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
Witherby, John (in Sudbury, Mass, 1630)

Vert a chevron Ermine between three rams passant Argent attired Or.

Crozier gives an alternative surname spelling Weatherbee.

Crozier 1
Wiseman, Joseph (Pennsylvania, ca 1810)

Sable a chevron Ermine between three cronels Argent

Bookplate by Vallance. A cronel is the head of a jousting lance.

Bolton
Wise, Maj John, (Accomac Co, Va, 1763-1812)

Sable three chevronels Ermine

Crozier 1,Crozier 2
Winthuysen y Garrasi, Tomás Felipe (b. El Puerto de Sta Maria, Spain, 1705)

Azure a cross gringoly Or, on a quarter Argent three leaves Vert

Spanish governor of Texas, 1741-43. Arms on portraits and published emblazonments of the arm of his cousins.
Winthrop, John (Edwardstone, Suffolk, 1588-Boston, 1649)

Argent two chevrons Gules over all a lion rampant Sable

On his original tombstone, King's Chapel graveyard, Boston; same man as John Wintrop above. The arms are sometimes shown with two instead of three chevronels in the English records.

Zieber
Winthrop, John (Edwardstone, Suffolk, 1588-Boston, 1649)

Argent three chevronels crenelly Gules over all a lion rampant Sable armed and langued Azure

As blazoned in confirmation of the arms to his uncle John Winthrop by Garter Dethick, 1592. So emblazoned on a posthumous portrait of Governor Winthrop, but all contemporary sources show chevronels plain, as they are drawn (but not blazoned) in the visitation records.

Crozier 1, Vermont
1. Winthrop, John (Edwardstone, Suff, 1588-Boston, 1649)
2. Winthrop, Dean (d. Suffolk Co, Mass, 1704)
3. Winthrop, Wait Still (Boston, 1643-1717)
4. Winthrop, Adam (d. Boston, aft 1700)
5. Winthrop, Adam (in Boston 1706)

Argent three chevronels Gules over all a lion rampant Sable.

1. On his seal, with a label for difference, 1620-48. Governor of Massachusetts Bay 1630-34, 1637-40, 1642-44, and 1646-49.
2. Gore Roll of Arms dated 1701 and seal on his will, 1704; son of John Winthrop, #1
3. Gore Roll of Arms dated 1717; grandson of John Winthrop, #1
4. Seal on will, 1700; grandson of John Winthrop, #1
5. Baptismal basin given to Second Church Boston, 1706; son of Adam Winthrop, #4

1. Bolton, NEHGS #7
2. Gore, Her Jl 2:177
3. Gore
4. Her Jl 2:6
5. Bolton
Winslow, John (d. Boston, 1674)

Per pale Argent and Gules a fess counterchanged

Seal (possibly not his) on his will; see arms on his tomb, immediately above.

Bolton
Winslow, John (d. Boston, 1674)

Argent on a bend Gules five lozenges conjoined Or

On side of his table tomb, King's Chapel graveyard, Boston.

Bolton
Winslow, Kenelm, (Droitwich, Worcs, 1599-Salem, Mass, 1672)

Argent on a bend Gules eight lozenges conjoined Or

Brother of Edward Winslow above.

Crozier 1