John Major (17th-century English MP)

For other people named John Major, see John Major (disambiguation).

John Major (d. 1629) was a Southampton cloth merchant and served as member of parliament for Southampton in 1628.[1]

He was the son of John Major, a Southampton brewer who probably originally came from Jersey, and his wife Joyce.[1] His father was an alderman and served as mayor of Southampton in 1601-2.[2] Between 1603 and 1614 Major served terms as constable, steward, bailiff and sheriff of Southampton, before becoming an alderman in 1615. He served as mayor in 1615-16.[1] In 1622 he purchased the manor of Allington close to Southampton for £900;.[3]

In 1628 he was chosen to serve in parliament alongside his business partner George Gallop.[1] He died 21 February 1629, shortly before the session was terminated.[1] By his will he left £200 for the founding of an almshouse in Southampton.[1]

By 1599 Major had married Anne (d.1646), daughter of John Searle of Cossam, Carisbrooke, I.o.W., a yeoman.[1] Her brother John Searle (1569-1622) sat for Newport, I.o.W in 1614. On his death without a direct heir Searle left a substantial bequest to their son Richard.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "MAJOR (MAYOR), John (-d.1629), of Southampton, Hants". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ Horrocks, J.W. (1917). The Assembly books of Southampton. p. 1.
  3. ^ "VCH Hampshire, volume 3: South Stoneham". British History Online. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  4. ^ "SEARLE (SERLE), John (1569-1622), of Newport , I. o. W. and Lincoln's Inn, London; later of Townhill, South Stoneham, Hants". History of Parliament. Retrieved 29 March 2024.