James Compton, 5th Earl Of Northampton

James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton (2 May 1687 – 3 October 1754), was a British peer and politician. He was known as Lord Compton from 1687 to 1727. Northampton was the eldest son of George Compton, 4th Earl of Northampton, and his wife Jane (née Fox).

His education included attendance at Eton College. Between 1707 and 1709, he traveled on the European continent. In 1710, he was elected to the House of Commons representing Warwickshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for approximately one year before being summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father’s junior title of Baron Compton. This maneuver was part of the political strategy of "Harley's Dozen," a group of twelve peers elevated to the Lords to support the Tory government’s peace negotiations against strong opposition from the Whig party.

He succeeded his father as Earl of Northampton in 1727. Additionally, he inherited the title of 1st Earl of Wilmington from his uncle, Hon. Spencer Compton, in 1743. From his uncle, Northampton also inherited Compton Place in Eastbourne.

In 1716, he married Elizabeth, 15th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley. The couple had children, including a daughter, Lady Charlotte, who succeeded to the barony of Ferrers of Chartley through her mother. Lady Charlotte was also the heir to the barony of Ferrers of Chartley, which can be inherited through female lines. Since Northampton had no surviving sons, the earldom was inherited by his younger brother, George.

References for this information include Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition), Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages, and Darryl Lundy's "The Peerage" FAQ.