by John Marshall

“ The family of Blamey, originally Blayney, is of Welsh extraction, and claims to be descended from Cadwallender, King of the ancient Britons. Captain Blamey’s direct ancestor, Edward, a younger son of Thomas ap Jevan Lloyd, after serving Queen Elizabeth in the Low Countries, accompanied the Earl of Essex to Ireland, and settled in that kingdom, of which he was created a peer by James I, July 29, 1621. ”

“ Captain Blarney’s next appointment was, in 1804, to an armed vessel, employed protecting the trade in the British and St. George’s Channels, on which irksome and unprofitable service he remained nearly three years. We afterwards find him commanding the Mediator frigate, armed en flûte, and fitted for the conveyance of supplies to the different blockading squadrons. ”

“ Although much too young to take a part in any of the operations, he was present at the performance of many, if not all, the services in the Chesapeake and Delaware rivers, at the commencement of the American revolutionary war. ”