Farnsworth Family

Generation One:

Matthias Farnsworth- b. abt. 20 July 1615 at Eccles, Lancashire, England; m(1) Unknown Nee Unknown; m(2). Mary Farr; d. 21 January 1688, aged 72 years.

M(1) Children:

1. Elizabeth b. 1647; m. 16 January 1667 James Robertson; d. 22 December 1729, aged 82 years.

2. Matthias b. 1649; m. 1681 Sarah Nutting; d. about 1693

3. John b. abt. 1651-2; m. 8 December 1686 Hannah Aldis; d. 17 October 1729

M(2) Children:

4. Joseph b. 16 November 1657 at Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts; d. 31 October 1674, aged 16 years.

5. Mary b. 11 October 1660 at Lynn, Massachusetts; m. 11 April 1676 Samuel Thatcher; d. 17 August 1725, aged 64 years.

6. Sarah b. abt. 1663-4 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m. Simon Stone; d. 16 September 1731, aged 67 years.

7. Benjamin b. abt 1667 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts;

8. Samuel b. 8 October 1669 at Groton, Middlesex, Masschusetts; m. 12 December 1706 Mary Whitcomb; d. 1726-7, aged 57 years.

9. Abigail b. 17 January 1671; m. John Hutchins; 

10. Jonathan b. 1 June 1674; m. Ruth Shattuck; d. 16 June 1748, aged 73 years. 

11. Joseph b. 1677 d. 20 February 1687, aged 10 years.

From the Farnsworth Memorial, p. 27:

" Matthias Farnworth, as his name was first written in early times in this country was usually pronounced "Farnoth," first appears at Lynn, Mass., where he was a resident in 1657; that being the earliest date in which his name appears in the Lynn records. But he was probably resident some years before. when he came to this country, how or with what family is unknown. But that he resided there, was a farmer, and had a farm near what is now federal Street, on which he lived until 1660 or 1661,is very certain." (1. p. 27)

"Matthias is first mentioned in the records of Groton at a town meeting held 27 Nov. 1664:

   :2ly it was this daye voated and granted yt Mathias ffarnworth shall haue fortey polle of land to be layd out agaynst his house next to James his Broke (James' Brook) for a building place pudied (it) do not predgesese the hye way" (1. p. 27).

"At the same meeting Richard Blood, William Lakin, Mathias ffarnsworh, James Knop, and William Longley were chosen emparsall by the town, and John Laurence sen. to arbitrate a dispute, etc." (Seeearly Groton Records by S.A. Green p, 12)." (1. p. 27)

Matthias "must have moved to Groton soon after 1660, as he had his house built and was a resident there, where he was recognized, and an acting citizen." (1, p. 27) There is very little record of his time in Lynn.

Records from the first Groton Meetings:

"The land assigned to the proprietors of the town of Groton is assumed that an "acre right" represented a claim to about 44 acres. "Matthias was an original subscriber for a twenty acre right allowed by the organization, and his several proportions were assigned him, or to his successors to the right, from time to time as divisions were made. (1, p. 32)

Early Records of Groton, p. 178-9

The lands of Matthias Farnsworth:

1. Vplands. His houselot, ninty acres more or less, lyeing on the sids the mill hye way, bounded on the north with the sidhill by James his brook, westerly partly with Justin Holden and party with comon land, south east with the mill hye way.

    The other part of his land, on the east sid of the mill hye way, bounded with lands of Simon Stone on the north and east and on all other poynts with the towne's comon.

2. Sixe acres and a halfe, more or lesse, leying on Indian Hill bounded west tiwth the lands of Jonathan Morsse, and with the lands of John Cooper partly on the east and comon land, the countrey hey way runing thorow, north with Thomas Boyden, south with the ends of the other lots.

3. Eighteen acres, more or lesse, bounded west with the mill roade, southeasterly with the lands of Daniell Pearsse, and on all other poynts with the towne's comon.

4. Seauenty one acre, more or lesse, lyeing on the other side of the mill road bounded east with the mill road, west and southerly with the medowes of the mill brook and on all other poynts with the towne's comon." (1, p. 32)

Generation Two:

Benjamin Farnsworth- b. abt. 1667 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m. April 1695 Mary Prescott at Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts; d.

Their Children:

1. Mary b, 5 January 1696 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m. 1718 William Tarball; d. 29 July 1784.

2. Martha b. 9 January 1698 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; d. 11 February 1698 at Grton, Middlesex, Masschusetts, aged 1 month.

3. Benjamin b. 16 January 1699 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts

4. Isaac b. 14 July 1701 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; . April 1726 Sarah Page; d. 17 December 1744

5. Ezra b. 17 January 1703 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m. 25 April 1726 Elizabeth Lakin; m(2)  29 September 1733 Abigail Pierce at Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts; d. 10 June 1788

6. Amos b. 27 November 1704 at Groton, Middlesex, Mssachusetts.

  "Benjamin Farnsworth built a house and lived on the easterly side of the road running on the westerly side of broad meadow, a little south of the residence of the late Abel Farnsworth. He owned a large stretch of land west of the meadow and southerly of the road from Farmer's Row, across the meadow to the first parish meeting-house. His house was standing until about 1830, bit in the later years it was unoccupied." (1. p. 154)

"Benjamin Farnsworth held several town offices and was Selectman. He and his wife were church members and their children were all baptized. For some time in the latter part of his life his health and with it his mind was impaired and his was was appointed guardian for the necessary care of his estate." (1. p. 154)

Generation Three (1);

Benjamin Farnsworth- b. 16 January 1699 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m(1) 1726 Patience Nee Unknown; m(2) Rebecca Pratt; d. 19 September 1757 of small pox.

M(1) Children:

1. Oliver b. 9 November 1727 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m. 15 December 1749 Sarah Turball; d. 1802 at Shelburne, Franklin, Massachusetts

2. Susanna b. 29 November 1729 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts

M(2) Children:

3. Benjamin b. 24 October 1736 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; d. 31 August 1757

4. Solomon b. 13 October 1738 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts

5.

Fourth Generation (1):

Solomon Farnsworth- b. 13 October 1738 at Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; m(1) 6 December 1770 Lucy Farnsworth; m(2) 23 May 1801 Mary Chute; d. 9 November 1812 at Nova Scotia, Canada;

M(1) Children:

M(2) Children:

"Solomon was in Nova Scotia some time before his marriage. At the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, he remained there with his family and many of his descendants still continue to reside there." (1. pp. 159-160)