U.S. Heraldic Registry
Registration of contemporary and historical American heraldry
Michael Bruce Beitel
Registration number 20060515L
This certifies that the heraldic arms of Michael Bruce Beitel are registered as marshalled arms of (a) his great-grandfather Joseph Witt (b) his maternal grandmother Catherine Ann Witt (c) his maternal grandfather William Harris Britton III and (d) his parents Catherine Ann Britton and Bruce Alan Beitel, and are described by the blazon below
Design rationale
Section 1: (viewers left) is the marshalled arms of Adam von Witt and Maria Majeska; it is morganatic in nature. The marshalling is reversed with the von Witt arms being the unicorn rampant gules, and the Majeska arms being the Prussian eagle displayed sable. The eagle refers to the Majeska family’s connections to Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Prussian nobility. Maria Majeska assumed these arms after eloping to the United States around 1890. It is not known when or where the von Witt family began using the unicorn rampant gules as its charge. The two coats of arms were marshalled morganatically upon the couple’s marriage.
Section 2: is the coat of arms of William Harris Britton III. These arms have been privately held in America since pre-revolution times when they were assumed (possibly illegally). The origin of the bend, estoiles, and tinctures is unknown, but the inescutcheon of the arms of Bretagne refers to the family’s ties to the Duchy of Brittany (through Alain Le Roux). Unconfirmed genealogy claims William Britton’s line supported the invasion of England at the battle of Hastings after which, supposedly, the escutcheon of the arms of Normandie was added to the Britton arms.
Section 3: is the coat of arms of Bruce Alan Beitel. The symbolism of the arms is unknown.
The three sections of the field have been passed down privately (without registration) from the current armiger’s parents. Prior to the creation of these arms, the family had a tradition of maintaining morganatic alliances since at least the late 1800's, which in turn, over-complicated the arms with great grand quarterings. It was decided to abandon this practice of marshalling as it has become quite archaic and confusing. The arms were reorganized into three main sections, and as a reference to the morganatic origins of the arms, the bordure gules was added. It is charged with a triple tressure flory counter-flory or to reference the family’s three most recent morganatic marriages. The current arms came into private use in May of 1982, and further alterations are not to be performed on the arms, even in the event of another morganatic marriage.
Marshalling
Section 1: Adam von Witt and Maria Majeska are the great-great-grandparents of Michael Beitel. Taken as a whole, the upper left section is the coat of arms for Joseph Witt (Michael Beitel's great-grandfather) and his daughter, Catherine Ann Witt (Michael Beitel's maternal grandmother).
Section 2: (viewer’s right) are the arms of Michael Beitel's maternal grandfather, William Harris Britton III.
The upper two sections are the heritable arms of Catherine Ann Britton (Michael Beitel's mother), and they appear marshalled into four quadrants when borne by her. They are also morganatic in nature, with Witt first and fourth and Britton second and third.
Section 3: (base) are the assumed arms of Bruce Alan Beitel, Michael Beitel's father.
Registered by
Armiger
Categories
Personal, Marshalled, US, B
Roll of Arms
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