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m. Est 1648
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Barnes Genealogies (p. 12) says that Thomas' first wife Mary was a daughter of Thomas Andrews. Various sources on the Internet say Mary's maiden name was Needham, but offer no proof. From the Genealogy and Ecclesiastical History of Farmington, Connecticut The ancient church in Farmington was noted for piety, wealth, and influence, and since no list, or catalogue of the original members (to the compiler's knowledge,) has ever appeared in print, he takes the liberty to quote from the original record the following historical facts, only premising that the church, as well as the town records were kept at that early date, by that noted man and recorder, Mr. John Steele. Church Members [Farmington church] Anno Dom 1652 upon the 13th of October ... about the 30th of January 1652 (3) Nathaniel Kellogg and his wife John Steel John Standley Thomas Newell and Thomas Barnes were also joined to the congregation. ... We pass over these lists and dates, and come down in the record to 1st March, 1679-80, when we find a full roll of church members in "full communion'(*) in the church in Farmington. This roll or list seems to be numbered and graded according to rank, standing, or dignity, in the community, beginning with 1, down to 42 heads of families. It is thought our fathers in these nice distinctions took for a basis, "age, list, titles, and whatever else makes a man honorable." Let not the reader be surprised at this practice in the olden time. It was only a necessary preparation for the assignment of seats in the meeting house. If you say such comparisons would not be tolerated in this age, it might be replied, we have no such necessity, for our seats are rented to the highest bidder. 9 Thomas Barnes & his wife (*) Implying that others were under the "half way Covenant" as it was called. From Farmington in Connecticut by Christopher B. Bickford, Farmington Historical Society Farmington was no Salem, but it did not go untouched by the contagion. Periodically, Farmington residents sat on the Hartford juries which considered cases of witchcraft. In 1662, Samuel Hooker was one of four clergymen who examined Ann Cole, whose strange fits were thought to be the devil's work. A chain of circumstances led to Farmington's Mary Barns, wife of Thomas. From The Ancestry of Fanny Barnes and her husband Thomas Knight The records of the Particular Court of Connecticut 1639-1663 have the following: At a Perticuler Court held Jan'y:6:1662/3 Madestrates Mr Allyn Mr Willys Mr Treat Mr Woolcot Mr Clark Secr Mr Jo: Allyn. Jury Willm Wadsworth Lt Filer Edw: Griswold Ens: Olmsted Samll Boreman Gregory Winterton John Coles Samll Marshall Samll Hale Robert Webster Nathall Willet John Gilbert. The Inditement of Mary Barns of Farmington Mary Barns thou art here Indited by ye name of Mary Barnes for not haueinge the fear of God before thyne eyes Thou hast enterteined familiarity with Satan the great Enemy of God and mankind and by his help hast acted things in a preternaturall way beyond ye ordinary Course of nature for which according to ye Law of God and ye established Lawes of this Colony thou deseruest to die. The Prisonr pleaded not Guilty and referd her self to triall by ye Jury. The Jury returne that they find ye Prisoner Guilty of ye Inditement. Mary was executed for witchcraft - probably a public hanging. She was the last person to be so executed in Connecticut. Thomas had to pay the costs of keeping his wife in jail prior to her witchcraft trial: "... and at the quarter court held in Hartford March 5th 1662/3 following allowance was made to Daniel Garrett, the jail keeper,... for keeping goodwife Barns three weeks, twenty-one shillings, besides her fees, which goodman Barns is to see discharged." From Barnes - The Westward Migration of One Line of the Descendants of The Thomas Barnes of Hartford and Farmington, Connecticut She is variously reported to have been hanged, burned, and banished. None of these reports are considered reliable. Mary is mentioned very briefly in the books "The Devil in the Shape of a Woman", "The Devil in Britain and America", and "Witches of Early America". References
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