THOMAS FARRAR

(1614/15-1693/4) - Burnley, Lancashire, England & Lynn, Essex co., MA

(Second Generation - Farrar Family)

FATHER
MOTHER
THOMAS FARRAR
ATHELRED [SURNAME NOT KNOWN]


BIRTH & DEATH Thomas was born in 1614/15 in Burnley, Lancashire, England and died in Lynn, Essex co., MA as "Farrar, Thomas, Sr." on 23 February 1693/4; he was 79[2].
OCCUPATIONS& RESIDENCE Thomas was a farmer who lived on Nahant Street in Lynn, Essex co., MA.
EDUCATION He was not educated, as shown by the fact that he could only make his mark on the inventories he took on 26 May, 1678[3].
ADOPTION Thomas' "son" Samuel was actually the son he of his daughter Sarah and her husband Joseph Newhall, whom Thomas adopted.
LEGAL MENTION Thomas and William Bassett took inventory of the Estate of Mrs. Elizabeth King on 26 May 1678[3]. They also took the inventory of the estate of Michael Lambert of Lynn on 29d:9:1676[12]. Finally, Thomas and Henry Collins (who could also only make his mark) took inventory of the estate of John Humphreys, Esq. on 3 July 1663[13]. In 1692, the town "voted that Thomas Farrar, Sen. (and seven others) should set in the pulpit" on account of their age and consequent difficulty of hearing.
1692 WITCH HYSTERIA
"Mercy Lewis v.
Phillip English, Mary English, Lydia Dustin, Elizabeth Johnson, and Thomas Farrer"

"1692/3
Jan. 12. The Deposition of Mercy Lewis Aged [illegible] this Deponant Testifieth & saith that Last night Philip English & his Wife came to mee also Goodwife Dassten Eliz. Johnson & old pharoh of Linn: s'd Mrs English urged mee to set my hand to a Booke & told mee she would Afflict mee Dreadfully & kill mee if I did not, s'd also if I would but touch the Booke I should bee well, or else I should never, s'd Mrs English s'd she might bring the Book now she thought ever one of them would be Cleared & now at this present time before the Grandjury s'd Philip English, his Wife & old pharoah, come in the Roome or their shape & Stroke mee on the Brest: & almost Choaked mee & s'd they would strangle mee if they Could owned before the Grandjury upon the oath she had taken Jen'y 12th 1692/3" [4]

Ann Putnam's deposition against him reads:
"The Deposition of Ann Putnam, who testifieth and saith, that on the 8th day of May, 1692, there appeared to me the apparition of an old gray-head man, with a great nose, which tormented me, and urged me to write in his book; and I asked him what was his name, and from whence he came, for I would complain of his; and people used to call him old father Pharaoh, and he said he was my grandfather, for my father used to call him father. I told him I wouldnot call him grandfather, for he was a wizzard, and I would complain of him. And ever since he hath afflicted me by times, and beating me, and pinching me, and almost choaking me, and urging me continually to write in his book."[5,6]

"The Indictment of Thomas Farrer

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Anno RRs & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c. Quarto Anno'qe Domini: 1692

The Juriors for our Sovereigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen doe present that Thomas Pharoa -- of Linn in the County of Essex husbandman -- the 10th of May In the year aforesaid and Divers other Dayes and Times as well before as after Certaine Detestable Arts calle dWitchcraft and Sorceries wickedly malitiously & feloniously hath used practised and Exersised at and in the Towne of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in and upon and against one Ann Putnam of Salem. Singlewoman by which said wicked acrs the Said Ann Putnam The day and year aforesaid and Divers other Dayes and Times both before and after was and is tortured afflicted Consumed wasted Pined and Tormented against the peace of our Soveraigne Lord & Lady the King & Queen their Crowne & Dignity and the law in that Case made & Provided

Witnesses
Ann Putnam
Elizabeth Hubbard
Sarah Vibber"[7,8]

A mittimus "To the Keeper of Theire Majest's Goale in Boston" was issued from Salem on 18 May 1692 so that Roger Toothaker of Billerica (who died in prison), John Willard of Salem Village, Thomas Farrar of Lynn and Elizabeth Hart of Lynn were all taken into custody and jailed there.[9,10]

MARRIAGE Circa 1645 when Thomas was 31, he married Elizabeth [surname not known], in Roxbury, Suffolk co., MA or Lynn, Essex co., MA[14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. She died on 8 January 1680 in Lynn, Essex co., MA as "Farrer, Elizabeth, w. Thomas"[21].

CHILDREN 3. i. Hanna FARRAR Please see her own page.
4. ii. Susanna FARRAR Please see her own page.
5. iii. Thomas FARRAR Thomas was born in 1657 and died as "Farrar, Thomas, 'Uncle'" in Lynn, Essex co., MA on 29d:10m:1733; he was 76[81]. Thomas, Jr. took the Oath of Freeman on 18 April 1691[79]. Ironically, he was selectman for Lynn in 1692 -- the very year his father was accused of witchcraft.

On 3 March 1680/1 when Thomas was 23, he first married Abigail COLLINS, in Lynn, Essex co., MA[14,82,17,20,75,83]. On 6 December 1682 when Thomas was 25, he second married Elizabeth HOOD, in Lynn, Essex co., MA[14,2075,84,83,85,86].

6. iv. Peleg FARRAR [twin] Peleg was born on 6d:8m (October):1660 in Lynn, Essex co., MA as "Farrer, Peleg"[87] and died in 1660 in Lynn, Essex co., MA, listed under the same spelling of his name[88].
7. v. Mehitabel FARRAR [twin] Mehitabel was born on 6d:8m(October):1660 in Lynn, Essex co., MA as "Farrer, Mehittabell"[87] and died in 12d:8m(October):1660 in Lynn, Essex co., MA under the same spelling of her name[88].
8. vi. Elizabeth FARRAR Elizabeth was born died on 25 October 1677 in Lynn, Essex co., MA[21].
9. vii. Sarah FARRAR Sarah was born on 20 May 1667.




GENERATION Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G8) Grandfather (Susanna)
and
Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (G9) Grandfather (Hannah)
FAMILY NUMBER 1826 and 4062
SOURCES 1. Edward Carroll Death Record, 19 October 1899, Lynn, Essex co., MA, 1866, 192, p. 186, #337.


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