Other Events:

• Residence: York, Yorkshire, England
• Office: 1618; Sheriff of York
• Office: 1629; Lord Mayor of York
• Office: 1641; Lord Mayor of York
• Decoration: 20 Nov. 1641; Knighthood

Family/Spouse: Cecilia Wilford. Cecilia (daughter of Rev. James Wilford and Elizabeth Ashenden) died in 1612. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ann Croft was buried on 29 Dec. 1612 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England.
2. Elizabeth Croft was christened on 6 Feb. 1610/11; was buried in Oct. 1611 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England.

Christopher married Elizabeth Harrison on 21 Nov. 1613 in St. Martin's, Micklegate, York, Yorkshire, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Robert Harrison and Frances Robinson) was buried on 23 Sept. 1643 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Frances Croft was christened on 15 Oct. 1615 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England; was buried on 4 Aug. 1641 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England.
2. Thomas Croft was christened on 22 Dec. 1619 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England; was buried on 7 Sept. 1654 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England.
3. Christopher Croft was christened on 7 July 1629 in St. Martin's, Micklegate, York, Yorkshire, England; was buried on 20 July 1629 in St. Michael's, Ousebridge End, York, Yorkshire, England.

Other Events:

• Residence: East Witton, Yorkshire, England
• Residence: 1611, Cottescue Park, Coverham, Yorkshire, England

Notes:

There is some discrepancy as to the identity of Christopher Croft's wife, who was the mother of Sir Christopher Croft (d. 1649), Lord Mayor of York.

Joseph Foster, Pedigrees of the County Families of Yorkshire (1874), volume I, Pedigree of Croft, of Stillington Park, identified her as "Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Barton, Esq., of Whenby, co. York." On the other hand, Joseph Foster, in his (less thoroughly researched) Familiae Minorum Gentium (edited by John W. Clay), volume II (London, 1895), page 778, identified her as ". . . . dau. of . . . . Clapham of Beamsley." This identity was adopted by the compiler of Coll. Arms MS. Norfolk 2, page 74, which contains numerous inaccuracies.

We are inclined to accept Joseph Foster's identification, since Foster gave a date and place of marriage for Christopher Croft (senior) and Elizabeth Barton, namely 30 June 7 Eliz. at Middleham. We have not been able to verify this date, but the regnal year suggests that Foster's source may have been an official document (such as a Chancery case) rather than a parish register. The Middleham registers were not kept, or do not survive, for 1565.

If you are able to throw any light on the identity of the wife of Christopher Croft (senior), please contact us.

Notes:

Coll. Arms MS. Norfolk 2, page 74, appears to be in error in stating that the father of Christopher Croft was "Henry Croft of East Witton in Yorkshire Gent." The MS. adds: "Descended out of Lancashire lived to a great age." Joseph Foster's identification of Christopher's father as Ralph Croft is supported by the Records of the Court of Chancery, C 2/Eliz/C6/60.

Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th ed. (2003), volume 1, page 965, correctly names him as Ralph Croft, but repeats the remainder of the entry in Coll. Arms MS. Norfolk 2, page 74, in describing him as "of East Wilton [sic], Yorks, though of Lancashire descent."