William FARWELL

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth FARWELL was born on 02 Nov 1713 in Harvard, Massachusetts; died on 27 Nov 1794 in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

Notes:

Name:
His gravestone in the old Dunstable burying-ground bears this inscription: "Ensign Joseph Farwell died Dec. 31, 1722, in the 82d year of his age." 'The NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL REGISTER gives a Joseph Farwell, s. of Henry, b. in Concorc, 26 Dec. 1640. We know not how to reconcile this date with the inscription above. The date is precisely that of his sister Mary's birth. we can see but two possible solutions of the difficulty, one, an inaccurate statement in the inscription, and the other, the possibility that Joseph b. 26 Dec. 1640, was twin of Mary and died in infancy; and the net child born, our Ensign Joseph, was named after the deceased brother. According to Mr. J-B. Hill, he accompanied his parents on their removal from Concord to Chelmsford about 1654 at the incorporation of that town. He inherited by will of his father "The land that he hath in present possession wt 20 acres of upland lying at little tadmuck, 6 acres of upland lying in the new field," and "The remainder of my accommodations at Chelmsford after my wife's decease" only two small parcels of meadow, namely, one acre lying in the river meadow joining the meadow of Wm. Fletcher, "I give and bequeath to Mary Bates my dauter and one acre and half of meadow lying at little tadmuck joining to the meadow of James Hildrike, to Olife Spaulding my daughter.

He seems to have remained with his mother in Chelmsford till her death in 1691, when according to that will he would come into full possession of his father's bequest. We have no positive information concerning his disposal of the Chelmsford estate; he does not mention it in his will, but it will be observed that he states before signing that instrument; "it is to be understood that all my other children, both sons and daughters, have received their full portions of me already." Possibly his son Joseph whose first two children were born, or recorded, in Chelmsford, may have received his portion in Chelmsford property, as might also his two daughters, Elizabeth and Sarah who married gentlemen of Chelmsford, However, that may be, about 1699 he removed from Chelmsford and became an inhabitant of Dunstable, where he was a large land holder and prominent in town affairs. He as selectman 1701, '2, '5, '7, '10; was Surveyor of Highways 1706, and served on important committees during the years 1712, '14, '15, '17.......

Joseph married Hannah LEARNED on 25 Dec 1666 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Hannah was born on 24 Aug 1649 in Woburn, Massachussetts; died on 2 Apr 1677. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of Isaac Learned and Mary Stearns