From this interesting family we learn, that William Horrocks, the father of the present James, of whom we have been speaking, was born in 1657, four years after Oliver Cromwell was declared protector, and one year before his death. He would be two years old when Richard Cromwell, who succeeded his father, resigned; and four years old when Charles II. was crowned in 1661. The exact period of his first marriage we have not been able to ascertain; but it is certain that his bride was employed as nurse in the well-known family of the Chethams, either at Turton Tower, or at Castleton Hall, near Rochdale. By this marriage he had four children, as appears from the following memorandums, written in an excellent hand in the back of an old black-letter Bible, printed in 1583: "Mary, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Horrocks, was born the 15th day of September, and baptised the 23d day of the same month, Anno Dom. 1683." "John, the son of William and Elizabeth Horrocks, was born the 18th day of January, and baptized the 25th day of the same month, Anno Dom. 1686." "Ann, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Horrocks, was born the 14th day of March, and baptized the 23d day of the same month, Anno Dom. 1699." "William, the son of William and Elisabeth Horrocks, was born the 9th day of June, and baptised the 17th day of the same month, Anno Dom. 1700." At what time his wife died, we are also unable to ascertain; but there is no doubt he remained a widower for many years, and at length married his housekeeper, a comely blooming young woman, whose kindness to the old man was unremitting, and he married her in 1741, at the age of eighty-four, she being at the time only twenty-six. This marriage evidently attracted much attention in the neighbourhood, and we find that, about two years afterwards, the old man and his youthful partner were sent for to Castleton Hall, the residence of a branch of Humphry Chetham's family, where they were treated with great kindness, and a portrait painter engaged to take their likenesses, which are now in the possession of their son, and add much to the interest of a visit to him. These portraits are well executed; and, of course, appear rather like those of a grandfather and his grandchild than of husband and wife, although he appears more like sixty than eighty-six. In front of each painting is prominently inscribed the age of each of the parties, and the date when the portrait was taken. Upon that of the husband the inscription is, "ÆTA: 86--1743." And upon that of the wife, "ÆTA: 28--1743." These, it appears, were taken two years after their marriage, and preserved in the Chetham family, at Castleton Hall, as great curiosities. In the following year, the present James was born, as appears from the following entry on the back of the same old Bible: "James, the son of William and Elizabeth Horrocks of Bradshaw Chapel, was born March 14th, 1744."