Farnsworth, Matthias (Senior) by Dr. Samuel A. Green

Mon Jan 25 10:18:15 MST 1999

Surname:  FARNSWORTH
Source:     Epitaphs from the Old Burying Ground, Groton, MA by Dr. Samuel A.
                Green, Boston: Little Brown & Company 1878
p.238
Matthias Farnsworth, the progenitor of the numerous families in Groton bearing
this name came to Groton from Lynn, MA. (note: b. 1615, Lancashire, England)
He was an original proprietor of the town and owned a twenty-acre right.  His
farm
was situated on both sides of the road leading to Harvard, a little south of
James'
brook, more than a mile from the village.  He was living at Lynn in the year
1657
and at Groton in 1664 though he may have been a resident of each place earlier
than these respective dates.   He died in the latter part of the year 1689
aged 77
years.  The following is a copyof his will, on file in the Middlesex Probate
Office
at East Cambridge: -
"Groton Jenewarey 15th 1688/9 and in the 4 yere of the Rain of King Jams the
sacond I Mathyas farnworth sen of groton in the county of midlsix in new
ingland
aged 77 yers being wall considrat and of sound and parfit Judgment and under-
standing thanks be to god for it I being sensabl of my many frailtyes &
unsartanty
of my natueral lif and knowing what disadvantag many times hapens for want of
a
Right sating the hous in order being desiras to ackt and satl things that
consarns me do mak conshans and do daclare this prasent instrement to be my
last will
& tastement in manar and form as foloweth making voyd all formar wills ather
by word or dead but first I Commit my soul to all myty god my Creater hoping I
shal Rasave full pardon of all my sins throw Jasus Christ and I commit my
bodey to
the earth from whans it was taken to be beured in such deasant manar as my
exsecters shall see meet and first to the distrebiting my eastat I do give to
my beloved wif so long as she lives a widow won third of my whol astat and the
moveables within the hous I do laave to hur to daspose as shee pleases and 
sacondly I do give to my son Mathyas farnworth for his full porshan that vive
accker Right which his deed spasefyes and a peese of madow called by the name
of
half moon madow and twanty akekers of land lying neer a plase called by the
nam
of Prascots olde mill and this to be counted to be his full porshan unlass he
meets]
with malistration by any relations of his and if so then I will give to my son
Mathyas
my hom stall that I now dwall upon with hous & barn and that hom stall that my
son Mathyas now lives on to Raturn in seed thare of.
And thirdly I give to my son John farnworth that five akar Right that his deed
spas-
fyes and tan shilins more to be Payed of the astat for his  full porshan.

Fourthly I give to my son Bangeman farnworth that part of my land lying on the
out sid of my hom stall fans at the lower end of the lot and twanty akkers at
the plas neer prescotts old mill and six akkers of madow lying at south madow
and
this for his porshan.

Fiftly for my son samewall & jonathan farnworth I doe give the Rast of my land
& madow that is undaposed on lying at the old mill for thare porshan.

And I give my daughter Robinson won cow and to my daughter Thatcher I give
twenty shilins and to my daughter Stoon (Stone) won cow and twanty shilins and
to
daughter abigall frnworth twalue pound for her porshuan and as to the Rast of
my
estat undaposed of I leave in the hand of my exsectters to dapose of to my wif
or
children as thay think to be most Rason I mak chois of my son Mathyas
farnworth
with nathanil lawrins (Lawrence) san & Jonas prescott for exsackters this
taken from his own mouth syned and sealed in the prasants of us - his (mark)
                                                                   mathyas (M)
farnworth sen

mark
                                                                   nathannil
lawrance
                                                                       Jonas
Prescott

his mark
                                                                        Nickla
s (S) huchins
Also I give my loam & tacklins for waring to to my son mathyas farnworth
Xbr 17 1689 Charlestowne
Nathan'll Larrance & Jonas Prescott appearing in Court made oath yt they
were prsent when Mathias ffarnworth deced signed sealed and published this
as his last will& Testament, and yt he was of sound judgement and of
disposeing
minde when he did ye same and yt they sett their hands there to as witnesses
with Nicolas Hutchins at att.                     Sam'u Phipps, Clerk

His wife's name was Mary and they had ten children.  The list of them given
below
is compiled from different sources.  It is probable that his "daughter
Robison" was
the wife of James Robertson or Robinson and in that case, her name was
Elizabeth and probably was born in England. James Robertson an original
proprietor of the town married his wife Jan 16, 1667 and she died Dec. 22,
1729
aged 82 years.  I am not sure about the order of the births of his children
but I
suggest the following:  Elizabeth (?) who prob. married James Robertson;
Joseph born Nov. 17, 1657 at Lynn, MA and died Feb. 20, 1686/7; Mary born
Oct 11 1660 at Lynn and married April 11, 1676 Samuel Thatcher of Watertown,
MA; Matthias, born at Groton; John who married Dec. 8, 1686 Hannah dau of
John and Sarah (Eliot) Aldis of Dedham, and had nine children; Benjamin who 
married Mary, daughter of Jonas and Mary (Loker) Prescott and had ten
children;
Samuel who married Dec 12, 1706 the widow Mary (Whitcomb) Willard and had
three children; Abigail born January 17, 1671 and prob. married John Hutchins
of
Groton; Sarah (?) who perhaps married Simon Stone; and Jonathan born June 1
1675 married Ruth (Shattuck) and had fourteen children.

John one of the above sons named, was an influential man in all town affairs.
He
was an ensign in the militia, a selectman, a representative to the General
Court
from 1708 to 1714 inclusive excepting 1711, and a deacon in the church.  In
the
autumn of 1711 he was in command of one of the eighteen garrisons in the town.
The name of Matthias Farnsworth of Groton MA appears in a list of prisoners
in the hands of the French and Indians in Canada March 5, 1710/11, though
there
is nothing in the record to show when he was captured.  He was probably the
son
of Matthias Jr. and if so, he was a young man about 20 yrs old at the date of
the
list.

The first settlement of Charlestown, New Hampshire, then known as Number 4,
was made in the year 1740 by three brothers, Samuel, David and Stephen
Farnsworth natives of Groton (and grandsons of Matthias Farnsworth Sr.)
They all became leading men in the town and distinguished themselves on
several occasions in fights with the Indians.  Samuel Farnsworth the eldest
brother (and son of Samuel, son of Matthias) was killed in a skirmish May 2,
1746; David was taken prisoner by a party of Indians April 20, 1757 and
carried
to Canada.  He managed to escape and reached home prob. soon after his
capture.  Stephen the youngest brother also had his bitter experience with the
savages.  He was captured April 19, 1746 and taken to Montreal, where he
remained seventeen months when he was exchanged.  His health was so
broken down by the hardships of his captivity that he never fully regained it.
He died Sept. 6, 1771 leaving behind him the example of a brave man and a
useful
citizen.
________________________________________________________________
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Jan 24, 1999