DE STAFFORD, Nicholas, Sheriff of Staffordshire

  Research Notes:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stafford-963
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Biography

Nicholas de Stafford was Sheriff of Staffordshire, 1132 [1] He was the son of Robert (Toeni) de Toeni and Avice (Clare) de Toeni. He married Maud (Meolte) Stafford and they had Robert II de Stafford; Juliana de Stafford; Isabel de Stafford and John de Stafford[2]
Birth

ABT 1075 Stone, Staffordshire

Burial

Austin Priory, Stone, Stafford Borough, Staffordshire.[3]

Research Notes

a. He was the younger son of Roger de Toeni, and one of the greater tenants-in-chief in 1086, holding nearly 70 manors in Staffordshire, over 25 in Warwickshire, over 20 in Lincolnshire, among others. He granted Wrottesley and Loynton in co. Stafford to Evesham Abbey in 1072, and later became a monk at Evesham. He died probably in 1088.

b. With his eldest son, Robert, he made grants to the Priory of Kenilworth. His wife, Maud, is said to have been a daughter of an Earl of Chester, but no such daughter is known.

c. He was sheriff of Staffordshire in 1155, an office he held until 1160. He made a gift of his chapel of Stafford to Stone Priory circa 1138 and 1147. He last appears in the Pipe Rolls in 1177-78, and probably died between that date and 1184-85.[4]

Burke's "Dormant Peerages" (London, 1883, p.499): Nicholas "was sheriff of Staffordshire" in the time of King Henry I. His wife is Maude Meolte.

ROBERT [I], son of ROGER [I] de Tosny & his [second wife Godechildis ---] (-1088, bur [Evesham Abbey]). His parentage is confirmed by the charter dated to [1130] under which Henry I King of England confirmed donations to Conches, including the donation of "ecclesiam de Octona" made by "Robertus de Stafort filius Rogerii de Totteneio" with the consent of "filio meo Nicholao"[560]. Robert´s connection with the Tosny family is confirmed by the undated charter under which "Robertus de Stafford" confirmed donations to Wotton Wawen Abbey, Warwickshire by "avus meus Robertus de Toenio et pater meus Nicolaus de Stafford"[561]. No indication has been found of the identity of Robert [III]´s mother, but assuming that he was legitimate the chronology suggests that he must have been born from his father´s [second] marriage. Domesday Book records "Robert of Stafford" holding Denchworth in Wantage Hundred in Berkshire; "Robert de Tosny" holding Miswell in Tring Hundred and Barwythe in Danish Hundred in Hertfordshire; "Robert of Stafford" holding land in Oxfordshire; Stoneton in Northamptonshire [Warwickshire]; numerous properties in Warwickshire; and Staffordshire[562]. The entries in Hertfordshire precede those which record the holdings of Raoul de Tosny in Hertfordshire, which suggests that they refer to the Robert Tosny/Stafford who was Raoul´s brother. "Robertus de Stafford…monachus factus in infirmitate mea" donated Wrottesley and Loynton to Evesham abbey, for "conjuge mea et filio meo Nicholao", by charter dated 1088[563]. "Robertus de Staffordia et Robertus filius meus et hæres" confirmed donations of property to Evesham Monastery by "Rodbertus avus meus…et pater meus Nicholaus" by undated charter[564].

m [AVICE de Clare], daughter of --- (-after 1088, bur [Stone priory]). A table (obviously of late composition because of the language), hanging in Stone priory at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, names "Avice de Clare" as the wife of Robert and records their burial at Stone[565]. It is far from certain that this information is accurate. No person of that name has yet been identified, and the name "Clare" only appears to have been used by the descendants of Robert de Brionne from the early 12th century (see the document UNTITLED ENGLISH NOBILITY A-C).[5]
Sources

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Sheriff_of_Staffordshire
* https://www.geni.com/people/Nicholas-de-Stafford/6000000003495279058
* Find A Grave: Memorial #86119935
* http://slaegt.bitschlarsen.dk/person-9015546_127231531_127231531/sir-nicholas-de-stafford-lord-of-stafford-sheriff-of-staffordshire
* https://www.geni.com/people/Nicholas-de-Stafford/6000000003495279058

Collections for a History of Staffordshire (Staffordshire Record Society, 1912) Third Series, Page 274: "Sheriffs of Staffordshire"
Find A Grave: Memorial #86119935

Nicholas married Matilda MEOLTE unkown. (Matilda MEOLTE was born about 1084 in England, died about 1138 in Stone, Staffordshire, England and was buried in Stone Priory.)