From Virginia Through the Southwest:Information about John Farrer
John Farrer (b. December 02, 1550, d. 1628)
ARMS OF JOHN FARRER THE ELDER OF LONDON, ESQUIRE... 1609 |
John Farrer (son of William Farrar and Margaret Lacy) was born December 02, 1550 in Ewood, Halifax, Yorkshire, England, and died 1628 in Ewood, Halifax, Yorkshire, England.He married Cecily Kelke on August 26, 1574 in St. Sepulchre's without Newgate, England, daughter of William Kelke and Thomasine Skerne.
Notes for John Farrer:
JOHN FARRER THE ELDER OF LONDON, ESQUIRE
John Farrer, who was executor of his father's will in April 1573, was married the next year, on August 26, 1574, at St. Sepulchre's without Newgate, London, to Cecily Kelke, daughter of William Kelke, mercer of London, and granddaughter of Christopher Kelke of the Manor of Barnet-by-the-Wold, Lincolnshire, and Great Kelke, Yorkshire. The combination of these families greatly increased their wealth and prestige.
A few years later, in 1580, John Farrer acquired land in Croxton, Lincolnshire, "devised by the Crown for two or three lives." This land was later willed by his son Henry to his children in 1644/45. His interest in Croxton and the neighboring farms which he later acquired must have been due to their nearness to Barnetby, home of the Kelkes for many generations. John Southe, gent, with whom he acquired the South Somercotes property, was a Kelke relative. (according to the Southe pedigree in Harl. Soc., Lincolnshire Pedigrees, pp. 909-10) The Farrer family resided at Croxton, Co. Lincolnshire and also in London periodically. Probably Lincolnshire would have been John Farrer's true home, with London being a place for tending to the necessities of being a landed gentleman.
Although John Farrer is described as "of Croxton" when his arms were confirmed in 1609, the Assistant Archivist of the Lincolnshire Archives, London, writes that "of Croxton" does not necessarily mean that he lived there, but in this case owned manorial rights to the territory, as there is no record of a manor house at this time.
According to Lewis -Croxton is beautifully situated and "upon a lofty eminence about 1/2 mile West of the Village are the remains of an intrenchment, called Yarborough Camp, supposed from the discovery of Roman coins to be a Roman work." The manor belongs today to the Earl of Yarborough.
Christening records of two of the sons of John and Cecily Farrar seem to confirm that the family resided at Croxton, Lincolnshire:
Christening Records:
"John Farrer"Sex: male, Christening: 20 January 1581 in Croxton Parish, Lincoln, England.
Father: John Farrer
"Willyam Farer"Sex: male, Christening: 28 April 1583 in Croxton Parish, Lincoln, England.
Father: "John Farer."
Following are abstracts of deeds to land in the wapentake of Yarborough, Lincolnshire, from Elizabethan Final Concords:
Michaelmas Term 22-23 Elizabeth I (1580)
(Grantees) John Farrer, citizen and merchant of London; (Grantors) Edward South, gent., and Elizabeth his wife and John Southe; Manor of Croxton; Ulceby, Kirmyngton, Wootton, Elsham.
Trinity Term 26 Elizabeth I (1585)
(Grantees) John Farrer, gent &John Southe, gent; (Grantors) Ric Stapleton, knt. & Brian Stapleton, esq.; South Somercotes.
Michaelmas Term 43-44 Elizabeth I (1601)
(Grantees) John Farrar, gent; (Grantors) Tho. Dallyson, esq. & Ann his wife & Wm Dallyson, gent., son & Heir of said Tho.; Manor of Wooton, alias Wotton; the tithes of sheaves corn grain and hay issuing etc., in Wotton, and the common pasture in Wotton, Worleby and Gouxhill.
In July 1609, "the Armorial Bearings of John Farrer of Croxton (were) confirmed as appertaining to him by William Camden Clarenceux, King of Arms." (College of Arms record) The family crest of:
ARMS OF JOHN FARRER THE ELDER OF LONDON, ESQUIRE AND OF CROXTON, LINCS., CONFIRMED IN 1609 consist of as "Argent, on a bend engrailed sable, three horse-shoes of the field; and for the crest, on a wreath of the colours, a horse-shoe argent, between two wings or."
As the second eldest son John Farrer inherited the estates, including Ewood, of his brother Henry after his death without heirs in 1610. John Farrar did not reside at the family estate Ewood, his brothers' widow, Ellen (Blakey) Farrer continued to reside there for some time.
John Farrer was the first of the family granted the right to bear arms, his son Henry also recording his pedigree in 1623 and 1634. He acquired property in Amwell, Broxbourne and Hoddesden in 1597, 1611 and 1613, and on November 24, 1615, "John Farrer the elder of London, Esquire, granted to his sons Henry, John, William and Humfrey lands in Newgate, London." The same day he granted to his son John of Brearley Hall, in Midgley, the following properties: Hanroyd in Midgley, Fearnlee, Cappice, land in Luddenden, two fulling mills, a messuage called Backside and a stable near Luddended Chapel, etc.
John Farrer the Elder had his very long will written on November 14, 1627. On May 28, 1628 the will was proved by his son Henry. Abstract of the will of John Farrer, the elder of London, Esquire, of parish of St. Mary Aldermanbury Parish:
To the poor of Croxton, Lincoln., 'twelve pence a week to be bestowed in bread forever among the poor at the discretion of the heire and his assigns;" and to the poor of St. Mary Adermanbury parish "sixe poundes thirteen shillings and fowerpence at the discretion myne executor and the overseers."To Henry Farrar my oldest son my messuages, lands etc. called Great Eward, Little Wward, Upper Whiteleigh, and Stony Rode in Parish of Halifax County York to him and his heirs forever. To my John whom I have "carefully settled already ... twenty nobles."To his wife Susan 10 pounds. To my son William Farrar "all those messuages, land, etc., in Hoddesden, Bloxeborne and Amwell or elsewhere in the countie of Hertford heretofore conveyed to Henry and John Farrer my sons to use, to my son Willian and his heirs. To him also (William) and his wife and children 20 pounds annuity a yeare during the terme of their lives and longest liver of them to be paid out of Greate Ewood and Little Ewood at ye feaste of ye Annunciation of ye blessed Virgin and St. Michaell the Archangel by my sonne Henry Farrer his heirs or assigns."To my sone Humphfry Farrar his heirs my leases and lands called Sandwith Hall, Nealsinge and other parcel of the manor of Stansted under Borgh, County of York. To said Humphry also, my lease houses in Addlestreet, inthe parish in St. Mary in Aldermanbury, London. To Cicely Farrar daughter of my sone John 40 pounds. To seven children of my son John 4 pounds each.Overseers: My son John Farrer and nephew Henry Wilkenson of Woodesdon, County Bucks, B.D. To each of them 10 pounds and charges. Residue to my son Henry Farrar sole executor. Witnesses: Marke Bradley Senr., John Bulkely, Saml. Wilkinson. John Farrar of London.
In the codicil to his will dated April 24, 1628:
Esquire make this additon. ---200 pounds was delivered to my son John Farrar of Tena County York to stock lands at Sandwith Hall, the said 200 pounds to be divided between my sons John and Humphry.
"Also my will is that my son William shall receive of mine executor fiftie pounds at his return into England. My books and apparel equally between my sons Henry, John, William and Humphry. ... My pewter, brasse, bedding and Linen shalbe divided equally between my fower sonnes Henry Farrer, John Farrer, William Farrer and Humfrey Farrer... and that William Farrar's part shalbe reserved for him or ye valewe thereof in the handes of my overseers, and in case he be not living it shalbe reserved for his wife and children."Twelve pence a week forever in bread upon the poor in Croxton in Lincolnshire out of my estate.
Witnesses to codicil: Henry Croke, Henry Wilkenson."
John Farrer specified that his sons Henry and John, who were occupying the property Great Amwell at the time should relinquish it to William, which they did, for at the time William sold his inheritance to them, Henry was "of Reading, Berkshire," and John of Ewood, John having purchased Ewood from Henry for 2,000 pounds. In June 1631, according to the deed dated Sept. 6, 1631, William returned to England and disposed of his entire inheritance, selling the Hertfordshire properties to Henry and his annuities from the Ewoods to John for a total of 240 pounds.
The deed states that William was to have the priviledge of buying back the property at its sale price plus cost of repairs to be made. From this and the report of the Hertfordshire archivist, Mr. W. R. Hardy, in 1959, that he could find no records of Farrers in the Great Amwell area except of Henry and his family, it is evident that William did not return to England to occupy the property, but remained in Virginia.
Sources:
THE FARRAR'S ISLAND FAMILY AND ITS ENGLISH ANCESTRY by Alvahn Holmes 1972.
More About John Farrer and Cecily Kelke:
Marriage: August 26, 1574, St. Sepulchre's without Newgate, England.
Children of John Farrer and Cecily Kelke are:
- Henry Farrar, b. Abt. 1575, Croxton, Lincolnshire, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England, d. 1610, London, England.
- John Farrar, b. Bef. January 20, 1580/81, Croxton, Lincolnshire, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England, d. 1628, England.
- +William Farrar, b. Bef. April 28, 1583, Croxton, Lincolnshire, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England, d. Bef. October 1636, Farrar's Island, Henrico Co. Virginia.
- Humphrey Farrar, b. Abt. 1585, Croxton, Lincolnshire, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England,d., Sandwith Hall, Nealsinge, Yorkshire, England.