General Notes

William Stroud was a close friend of Oliver Cromwell.  He was the grandfather to Barnard Stroud.  His friendship with Cromwell was probably the reason why Barnard's parent were killed.  He was in the House of Commons.

Taken from Strode Family by Vic Ledger: "William followed commercial pursuits from which he acquired great wealth and reputation for integrity and honesty. In 1627 he purchased the estate of Barrington Court, in Somerset County, which had a great mansion house upon it. Then in a very short time, he became owner of many other estates -- at Martlock, Glastonbury, Street, and other places in Somersetshire. "In Richard Symond's Diary, Symond states that 'William Strode ... lived at Barrington -- 3 myle from Ilminister -- had another house at Street, and hath all the parsonages between this town and Barrington ... his wealth was obtained by being a factor in Spain and the inheritance he received from his father, William Strode, who was a clothier in Shepton-Mallet ...' "The Strodes served over a 200 year period as members of Parliament from Somerset County. William Strode was reelected as a member of Parliament to represent Ilchester, County Somerset in 1640. Thus he served his county in one of the most momentous times in English history. The Long Parliament (1640-1653) had two William Strodes as members. This has caused much confusion. "The similarities of names and principals for which both stood caused this William Strode of Barrington and the William Strode, 'one of five members' impeached by Charles I, to be confused by historians, who should have known better. While William Strode of Barrington was in Parliament, having been returned there from the borough of Ilchester, and being a member of the Long Parliament of 1640, he could not have been one of the 'five members' for the following reasons: "William Strode, M.P. -- 'The Member' -- died in 1645 and was buried in Henry VII's Chapel in Westminster Abbey. William Strode of Barrington did not die until 1666. "That there were two contemporary William Strodes, who were members of the Long Parliament, is clearly proven by the Calendar of State Papers, '... Proclamation for the apprehension of William Strode of the County of Devon, who was accused of sedition ... was one of the representatives of the borough of Beer Alston in Devonshire. "In Collision's Notes and Queries, Second Series, Volume XII, on page 461, '...William Strode, 'the member' ... son of Sir William Strode of Devon ... Beer Alson ... Long Parliament of 1640 ... died 1645.' To compound confusion the fathers of these two Williams were also named William. "William Strode, M.P. for Ilchester in the Long Parliament of 1640, was son of William Strode, clothier of Shepton-Mallet ... he distinguished himself by opposition to the King's authority in Somersetshire ... The State Papers abound with notices of him during this period, and he appears to have been a source of trouble and annoyance to the King, the Bishop, and the Sheriff ... funeral for him was held in the year 1666. "There is more than sufficient evidence to distinguish between the two William Strodes. Both were heavily involved in the opposition to King Charles I as members of Parliament. This mistaken identity has caused much confusion and misinformation amongst Strode descendants in the U.S. Many American descendants have claimed descent from William of Devonshire, the 'one of five members' impeached. In many cases the tradition has been perpetuated without documentation. We feel confident that William Strode of Barrington, Somersetshire is the correct ancestor to the line of Strodes being traced." William died on 20 December 1666 at Barrington and was buried at Beminster, Dorset, England. Wallace Barr, Jr., in The Strode - Barr Descendancy includes a chapter entitled "The Strodes of Shepton Mallet and Civil War" (referencing The Shepton Mallet Story: A Brief Historical Sketch by Fred Davis, Alan Blandford and Lewis Beckerleg, The Shepton Ma