Page 254 - Family History

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Included amongst the first migrants who settled in North America was Samuel
Gorton in 1637, John Gorton Virginia in 1679, Steven Gorton in Virginia in 1635.
Probably the most notorious and prolific Gorton Ancestor on the New America
Colonies shores was Samuel Gorton. He and his wife Mary with the first two to
three children and Samuels' brother Thomas came over on the boat "The
Speedwell" landing in Boston in 1637. This Samuel is credited with being the first
judge in the new world, a fair main, religious zealot and he hated the persecution
of himself and his followers by the Puritans and was eventually banned by the

Massachusetts Bay Society. He wrote a charter and went back to England
presenting it to Parliament to gain his independence. Hence he lived in peace
eventually settling in Warwick, RI. He founded that town and served for many
years on the Providence Plantations and General Assembly. Samuel Gorton was
one of the first Governors of Rhode Island. Many books have been written about
him. There is a 1907 Book by Adelos Gorton "The Life and Times of Samuel

Gorton", a 1980 book by Thomas Gorton "Samuel Gorton of Rhode Island and His
Descendants". These books included thousands of Gorton lines and ancestors.

When Samuel came over to the Colonies, the southern coast of Southern England
was extremely overcrowded, near what is now South Hampton, England. Today
there is a huge ferry station where the Mayflower took off with ferries going back
and forth to the Isle of Wight.

The new settlers, as Samuel Gorton, upon arriving in the New America Colonies
found themselves yearning to see this vast land. The east coast of the Colonies
were so overcrowded that from the port of entry on this coast, many settlers
started trekking their way west. The Gorton name spread in the Americas. They
were granted lands along the banks of the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara
Peninsula. Samuel Gorton was great friends of the Indians and was granted most

of the lands that are now the state of Rhode Island from the great Indian Chief
Miantonomo. This is called the Showamet Purchase.

The Surname Gorton includes some very distinguished people. John Gorton is a
famous Australian Politician. Slade Gorton was a Senator in Washington State. In
the U.S. Samuel Slade Gorton founded the huge company the Gorton Fisheries in
Gloucester, Massachusetts. Thomas and Slade Gorton are very famous Gorton
lawyers. Sir Thomas Gorton of England. There are approximately 5,500 people
that have the Surname Gorton that live in the United States. The Gorton Coat of

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