VI His son was John Wycliffe, Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. He married Catherine Surtees.
VII His son was William Wycliffe, Esq., Lord of Wycliffe and Ulvington. He married Dorothy Place. He died August 5, 1584.
VIII His son was Francis Wycliffe. He married Jane Rokeby.
IX His son was Thomas Wycliffe. There is some confusion here in the records as to which of Francis' sons was the father of the Wickliffe who came to America. He also had William, Anthony, and Francis. However, certain factors point to Thomas as being the next in this line. He probably married Mary Yong.
X His son was David Wickliffe I. He married Jane ______. He came to America around 1635. He died in St. George's Hundred, Maryland around 1642.
XI His son was David Wickliffe II. He was born around 1636 and probably died in Prince William County, Virginia around 1693. He was an Indian interpreter. He married Elizabeth around 1667.
XII His son was David Wickliffe III. He was born around 1668 and died about 1698. He married Elizabeth King after 1690.
XIII His son was Robert Wickliffe III. He was born about 1695 and died in Prince William County, Virginia about 1759. He married Dorcas Arrington around 1718.
XIV His son was Benjamin Wickliffe. He was born about 1720 and died either around 1764 or 1807 in Virginia. He married Susan Davis.
XV His son was Robert Wickliffe. He married Sarah Kincheloe about 1776 in Fairfax County, Virginia. He was the father of Jane Wickliffe, the wife of Jacob Bodine.
The Wickliffes in Kentucky
The Wickliffes are a well-known family in Kentucky. The Bardstown family at "Wickland" produced two Kentucky governors and one in Louisiana. There are many connections with the Bodines. Jane was the daughter of Robert Wickliffe. Robert came to Kentucky in 1798 or 1799 along with his brother Arrington and their nephew, Col. Moses Wickliffe. Col. Moses Wickliffe was one of the original pioneers of Muhlenberg County. He had settled there in 1795. A few years later, he returned to Virginia to tell his friends and family about the Green River area. Then he returned with the two uncles mentioned above and their families. Otto Rothert's History of Muhlenberg County has some very good information on the coming of the Wickliffes to Muhlenberg (pp. 22-23).
Robert was the son of Benjamin Wickliffe. Benjamin possibly died in Prince William County, Virginia. He was the son of Robert Wickliffe III who was the son of David Wickliffe III and Elizabeth King (or Cullen). This David was the son of David Wickliffe II and Mary _______ or Elizabeth Nicholas?. David II was the son of David Wickliffe I and Jane _____. According to family tradition (Wickliffe, p. 85), David came to America in the early 1600's with two of his brothers (as part of the Evelyn expedition). They came from Yorkshire, England, where the family had been located for many generations.
There is an interesting story associated with Charles A. Wickliffe, one of Jane's brothers (Wickliffe, p. 89). Charles died not long after marrying, leaving two little girls which he adored. He used to call them "his two little birdies." The story goes like this:
Several years after his (Charles') death, a man by the name of Robinson courted his widow and was accepted. Late on the evening of the day set for the marriage, the widow walked down to her front gate and soon came back very much disturbed and distressed, saying that Charlie (her late husband) had appeared to her and begged her "not to marry as Robinson would mistreat his two little girls." It came very near breaking off the match; but she married him and it turned out that the warning was true. Robinson was so cruel to the two little girls that they had to leave home and were received kindly and affectionately cared for by their cousin...This strange incident is vouched for by members of the family living at the time and familiar with all the facts.