William Jennings Capell

For other people with the same name, see William Capell (disambiguation).

For other people with the same name, see William Jennings (disambiguation).

William Jennings "Bill" Capell (born 9 August 1952), an American retired grocery clerk from Yuba City, California, is the heir presumptive to the Earldom of Essex. He will become the 12th earl if the current earl, Paul Capell, 11th Earl of Essex (currently 80 and unmarried), predeceases him without in-wedlock male issue.

Claim

Capell had considered renouncing the earldom to maintain his United States citizenship (under the United Kingdom's Peerage Act 1963, a person may disclaim a hereditary peerage). U.S. law, however, requires renunciation of noble titles only of persons seeking to become naturalized citizens and of holders of government office (unless they have congressional authorization). As Capell is neither, there would be no legal impediment to his use of the title as a U.S. citizen; indeed, there is precedent in the case of the Earl of Wharncliffe, currently a Maine construction worker.

Like the sixth and later earls, Capell is descended from the younger son of the fourth Earl. His father, Bladen Horace Capell, claimed the title after the ninth earl died in 1981, but Robert de Vere Capell (1920–2005) eventually proved that his ancestor, Algernon, was older than Bladen's ancestor Adolphus and thus took his seat in the House of Lords in 1989.

Personal life

Capell has two children:

• Jennifer Elaine Capell (b. 1974), married Alfred Cabrera in 2004
• Kevin Devereux Capell (b. 1982)

Should Capell succeed to the earldom, his son would acquire the courtesy title Viscount Malden and his daughter Lady Jennifer Cabrera.

In 2005, Capell made his first visit to England with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law. The visit was televised on the tabloid show Inside Edition.

Family tree

Recent relations

(Frances Hanbury Williams, d.1759)

William Anne Capell, 4th Earl

Harriet Bladen d.1821

George Capell, 5th Earl

The Hon. John Capel m. Lady Caroline Paget

Arthur Capell, 6th Earl m. Lady Caroline Beauclerk

The Hon. Algernon Capell m. Caroline Paget

The Hon. Adolphus Capell m. Charlotte Maynard

Arthur de Vere Capell, Viscount Malden m. Emma Meux

Charles Capell m. Alice Bellairs

Rev. Horatio Bladen Capell m. Ada Augusta Howkins

George de Vere Capell, 7th Earl m. Eleanor Hartford

Arthur de Vere Capell m. Alice Currie

Horace Capell m. Clara Jackson

Algernon de Vere Capell, 8th Earl m. Mary Stewart Freeman

Robert de Vere Capell, 10th Earl m. Doris Tomlinson

Bladen Ozro Capell m. Madge Crawford

Reginald de Vere Capell, 9th Earl

Paul de Vere Capell, 11th Earl

Bladen Horace Capell m. Mae Walley

William Jennings Capell

Kevin Capell

External links

[All dead links]

• RootsWeb: CORNELL-L Archives - Sometimes knowing your roots can be very rewarding!! ("reprint" of Los Angeles Times article)
• The International Wenches Guild: Grocery clerk possible Earl of Essex
• Kitsap Sun: (Editor's Choice) Average Joe May Move Into House of Lords
• The Moscow Times: Aristocracy Thrives in Yuba City

Family tree of the Earls of Essex, Earls of Hereford, and Viscounts Hereford

Godwin c. 1001–1053 Earl of Wessex Earl of Hereford (1st creation), 1043 Earl of Hereford (3rd creation), 1058 Earl of Hereford (2nd creation), 1052 Earl of Hereford (4th creation), 1067 Sweyn Godwinson 1020–1052 Earl of Hereford Harold Godwinson (c. 1022–1066) Earl of Hereford, King of the English William de Mandeville (d. before 1130) Ralph the Timid d. 1057 Earl of Hereford William FitzOsbern 1011–1071 1st Earl of Hereford Earldom of Hereford (1st creation) forfeit, 1051 Earldom of Hereford (3rd creation) extinct, 1066 Earldom of Hereford (2nd creation) extinct, 1057 Earl of Essex (1st creation), 1140 Earl of Hereford (5th creation), 1141 William de Say I Beatrice ("Beatrix") de Say d. 1197 Geoffrey de Mandeville d. 1144 1st Earl of Essex Roger de Breteuil 1058– after 1087 2nd Earl of Hereford Miles of Gloucester d. 1143 1st Earl of Hereford Earldom of Hereford (4th creation) forfeit, 1074 William de Say II d. 1184 Geoffrey de Saye I d. 1214 Geoffrey de Mandeville d. 1166 2nd Earl of Essex William de Mandeville d. 1189 3rd Earl of Essex Margaret of Hereford 1122/1123–1197 Roger Fitzmiles before 1125–1155 2nd Earl of Hereford Earldom of Essex (1st creation) extinct, 1189 Earldom of Hereford (5th creation) extinct, 1155 Earl of Essex (2nd creation), 1199 Geoffrey Fitz Peter c. 1162–1213 1st Earl of Essex Beatrice de Say Geoffrey de Saye II 1155–1230 Hawise ("Alice") de Clare Humphrey III de Bohun before 1144–1181 Earl of Hereford (6th creation), 1199 Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville c. 1191–1216 2nd Earl of Essex William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville d. 1227 3rd Earl of Essex Maud FitzGeoffrey Maud de Mandeville Henry de Bohun 1176–1220 1st Earl of Hereford Earldom of Essex (2nd creation) extinct, 1227 Earl of Essex (3rd creation), 1239 Humphrey de Bohun 1204–1275 1st Earl of Essex, 2nd Earl of Hereford Humphrey de Bohun d. 1265 Edward I 1239–1307 King of England Humphrey de Bohun c. 1249–1298 2nd Earl of Essex, 3rd Earl of Hereford Edward II 1284–1327 King of England Elizabeth of Rhuddlan 1282–1316 Humphrey de Bohun 1276–1322 3rd Earl of Essex, 4th Earl of Hereford Edward III 1312–1377 King of England John de Bohun 1306–1336 4th Earl of Essex, 5th Earl of Hereford Humphrey de Bohun 1309–1361 5th Earl of Essex, 6th Earl of Hereford William de Bohun c. 1312–1360 1st Earl of Northampton Humphrey de Bohun 1342–1373 6th Earl of Essex, 7th Earl of Hereford Earldom of Essex (3rd creation) and Earldom of Hereford (6th creation) extinct, 1373 Earl of Essex (4th creation), 1376 Thomas of Woodstock 1355–1397 Earl of Essex Eleanor de Bohun c. 1366–1399 Mary de Bohun c. 1369/1370–1394 Henry IV 1367–1413 King of England Earldom of Essex (4th creation) forfeit, 1397 William Bourchier 1374–1420 Anne of Gloucester 1383–1438 Earl of Essex (5th creation), 1461 Henry Bourchier c. 1404/1406–1483 1st Earl of Essex William Bourchier d. 1480 Viscount Bourchier Anne Woodville 1438–1489 Elizabeth Woodville c. 1437–1492 Edward IV 1442–1483 King of England John Devereux c. 1464–1501 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley Cecily Bourchier (died c. 1492/1493) Henry Bourchier c. 1467/80–1540 2nd Earl of Essex Elizabeth of York 1466–1503 Thomas Parr 1478–1517 Earldom of Essex (5th creation) forfeit 1540 Viscount Hereford Earl of Essex (6th creation), 1540 Walter Devereux 1488–1558 1st Viscount Hereford, 10th Baron Ferrers of Chartley Thomas Cromwell 1485–1540 Earl of Essex Henry VIII 1491–1547 King of England Earldom of Essex (6th creation) forfeit, 1540 Earl of Essex (7th creation), 1543 Richard Devereux c. 1513–1547 Catherine Parr 1512–1548 William Parr 1513–1571 Marquess of Northampton, Earl of Essex Earldom of Essex (7th creation) forfeit 1553, restored 1559, extinct 1571 Earl of Essex (8th creation), 1572 Devereux Baronet of Castle Bromwich, 1611 Walter Devereux 1541–1576 1st Earl of Essex, 2nd Viscount Hereford Edward Devereux c. 1550–1622 1st Baronet Robert Devereux 1565–1601 2nd Earl of Essex, 3rd Viscount Hereford Walter Devereux 1578–1658 5th Viscount Hereford, 2nd Baronet George Devereux c. 1581–1665 Earldom of Essex forfeit, 1601 Earldom of Essex (8th creation) restored, 1604 Baron Capell of Hadham, 1641 Robert Devereux 1591–1646 3rd Earl of Essex, 4th Viscount Hereford Arthur Capell 1604–1649 1st Baron Capell of Hadham Leicester Devereux 1617–1676 6th Viscount Hereford, 3rd Baronet Earldom of Essex (8th creation) extinct, 1646 Earl of Essex (9th creation) and Viscount Malden, 1661 Baron Capell of Tewkesbury in the County of Gloucester, 1692 Arthur Capell 1631–1683 2nd Baron Capell of Hadham 1st Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Henry Capell 1638–1696 Baron Capell of Tewkesbury Price Devereux c. 1637–1673 Vaughan Devereux d. 1700 Barony Capell of Tewkesbury extinct, 1696 Algernon Capell 1670–1710 2nd Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Leicester Devereux 1674–1683 7th Viscount Hereford, 4th Baronet Edward Devereux 1675–1700 8th Viscount Hereford, 5th Baronet Price Devereux 1664–1740 9th Viscount Hereford, 6th Baronet Arthur Devereux d. 1711 William Capell 1697–1743 3rd Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Price Devereux 1694–1748 10th Viscount Hereford, 7th Baronet Edward Devereux c. 1710–1760 11th Viscount Hereford, 8th Baronet Frances Hanbury-Williams c. 1735–1759 William Capell 1732–1799 4th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Harriet Bladen 1735–1821 Edward Devereux 1740–1783 12th Viscount Hereford, 9th Baronet George Devereux 1744–1804 13th Viscount Hereford, 10th Baronet George Capel-Coningsby 1757–1839 5th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden John Thomas Capell 1769–1819 Henry Fleming Lea Devereux 1777–1843 14th Viscount Hereford, 11th Baronet Arthur Algernon Capell 1803–1892 6th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Algernon Capell 1807–1886 Adolphus Capell 1813–1899 Henry Devereux 1807–1839 Robert Devereux 1809–1855 15th Viscount Hereford, 12th Baronet Arthur de Vere Capell 1826–1879 styled Viscount Malden Charles Capell 1845–1924 Horatio Bladen Capell 1839–1933 Robert Devereux 1843–1930 16th Viscount Hereford, 13th Baronet George Devereux de Vere Capell 1857–1916 7th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Arthur Algernon de Vere Capell 1891–1950 Horace Charles George Arthur Capell 1868–1953 Algernon Essex Capell 1869–1952 Henry Addison Devereux Capell 1873–1925 Robert Charles Devereux 1865–1952 17th Viscount Hereford, 14th Baronet Algernon George de Vere Capell 1884–1966 8th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Bladen Ozro Capell 1897–1959 Algernon Arthur Capell Robert Capell Sixth in line to the Earldom of Essex Robert Devereux 1894–1934 Earldom of Essex (9th creation) revived, 1989 Reginald George de Vere Capell 1906–1981 9th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Robert Edward de Vere Capell 1920–2005 10th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Bladen Horace Capell 1922–1978 Colin Capell Robert Milo Leicester Devereux 1932–2004 18th Viscount Hereford, 15th Baronet Earldom of Essex (9th creation) dormant, 1981 Frederick Paul de Vere Capell b. 1944 11th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden William Jennings "Bill" Capell b. 1952 Heir presumptive to the Earldom of Essex Clint Capell Third in line to the Earldom of Essex Craig Capell Fourth in line to the Earldom of Essex Kevin Capell b. 1982 Second in line to the Earldom of Essex Dylan Capell Fifth in line to the Earldom of Essex Charles Robin de Bohun Devereux b. 1975 19th Viscount Hereford, 16th Baronet Henry Devereux b. 2015 Heir apparent to the Hereford Viscountcy