Person:John Firmyn (Firman) (Ffyrmin) (Ffirmin) (1)

John (Firmyn) Firman migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm Biography

       John Ffyrmin married Judith Bridge 3 Jun 1614 at St. Nicholas, Ipswich, Suffolk, England.[1], 3 children born in Sudbury 
       married Susan Bushe (wid of Roger Warrik) 30 Jun 1618, 6 children born in Nayland 

Great Migration Begins

Source:[2]

John Firman was age 46 when he embarked at Ipswich in the Elizabeth, April 1634, bound for New England.[3] This places his birth about 1588.

John's children were baptized at Nayland, Suffolk, England, so he was probably born in that vicinity. A baptism 23 July 1588 in Nayland has been suggested for John, but the parish register (see attached) is very clear that it was William, son of Gyles Firman and Katherine bpt. on that date, so John's parents are unknown.

John married twice in England: (1) by 1615 _____ _____ She was buried at Nayland, 24 Feb 1617/8. John first three children were from this marriage (2) 30 June 1618, at Nayland, Suffolk, to Susan Warren, widow. She was not recorded in any New England (unless she is implied in the grants of Beaverbrook Plowlands and Remote Meadows).

John was made a Freeman in Massachusetts, 18 May 1631, so his trip aboard the Elizabeth was not his first to New England. During the early 1630s, a Henry Jacie wrote three letters to John Winthrop Jr. All three mention John Firman and Ephraim Child

John Firman, resided in Watertown. 10 November 1630, "Firmin, of Watertown, had his wigwam burnt". He was granted sixty acres in the Great Dividend in Watertown, 25 July 1636. The Beaverbrook Plowlands division took place 28 February 1636/7. John was granted nine acres. He was granted nine acres in the Remote Meadows, 26 June 1637, six acres at the Town Plot, 9 April 1638, and in the list of farm grants, dated 10 May 1642, the entry for "Furman," was 121 acres.

John Firmin had eight parcels of land n the Watertown Inventory of Grants. (1) six acre homestall; (2) six acres of marsh; (3)sixteen acres of upland; (4) nine acres plowland in the Farther Plain [Beaverbrook Plowlands]; (5) nine acres in Remote Meadows; (6) sixty acres upland in Great Dividend; (7) six acres upland [at Town Plot]; (8) and seven acre homestall. A later Composite Inventory he had parcels (1) - (6), the other two having been acquired by other persons.

John died probably by 10 May 1642. He was not included in the grants of farms at Watertown at that time. His heirs benefited from this, 16 January 1649/50, it was "Ordered that John Firman's heirs have a just right to a farm as other townsmen have".

CHILDREN (all baptized Nayland, Suffolk):

   ELIZABETH, by first wife, bp. 27 April 1615; possibly m. by 1639 Richard Beers of Watertown,
   JOHN (twin), by first wife, bp. 10 February 1617/8; bur. 18 May 1625
   JUDITH (twin), by first wife, bp. 10 February 1617/8; no further record
   MARY, by Susan, bp. 30 June 1619; no further record,
   JOSIAS, by Susan, bp. 22 April 1621; probably a servant to Governor John Winthrop in the 1630s, and then moved to Hempstead, Long Island
   BENJAMIN, by Susan, bp. 23 February 1622/3; bur. 28 February 1622/3
   MARTHA, by Susan, bp. 30 May 1624; no further record
   JOHN, by Susan, bp. 14 July 1626; no further record
   CATHERINE, by Susan, bp. 14 December 1628; no further record. 

Genealogical Questions Anderson comments: Was the John Firman of New England identical with the John Firman of Nayland whose records he listed? Who were the heirs of John Firman? They were not named in the probate records. He points out the pros and cons, for instance: "Based on the parish register entries cited above, and assuming no more children were born to this couple in New England and that all those not buried in Nayland came to New England, the family in 1637 would have consisted of John Firmin, his wife and seven children. This is consistent with the grants of Beaverbrook Plowlands and Remote Meadows, which were for nine acres." "The nine-acre grants could just as well have been for som combination of persons and livestock, so there may be no connection between the size of the families of John Firman of Nayland and John Firmin of Watertown."

Item 25 Baptisms, 1558-1751; marriages, 1558-1749; burials, 1558-1755. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHD-59TY-V?i=1981&cat=692919 image 1982 of 2200, FHL film 1849154 !!!Note that the attached image shows that it was William Fyrmin (Firman etc) who was baptized 23 Jul 1588. This has not been resolved and a search of the Nayland parish register plus and minus 2 years does not reveal a John Fyrmin baptism. Middle name, incorrect priest, another Fyrmin family?

23 Jul 1588 is the baptismal date most people give to John Firmyn. This image shows, as the original transcriber indicated, that the name is clearly "William". Maybe the priest wrote the wrong name or maybe his middle name was "John". Searching through the parish register I have not found an entry for John Firmyn within 2 years plus or minus this date.

1.   Baptizmal Record Image.

   https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHD-59TY-V?i=1981&cat=692919