C6 71 iqo© lirvijuQJL. ^ A ■:;r /^ .. The Old Fairbank House, Dedham, Mass. Built 1656-48-54. (East Front) ^-TT ^cJ^^x^jit-^Y-^'^^' The Old Fairbanks House. Abridged from a chapter in " Old Colonial Homes" written by Alvin Lincoln Jones, (1894.) Edited for this pamphlet by the Family Historian, ( 190S,) IN some respects the homestead of the Fairbanks family is entitled to the first place in considering the claims of the numerous old houses in the State, to our regard and attention. It is, beyond comparison, more pictur- esque, and in its primitive simplicity it brings us nearer to a true understand- ing of the actual appearance and characteristics of the house of our fore- fathers, than any other house we have seen. It is true that some changes have been made : but these have Ijeen in the nature of repairs rather than alterations, and have merely served to keep the old house from falling to pieces. The shape, size, and finish appear to-day about the same as they have within the memory of the "oldest inhabitant." From the outside it is difficult to realize that this is an occupied dwell- ing. It seems more like an ideal pic- ture, brought before our wondering eyes by some magic power of art. The gray walls, tinted by the brush of Father Time with the natural stain of the rain-drops ; the moss grown shin- gles on the roof in varying shades of sage and mauve ; tlie brightness of the meadow carpet, stretching away to the south, dotted with the yellow white of the " Marguerite " and the buttercup ; the purple shadows on the tree-trunks and on weather-beaten clap boards-^ make a composition of form and color which is hard to equal. That the pic- torial possibilities of the house and its surroundings are appreciated by stu- dents of art is apparent to any one who remains for any length of time at the house ; for hardly a day passes in the out-door season, that the grounds are not overrun by devotees of the easel and sketching-block, or the more nu- merous camera " fiends." It is impossible, in one photograph, to show the construction of this house, much less its remarkable quaintness and picturesqueness. The most pic- turesque view is from the back, as it appears when approached from the railroad station. No other poii t shows so well the lowness of the house as it nestles among the tall and stately trees. The colored frontispiece shows the front ; the house has apparently tur- ned its back to the road, as if to court that retirement which is denied it. The eastern end is also very attractive, and is photographed more frequently than any other section of the house. Facing southerly, the house stands on one of the best corner lots in the town. The large farm which once be- longed to it has long since been divi- ded and scattered among different branches of the family. The lot on which the house stands now, contains j' about one acre. As we come to examine details, we shall see that the house is in three sec- tions, a main part and two wings. The entire length of the house, including the wings is seventy-five feet. The main or middle part has a pitch roof extending down over the lean to at the back to within a few feet of the ground. Both wings are gambrel roofed. Long years ago, an Indian arrow projected from the roof, having been there be- yond the memory of any of the family. [It is a family tradition, that the ar- row was shot in, during the Indian raids in the trying days of the past.] As we stand before the front door we can count eight windows, of which no two are alike in size. Being irregu- larly placed as well, the effect is very peculiar. The boarding of the out- side walk will also attract attention ; for we may see an assortment of sizes, ranging from a narrow clapboard, four inches wide, to some heavy plank measuring twenty-one inches across. Contrary to the usual custom, we do not find the chimney and the front door exactly in the centre, one of the very few exceptions to this rule of building two centuries ago that we have seen. This deviation results in making one of the main rooms larger than the other. The old well, where formerly the well sweep hung, is front of the door, al- though the house is now supplied by the town water. [Through the kind- ness of one of the descendants a new well sweep has been placed in position.] In addition to the main chimney we shall notice a smaller one in the east- ern wing. The western wing never had a chimney, the rooms having been principally used by the hired men as sleeping apartments. Although con- nected with the main part by a door, it stands as a separate house, being built up against the older structure, as may be seen by an examination of the cellar. (This wing is supposed to have been built about 1654.) The doorways throughout the house are so low that a person of medium height can scarcely pass through with- out bending the head. The lower front entry measureseight feet in depth. From this diminutive hall five doors open — the front outside door, those opening into the rooms on either side, a door at the foot of the stairway to the floor above, and another at the head of the stairs to the cellar. The back wall of the upper stairway is formed by the wall of the chimney, as is usual in houses of this period, and the bricks have never been covered. This is the only case of the kind we have ever seen. In the hall we first noticed the extent of the settling of the walk, the front wall having dropped little by lit- tle until the timbers which run from front to back have brokon clear through. Extra pieces have been put in as braces, some of them measuring eleven inches in length. We passed into the kitchen at the left of the entry. Figuratively speak- ing, we passed from the end of the nineteenth century to the middle of the seventeenth century at the same time. No room in the house appears as old this kitchen. It is about sixteen feet square, and is only lighted by two long narrow windows on the front. Overhead all the beams and rafters show, this room never having been plastered. The walls are made of over-lapped boards with roundededges. The outside walls were finished the same way before the clap-boards were put on. All the woodwork in the kitchen has turned to a deep brow^n, chocolate brow'n, the result of age and the smoke from the wood fires of two centuries. Years ago the overhead rafters were painted, but the paint now has almost entirely disappeared. The old fireplace has been covered in, and a modern coal stove was used. The brick oven still remains, but has outlived its usefulness. The chimney at the bottom, measures eight by ten feet. [The covering of the fireplace has been removed ( 1908) and the origi- nal old crane found hanging in place.] A door has been cut from the kitchen into the west wing, and another at the back leads to the room in the leanto. As the floor of the kitchen is a foot or more lower than the room in the leanto a square log has been placed in the doorway as a step. The smooth, deep hollow in the log, caused by the pass- ing and repassing of the countless foot- steps, was one of the most interesting features of the house. The baby, the child, the youth, the maiden, father, "grandpa" and "grandma" have left their imprint here. We missed the well-worn door-stone at the entrance but we found its substitute here. Suspended from two hooks fastened into the great beam in the ceiling, we saw an old smooth-bore musket, two yards long. This gun has a famous history, having been carried to the siege of lyouisburg by Lieut. Joseph Fairbanks. After the surrender, Jo- seph Fairbanks and his family settled at Halifax, where his descendants still remain. A few years ago the owner of the gun sent it to Miss Rebecca, and so the old smooth-bore came to be hung again in its old place after the absence of one hundred and thirty-five years. [This gun was sold by Miss Rebecca to Prof. Henry Fairbanks of St. Johns- bury, Vt., and is at present in the his- toric abode of that branch of the family.] Crossing the entry we enter the par- lor. This was originally about two- thirds the size of the kitchen. An ad- dition was built on to the eastern end, adding about six feet to the width and allowing for two extra windows. The parlor has been plastered, and is in other ways more modern than the kitchen. It is one of the lowest in the house, measuring in the highest part not over six feet in height, and near the front wall which has sunk so much, it is several inches less. Here we found considerable old china and some very old books, and most valuable of all, a set of four colored pictures of the Lexington and Concord fight, by J. Honeywood. These are said to be the original drawings from which the re- Fairbanks and his bride in 1641, his productions which have appeared in father having erected the main struct- some of the magazines were taken. ure five years before. With the excep- One hundred and fifty dollars have tion of the kitchen we found this quite been offered for them and refused. a cosy tenement, having two lower and The leanto contains a room back of one upper room. A very odd little the parlor, which was formerly a bed- porch has been squeezed into the cor- room, and a long room back of the ner of the house, opening from the lar- kitchen and chimney, once used as a ger room. A "settle" or seat fills up sitting room and work-room. The bed- one side of the porch. This we are room has one small window. The told, was a great place for "courting" other room has two windows and an in olden times. outside door, which, owing tothe sink- The larger room in the wing was ing of the walls, is now but four feet John's parlor. One window looks out and four inches high. beside the porch, and two others across Although the leanto is two steps the yard at the back. In the north- higher than the main rooms, we must east corner is a chimney with a fire- go up still another to enter the eastern place in each of the lower rooms. In wing. It is an old tradition in the fam- the parlor, over the fire-place, still ily that this part was built for John swings a wooden crane five feet long. Long years ago, before the discovery of petroleum, the family used to hang grease lamps called "widders," or "old Bettsy," on this crane, to light up the room during the long winter even- ings. The tall old clock in the corner, al- though somewhat over 150 years old is a new comer to the house. It was bought from a family in New Hamp- shire a few years ago. For generations it had told the time in the same place ; and the last owner received it as a leg- acy, with the condition that it should never be sold unless to provide food in case of great need. Years passed away and the struggle for food became more precarious, until finally the ancient heirloom was sold. The small room in the wing was a chamber, and is only separated from the parlor by a board partition. The fire-place in the chamber was once or- namented with old fashionable blue Dutch tiles, two of which still remain. This room has two windows. [These two rooms have been repapered (1908) in dainty reproduction of an old style pattern.] From the main room a winding stair ascends to the chamber above, which is as large as both of the lower rooms. These rooms in the wing are quite mod- ern in appearance, being papered and painted; and seeming very comfortable. From the closet were brought for in- spection two linen counterpanes of un- known age, woven in the house from flax grown upon the farm. Here too, we found a handsome linen table cloth Original Parlor cr Sitting Roonn which belonged to Ebenezer Fairbanks junior, who lived on the old place from 175S to 1832. It is probably over 100 years old, and the design represents the American Eagle and the motto " H Pluribus Unum." In the border is woven the name of the maker, W. W. Coulson, Lisburn, Ireland. Retracing our steps, we found our- selves in the front entry again, from which we went up the enclosed stair- way, where the chimney bricks show, to the floor above. The more we inves- tigated this old part the more surprised we were that a wooden house could have stood so long with such slight changes. The great brown timbers show plainly here, the upright posts widening out at the top to support the transverse beams. Yet, despite the roughness of the finish, much caic is apparent in the shaping and ornamen- tation of the timbers. It is the evi- dence of this nice carpentry which is relied upon as furnishing proof, that the timbers were brought from Eng- land, for which belief there is a well established family tradition. The up- per entry is about the same size as the one below, and is lighted by one window, the outside size of the entire casement being 17 by 22 inches. The window-panes are 7 by 9 size. The room over the parlor has been the family chamber through all the generations that have lived here. A great many of the best relics have been sold or given away, yet we find a store of curiosities remaining. A wooden tray, said to have been brought from England, and a contribution box made of bark and fastened with thongs which was once passed around among the congregation at "clapboard trees" parish by Deacon Benjamin Fairbanks, were among the most interesting articles. [This contribution box sold by Miss Rebecca, has recently been re- turned to the family and is once more in the homestead.] The kitchen chamber, like the room above, has never been lathed or plas- tered. It is a large room, yet the light is admitted by one small window, 20 inches high and 28 inches wide. The entire window swings outwardly from the side. L,ong we linger in this dark chamber, searching the dim corners for souvenirs of the days gone by. We found foot-warmers and spinning- wheels, candle moulds, Dutch ovens, and other articles of Domestic use. Then we ran across a pannier, such as our grandsires slung along the old mare's side when going to mill or up to the post ofl&ce. An ox saddle was a still greater curiosity ; yet from out of the depths of the gloom we brought to light the diamond-shaped panes still remaining. We had about given up all hope of ever finding any of these panes in any house in New England. They were brought from England, and set in strips of lead as putty was not in use at that time. The panes measured three and three-quarters inches across. The diamond-shaped pane was the first window-glass ever used in this country. The garret is reached by a ladder, and contains nothing but cob- webs. The eastern wing being newer, . What of its n as iuterestiug 3d in? Let us possessed no oharacteria v cs differing from other beuses we have vBjted. So nnich for the lion people? Shall we lind th f ^ the home they have U ^(1 and see. There arc persons still living who re- mber Ebenezer Fairbanks, the last male o^ the line to live in the old homestead. He was a man of considerable importance in the town ; a singer of more than local celebrity, his vocal gift securing him a po- sition in the choir of the Congregational Church as well as many invitations to join the '' singin'-schools " of the neighboring towns. He had eight children. Calvin the eld- est, died in l-SOO, at the age 22. His sec- ond son William, married Mille Farrington of Dedham, and had four children. The youngest Sarah was the wife of Augustus H. Endicott. sheriff of Norfolk County. William Fairbanks died Feb. 1, 1 80.3, aged 78 years. Joshua, the youngest child of Ebenezer was born Dec. 2.i, 179(1. He lived at Dedham near the old homestead of which he inherited a part. He married Clarissa Bird of Stougliton in 181G and hml six children. The youngest was Kebecca who was tlie last owner of the ancestral home. Joshua Fairbanks died Oct. 27, 186.T. Of the five daughters of Ebenezer and ^lary Fairbanks, two were married, — Sukey Davis Fairbanks to Jason Ellis of West Dedham, and Mary Fairbanks to Nahum Hurringlon of Westboro. (An an- cient map of our country, aliout one hun- dred years old, owned by Nahum and Mary has been returned (19('7) to the house.) The three unmarried daughters remained at home, and, after the death of their fa- ther, continued to occui)y the old house till death separated them. Many stories have been told regarding the eccentricities of these three old ladies ; but, like all gossip, we found the most of the tales were not true. It was assorted that they could not agree together, and that each lived in a separate part of the house, occupying in- diviuual chambers, and at times refusing to see each other for days and weeks at a time. Indeed remorseless scandal mongers, re- gardless of probabilities, pointed at the three stair-cases, and asserted that these were built to accomodate the whims of these ill-assorted sisters. We want to state, as a matter of justice, that these things are not so. It is true that the sis- ters occupied separate appartmeuts during the last years of their lives ; but it was not dislike to each other, but from the natural desire of old folks to be alone. They had their peculiarities, as might have been ex- pected ; yet as long as they lived they had their meals together and attended to the household duties in turn, each one doing the work for a week. And although the dilapidation of the house made the task of keeping it in order rather dfficult, their housekeeping was of the first order. The painted stairs in the eastern wing, were never ascended without removing the shoes. The woodwork was scrubbed and polished until it shone. We can well believe that the house was a pleasant home during the occupancy of the three sisters. Prudence the eldest of the three, died March 26, 1871, at the ripe old age of 89 years, 11 months, and 12 days. Sarah or 'Sally' as she was called, died May 12, 1877, aged 87 years, 3 months, and 16 days. Nancy, the last of the family, died Jan. 19, 1879, aged 8-1 years, 4 months, and 16 days. Miss Rebecca Fairbanks lived at the old house with her three aunts during the last years of their lives. Throughout the 258 years which have passed over it, the house has never been deeded. A Fairbanks built it, his descend- ants have always owned and occupied it. During the Summer of 19U2 a severe thun- derstorm passed over the town. Miss Re- becca was alone in the house and had just retired, her dog lying under the bed as usual. A bolt of lightning struck the house, passed through the room where Miss Fairbanks was lying and killed the dog. Although much frightened, Miss Fairbanks the following sunmier, and remained until was uninjured. Yet so strong was her tlio estate was purchased by the "Fair- dread of the place and of being alone then- banks Family Association". The V-a\v that she removed to Boston, the following banks house proves a great attraetion U> winter. The house was let, and for the visitors. At present it divides attention first time in its history it was occupied by with the anti'iimrian society's rooms, at the stranijers. Miss Fairbanks returned there centric of the town. T Jonathan Fayerbanke-His History. By John Wilder Fairbank, Family Historian WO "Fairbanks" names appear on l^cvcrett and his wife, (iovcrnor Brew- the early records of the Puritan s^^*'" ^"'J ^^'''^'^ Hutchinson It was „ , r.. , , T- ■ 1 , '^in ve 8th moneth, 1633, that these Co ony. Richard raircbanke came • ' j ,, , ». j il- ..„ ^,u ^ signed "ye covenant, and "in ve qth to Boston in 1633, with his wife Eliza- ^^^^^j^ Eli/.abcth Fairebancke." ' Rich- beth. It is thought that they came in the ^^d was prominently identified with the "Griffin," the ship which brought Rev. public affairs of the new settlement and John Cotton to these shores. Savage, the held many town offices. He was a mem- historian says, that they united with the ber of the Ancient and Honorable Artil- church a month after that great teacher's lery Company, and was the first Post- arrival, on the same day with Elder master of the Colon}'. In 1639 the council granted the petition of the inhabi- tants and the following order was issued: "For preventing the miscarriage of letters, and it is ordered that notice be given Richard Fairebanke, his house in Boston is the place appointed for all let- ters which are brought beyond the seas, or are to be sent thither, are to be brought unto; and he is to take care that they be delivered and sent according to their direc- tions; and he is allowed for every letter a penny, and must answer all miscarriages through his own neglect in this kind, provided that no man shall be compelled to bring his letter thither except he please." He probably served the people thus until his death, as we find nothing further said, until 1677, when the inhabi- tants of Boston again petitioned the council for a postmaster. We learn by deaths filed, that he died prior to April 15, 1667. He left no descendants in the male line, for as far as the records show, he had only two children, Zaccheus, the boy, dying at the early age of 14 years: Constance, the daughter, was born (bapt.) January 10, 1636, and married Samuel Mattock of Boston, March 30, 1653. Ten children were born to them, four only living to bring up families. The history of Richard Fairebanke is an inter- esting one, but our interest, as a family, is all centered in the other arrival. Our Ancestor, Jonathan Fayerbanke, is reported to have come from Sovverby, in the vicarage of Halifax, Yorkshire, England, to Boston, Mass., probably in 1633, at the same time that Richard came. It is not known for sure, but it is thought that they were brothers. The records on this side the water have been searched carefully, but thus far have failed to show the date of their arrival or their relationship. It is hoped that the searchings now going on in the mother land will determine these mat- ters. With Jonathan, came his wife Grace and six children, John, George, Mary, Susan, Jonas and Jonathan. It is said that they brought with them the frame of a house , and that the timbers lay in Boston for three years, during which time Jonathan looked about for a location. He finally decided on Dedham, [Contentment as then called] where he settled in 1636. This old town, now quite famous, was established and named by the (General Court on the "loth of ye 7th moneth 1636." (Sept. loth) on the petition of twelve persons. Thereupon the "Dedham Covenant" was drawn up and signed by the petitioners and others. After the grant of the General Court in 1636, persons were admitted from ,time to time. On the 23d of March, 1637, "Jonathan Fairebanke" being i)resented by John Duite was accepted and subscribt-d. The Covenant was in the nature of a mutual compact concerning the future management of the affairs of the town, and was as follows : THE COVENANT, 1 . We whose names ar here vnto sub- scribed, doe. in the feare and Reuerence of our .Mlmightie God, Mutually : and seuer- ally p'mise amongst our seules and each to other to p'fTesse and practice one truth according to that most p'fect rule, the foundacion where of is Eurlasting Love : 2. That we shall by all meanes I^boure to keepe of from vs all such as ar contra- rye minded. And receaue onely such vnto vs as be such as may be p'bably of one harte, with vs as that we either knowe or may well and truely be informed to walke in a peaceable conuersation with all meake- nes of spirit for edification of each other in the knowledg and faith of the lord lesus ; and the mutuall encouragmt vnto all Temporall comforts in all things : seeke- ing the good of each other out of all which may be deriued true Peace. 3. That if at any time difference shall arise betwene p'ties of our said Towne, that then such p'tie and p'ties shall present- ly Referre all such difference, vnto som one. 2. or 3. others of our said societie to be fully accorded and determined without any further delay, if it possibly may be : 4. That every man that now or at any time heere after shall haue Lotts in our Towne shall pay his share in all such Rates of money, and charges shall be impored upon him Rateably in p portion with other men As also become freely subeject vnto all such orders and constitu- tions as shall be necessariely had or made, now or at any time heere after from this daye fore warde, as well for Loveing and comfortable societie, in ovr said Towne as also for the p sperous and thriuing Condi- cian of our said fellowshipe, especially respecting the feare of God in which we desire to begin and continue what so euer we shall by his Loveing fauour take in hand. 5. And for the better manefestation of our true resolution heere in. euery man so receaud ; to subscribe heere vnto his name there by obligeing both himgelf and his successors after him for euer, as we have done. A Prominent Man. We find that our ancestor was placed at once on a special committee, that he was present month by month at the meetings, taking an active part in the affairs of the town andthat he was a prominent man in those early trying days. He was a man with a good education for the times, a man of strong common sense, sound judgement and good executive ability. "It seems evident," says an able cor- respondent, "that he was a man of strong individuality, and that characteristic, at fm'.%m "4iM^ i' j #^ .' ^vBBil:' ^ w-i. . . ^...M^i^aBBiJil .'m.m VT- ; ■' The Old Fairbanks House, Dedham, Mass. (South Front) Built 1656-48-54 least, his descendants undoubtedly retain to a large extent, for we find many instan- ces of dogged tenacity of purpose marlcing the actions of individuals in each genera- tion, by means of which they have raised themselves to high rank in their respective callings, and we are fully entitled to claim that the average position which has been attained by the menbers of the family in the communities in which they have la- bored, has been snch as to mark it as a family second to none in any respect on this side of the Atlantic." He was evidently possessed of ample means for those days, or he would not have been able to have taken good care of his large family until he secured his per- manent home. He received various grants of land in Dedham at different times, in- cluding the lot on which the house now stands. Before 1637 there had been granted him a twelve acre lot, four acres of which were "Swampe" land ; and in that year he received another allotment of four acres more. In those early days lands were granted to individuals in twelve and eight acre lots, the grants reading thus : "Ordered that euery Twelve Acre Lott shall have foure acres of swampe granted in the first grante there vnto besides what may be granted in any deuident of swampe that may afterwards be layed out." Another order read : "Ordered that eucry man that hath an whole Lott shall haue so many Acres of Meadowe as he hath vpland in his first grante for a house Lott where of part of such pcells of meadowe as lyeth adioyneing to his said Lott shall be granted to him in pt and the remainder shall be made vp else where." In 1642 he was granted "Sixe acres in ye medowe neere vnto the south side of Kallpatc hill." Two other grants appear on the recods in 1644, and in 1656 he was alloted his proportion ol "Comon town rights," six and three-fourths acres. The Ancestral Home, On tne "vpland in his grant for an house Lett," made in 1636, our ancestor built his first house, or rather a part of the present building, in which they hved subsequently ; about 1648, an addition was built, and a few years later, a larger addition was made, which was called "the new house," supposed to be built for the occupation of his oldest son John and his family. There the historic old house has stood till the present- time, "warped and worn by the sunshine and storms" of nearly three centuries. "Winter and summer, frost and heat have done much to undermine its symmetry, and its leaning walls and sloping floors are only held in place by its massive oak." During all this time down to 1897, it has been handed down through eight generations with never a mortgage incumbrance upon it. As to Jonathan's "gude wife," we know nothing at present, but we can not but feel that she was "a fair woman to look upon" and that there was no holding back, when the call came to her husband as it did to Abram of old, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing." It is only recently (1903) that her name and date of marriage have been discovered, all of the Dedham records simply saying, "Jonathan and Grace." Probably at some future time, we may learn of her parentage as well as that of Jonathan the husband, as researches are now being carried forward in the country about the old Sowerby hamlet. The Hali- fax parish register (a few miles from Sower- by) has this record : "161 7, 20 May Nup. Jonathan Fayrbanke — ? and Grace Smith War." War stands for Warley, probably the home of Grace. The same parish register has this record : "Sowerby, George Fayerbanke. Church warden." He was a cousin (of some degree) of Jonathan as the following testifies : * \ I Will of George Faireiuxke of En'gland 1650 This handsomely written copy was folded and sealed, like a letter, without envelope, and addressed in a dilTerent handwriting i from the copyist's ! George ffairebanke his last Will & Testanit. ffor his Lovinge Cousen Jonathan Fayrebancke in new Ingland I these Delivr. The last Will and Testament of George ffairbanke of Sowerby in ye Vickeridge of Halifax & County of Yorke, Clothier May ye xxviijth. 1650 Conserninge ye Disposal of all my world- ly goods : ffirst my will and minde is yt all my lawful! debts ffuneral expenses & char- ges I haue putt lames Platts to in this my sickness bee paid out of my whole Estate ; And then my will & minde is as foUoweth ; Jnprimis J giue and bequeath to Mr. Henery Roote fforty shillingr ; J giue ^.• beipieath to ye poore of Sowerby ye Sum'e of xls to be distributed amongst them as my Executor shall thinkc most fitt ; J giue iS: be'iuaith to Michael ffairebanke my brother xls.; J giue & betjuaith to my brother Deanes' Children wc h hee had by my Sister xls. ; J giue & bequaith to my brother John Axenoppe xls. ; J giue and bequaith to Ellis Rutters & his wife xls. ; J. giue and becjuaith to my brother Jeremias wife and Children xxxs. e(iually to bee deuided amongst them ; J giue and be- quaith unto ye Children of Henery Blackley hee had by my sister Abigail xxs. ; J. giue & bequaith to Mr. Jonathan ffairbanke xxs; J. giue &: bequeath to Sushan Chad- wicke ffic! pounds; J giue & bequeath t" George ffairebanke sonne of George ffaire- banke ye sum'e of 5^^ ; J guie & bequeath to /\braham Platts pe sum'e of 6 /!" ; J giue & bequeath to Nathan Bates sonne of Mathew Bates xs; J giue to Henery Stan- hops xijd ; J giue to Nathan Hobroyd ijs vjd ; J giue to Sara Chadwicke daughter of Sushan Chadwiche vs ; J giue to Nicholas Cunliffe 5s; J giue to Grace Kiluer xs ; J giue to Nathan Carter sonne of Michaell Carter deceased ffive shill. ; J giuve to Sara Platts ffive shill. ; j giue to James Sharpe ffive shill.; J giue to James Casson xs ; J giue & bequeath to Mary Platts wife of James Platts wth whome J now live 5;^ J give & bequethe to Sarah Platts daughter of James Platts 3^ I giue to lohn Bawden & his wife xs ; I giue to Mary Earneshawe and her three Children, eury one of them xs ; J giue to Michaell Earneshaw, my Purple suite, one Ifustion doublett with silver buttons at ; J giue & bequeath to James Platts with whom I now lieu x^ as also a newe peece of cloath Tanney C[ou]ller to be him a suit ; & all such things as to make vpp complete for weareinge, J giue & bequethe to Samuel ffarrer ye summe of 5^ pvided hee bee Lieueinge twelue monthes after my death. Alwayes pvided & my will & minde is yt my Executer shall not payet Legacyes till ye suites now commenced against any pson or psons bee fully ended & if it so fall out yt ye suite or suits com- menced doe call for & expend more then is expected so yt theire is not sufficient to paye ye legacyes giuen then my will& minde is yt eury one shall baite of his Legacie ac- cordinge as my Estate shall fall short ye re- sidue of my goods Catties & Chatties vndi- posed of J giue and bequeth to James Platts whom J ordaine and appointe sole Executer of this my last will and Tetament & I doe hereby revoke all other wills whatsour. In Witnes whereof I haue putte my hand. In ye presence of witnesses Robert Tilletson iVIary Platts Grace Lee Abraham Platts. Vera Copia Concordance with original. This is an interesting document both ass to loving remembrance and showing the re- lationship existing between George and Jon- athan, also that the famous John Prescott,: the founder of Lancaster, Mass., whose daughter I.ydia married Jonas, the third son of Johnath^n, was also "in the family," as his wife was Mary Platts. Of the children of Jonathan and (iracc we have not space to say much about them in this article. At some subse(|uent time we will relate their "going outs." 'I'hcv were all strong characters, well fitted to he the "fathers of towns," as they at least k were. Following the English law of entail, John, the oldest son, came into possession of the homestead and from that time down to 1S97, the old house was continuously occupied by him and his descendants, through eight generations, to Rebecca the last of the fami y tenants. The following document is of much interest : * Latest information ( 1908) seems to point to his being a younger half brother of Jonathan. Will ok Jonathan Fakabnke ok Dki>ham 1668 In the ycarc of our Lord one thousand sixc hundred sixty and eight, the first day of the fourth month, cctm'only c*llcesently buried therein in christ- in buriall at the discretion of my F.xecutor. In prims I giue and bequeath vnto grace mv Deere & well beloved wife, All and Fverv prt and prcell of my all moueable Estate whatsoeuer as well within doors as without, namely all my household sruffe, of all & Euery sort & kinde as also all my cattell of all kinds all my corne cartes ploughs workeing tooles & vtensils of husbandrye all debts due to me & whatsoeuer Ells come within the denomination of moueable Estate & all this I giue and Bequeath to my said wife, to despose as when And to whom shee shall at any time see meete. And more I giue to grace my said wife an Annuitie of Eight pound pr Annm to be paid to her or her assignee to her vse yearely and euery yeare, in two equall parts.** Ite I giue & bequeathe to George (ffarbanke my secon)d sonne & to his heyres for euer, sixteene pounds the one halfe weereof shall be payed to him within the space of one ( ) yeare next ensueing after the decease of my wife ; And whereas I have allready giuen and doe hereby confirme to my said sonne George all that my prt in the general deuident (dividend?) already laid out thro Mead field & some working tooles & such like small things, my will & my mind is, That the said parcell of lande and those tooles and other small things soe giuen shall be all indifferently and Equally aprized and if they shall together amount to the value of eight pounds then it shall be accounted for his first payment. *** And I giue and bequeathe to my daughter Mary the wife of Christofore Smith the summe of sixteen £^ I giue to my said daughter in prticuler, & distinct from her husbans Estate & to be allwayes at her dispose, this sixteen pounds to be payed in two equall (sum'es?) of Eight pounds.*** Item More I giue to my said daughter Mary Three pounds to pur- chase her a suite of apparell to be paid within the space of three months after my decease. Item I giue and bequeath to Jonas ffarbank my third sonne & his heyres for euer like the sume of sixtene pounds to be allso payed in two equal sumes.*** I giue and bequeath to Jonathan ffarbanke my youngest sonne & to his heighers the like suine of sixteene pounds, to be paid allso in two P^cpial Sum'cs.*** Item I giue and bequeath Sarah the Eldest daut^hter of my Sonne John rt"arel)anke one young beast betwixt one and two years of age, & more three pounds to be payed to my Executor when she shall attaine lawfull age. the young beast before mentioned I Rcserue out of the catteil bequeathed to (irace my wife ; Item I giue and bequeath to my Sonne in lawe Ralph Daye fTouty shillings to be payed within six monthes after mv wives decease ; Item I giue & bequeathe to each of the foure Children of the said Ralph which he had by my daucrhtor Susan his late wife the sum'e of tlourtie shillings to be payed souerally as they shall ottaine lawfull age pruided all my other Legacies to my three sounes & and my daughter be first i)ayed in manner as is above Expressed ; Item my mind & my will is that all these my lega- cies aboue bequeathed, the specie or itind of payment wliereof is not named shall be al' ])ayi(l in ciirrt-nl C'oiitrcy payment at priei then Currant In d('(i[ham 1 guie A: baijui-- atlij To John flfarebanke my Eldest sonnr all my houses «X; lands whatsouer, not be- ing formerly aboue [mentioned? togetli]er with all my common Rightes it towne pru- iligcs whatsoeur, to haue posses & enjoy the same ( ) & his lu-yers ( to) enter vpon all my lands forthwith after my decease ; and all my houses and yardes at the end of foure mo'nthes n(ext followin)g the same ; Item I do nominate apoint atid ordaynt.' ,I(jhn Kairebancke my afTorsaiil Eldest Sonne, To lie my sole Executer to whom I commit all necessary trust & power ReLiv 20, 1617, Grace Smith of Warley, England. He died in Dedham, Mass., December 5, 1GG8 ; she died either December 28, 1673, or May 10, ir,70. Their children were all born in England. 1. John, born (bapt) February l.'>. 1617-18; married, March 1, 1641, Sarah Fiske. They lived on the Dedham home- stead, where he died November 13, 1684 ; she died Nov. 26, 1683. Five children. 2. George, born (bapt) November 28, 1619 ; married, October 26, 1646, Mary Adams of Dedham. They removed to Sherborne, afterwards Medway, where he was an esteemed citizen. He was drowned January 10, 1682. His wife died August 11, 1711. Seven children. 3. Mary, born (bapt) Feb. 3, 1621-2; married, April 2, 1644, Michael Metcalf, Jr., who was born in England, August 29, 1620. He died March 1, 1654, and she married secondly, August 6, 1654, Chris- topher Smith of Dedham. She died June 4, 1684. He died November 7, 1676. Five children by first husband, one by the latter. 4. Jonas, born (bapt) March 6, 1624- 5 ; removed to Lancaster, Mass., in 1657, where he married, May 28, 1658, Lydia, daughter of the famous John Prescott who also came from Sowerby, England. He was killed by the Indians, February 10, 1676, during a raid upon the settlement. Seven children. 5. Susan, born (bapt) Dec. 10, 1627 at Thorne; married, October 12, 1647, Ralph Day of Dedham. She died July 8, 1659. Six children. 6. Jonathan, born about 1628-9; re- sided in Dedham near his brother John. He married Deborah, daughter of Edward Shepard of Cambridge. He died Jan, 28, 1711-12 ; she died September 7, 1705. Nearly all persons in the United States bearing the name of Fairbank or Fair- banks, are related by direct descent from Jonathan the first, while there are many others who take a pride in tracing their lineage back through the daughters to the original family tree. Michael Mctcalf Family. \ f ICHAKL Mctcalf, the emigrant \\l\ ancestor of this family, was born XfX in Tattcrford, Count)- of Nor- folk, Kngland. baptized "17th die Jime 1587." He married Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Kli/.abeth Elhvyn, Oct. 13, 1616. She was born in Heigham Eng- land, on the 17th of June, 1593. His father Leonard Metcalf, narrowlv escaped the scaffold in 1569, when he joined in the rising in the North, in the interest of Mary, Queen of Scots. He was captured and condemned, but his execution was "stayed" to wait the Queen's pleasure, — and fmally he was released, as he was announced to be "a very quiet honest gentleman '" His large estates at Yorkshire, however, were taken from him. after which he left the country and settled in Norfolk, where several of his children were born. It was in troublous times that Michae] was born ; being a very zealous noncon- formist, he was often involved in con- troversies with his Hishfjp. Hy occu- pation he was a "Dornix weaver." This Dornix was a kind of stuff used for Cur- tains, Carpets and Hangings. So called from Doornick or Tournay, a city in Flanders, where it was first made. He was highly thought of, a prominent man in the city of Norwich, where he was made a freeman. June 21, 161S. Ele- ven children were there born to Michael and Sarah. Being a zealous Puritan he was hated and bitterly persecuted by the Bishop of Nonvich, Matthew Wren, who twenty years afterwards, when Cromwell was in power, was brought to trial for his persecution of the Puritans. The days came when Michael was obliged to flee for his life, and the following ex- tracts are taken from a copy of his letter written in Plymouth, England, Jan. 13, 1636, directed, "To all the true profes- sors of Christ's Gospel within the City of Norwich." "I was persecuted," he writes, "in the land of my fathers' sepulchres, for not bowing at the name of Jesus, and obser- ving other ceremonies in religion forced upon me, at the instance of Bishop Wren of Norwich, and his Chancellor Dr. Corbet, whose violent measures troubled me in the Bishop's Court, and returned me into the High Commision- er's Court. Suffering many times for the cause of religion, I was forced, for the sake of the liberty of my conscience, to flee from my wife and children, to go into New England ; taking ship for the voyoge at London the 17th of Sept. 1636 ; being by tempests tossed up and down the seas till the Christmas follow- ing ; then veering about to Plymouth in Old England, in which time I met with many sore afflictions. Leaving the ship I went down to Yarmouth, in Norfolk County, whence I shipped myself and family to come to New England ; sailed 15th April, 1637 and arrived three days before mid-summer, with my wife, nine children and a servant." In a postscript he remarks, "My enemies conspired against me to take away my life, and sometimes, to avoid their hands, my wife did hide me in the roof of the house, covering me with straw." This letter from which the extracts are taken, is a long one, written probably after his first attempt to leave ; he speaks of himself as an exile from his wife and children, "with whom he would gladly have continued, if with liberty!' This letter will be printed in full with others in the 'Mctcalf Gcncology ; data for which is gradually being secured by the b'amil)' I listorian. He settled at once in Dedham near to his old friend Jonatiian l'a)-crbanke, where he was admitted a townsman, Jul)' 14, 1637, joining the church in i^>yj, made a selectman in 1641. His name stands first in the committee chosen to " contricthe fabricke of a meeting house." Here his eldest son Michael, met and won his bride, Mary, the eldest daughter of Jonathan Kayerbanke. To them five chiUlren were born. Michael Junior died in the 34th year of his life ; Mary afterwards married Christopher Smith of Dedham. by whom she had one son. The descendants of Michael and Mary are now numbered by the many thou- sands, composing names eminent in Lit- erature, Science, Politics and Art — such names as the Ware's. ICverctt's, Hun- tington's Quincys'. L \ LIBRARY OF ,, II Ml 11 I >{■ I CONGRESS lltlllllllillllllllllilliiililllll!) 018 458