The following is a transcription of part of another of Richard M. Sherman's letters to James G. Dempsey regarding the origins of Francis Norwood. I include it here although it doesn't add anything new because it does summarize Debrett's findings and an alternative theory about Francis Norwood's arrival in America.
Paragraph 2, 5 March 1986:
The reports essentially conclude that Debrett does not think Francis came from the Leckhampton Norwoods; although it notes in the case of some, such as Capt. Thomas, that it simply has no evidence that he had any children. One hypothesis that fits with available facts was that Capt. Thomas had a son Francis, b. c. 1635, after which Thomas was killed in battle against Cromwell. In the late 1640's, other members of the Norwood family, fearing for the safety of the son of so active a royalist officer, had Francis indentured to a family travelling to Mass., and Francis went to the U.S., perhaps temporarily assuming the family's name; and later resumed his own name when he came of age around 1656-7.
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