ANTIQUITY OF THE HORTON FAMILY.
The antiquity of the Horton Family is established by the fact, that one Robert De Horton, manumitted a bondman to his manor of Horton, long before the time of Henry Larey, Earl of Lincoln, who died in 1310. It is also ascertained that the Hortons had a manor-house in Great Horton, with a mill and certain demesne lands therewith belonging, at a very remote period.
William Horton, Esq., of Frith House, in Barksland, Halifax, descended from the above-mentioned Robert, married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hanson, Esq., of Toothill, had issue and died about 1640, viz.:
1. William, of Barkisland, or Bark Island Hall, who purchased in the 15th of Charles I., the estate of Howroyde, was born about 1576.
2. Joseph, born about 1578.—Burke's Landed Gentry, vol. 1, p. 345.
It is held that this Joseph settled in Mousely, Leicester Co., and was the father of Barnabas Horton. It is highly probable that Barnabas was not the oldest son, and not inheriting real estate, may have been one reason for his emigrating to America.
It is known that Capt. Jeremy Horton, 18 Aug., 1626, was the master and owner of the ship "Swallow," of Barnstable, and that he made voyages to New England, in 1633 and 1638, and in a subsequent voyage he was shipwrecked and several lives lost—the crew and master came to Boston, but the vessel was lost.
Capt. Roger Horton, about this time, had a prisoner delivered to him, from the White Line Prison, to be transported into parts beyond the seas, to serve in the wars of his majesty's plantations.
Tradition says that Barnabas Horton and family came over in the "Swallow," in 1638, or perhaps earlier, but I have not found his name on any of the lists of emigrants.