| GENERAL NOTES |
| Benjamin Cynton is engraved on an old chest in possession of one of the branches and dated 1650 or 1680.
Benjamin Sinton appears to be the Sinton who emigrated to Northern Ireland and established a large Sinton family in the County Armagh and surrounding areas. His grandchildren are among those who emigrated to America. According to the Sinton Family Outline which seems to go along with the Walter Lyons Sinton research, the name Sinton is derived from one of the ancient tribes of Gaul in the time of Julius Ceasar. These people lived in an area of France near the Charante River, which was called Santoigne. This is on the west coast of France. In Scotland, the name appears as Sinton and Synton, as well as in England. The outline also gives a description of physical attributes found in Sinton descendents. The Sinton's tend to tallness and stoutness with dark hair, inclined to curl. Their face is full, tending to roundness. The Sinton's tend to be a tempermental people, sanguine and not inclined to intellectual ability. Their complexion tends to darkness. In some instances the chin is cleft and usually jutting. Their are always exceptions to the rule; the Sinton's living in Northern Ireland today tend to tallness and are rather light, blond. The Pennsylvania Sinton's tend to shortness, but are dark in complexion and hair. There is a theory in the Irish Sinton's that the family originated from the Swinton family. Evidence, however seems to dispute this. The name Swinton is Saxon in origin and takes it's name from a place called the Barony of Swinton in the county of Berwick in England. Another "famliy tradition" states that the family received a Grant of Land from the Crown, which they called after their name. This same land is now(?) in possession of the Scott family in Scotland. It appears that the Sinton Family did not hold the land any longer than from about 1130 to 1370. A family named Buccleuch took possession after that and in turn lost it to the Scott famliy(1670). This Scott family is the same family of poet Sir Walter Scott. A Walter Scott is named as the first Laird of Harden descended from a branch of Scotts of Buccleuch known as the Scotts of Sinton. Burkes Peerage list this first Laird of Harden as the second son of the Laird of Sinton. It is also probable, according to the outline, that there are Sinton's in England today who were not closely connected to the Scottish family. The theory was that the Sinton's first came from France to England then to Scotland. The English Sinton's are supposed to be of collateral lines that never moved north to Scotland. These branches remained in Worchestershire or Gloucestershire. In Burkes Commoners, you find a Jane, daughter of Sir Haymon Synton married to a Henry Baytum around the early 14th century. There are Sinton place names that can be found in the Worchestershire area -- in the parish of Leigh, a Leigh Sinton and six miles away a Sinton Green. A Marie de Synton is listed on the Ragman's Roll, a list of people loyal to Edward I in 1291. She may be the mother of Andrew de Sinton, Sheriff of Selkirk(appointed by William the Lion) or possibly his wife. Four generations follow in this position. The last to hold the office, another Andrew, died as a prisoner after the Battle of Dunbar. This Andrew's sister, Isabella, later tries to claim, along with her husband Sir Edward de Kethe who was a relative of Bruce, rights to the title of Sheriff of Selkirk. She is turned down, but later a descendent, Sir Robert de Kethe did get the appointment in the days when Bruce was King. It is this family who is supposed to have owned property called "The Ancient Barony of Sinton". All of these theories bear further in depth investigation. One side story that bears mention - in the mid 1980's, Thomas E. Sinton, Sr. was traveling in London, England. He entered a shop and was taken aback when he saw the shopgirl there, whose name tag showed her last name as Sinton - - she was also the spitting image of his sister, Holly Sinton. |
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