Nicholas Ferrar of the portrait was born 22 February 1593 to 1637 unmarried. His parents were Nicholas Ferrar d 1620 [one of the major sharholders of the Virginia Company] and Mary Woodnoth d 1634 of Shavington Hall, Cheshire. The Woodnoth's were related to most of the gentry in Chehire and go back to Anglo-Saxon times. Nicholas [of the portrait] was not the oldest child and one of 9. Two other brothers William, a barrister and Richard, an adventurer [trader] went to America 1619 & 1636, many descentants in Virginia and Bermuda. His brother John married Anne Sheppard d1613 then he married Bathsheba Owen. Their son Nicholas 1620-1640 [one of 10 children] never married but was a favourite of his uncle Nicholas. The late poet Ted Hughes decends on his mother's side from John and Bathsheba. They are my great grand parents x 9 or 10 back.
Cornelius Janssen painted portraits of Nicholas and Mary Woodnoth Ferrar. All three pictures are held by Magdelene College Cambridge.
