Family:John Farrar and Mary Wheeler (1)

The article "William Burrows of New Ipswich, New Hampshire" by William Wyman Fiske, in Source:New England Historical and Genealogical Register, p. 154: 290, sorts out many confusing details about this family trying to locate the wife Mercy of William Burrows.

The inclusion of the surviving children and widow of John Farrar in the will of Samuel Merriam strongly suggests that John was the son of John Farrar and Elizabeth Merriam, and thus nephew of Samuel Merriam, not the son of Jacob Farrar, as often seen.

Fiske also argues convincing that of the two daughters born as Mary, the oldest was either renamed or meant to be Mercy. Of the two sons born as John, the oldest John was either renamed or meant to be Samuel.

It says that the wife Mary is still unidentified. However, John Farrar and Mary Farrar, in early 1734, as heirs, consent to the approval of Edward Wheeler's will showing her to be Mary Wheeler (see Person:Edward Wheeler (3)). Note, that Mary's mother was a sister of Samuel Merriam, so this may cause difficulty with the article's attempt to explain the inclusion of John and Mary in Samuel Merriam's will, since it is not longer required that he be a son of Elizabeth (Merriam) Farrar. On the other hand, if John was a son of his sister Elizabeth, and Mary a daughter of his sister Sarah, perhaps it is more understandable that this couple would receive such special attention from Samuel...