Lynah family history

Excerpts from the Heyward Family of South Carolina compiled by James B. Heyward

Arms: Azure, a chevron per pale or, and ermine between three garbs of the second.

Crest : On a wreath of the colours, a dester arm embowed, habited gules in the hand proper, a tomahawk.

Arms : The Heywards are one of the few colonial families to whom a Patent for Arms was issued directly, most families in the new world continuing to use the coat of arms used by the European branches of the family. A Patent dated December 1, 1768, from the Herald's College, London, England (Grants, XI, 326), issued to Thomas Heyward, Jr., while a student of law in London.

Whether the names Heyward, Heywood, and Hayward stemmed from a common origin is a matter of conjecture; but it is known that the three variants of the name have existed in England at least as far back as the reign of Richard II, and that the South Carolina branch of the Heyward family descends from DANIEL HEYWARD, who came to the Province of South Carolina in 1672, in the reign of Charles II, from the County of Derby, England

Daniel Heyward brought with him an old book published in 1532, which he apparently used as a family Bible, within which he recorded the names and dates of birth of his children. A signed memorandum in the handwriting of Captain Nathaniel Heyward of the fifth generation of Heywards in South Carolina, says this book; "In a curious old book published in 1532 called "An Exposition of the Creed" by John Smith, it appears that Daniel Heyward wrote his name in 1672 and by his memorandum they had two sons born 19th August, 1673, Daniel and Thomas; also a daughter Elizabeth, born October 18, 1676; also another son, Samuel, born September 20, 1678."

Daniel Heyward died in September 1684 and left a will, the recorded copy of which may be found in the State Archives Department, Columbia. From this document it appears that his wife, whose name is unknown, his son Daniel, and his daughter Elizabeth had predeceased him, for he directs that his whole estate he equally divided between his two sons Thomas and Samuel when his son Samuel reaches the age of twenty years. In the meantime he directs that his estate be left together, and both children maintained upon it, and if either child should die before the time for distribution, the survivor should take the entire estate. He then appoints as executors of his estate two men in and near Charles Town, and his "deare brother Thomas Heyward of Little Easton, near Derby, England. He directs that his children be sent to his above named brother in England, "whom I entreat to he careful in the education of my children and in the improvement of my estate for them." From the above, it would appear that Daniel Heyward was seized of an estate in England as well as in South Carolina.

From later records it appears that by 1690 Thomas Heyward, still a minor, was the only surviving child of Daniel Heyward.

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