James Fanning (bef. 1695 - 1779)

Born before 1695 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Smith) Fanning — married 1718 in Smithtown Suffolk New York

Descendants

Died 15 Apr 1779 after age 84 in Southold, Suffolk, New York, United States

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Biography

In his History of the Fanning Family (1905), W.F. Brooks includes a 4-page focus on James Fanning, in which he says James was "the progenitor of all the Long Island Fannings, who are numerous."^[1][2]

Married 1) Hannah Smith daughter of Richard and Hannah (Tooker) Smith at Smithtown in 1718. Hannah died "...on her passage home from England 10 September 1750...and is buried at Riverhead [Cemetery, Suffolk County, New York]."

Their 12 children include:

1. James Fanning b 22 Mar 1719
2. Thomas Fanning b 16 Nov 1722^[3]
3. Col. Phineas Fanning b 2 Aug 1724^[4][5][6]
4. Rev. William Fanning b 26 Oct 1728 twin (Episcopal clergyman in Greensville Co., Virginia)^[7]
5. Katherine Fanning b 26 Oct 1728 twin
6. Bethia Fanning b c 1730
7. Richard b 1731 d 18 Mar 1734
8. Gilbert Fanning b 1733
9. Richard Fanning b c 1737
10. Gen. Edmund Fanning b 24 Apr 1739 twin (Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island 1783-1804)
11. Hannah Fanning b 24 Apr 1739 twin
12. Sally Fanning b 14 Aug 1743

Married 2) Thankful Hinckley Chesebrough, 25 Feb 1752 at Stonington, daughter of Samuel and Martha (Lathrop) Hinckley and widow of Joseph Chesebrough (with whom she had 6 children prior to marrying James Fanning). James and Thankful had one daughter Katherine baptized at Stonington 1 Apr 1753.

James Fanning was witness to the will of his father-in-law Richard Smith on June 23 1718 (Smithtown, New York):^[8]

• "To my daughter Hannah 130 acres out of my undivided rights in Smithtown".
• Names as executors sons Richard and Nathaniel, as well as "beloved friend John Davis of East Hampton".
• Witnesses: Daniel Tourneur, James Fanning, James Smith

Research Notes

Discrepancy over birth year: Connecticut Vital Records indicate that James, son of Thomas, was born 30 April 1695, in Stonington, Connecticut.^[9] The Brooks book, however, says he was baptised 12 Aug 1694.

One biography mentions just 9 children:

• Capt. James Fanning served Great Britain during the French & Indian War. He married Hannah Smith (born 27 Feb 1703 in Smithtown, Suffolk, New York) and had 5 sons and 4 daughters: Phineas, Thomas, Gilbert, Edmond, James, Catherine, Bethia, Sally and Nancy.^[10]

The gravestone inscription comes from his Find A Grave: Memorial #54956810, citing Riverhead Cemetery, Suffolk County, New York:^[11]

• "Capt. James Fanning died in 1776 [sic],^[12] in the 83 year of his age, He was the great-grandson of Dominicus Fanning, who was Mayor of a city in Ireland (under Charles I) and was taken prisoner at the battle of DROGHEDA in 1649, all the Garrison except himself put to the sword. He was beheaded by CROMWELL, his head stuck upon a pole at the principal gate of the city, his property confiscated....."

Sources

• History of the Fanning Family (1905) by Walter Frederic Brooks

• Letter from Edmund Fanning to his aging father Capt. James Fanning, 31 Jan 1777:
  • http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/kar/karlet5.htm

• Smithtown Town records

• Presbyterian church records, Mattituck, New York

• Research of Edwin S and Elisabeth S Lapham

• www.longislandsurnames.com

1. ↑ Brooks, Vol. 2, pp.651+
   • https://archive.org/details/historyfanningf01broogoog/page/n244/mode/2up
2. ↑ See also the summary of his life and 13 children in Vol.1, pp.103-110:
   • https://archive.org/details/historyfanningf00broogoog/page/n140/mode/2up
3. ↑ Possibly the same Thomas Fanning who died in June 1782, as recorded in "The Salmon Records", published in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, July 1917: Volume 48, issue 3, p.281:
   • https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/online-records/nygb-record-full-text/566-240/60#
4. ↑ Phineas served in the French & Indian War of 1746-47; and was Justice of the Peace for Suffolk County in 1763.
   • Col. Phineas Fanning's farm was a strip of land extending from Peconic Bay to Long Island Sound, covering a territory about 4 miles long and 1/2 mile wide.
   • In his younger days he was master of a ship, and on his cruises brought home much furniture, many beautiful sets of china-ware, large punchbowls with Chinese figures, etc. from Europe. He kept open house and entertained in good style for the early days.
   • Col. Fanning was a man greatly respected in the community, and of wide influence in the region in which he lived. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Southold, one of the oldest on Long Island, established in October 1640.
     • Brooks, "History of the Fanning Family", Vol.1, pp.144-149
5. ↑ Appointed Major by Gov. Tryon, as recorded in "The Biography of Ezra l'Hommedieu":
   • New York Genealogical and Biographical Review, January 1871: Volume 2, issue 1, p.5
6. ↑ Phineas' wife "Mehetb" possibly died on 4 Jun 1778, as recorded in "The Salmon Records", published in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, July 1917: Volume 48, issue 3, p.277:
   • https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/online-records/nygb-record-full-text/566-240/60#
7. ↑ According to Brooks in "History of the Fanning Family" (p.150):
   • Ordained in London on 10 March 1754 by the Bishop of Gloucester, and went almost immediately to Virginia.
   • His wife Mary Gray was widow of Littleton Tazewell and daughter of Col. Joseph Gray of Southampton County, Virginia. Her son from her 1st marriage was Henry Tazewell, President of the U.S. Senate, and her grandson was Gov. Littleton Walter Tazewell.
   • The only child of Rev. William Fanning & Mary Gray was a daughter Mary, who married her famous 1st cousin John Wickham, known for his successful legal defense of Vice President Aaron Burr.
   • Rev. William Fanning lived 1729-1782. His widow survived until 1808. Both are buried in Brunswick County, Virginia.
8. ↑ Smith Wills of New York and Long Island 1664-1794 compiled by William S Pelletreau, 1898 in the DAR Library, Washington, DC, page 14. Will names wife Hannah, sons Richard, Nathaniel, Ebenezer; daughters Sarah and Hannah. Will proved March 28, 1720.
9. ↑ (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928.
   • https://www.americanancestors.org/DB414/i/12537/92/139031855
10. ↑ Portrait and Biographical Record of Suffolk County Long Island New York; Chapman Publishing Company,1896, p.307
11. ↑ Accessed 7 Jan 2021. The inscription is lengthy and includes anecdotes about James' ancestors -- however this information appears to conflict with historical knowledge of his grandfather Edward and has been disregarded. One example: The gravestone appears to state that Edward's wife was Catherine, daughter of Hugh Hays, Earl of Connaught (a title which did not exist in the 1600s). More investigation is needed.
12. ↑ Although his gravestone says he died in 1776, the correct death year is 1779. His grave was moved in 1861 from the Fanning Family Cemetery by George Hill.