Esquire, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, and Southampton, England, wasdescended from a family seated at Barlow, Chorlton-cum-Hardy,Lancashire, from as early as the twelfth century. His branch includedsuch eminent sixteenth century kinsmen as Dr. William Barlow, Bishopof Chichester, and senior consecrator of Dr. Matthew Parker, the firstProtestant Archbishop of Canterbury; Dr. Ralph Barlow, Archdeacon ofWinchester, and Dean of Wells; Ranulph Barlow, Esquire, DiocesanRegistrar of Chichester, and Warden of the Hospital of Ste. Mary; andRoger Barlow, Esquire, South American explorer, and Admiral of theCoast.
The arms of this branch of the Barlow family are: Silver, a chevronengrailed between three crosslets fitchy, sable; on the chevron twolions counter-passant guardant, silver; they were granted in thefifteenth century to John Barlow, Esquire, a cadet of the Lancashirefamily who was Yeoman of the Crown under King Henry Sixth.
In 1593 he was admitted a Burgess of Southampton and thereafter servedall the municipal offices, being Mayor in 1607, and Alderman andKeeper of the Keyes in 1609 and later. He was a merchant adventurerengaged in foreign trade and dealing in textiles; he lived "nearBidlegate within the said towne and at the foote of Simnel Streete" inthe parish of St. Michael, where he was buried in 1620.