Brampton Gurdon

Notes:

Burgess to Parliament for Sudbury, Suffolk, 1620. Sheriff of Suffolk, 1628-29.

From the History of Parliament:

Gurdon's grandfather bought the Suffolk manor of Assington, four miles from Sudbury, in 1556, and his father represented the borough in 1571. Gurdon himself was committed to the Fleet by lord chancellor Ellesmere (Thomas Egerton) in 1606 for an unknown offence. He was elected for Sudbury in January 1621, although the return was backdated to the previous November. Gurdon may have been responsible for the election of his colleague, Edward Osborne, whose sister-in-law married (at an unknown date) Gurdon's younger son Robert. Gurdon appears only once in the surviving records of the third Jacobean Parliament, when he was appointed to the committee for the bill for catechizing children (16 May 1621).

In January 1626 Gurdon successfully proposed (Sir) Robert Naunton as one of the knights of the shire for Suffolk, recruiting his friend and neighbour the future governor of Massachusetts John Winthrop to canvass prominent members of the Suffolk gentry, such as Sir Robert Crane. Like Winthrop, Gurdon was a puritan, and when the anti-Calvinist Matthew Wren took control of Norwich diocese in 1636, it was reported that 'Mr. Gurdon is questioned for not bowing and kneeling at burial prayers'. On 11 Apr. 1637 Gurdon wrote gloomily to Winthrop in New England: 'I would I could write you anything like to give comfort to any honest English mind for church or commonwealth'.

Gurdon's eldest son John represented Ipswich in both the Short and Long Parliaments. Gurdon himself served on the county committee during the Civil War, although it is difficult to distinguish him from his younger son Brampton, who, like him, was an active supporter of Parliament. Gurdon drew up his will on 17 Oct. 1647, leaving an imposing collection of silver and furnishings to his second wife, together with 500 marks, his best coach, five horses, and a musket. Her son Brampton, who had been returned for Sudbury as a recruiter, inherited property in Norfolk, and the local clergy and servants received monetary bequests. The poor of Assington were to receive £20 and those of Sudbury £5. Gurdon was buried at Assington on 2 Apr. 1650. His eldest son moved up to represent the county in the first Protectorate Parliament, and sat for Sudbury in the Convention.

Brampton married Muriel Sedley on 8 Jul 1606 in St. Peter's, Morley, Norfolk, England. Muriel (daughter of Martin Sedley and Abigail Knyvet) was born before 20 Apr 1583 in Morley, Norfolk, England; was christened on 20 Apr 1583 in St. Botolph's, Morley, Norfolk, England; died on 22 Aug 1661 in Letton, Norfolk, England; was buried in Letton, Norfolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 22 Apr 1688, Hulme, Lancashire, England
• Alternate death: Bef 25 Apr 1688

Notes:

One of JTS's eleven proven "gateway ancestors."

She went to New England with he husband in 1635, but by 1643 it was evident that colonial life was taking a serious toll on her health. On 10 May 1643 Richard Saltonstall was granted permission to leave the Massachusetts General Court due to her illness. They returned to England late in 1645; he then went immediately back to New England.

"There is no evidence that Muriel Saltonstall was ever in New England again. Henry Newcome saw the Saltonstalls at Hulme in Lancashire on 19 June 1667, and reported that she was very weak. She died in 1688. Newcome preached her funeral sermon at Didsbury. Muriel Saltonstall's dislike of New England apparently extended to a desire that her portrait should not be sent to Massachusetts after her death." [Abandoning America, citation details below.]

Muriel married Maj. Richard Saltonstall on 4 Jul 1633 in All Hallows, Honey Lane, London, England. Richard (son of Richard Saltonstall and Grace Kaye) was born before 1 Oct 1610; was christened on 1 Oct 1610 in All Hallows', Almondbury, Yorkshire, England; died on 29 Apr 1694 in Hulme, Lancaster, England; was buried on 2 May 1694 in St. James', Didsbury, Lancashire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Nathaniel married Elizabeth Ward on 28 Dec 1663 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. Elizabeth (daughter of Rev. John Ward and Alice) was born on 1 Apr 1647 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 29 Apr 1741 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married Rev. Rowland Cotton in Sep 1692 in z. Rowland (son of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter) was born on 27 Dec 1667 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony; died on 18 Mar 1722 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]