Person:John Frary (2)

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link JOHN1 FRARY b. ab. 1600, England, probably in Norfolk; parents and place unknown!; d. June 14, 1675, Medfield, Suffolk Co., MA (VR). He m. June 17, 1628, at Norwich, St. George Colegate Parish, Norfolk, Prudence Townsend; bp. June 28, 1601, at Norwich, St. Mary Coslany Parish, Norfolk; dau. of Edmund Townsend {1}; d. Feb. 24, 1690/1, ae ab. 90, Boston, MA {14 v2:177}. John Frary was admitted a freeman of Norwich on Feb. 25, 1627, following apprenticeship to the cordwainer, Richard Gryme {368}. About 1636-37, John and Prudence, with their sons, Theophilus and John, Jr., and probably Samson, left Norwich and arrived in Massachusetts, probably Watertown. Their future home, Dedham, about 10 miles away and still not organized, was the frontier of civilization. It took courage to leave the seacoast colonies to go inland, but Watertown had ceased granting land to new settlers in 1635 {12:12}, and this development no doubt promped a group there to plan a new town. A Dedham historian writes: "John Frary, on Nov. 28, 1637, was propounded with Robert Williams for John Dwight's gratification lot, but they were not present; he signed the Covenant; and on Feb. 20, 1637/8, they were assigned the lot . . . Frary 's lot was on East Street just south of Walnut Street." Today it is part of Endicott Park {2:168-9}. "Jo Frayrey" was one of the first chosen. The town record says, "These 8 p'sons . . . wer sett a part by ye lord for this service" {4 v2:6,9,13}. John took the freeman's oath March 13, 1638/9 {3 v3:96}, and participated in town affairs; received grants and purchased land; was woodreeve and constable at times {3 v22:165}. In 1651 he owned a modest home valued at nine pounds {4 v3:see index}. As a cordwainer and bootmaker he was considered an artistic workman, and it is said that he also farmed {14 v2:177-180}. When Boston shoemakers formed a monopoly in 1648, those in the surrounding towns, led by Gawen Anderson, Robert Williams and John "Franey," petitioned the General Court, to whom they wrote: "Keeping out Country shoomakers from Coming into the Market wilbe a greate dammage unto the Country for it wil weaken the hands of the country shoomakers from using their trade, or occasion them to Remove to boston which wilbe hurtful to other towns" {5:249-50}. As Dedham grew, the people "feeling straightened at their doores by other towns and rocky lands, asked for a parcel 1 of upland and meadow." This was granted in 1649, to be a distinct town of Medfield, but within the Dedham tract. The new proprietors signed an agreement in 1650, and here is found what appears to be John Frary's signature {7:38} & {3 vl3:346}. John was one of the five men who laid out the grants. The number of acres for each was determined by the size of the family and the value of its livestock; those with the most property received the largest grants {12:68-69}. John Frary was rated second in wealth, worth 316 pounds, when he settled in the middle of Medfield by 1652, having received a 12- acre grant with additional farm land on Stop River. His grant abutted "upon the highway toward the southeast" where now the Common around the Meeting House and the pond on Frairy Street are located. The houselot was along Frairy Street to Dale. Following an active life, including several terms on Medfield' s board of selectmen {13 vl:374}, John died in 1675, and many years later his son, Theophilus, gave the house, land and orchard to the town and church. The house was rented for a while before being torn down for the value of the brick and clay, which were sold to pay to fence the land. His burial place is not known; no marker or cemetery record has been found in either Medfield or Dedham. Today's Frairy Street behind Town Hall is his memorial {6}, {7}, {10:543-50} & {11 v2: 201}. Widow Prudence Frary moved to Boston, making her home with her son, Theophilus, for her remaining years. She was fortunate to leave Medfield at that time, because the following February, during King Philip's War, Indians raided the town, burned 32 houses and other buildings, and killed 17 persons. Half the homes escaped damage, among them the Frary home. John and Prudence are known to have had at least nine children, with the christenings of five found in the parish register of St. Clement's Church, in Norwich, co. Norfolk, England {1}. Samson was very likely the fifth or sixth, and tradition says he was brought from England. Records from Dedham, MA {3 v4:359} & {9}, list the birth of three more: i +Theophilus2 bp. May 15, 1629, Norwich, England, ii Lydia bp. Aug. 8, 1630, Norwich, England; prob. d. young. iii +John bp. Dec. 18, 1631, Norwich, England, iv Lydia bp. Nov. 18, 1632, Norwich, England; prob. d. young. V Isaac bp. Feb. 12, 1635/6, Norwich, England, prob. d. young. vi +Samson b. ab. 1634-1637. (See Chapter III.) vii Isaac b. Dec. 29, 1638, Dedham, MA; d. 1652, Dedham. vili +Eleazer b. Feb. 14, 1639/40, Dedham, MA. (See Chapter IV.) ix Samuel b. Oct. 27, 1641 , Dedham, MA, d. 1652, Dedham.

In the yeare of our Lord, one thousand Six hundred
Seaventy & five 11:4:75, I John Fraire of Medfield, in the
County of Suffolke in New England, being by the good hand
of god's providence preserved unto old age, and Being thereby,
and the infirmityes thereupon attending, put in minde of
my Mortal li tie and Summoned eare Long to appeare before my
god and Saviour Jesus Christ to give an account of all my
wayes, and to receive that Crowne of riteousness layde up
for all those that love the appeareing of Jesus Christ, in
order where unto, ,alsoe for the more full and perfect quiete
of my mine, I have thought good to make and ordaine this, my
last will and testament in manner and forme as followeth.
Viz., first haveing the greatest and Cheifest care of
my Soule, I humbly commit that into the armes of Jesus
Christ my deare Redemer and for my Body I commit that to
the earth from whence it was at first taken to bee Christianly
Burried at the discretion of my execrs, and as for my worldly
goods which god of his mersie have given me, I doe give and
dispose of them as followeth.
Item; I will and bequeth unto my now deare and Loveing
wife Prudence twenty pounds fully and freely to give and
dispose of to whome and when she see meete. Moreover, I
give and Bequeath unto my deere and Loveing wife abovesd the
full and firm use and improvement of all my estate for her
Comfortable subsistence during the time of her Widdowhood,
but in case she shall see good to Change her condition, then
the estate to be divided and my abovsd wife to enjoy one
third pt to her sole and proper use and dispose, still provided
that the legacies to the grante Children and apprentes
be paid out of my whole estate, and I do hereby make my
deere and loveing son Theophilus Frai ry sole heire to and
of my estate, paying out all such Legecies and Bequeathalls
as are any way herein expressed.
I will and bequeath unto my grante Child, Hanna Walker,
the daughter of my son, Theophilus Frairy, five pounds to
bee paid by my hei res within the space of one full yeare
after my wifes decease.
Itm: I will and Bequeath unto the eldest son of my
son Eliazer Frairy, now liveing, ten pound to be paid when
he come to one and twenty yeares of age.
Itm: I will and Bequeath unto Abygall Buckmaster, my
apprentes, pounds to bee paid within two full yeares
after the decease of my now deere and Loving wife, Item, provided
that she truly and faithfully performe her indenture
demening her in all Respects as an apprentes ought to doe.
Item: I will and Bequeath unto my three sons all my
wearing Cloaths, Both Linen and wollen, hatts. Boots and
Shoos; all which Legacies and Bequeathalls Being dully and
truly performed, my will is that all the remainder of my
estate, Being equally proportioned, my son, Theophilus
Frairy to and injoy the one halfe and the other half be
equally divided Between my Sonn Samson and Eliezer Frairy.
And I doe hereby utterly revoake and Renounce all
former Wills and Bequeathalls by me formerly made or ordained
and In Witness that this is my Last will and testament,
Contained in this sheete of paper, I have hereunto
put my hand & affixed my Seale this Eleventh day of June in
the yeare of our Lord, One thousand Six hundred Seaventy
and five.
Signed Sealed & Published Capt. Geo. Barber & Gamaliell
On the pursence of us Hinsdall made Oath in Court this
George Barbur 2 of August 1675 that they,
Gamaliell Hinsdall Being pursent, subscribed there
names as Witnesses to this
Instrumt which John Frairy
signed Sealed and published.
The inventory of John Frary's estate shows a surprisingly high
standard of living and is strong evidence that he was a man of
unusual ability. It is not difficult to conjure up visions of the
rooms in his house, completely furnished with the items listed here
John's date of death, written at the head of the inventory several
weeks after the event, disagrees with the town record and is
probably incorrect. Also given are the date the inventory was
taken, 30th day, 5th month (July on Old Style calendar), 1675, and
the date it was presented to probate court, August 2, 1675.