A Roll of Early American Arms

Heraldry in the USA
A Roll of Early American Arms

Compiled by Eric Hall, Arian Collins, and Joseph McMillan
Illustrated by Eric Hall, Robert Tucker, Scott Denison, Joseph McMillan, and Chuck Glass

Personal heraldry has been used in what is now the United States since the earliest European settlements. This roll of arms borne in the present-day United States before 1825, compiled by AHS members, is intended to document the vitality of the American heraldic tradition over the years.

Note: Arms are included in this roll based on use as attributed by the sources given. Where it has been possible to validate the user's right to the arms or actual use of them, that information is provided. Names given in italics indicate that we are unaware of any contemporary evidence that the person to whom the sources attribute the arms actually used them, but this should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence of non-use of the arms.

Arms are indexed by the first letter of the armiger's last name. Names beginning with the particules "de," "von," "van," and the like are generally found under the name of the principal word in the surname. Where a person bore multiple surnames, or a surname and title, the arms appear under the name by which he or she is best known in the United States.

ARM NAME BLAZON COMMENTS SOURCE
1. Wetmore, William (Salem, 1749-Boston, 1830)
2. Wetmore, Thomas (Salem, 1767-New Brunswick, 1828)
3. Wetmore, Rev Robert Griffeth (Rye, N.Y., 1774-Savannah, 1803)
4. Wetmore, Samuel (Middletown, Conn, 1775-1851)

Argent on a chief Azure three goshawks Or

1. Bookplate by Revere.
2. Bookplate by Callender; brother of William Wetmore, #1.
3. Bookplate.
4. Bookplate.

1. Bolton
2. Bolton
3. Allen, Amer Book-Plates
4. Bolton
Wethered, Richard (in Massachusetts, 1720)

Gules a chevron between three flesh pots Or

Crozier 1
Westervelt, Lubbert Lubbertsen van (in Flatlands, Long Island, New Netherlands, 1662)

Vert three fleurs-de-lis Argent

Matthews
Westcote, Stukeley (in Salem, Mass, 1636, and Providence, 1638)

Argent a chevron between three escallops Sable

Crozier 1
West, Robert (in Providence, R.I., 1645, and Monmouth, NJ, 1667)

Quarterly, 1st and 4th Argent a fess dancetty Sable (West); 2nd and 3rd Gules three leopards’ faces reversed jessant-de-lis Or (Cantelupe?)

Said to be a cadet of the West Barons de la Warr

Matthews
1. West, Anthony (d. Northumberland Co, Va, 1652)
2. West, Maj Charles (d. Accomack Co, Va, 1757)

Argent on a fess dancetty Sable three leopards’ faces jessant-de-lis Or

2. On tomb, Onancock, Va

1. Crozier 1, Crozier 2
2. Crozier 2, Bolton
1. West, Thomas (Wherwell Abbey, Hampshire, 1577-at sea, 1618)
2. West, Francis (Wherwell Abbey, Hampshire, 1586-d. Elizabeth City Co, Va, 1634)
3. West, John (Testwood, Wilts, 1590-West Point, New Kent Co, Va, 1660)
4. West, Nathaniel (England, 1592-West and Shirley Hundred, Charles City Co, Va, 1623)

Argent a fess dancetty Sable

1. Governor of Virginia, 1610-18, 3rd Baron de la Warr
2. To Virginia 1608; governor-general of the Plymouth Council (New England), 1622-27; acting governor of Virginia, 1627-29; brother of Thomas West, #1
3. To Virginia 1618, acting governor 1635-37; brother of Thomas West, #1
4. Brother of Thomas West, #1

1. Crozier 2, NEHGS #201
2. Crozier 2, NEHGS #201
3. Crozier 2
4. Crozier 2
1. Wentworth, William (Alford, Lincs, 1615-Dover, N.H., 1696)
2. Wentworth, Samuel (of Portsmouth, N.H., 1757)
3. Wentworth, Benning (Portsmouth, N.H., 1696-1770)

Sable a chevron between three leopards’ faces Or.

2. Arms on seal, 1757
3. Arms on seal (1743), bookplate by Hurd; governor of New Hampshire, 1741-66.

1. Crozier 1, NEHGS #44
2. Bolton
3. Bolton
Wensley, John (in Boston, 1662)

Ermine on a bend Gules three escallops Or

"Ancient" water color

Crozier 1, Bolton
Wendell, Jacob (Albany, N.Y., 1691-Boston, 1761)

Azure a ship under full sail proper on a base Or two stockless anchors in saltire Sable

Embroidery, impaling the arms of Oliver, "Argent a hand and arm issuing out of clouds in sinister flank fessways and grasping a dexter hand couped at the wrist all proper," his wife's family.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston