Did the first settlers to America in the 17 century kept their noble titles they had in england?.?

Question

i own some early documents i believe to be from a family

emigrated to america, but they are signed by a baron, could a baron live in america in the 17 century?, or he would leave his noble title in england?.

Answer 1

Very few immigrants had titles, although presumably some younger sons of titled noblemen did immigrate as gentlemen adventurers.  A quick summary of the colonies founded by aristocratic proprietors follows:

---Pennsylvania:  William Penn received the province of West New Jersey, now known as Pennsylvania, in payment for a debt Charles II owed his father.  Many of Penn's fellow Quakers immigrated, but Penn stayed in England.

---Maryland:  Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, received a charter from Charles I as a refuge for English Roman Catholics, dutifully naming his colony after Queen Henrietta Marie.  Lord Baltimore stayed behind in England, sending his younger brothers, Leonard and George, to help organize the colony.

---Georgia:  James Oglethorpe, son of Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe, received a royal charter and hoped to settle the colony with English debtors.  Very few insolvent English took him up on his offer, so English tradespeople and artisans went in their stead.  Oglethorpe personally spearheaded the settlement, taking Charles Wesley with him as his secretary.  Very much an idealist, Oglethorpe originally forbid slavery, but when the venture wouldn't turn a profit without forced labor and settlers started seeking more profitable pastures, Oglethorpe sailed for England.

North Carolina:  In part, begin as a grant to Sir Walter Raleigh, who never made it to the New World.

South Carolina: Lord Proprietors sent settlers.

P. S., on a more personal note--One of my maternal ancestors, a Richard Stout, saved the Duke of York's life.  As a reward, he could choose between a title and a grant of a large tract of land in what is now New Jersey.  Stout chose the land.

Stout probably wasn't an aristocrat because he signed his will with an *X".  Stout did marry an aristocratic Dutch immigrant, Penelope Van Princes, however. A devout Baptist, Stout organized Baptist churches in the New Jersey area.

One of Stout's descendants, a Miranda Stout, married an indentured servant, John Macquarrie, who was transported for fighting for Bonnie Prince Charles at the Battle of Culloden.  No aristocrats here.

One of my paternal ancestors, a John Crawford, was a younger son of a Scottish nobleman.   Crawford died after taking part in Bacon's Rebellion (the earliest colonial protest against taxes--in this case, on whiskey).  Richmond, Virginia, was built upon land once owned by John's son, David.

Answer 2

This is only important at an academic level I should hope because Americans were once proud to have gotten rid of royalty and titles...something to do with all men being created equal......or has America really fallen so far from it's roots that were once praised the world over?

Answer 3

Yes,the first sttlers did retain any title that they may have had in Britain,it was only later that titles were considered outmoded in the New World and discontinued.

Answer 4

His fellow Britains would probably respect the title, although it would not have the meaning without his lands and estates to back them