The Minor Family of Somerset

Baron North
Books John North of Farmington,Dexter North, Washington DC 192
1xi 322 p 24 cm, 22-22879,CS71.N86 1921 "John North of Farmingt
on Connecticutand his descendants; with a short account of othe
r early North families."
Introduction "Concerning the antecedents of John North, origina
l proprietor of Farmington, Connecticut, of whose descendants th
is book is a record, nothing is known previous to his arrival i
n this country, save that he sailed fromLondon in 1635 . Thi
s would indicate that he came from the south of England,the eas
tern counties, or from London or its vicinity...
"Some future historian may have time to further examine the pari
sh records of Yorkshire, and therby throw light on what remain
s an unsolved mystery.
"The tradition persists in certain branches of the family in thi
s country that John North was descended from the ancestors of th
e distinguished family of Guildord Norths who were prominent an
d influential in English history, but evidence is lacking tosub
stantiate this connection.
"The two most distinguished members of the family were Francis
, Baron Guildord, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under CharlesI
I and James II, and Frederic, Lord North, Prime Minister under G
eorge IIIduring the American Revolution. Both of these famou
s men have been serverely criticized and harshly censured. Thei
r lives may be found in the encyclopedias.
"In the English family there is a tradition that the first Nort
h entered England with William the Conqueror and married his dau
ghter. Some membersof this family have an ancestral tree showi
ng this origin. The first ancestor of the Guildord Norths menti
oned in the peerage books is Robert North, whowas living in 147
0, in the reign of Henry V. His grandson Edward, born in 1496
, was the first Baron North of Kirtling,County Cambridge, in 155
3-54. Abranch of this family comprise the Norths of County Not
tinghamshire.
"London genealogists have failed to tell us anything about Joh
n North's parentage or place of birth. Although a common ancest
ry with the Guildford Norths cannot be proved, such a relationsh
ip is not unlikely, in view of the fact that the name North is n
ot common in England. That John North's parents were not poor
, as poverty was reckoned in those Days, bay be assumed from hi
s being 'no subsedy man'
"His fellow-passenger, Richard Saltonstall, was said to be relat
ed by marriage to the Norths of Kirtling. Whether there is an
y significance in this and the fact that they were both first se
ttled in Ipswich, Massachusetts, owing perhaps to family ties, o
r whether these were merely coincidences, remains to be determin
ed.