Ralph (Forman) Farnham (bef. 1633 - abt. 1692)

Born before 4 Aug 1633 in Rochester, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Holt) Farnum — married 26 Oct 1657 (to Jan 1691) in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died about 8 Jan 1692 after about age 58 in Andover, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Ralph (Forman) Farnham immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

FORMAN is correct last name at birth, from baptismal record.

Ralph Forman, son of Ralph Forman was baptized at St. Nicholas parish, Rochester, Kent, England, on 4 August 1633.^[1][2]

Ralph 'Farman' immigrated to New England in 1635, age 2. He sailed on the "James" with his parents and two older siblings.^[3] The family arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, September 1635.^[4]

'Ralfe Farnum' married at Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, 26 Oct 1657 or 1658, Elizabeth Holt.^[5][2] Elizabeth was the daughter of Nicholas Holt, who had also been on the "James."^[6] Elizabeth Farnem, widow of Realph, died 14 Oct 1710 aged about 78.^[5][6]

Ralph lived at Andover. Ralph and his son, Ralph, and his brothers John and Thomas, took the Oath of Allegiance 11 Feb 1678. He served as a grand juryman in 1679 He was on a "before 1681" proprietor's list.^[7]

Ralph 'Farnum' sr. died at Andover 8 Jan 1691/2, according to the vital records.^[5][2]

Ralph's inventory states he died 8 Jan 1692/3. The inventory was taken 29 March 1693 and was valued at 233.17.3 with debts 14.10.0.^[8]

Did the town clerk make a mistake in entering Ralph's death, writing 1691/2 instead of 1692/3? You can't necessarily tell from placement on the page which is not in order.^[9] The inventory has March 1692/3 written twice in two different hands so is not likely to be a mistake.

He may be buried at the Old North Parish Burial Ground, Andover, Massachusetts, but there is no valid source for this.

Children born in Andover, Massachusetts. Correct spellings at birth listed:

1. "Sara Farnum" d. of Ralfe and Elizabeth, was b. Jan 14, 1661;^[10][6] m. Benjamin Abbot^[6]
2. "Ralfe Farnum", son of Ralfe and Elizabeth, was b. June 1, 1662.^[10][6]
3. "John Farnum", son of Ralfe and Elizabeth, was b. April 1, 1664^[10][6]
4. "Henry Farnum," son of Ralfe and Elizabeth, was b. Dec 7 1666;^[10][6] d. May 7. 1683^[6]
5. "Hannah Farnum", d. of Ralfe and Elizabeth, was b. Dec 7 1668.^[10][6]
6. "Thomas Farnum," son of Ralfe and Elizabeth, was b. July 14, 1670^[10][6]
7. "Ephraim Farnum," son of Ralph and Elizabeth, was b. Oct 1. 1676^[10][6].

There are two other possible children of this couple.

• Samuel
• Elizabeth

"Miss Alice R. Farnum of Boston, who is descended from Nicholas Holt in two lines, and who has searched the records in the Boston State House to help in this work, has in her possession a chart of the Farnum family given her by a deceased relative. This chart records among the children of Ralph and Elizabeth (Holt) Farnum, Elizabeth and Samuel. The chart gives no dates. These are evidently the Elizabeth that married George Holt and the Samuel that married Hannah, the daughter of James Holt."^[11]

The Holt/Farnum chest has their names carved on its lid and is said to still exist today in Andover MA at the Holt house.^{[citation needed]}

Death 1692 not 1715

The First Three Generations of Holts in America^[11] makes a claim that despite the town record of Ralph's death (8 Jan 1691/2^[5]) and the probated inventory (29 Mar 1692/3^[8]) that Ralph Farnum died April 1715, and that Elizabeth was not a widow when she died in 1710. The following three deeds are cited:

• 16 Sep 1698 Ralph and wife Elizabeth conveyed land to Ephriam Stevens
  • This document was recorded in 1698, but was actually written 10 Jun 1690 before Ralph died.^[12]
• 16 Dec 1709 Ralph Farnum and others his wife is mentioned.
  • This 1709 Deed is clearly Ralph Farnum jr as the land belonged to his father-in-law Starling. No mention is made of Elizabeth.^[13]
• 29 Jan 1719/20 George Holt to his brother in law John Farnum, land received from "Honored father-in-law, Ralph Farnum, deceased since April 1715.
  • This deed is not quite as clear. It reads: "... Land that Hath been Laid out to ye Rate of my Honoured father in Law Ralph Farnum decd Since ye fourth Day of Aprill: 1715: That is to Say a tenth part of ye Lands that have Been Laid out to ye Right of my Honoured father Ralph Farnum Decd as abovesd. Since ye fourth Day of April 1715: ... "^[14] If one believes Ralph died sometime later than 1692, this could be misinterpreted, but given the lack of punctuation it could also mean the land was laid out in April 1715. This is a much more logical conclusion given the earlier vital and probate records.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBXQ-4FN : accessed 17 November 2015), Ralph Forman, 04 Aug 1633; citing SAINT NICHOLAS,ROCHESTER,KENT,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 992,530.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Farnham, Russell C. "The English Origin of Ralph Farnham of Ipswich, Massachusetts." The American Genealogist 69:32.
3. ↑ Hotten, John Camden (editor). The Original Lists of Persons of Quality: Emigrants, Religious Exiles, Political Rebels, Serving Men Sold for a Term of Years, Apprentices, Children Stolen, Maidens Pressed, and Others, who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700. London: John Camden Hotten, 1874 (p. 108)
4. ↑ The Planters of the Commonwealth: A Study of the Emigrants and Emigration in Colonial times 1620-1640 by Charles Edward Banks, Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc, Copyright 1930, 2006.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Vital Records Of Andover Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. Vol. II Marriages and Deaths. Topsfield, Mass.: The Topsfield Historical Society, 1912. m. p. 120; d. Eliz p. 429; d. Ralph p432
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10} Farnham, (Rev.) J.M.W. Genealogy of the Farnham Family. New York: Baker & Taylor, 1889. (p. 4, 5)
7. ↑ Bailey, Sarah Loring. Historical sketches of Andover, (comprising the present towns of North Andover and Andover) (Boston: Houghton, 1880) pp. 107, 32, 139, 113 (married Elizabeth Holt)
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.) Link at AmericanAncestors ($); Essex County, Massachusetts, probate records and indexes 1638-1916 at family search, clerk's copy.
9. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97M-YRQN?cc=2061550&wc=Q4D7-6TG%3A353349401%2C353609201%2C353609202 : 20 May 2014), Essex > Andover > Births, marriages, deaths 1651-1700 > image 49 of 65; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6} Vital Records Of Andover Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. Vol. I Births. Topsfield, Mass.: The Topsfield Historical Society, 1912. pp.137-141
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Holt Association of America. The First Three Generations of Holts In America, Published Under the Auspices of the Holt Association of America. Newburgh, N.Y.: Printed by the Moore Printing Co, 1930. p. 205
12. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (Vol 13:75), Essex > Deeds 1697-1700 vol 12-13 > image 280 of 538; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.
13. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (vol 24:19), Essex > Deeds 1708-1712 vol 22-24 > image 627 of 896; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.
14. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (Vol 36:224), Essex > Deeds 1718-1721 vol 36-37 > image 236 of 601; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.

See Also

• POPE, CHARLES HENRY. The Pioneers of Massachusetts, A Descriptive List, Drawn from Records of the Colonies, Towns and Churches, and other Contemporaneous Documents. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. 550p., pg. 161
• Stearns, Ezra. History of Plymouth, New Hampshire (University Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1906); v.2 - Genealogies, p.256