FATHER

Thomas Farrar

MOTHER

Athelred

WIVES

Elizabeth

Abigail Collins

 CHILDREN

1. Hannah Farrar
    b. Abt. 1646
    m. Feb 1665 Thaddeus Berry
    d. 5 Jun 1721

2. Sarah Farrar
    b. Abt. 1648
    m. 20 May 1667 Melatiah Lothrop
    d. 23 May 1712

3. Thomas Farrar
    b. Abt.1655
    m. 6 Dec 1682 Elizabeth Hood
    d. 29 Dec 1733

4. Susanna Farrar
    b. 26 Jan 1658/9
    m. 1 Jun 1679 Joseph Newhall
    m. Abt. 1713 Benjamin Simonds
    d. 1 Feb 1733

6. Mehitable Farrar
    b. 06 Aug 1660
    Oct. 1660

7. Peleg Farrar b. 06 Aug 1660
    d. 1660

8. Elizabeth Farrar
    youngest daughter according to will and obviously still alive in 1693
    a daughter named Elizabeth died 25 Oct 1677

Thomas Farrar
by Susan Brooke
Mar 2023

Thomas Farrar was baptized 29 Jan 1614/5 in Burnley, Lancashire, England. (1) He married his first wife, Elizabeth about 1644, possibly in England or in the Colonies as he came to Lynn MA sometime before 1645.  (2)  As son of Thos. Farrar of Burnley, he sent a power of attorney to his brother Henry Farra on 2 Jan 1645/6.  (3)  He was a farmer and lived on Nahant Street in Lynn, MA.  He had 8 children with Elizabeth and then she died on 8 Jan 1680. (4)  He remarried to Abigail Collins on 3 Mar 1681.  (5)   He was made a freeman in 1689 and in 1692 it was voted that he should be set in the pulpit probably because of his age and loss of hearing.  (2) That same year, on 8 May 1692, when he was 77 years old, he was accused of witchcraft by a 12 year old girl and sent to prison for 5-7 months.  (2)  
Thomas Farrar wrote his will on 25 Jun 1693 and died on 23 Feb 1693/4. (6)

Sources

(1) Baptism
Thomas Farrar
Christening Date: 29 Jan 1614
St. Peter's Church, Burnley, Lancashire, England
Father: Thomas Farrar   

(2) New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1852

Thomas came to Lynn MA in 1640. He lived in Nahant Street. He was sworn as a freeman in 1689. In 1692 the town "voted that Thomas Farrar, Sen. (and seven others) should be set in the pulpit" most likely due to their age and difficulty in hearing. That same year he, and six others, were accused and imprisoned for witchcraft in Lynn. MA (Thomas was 75.) He was brought before the court in Salem on 18 May, despite fact that son Thomas was a selectmen of Lynn that year. Deposition before the court was by Ann Putnam. "on 8th May 1692 there appeared before me the apperishion of an old gray headed man with a great nose, which tortured me and almost choked me and urged me to writ in his book, and I asked him his name and from whence he came for I would complain of him, and the people used to call him old father pharaoh; and he said he was my grandfather, for my father used to call him father; but I told him I would not call him grandfather for he was a wizard and I would complain of him, and ever since he hath afflicted me by times, beating me and pinching me and almost choking me and urging me to writ in his book." He was sent to prison in Boston and kept for 5 to 7 months. Thomas died two years later.

"Ann Putnam was a standing witness in witchcraft cases, and the above is a fair representation of the testimony on which persons were accused and convicted, and sometimes executed."

The Register of the Lynn Historical Society  Issues 19-22 page 15

In the Witchcraft Delusion of 1692, Thomas Farra was among those "cries out" against by Ann Putnam, the twelve year old girl of Danvers who was one of the so-called afflicted children, and the affidavit from the records was read.

(3) Magazine of History with Notes & Queries, 1905 page 118

(4) North American Family Histories
The Clapp memorial Record of the Clapp family in America page 9
"Thomas Farrar for a second wife married Abigail Collins March 3, 1681; his first wife, Elizabeth, died January 8, 1680.  He died February 23, 1694; he was a farmer and lived on Nahant street, in Lynn, Mass.  He was accused of witchcraft on 1692."

(5) Lynn Town Records
Elizabeth the Daughter of Thomas Farrar Died the 25 of October 1677
Elizabeth the wiff of Thomas Farrar Died the 8 of January 1680
Thomas Farrar and Abigail Collins were married the 3 Mar 1680-81
Thomas Farrar Sen'r departed this life the 23 Day of February 1693-94

On next page
Thomas Farrar Junior and Elizabeth Hood was married the 6 of November 1682