This was posted on Ancestry. Sources not listed. I post this so you can investigate further concerning its validity:
James changed the spelling by adding an "e" in Westmoreland. On Dec. 2 9, 1624 the "Earldom" of Westmorland passed from the Neville family to the Fane family when Sir Frances Fane was appointed as the 1st (Fane) Earl of Westmorland. Based partly on the fact that Charles and Edmond Neville, the 6th and 7th Earl of Westmorland, both fled England in disgrace. Thomas Neville of Milburn felt in dishonor and reacted by changing his name to Westmorland, the Co in which he was born. His son James, at age 17 left home and sailed for America, landing in Boston, MA on Aug 30, 1652. Moving on south to VA where he settled down and married, and had a son named John. His brother Thomas remained in Milburn, England. James is the first Westmorland to set foot in North America.
