From Norwegian Fjords to the American Frontier: Our Lineage from Rognvald the Wise

 

Every genealogist knows the thrill of tracing a quiet thread back through the century marks, only to watch it expand into the grand narrative of world history.

In an earlier post, we explored how our family tree connects to the Sinclair (St. Clair) line—most famously through Henry I Sinclair, the 14th-century Earl of Orkney, Lord of Roslin, and North Atlantic mariner. But if you keep following that northern compass back through medieval Scotland and across the sea, you arrive at the very source of the Orkney Jarldom: Rognvald Eysteinsson (Jarl of Møre), our 33rd great-grandfather.

It is an unbroken chain of 33 generations connecting a 9th-century Norwegian fjord ruler to my maternal grandmother, Lydia Corinna Brown (1891–1971).

The Dual Legacy of Rognvald the Wise

Born in 9th-century Norway, Rognvald Eysteinsson was a key advisor to King Harald Fairhair during the unification of Norway. From his seat in Møre, Rognvald launched two distinct branches that reshaped western Europe:

• The Southern Branch (Normandy): His son Rollo (Hrolf the Walker) sailed south, signed the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in 911 AD, and became the 1st Duke of Normandy—ancestor to William the Conqueror.
• The Northern Branch (Orkney/Sinclair): His son Einarr "Torf-Einarr" Rognvaldarson established the feared line of Norse Jarls in the Orkney Islands.

Four centuries later, these two Scandinavian streams merged when the Norman-descended St. Clair family—kinsmen of Rollo who took their name from Saint-Clair-sur-Epte—intermarried with the native Norse-Gaelic rulers of the north, assuming the hereditary Earldom of Orkney and building Rosslyn Castle.

33 Generations: From Jarls of Møre to the American West

Rognvald Eysteinsson "The Wise" (c. 840–890)

Jarl of Møre, Norway — 33rd Great-Grandfather

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  ├──► Rollo (Hrolf the Walker), 1st Duke of Normandy (Southern          Branch / Cousin Line)

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  └──► Einarr "Torf-Einarr" Rognvaldarson (c. 858–910)

       Jarl of Orkney — 32nd Great-Granduncle

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       Thorfinn "Skull-Splitter" Torf-Einarsson (d. c. 963)

       Jarl of Orkney — 31st Great-Grandfather

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       Hlodvir Thorfinnsson (c. 945–988)

       Jarl of Orkney

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       Sigurd "the Stout" Hlodvirsson (c. 960–1014)

       Jarl of Orkney (Fell at the Battle of Clontarf)

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       Thorfinn "the Mighty" Sigurdsson (1009–1065)

       Jarl of Orkney & Earl of Caithness

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       Paul Thorfinnsson (d. 1098)

       Jarl of Orkney

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       Hakon Paulsson (d. 1123)

       Jarl of Orkney

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       Margaret Hakonsdottir of Orkney

       (m. Maddad, Earl of Atholl — Merging Norse Orkney with   Celtic        Scottish Nobility)

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       Harald Maddadsson "the Old" (1134–1206)

       Earl of Caithness & Jarl of Orkney

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       ROBERT DE ST. CLAIR (c. 1190–1248)

       Lord of Saint-Clair & Early Rosslyn Lineage — 22nd Great-          Grandfather

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       Sir William St. Clair (1230–1297) — 6th Lord of Rosslyn

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       Sir Henry St. Clair (1255–1331) — 7th Baron of Rosslyn

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       Sir William "the Crusader" St. Clair (1283–1330) — Fell          in           Spain with Bruce's Heart

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       Sir William St. Clair (1327–1358) — 8th Lord of Roslin

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       HENRY I SINCLAIR (1345–1400)

       1st Sinclair Earl of Orkney, Lord of Roslin ("The          Mariner")

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       Henry Sinclair, 2nd Earl of Orkney (1375–1420)

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       William Sinclair (1404–1484) — 1st Earl of Caithness,    Builder        of Rosslyn Chapel

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       William II Sinclair (1459–1513) — 2nd Earl of Caithness   (Fell        at Flodden Field)

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       Lady Agnes Sinclair (1495–1572)

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       Lady Jean Hepburn (1543–1599)

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       John Sinclair, 1st of Greenland & Rattar (1566–1627)

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       Janet Sinclair (1595–1686)

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       Marjory Robertson of Inshes (1619–1665)

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       Jean Mackenzie of Redcastle (1658–1679)

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       Margaret Urquhart (1675–1720)

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       Elizabeth Wright (1703–1782)

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       Jacob Weeks (1736–1791) — DNA Match

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       Simon Weeks (1768–1840) — Revolutionary War Veteran

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       Maria (Mariah) Weeks (1810–1890)

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       John Galloway Brown (1833–1915)

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       Abraham Lincoln Brown (1864–1948)

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       Lydia Corinna Brown (1891–1971) — Maternal Grandmother

Part I: The Iron Line of Torf-Einarr

While Rollo was establishing Normandy along the Seine, his brother Torf-Einarr earned his moniker by teaching the islanders of Orkney how to cut peat for fuel. He established an unbroken line of sea-kings who governed the northern seas:

• Thorfinn "Skull-Splitter" (d. c. 963): Earned his formidable epithet consolidating Norse power across the Western Isles and Orkney.
• Sigurd "the Stout" (c. 960–1014): Renowned for flying the raven banner in battle, Sigurd ruled Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebrides before falling at the Battle of Clontarf in Ireland.
• Thorfinn "the Mighty" (1009–1065): The largest ruler among the Orkney Jarls, Thorfinn governed nine Scottish earldoms, the Hebrides, and parts of Ireland, eventually making a pilgrimage to Rome.

Through strategic alliances with native Celtic nobility—including the ancient Earls of Atholl and Strathearn—these Viking Jarls gradually merged into the feudal fabric of medieval Scotland.

Part II: The Norman-Scottish Bridge & The Barons of Rosslyn

By the early 13th century, Robert de St. Clair (c. 1190–1248) bound the Anglo-Norman St. Clair bloodline to the ancient northern lords. Over the next two centuries, his descendants carved out a central place in Scottish history:

• Sir William "the Crusader" St. Clair (1283–1330): Rode alongside Sir James Douglas carrying the preserved heart of King Robert the Bruce on crusade, falling in battle against the Moors at Teba in Spain.
• Henry I Sinclair (1345–1400): The 1st Sinclair Earl of Orkney—the "Mariner"—who patrolled the North Atlantic and formally united the ancestral Norse Jarldom under the Sinclair crest.
• William Sinclair (1404–1484): 3rd Earl of Orkney and 1st Earl of Caithness, who commissioned and built Rosslyn Chapel in 1446.

Part III: Crossing to the American Trail

Following the death of William II Sinclair at Flodden Field in 1513, the high nobility of Caithness filtered through generations of highland history. Through Lady Agnes Sinclair, the Hepburns, and the Sinclairs of Greenland and Rattar, the line moved down into the merchant and landed families of Inverness-shire—the Robertsons, Mackenzies, and Urquharts.

By the early 18th century, Elizabeth Wright and her son, Revolutionary War veteran Simon Weeks (1768–1840), carried this lineage to the shores of the New World. The line passed through Maria Weeks, John Galloway Brown, and Abraham Lincoln Brown, arriving directly at my maternal grandmother, Lydia Corinna Brown (1891–1971).

From 9th-century Norwegian fjords to the stormy cliffs of Orkney, through the stone carvings of Rosslyn Chapel, and down to the dusty trails of the American West—it is a remarkable 1,100-year legacy written into our family bloodline.

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

More Viking, Sinclair & Voyageur Tales on this blog:

• Henry I Sinclair Earl of Orkney, Lord of Roslin: 14th-century Mariner

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/04/henry-i-sinclair-earl-of-orkney-lord-of.html

• From Rollo’s Viking Invasion of Normandy to the Voyageurs of New France

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2025/12/from-rollos-viking-invasion-of-normandy.html

• From Charlemagne's Legacy to New France: Tracing the Royal Descent to Anne Couvent, Mother of Voyageurs

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2025/12/from-charlemagnes-legacy-to-new-france.html

The Harrison Connection: A Founding Father, Two Presidents, and Our Shared Roots

 

Every genealogist knows the thrill of chasing down a quiet lead on FamilySearch or ancestry archives, only to realize you’ve bumped elbows with national history.

My recent research uncovered a remarkable branch on our family tree that connects us directly to the bedrock of American independence: Benjamin Harrison V (1726–1791), a signer of the Declaration of Independence and 5th Governor of Virginia, who turns out to be my 6th cousin 6x removed.

Even more fascinating than his own storied career is the sprawling political dynasty he launched—a line that produced two U.S. Presidents and a long legacy of American public service.

Who Was Benjamin Harrison V?

Born at the historic Berkeley Plantation along the James River in Charles City County, Virginia, Benjamin Harrison V was raised among the elite tidewater gentry. His formal education at the College of William & Mary was cut short in 1745 when tragedy struck: his father and two sisters were killed by a lightning strike inside the plantation house. At just 19 years old, young Benjamin assumed full responsibility for managing the estate and its sprawling agricultural operations.

He quickly rose through Virginia’s political ranks, serving in the House of Burgesses and later standing firm with fellow revolutionaries like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

• Continental Congress & The Declaration: Serving as a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777, Harrison chaired the crucial Committee of the Whole during the intense debates surrounding independence. On August 2, 1776, he placed his bold signature on the Declaration of Independence.
• Wartime Governor: As the 5th Governor of Virginia (1781–1784), Harrison managed the state's severe financial plight and reconstruction in the immediate, difficult aftermath of the Revolutionary War and the siege of Yorktown.
• Defender of Rights: During the 1788 Virginia Ratifying Convention, Harrison initially stood with Patrick Henry in opposing the proposed U.S. Constitution because it lacked explicit protections for individual liberties—holding out until a Bill of Rights was guaranteed.

An Extraordinary Presidential Dynasty

Through this same line, our family tree links to one of the most prominent political families in American history:

• Son: William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) — 7th cousin 5x removed. Famous as the hero of Tippecanoe and Indian Territory Governor, he became the 9th President of the United States in 1841.
• Grandson: John Scott Harrison (1804–1878) — 8th cousin 4x removed. Served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, holding the unique historic distinction of being both the son of one U.S. President and the father of another.

• Great-Grandson: Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901) — 9th cousin 3x removed. A Civil War general who became the 23rd President of the United States (1889–1893).

The Common Ancestral Bridge: The Masterson Connection

Our kinship with Benjamin Harrison V converges in 16th-century England through Edmund Masterson (1544–1621).

While Edmund’s daughter Nancy Netherton Masterson launched the branch that married into Virginia’s tidewater aristocracy (the Ellises, Armisteads, Churchills, and Harrisons), her sister Anne Masterson anchored the line that immigrated to colonial New England—eventually bringing down through the Ellis, Rockwood, Fisher, Hawes, and Plimpton families right to our own doorstep.

                     Edmund Masterson (1544–1621)

                  [Our Shared 12th Great-Grandfather]

                                 |

        +------------------------+------------------------+

        |                                                 |

  Nancy Netherton Masterson                         Anne Masterson 

     (1590–1610)                                     (1597–1654)

        |                                                 |

  Anne Ellis (1610–1678)                        Thomas Ellis (Immigrant)

        |                                                 |

  Elizabeth Armistead (1633–1685)               Judith Ellis (1658–1758)

        |                                                 |

  Hannah Churchill (1651–1698)                 Mary Rockwood (1683–1763)

        |                                                 |

  Benjamin Harrison (1673–1710)             Elizabeth Fisher (1722–1766)

        |                                                 |

  Benjamin Harrison (1693–1745)                 Beriah Hawes (1746–1829)

        |                                                 |

  BENJAMIN HARRISON V                       Timothy Plimpton (DNA match)

  (1726–1791)                                             |

  Signer of Declaration of Independence      Calvin Plimpton (1815–1874)

  6th Cousin 6x Removed                                   |

        |                                         Charles Henry Plympton

  William Henry Harrison                   Civil War Vet (97th Ohio Vol)

  9th U.S. President                                      |

  7th Cousin 5x Removed                      "Neva" Plympton (1870–1939)

        |                                                 |

  John Scott Harrison                    Lydia Corinna Brown (1891–1971)

  8th Cousin 4x Removed                        Materal Grandmother

        |                                                 |

  Benjamin Harrison                                 Velma (mother)

  23rd U.S. President                                     |

  9th Cousin 3x Removed                           [A Drifting Cowboy]

Connecting the Dots

It’s a humbling perspective to look back across four centuries of American history. On one hand, you have Benjamin Harrison V helping helm a young republic at Philadelphia and Berkeley Plantation, while his son and great-grandson led the nation from the White House.

On our side of that same Masterson heritage, our direct line forged ahead through Massachusetts pioneers, Ohio Civil War veterans like Charles Henry Plympton (Co. K, 97th Ohio Volunteers), Montana homesteaders, and down to my materal grandmother Lydia Corinna Brown and my mother Velma.

We may have ridden different trails—one through the halls of statehouses and the other through the dirt roads and saddle leather of the American frontier—but we share the same blood, the same early colonial roots, and the same quiet commitment to this country.

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy