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A short History of the Isham Family
The family name Isham was derived from the village of Isham in Northamptonshire. The Ishams
were Lords of Pytchley before 1400.
Sir Euseby Isham (1553-1626) lived in Braunston and in Pytchley, both in Northamptonshire,
England.
Sir Euseby Isham married Anne Borlaise, daughter of Sir John Borlaise. Anne’s mother was
Anne Lytton, daughter of Sir Robert Lytton and he was the 10th great-grandson of King William
I, the Lion of Scotland. Sir Euseby died in 1626 and is buried in Pytchley Church, Pytchley,
Northamptonshire.
The family must have been wealthy, because an Isham Baronetcy was created on the 30th of
May 1627 for Sir Euseby’s son John Isham. The title Baronet was created by King James I of
England in 1611 specifically to raise money. He needed the money to support his troop in Ulster,
Northern Ireland. Applicants paid the king £1,095 for the title. This amount supported thirty
troops and their equipment in Ulster for three years, so it cost about £12 per year per man to
support troops in garrison.
This was a considerable sum of money in 1611 when a gentleman could live comfortably in England
on a few hundred pounds per year. A craftsman earned £26 per year, an urban laborer £17 and
a farm laborer £13, presuming they could find work continually.
Sir William Alexander Earl of Stirling founded Nova Scotia (New Scotland) in 1621 and had the
right to sell the Scottish and Nova Scotia Baronet title for £2,000, to support six colonists,
and a fee of £1,000 to Sir William Alexander. The applicant received the title and 16,000
acres in Nova Scotia.
A baronet ranked below a baron and above a knight, except a knight of the garter outranked a
baronet. Scotland also had the knight of the thistle, who out ranked the baronet.
John 1st Baronet Isham was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire. He was succeeded by his son
Sir Justinian 2nd Baronet Isham (1610 –1675).
Sir Justinian Isham was a Member of Parliament in the 1660s. He was an English scholar and an
early member of the Royal Society. He fought as a royalist in the Civil War and was a member
of parliament for Northamptonshire after the restoration. The fourth, fifth and sixth
Baronets Isham all represented Northamptonshire in the House of Commons.
William Isham (1588-1631) was the son of Sir Euseby Isham and Anne Borlaise. He married
Mary Brett and their son Henry Isham was born in 1628.
The Ishams in America
Captain Henry Isham emigrated to American in 1656, 36 years after the first permanent
English colony in North America at Jamestown, Virginia. He married Katherine Banks Royall
and they lived on their Plantation called Bermuda Hundred in Enrico County, Virginia.
Their daughter Mary Isham of Bermuda Hundred married William Randolph of Turkey Island.
William Randolph was the 10th great-grandson of King Edward III of England. Mary Isham and
William Randolph were the great-grandparents of President Thomas Jefferson.
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A short History of the Isham Family
The family name Isham was derived from the village of Isham in Northamptonshire. The Ishams
were Lords of Pytchley before 1400.
Sir Euseby Isham (1553-1626) lived in Braunston and in Pytchley, both in Northamptonshire,
England.
Sir Euseby Isham married Anne Borlaise, daughter of Sir John Borlaise. Anne’s mother was
Anne Lytton, daughter of Sir Robert Lytton and he was the 10th great-grandson of King William
I, the Lion of Scotland. Sir Euseby died in 1626 and is buried in Pytchley Church, Pytchley,
Northamptonshire.
The family must have been wealthy, because an Isham Baronetcy was created on the 30th of
May 1627 for Sir Euseby’s son John Isham. The title Baronet was created by King James I of
England in 1611 specifically to raise money. He needed the money to support his troop in Ulster,
Northern Ireland. Applicants paid the king £1,095 for the title. This amount supported thirty
troops and their equipment in Ulster for three years, so it cost about £12 per year per man to
support troops in garrison.
This was a considerable sum of money in 1611 when a gentleman could live comfortably in England
on a few hundred pounds per year. A craftsman earned £26 per year, an urban laborer £17 and
a farm laborer £13, presuming they could find work continually.
Sir William Alexander Earl of Stirling founded Nova Scotia (New Scotland) in 1621 and had the
right to sell the Scottish and Nova Scotia Baronet title for £2,000, to support six colonists,
and a fee of £1,000 to Sir William Alexander. The applicant received the title and 16,000
acres in Nova Scotia.
A baronet ranked below a baron and above a knight, except a knight of the garter outranked a
baronet. Scotland also had the knight of the thistle, who out ranked the baronet.
John 1st Baronet Isham was High Sheriff of Northamptonshire. He was succeeded by his son
Sir Justinian 2nd Baronet Isham (1610 –1675).
Sir Justinian Isham was a Member of Parliament in the 1660s. He was an English scholar and an
early member of the Royal Society. He fought as a royalist in the Civil War and was a member
of parliament for Northamptonshire after the restoration. The fourth, fifth and sixth
Baronets Isham all represented Northamptonshire in the House of Commons.
William Isham (1588-1631) was the son of Sir Euseby Isham and Anne Borlaise. He married
Mary Brett and their son Henry Isham was born in 1628.
The Ishams in America
Captain Henry Isham emigrated to American in 1656, 36 years after the first permanent
English colony in North America at Jamestown, Virginia. He married Katherine Banks Royall
and they lived on their Plantation called Bermuda Hundred in Enrico County, Virginia.
Their daughter Mary Isham of Bermuda Hundred married William Randolph of Turkey Island.
William Randolph was the 10th great-grandson of King Edward III of England. Mary Isham and
William Randolph were the great-grandparents of President Thomas Jefferson.
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