Person:Edward Farmer (1)

The following is taken from The New England Historical and Genealogical Register: "He came to New England between 1670 and 1673, fixed his residence at Billerica, and was admitted to town rights and privileges in that place, Jan. 11, 1673. He afterwards lived a year or two at Woburn, and one of his children was born there. In Billerica he was chosen to several of the most important town offices, and was employed in public service, until he was quite advanced in life. He had 8 children, 4 sons, and 4 daughters. To his youngest son, Oliver, he gave the farm on which he resided, which is still in possession of one of his descendants."

EDWARD FARMER WILL

1721

[Note: the spelling and grammar are left as written]

In the name and fear of god amen: bilerica: aprill the tenth 1721 I: edward farmer of bilerica in the county of midlesex in his majesties province of the masechusits bay in new england: yeoman, being by the grace of god of sound understanding and good memory du ordain this testament(?) to be my last will and testament: the which let no man affix a change: and hereby make void all former wills by me made: ___ and first I give my soul into the hands of god that gave it me and my body I recommend to the earth for a decent burial at the discretion of my executors: and after my just debts and funeral charges are satisfied: the rest of that estate that god(?) god of his bounty gave unto me I give and dispose as folowth

1) I give unto my son john farmer the homestead that he now has an which I bought of samuel hill(?) and part of a lot on the west side of concord river. as I had divided it between him and his brother edward farmer. and nine acres of land upon the ____ near dexter(?) ____ and three acres of meadow land lying at the mill swamps to him and his heirs forever.

2) I give unto my son edward farmer about twenty eight acres of land there being severall acres of meadow land lieing within it: and I du further give him part of a lot on the west sid of concord river as I had divided it between him and his brother john farmer. and I du further give him five acres of wood land lying on the side of long hill which I bought of the town for him and his heirs forever.

3) I give onto my son oliver farmer the one half of my homestead with the meadow land by the rim(?) of hills meadow and I du further give him the other half of my homestead after my decease he fulfilling his obligations to me. this I give to him and his heirs for ever.

4) I give to my daughter sarah polard forty shilings besides the twenty pounds that I have given her in my life time. to her and her heirs for ever and I do further give to my son thomas polard five shilings.

5) I give to my daughter mary dean all that which she has formerly had of me in my life time which I judge to be worth about eighteen pounds besides what she shall have at my decease in the movables with in doors and the five pounds that I give to her children: ebenezer is to have no part in the the five pounds because I have given him a lot already(?) to her and her heirs forever.

6) I give to my daughter elizabeth green a cow or the value of it in money with the twenty pounds that I have all ready given her and her fifth part in my houshold stuff with in doors to her and her heirs for ever.

7) I give my movables with in doors my houshold stufs what is left at my decease to be equally divided between mary dean my daughter and my daughter elizabeth green and my grand daughter mary wayman and my granddaughter barbary polard and my grand daughter barbary farmer except a chest of drawers which I give to my grand daughter barbary farmer. and if they cannot agree in dividing this houshold stuff I appoint capt(?) oliver whiting and deacon joseph foster deacon joseph howard to make there decision for them.

8) To the rest of my grand children I give as foloweth. I give to my son john farmers children that is to john and barbary and dority eight pound to be paid by my executers in two years time: and I give to my son edward farmers children five pounds to be paid to them in two years after my decease allso I give to my grandson edward polard four pounds and to my grandson john polard six pounds to be paid to them by my executers in two years after my decease and I du give to the children of my daughter mary dean five pounds to be paid by my executers in three years after my decease.

I give to my son thomas farmers children ten pounds to be paid in two years after my decease by my executers to be equally divided amongst the children.

I give to my son thomas farmer my lot of a hundred acres laid out on the east(?) side of spring water brook besides nineteen pounds that I have already given him and I du further give him five shilings to be paid at my decease.

I do give unto my two sons john farmer and oliver farmer at the a??re division of land that may arise upon my town rights and the money that is due to me by them that I shall have at my decease. shall be equally divided to and among all my children. and I do further give to ____ my son john farmer and my son edward farmer and my son oliver farmer all my movables that shall be left at my decease with out doors to be equally divided amongst them selves and I give to my grand son ebenezer dean my lot of thirty acres of land and meadow lieing on the west side of concord river to him and his heirs for ever which lot I purchased of capt(?) ralph hill. and I do _____ and ____ fully empower my son john farmer together with my son oliver farmer to be my lawfull executers of this my last will and testament: ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness where of I have here onto set my hand and seal this day and year above written in the seventh year of the reign of our sovereign lord georg. by the grace of god of england scotland france and ireland king: signed sealed(?) and declared by the said edward farmer to be his last will and testament

in presence of the subscribers edward farmer Sarah Baldwin thomas _____ Hunt Joseph foster (dead) Joseph J Howard

Taken from http://home.comcast.net/~heidi.quinn/all_warrenline.htm came to New England between 1670 and 1673 The house of Edward Farmer was fortified as a garrison for a number of years. While occupied as such, the following incident occurred, which has been handed down by tradition in the family. During the Ten Years' Indian War, and probably about the year 1692, when the first depredations were committed in the town of Billerica, the Indians meditated an attack on this garrison. For some days they had been lurking in the neighborhood of it without being discovered. Early in th forenoon of a summer's day, the wife and daughter of Edward Farmer went into the field to gather peas or beans for dinner, being attended by several of her sons, who were young lads, as a guard to protect them. They had been out but a short time before Mrs. Farmer discovered that a number of Indians were concealed behind the fences, and so near that she could almost reach them. Had she given any alarm, they would probably have rushed from their lurking-places, seized the party and fled; although their object was to get possession of the garrison, which offered more plunder and a greater number of captives. but with admirable presence of mind, and without making known the discovery she had made, to her sons, who might, with more temerity than prudence, have attacked the Indians, she said, in a loud tone of voice, "Boys, guard us well to the garrison, and then you may come back and hunt Indians."

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 The New England Historical plus Genealogical Register. (Jan. 1847)
   p. 25.
2. ↑ John Farmer. Genealogical Memoir of the Family by the Name of Farmer who Settled at Billerica, Mass.. (Published 1828 by Hingham, Farmer and Brown......Printers)
   p. 6.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Vital records of Billerica, MA to the year 1850
   p. 358.

   "Mr. Edward Farmer above mentioned emigrated from Warwickshire in England. He had one daughter, Sarah besides above who married Thomas Pollard and is not recorded."

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 John Farmer. Genealogical Memoir of the Family by the Name of Farmer who Settled at Billerica, Mass.. (Published 1828 by Hingham, Farmer and Brown......Printers)
   p. 7.
5. ↑ From John Schulke who got it from Parish Records in Ansley. Film.
6. ↑ History of Billerica, MA with a genealogical register
   p. 49.
7. ↑ Taylor, Nathaniel Lane. Genealogist John Farmer Discovers His Ancestry. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (2007)
   161:215, July 2007.
8. ↑ Taylor.

   Child born on 19 Aug 1671 recorded in Billerica records.