John FARR [Parents] [scrapbook] ¹ was born about 1681 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He died ² on 14 Jan 1723/1724 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. John married ^{3, 4} Hannah APPLIN on 11 May 1703 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

John is mentioned in his brother Samuel's will. Because Samuel was confirmed by DNA testing, John is now confirmed by the will. If you read the Melinde Sanborn article under Stephen Farr, you can see why most of his children are not found in the vital records.

Mention of John is found in the Rev. Charles N. Sinnett's book "The Farr Genealogy" Film #0015506 p. 11, 48.

Film #385981 Middlesex MA Probate Docket FA - HA
Shows index of John Farr's probate of Littleton No.7274. This is the John married to Hannah Applin.

Film #0397054 Middlesex Probate Pages #7274
Shows original probate of John Farr Husband of Hannah Applin. Relations listed are: Hannah Applin (wife), John Farr (eldest son), Hannah Hayes (daughter, Husband James Hayes), Mehetable Adams or Davis (daughter), Mary Dodge (daughter), Bethshua Anderson (daughter), Abia _____, Rachel Cavy(daughter), Prudence Farr(daughter). I couldn't read the last name of Abia.

Film #0928676 Haseltine Papers, Watertown Marriages Book 2 1695-1737 John Farr from Stow MA & Hannah Applin from Watertown  MA m./May 11, 1703

Film #1321409, item 13, page 156: gravestone inscription of John Farr

FHL film #1321409, item 13, page 37: John and Thomas Farr as land owners in Littleton.

DEATH: Deaths from Grave Stones in the Old Burying Ground at Littleton Common. Inscription:
Here lyes ye Body
of Mr. John Farr
who Dec'd Jan.
ye 14th 1724 in ye
43d year of his age.

Hannah APPLIN [scrapbook] was born ¹ on 25 Mar 1680 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Hannah married ^{2, 3} John FARR ⁴ on 11 May 1703 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Samuel FARR [Parents] [scrapbook] ¹ was born about 1684/1685 in of Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He died ^{2, 3, 4} on 7 Jun 1754 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Samuel married ⁵ Hannah WHITNEY ^{6, 7} about 1713 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Samuel resided ⁸ on 12 Feb 1742 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He had a will ⁹ on 4 Feb 1754 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

The best proof we have that ²Samuel was a son of ¹Stephen is the DNA results between participants #51092 (Douglas Wayne Farr), #26155 (James Russell Farr), #33301 ( whom descend from ²Samuel Farr, #36078 (Donald Richard farr), and participant #15338 (Donald Eugene Farr) who descends from ²Stephen Farr Jr. (proven son of Stephen Farr) The DNA results are as follows:

#15338----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17
#33301----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17
#36078----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17
#51092----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#26155----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30

All five have an exact match. Samuel Farr is a brother of Stephen Farr Jr. and we know that Stephen Jr. is a son of Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor from the Concord vitals. Full results of the Farr DNA Project with FamilyTreeDNA, can be viewed at: http://www.geocities.com/dustyhills/FarrDNATestResults.htm. If you read the Melinde Sanborn article under Stephen Farr, you can see why most of his children are not found in the vital records.

Mention of Samuel is found in the Rev. Charles N. Sinnett's book "The Farr Genealogy" Film #0015506 pp. 11, 68-69 Died June 7th 1754 and lived at Stow, Mass., and married Hannah Whitney

Will dated Feb. 4, 1754
probated July 8, 1754
Stow, Middlesex, Mass.
Probates, vol. xxvii p. 149

In the Name of God Amen. I Samuel Farr of Stow in the county of Middlesex in the Provivence of the Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman, being considerably advanced in age but of sound and disposing mind, Do Constitute and Appoint this to be my soul Will & Testament this fourth day of February Anno Domi one thousand seven hundred fifty four. Principally & first of all I give my soul into the hands of God that gave it & my body to the Earth to be buried in Decent Christian Burial out of my Estate, & as touching the worldly Estate that I am Blessed with I give & dispose of as follows:
I give to my wife Hannah the use of my moveable Estate and the use of that part of my Real Estate that is not given away by this will during her life. Item: I give to my eldest son Samuel Farr that part of my messauge  that I have set to him of meets & bounds. Item: I give to my son Daniel Farr about an acre of orcharding that was set to him by meets & bounds being part of the orchard that I purchased of my brother John Farr also all that part of my living that I gave to my son Jonathan by word of mouth, my said son Daniel having paid him the full Value thereof, this I give to my son Daniel beside the deed I gave to Samuel Haywood & Jeremiah Ward at his desire and advantage. Item: I give to my son Jonathan Farr four acres of swamp that lyeth in or near the Great Swamp in said Stow besides what he diposed of and received the profit of from my son Daniel above said. Item: I give to my youngest son Abraham Farr one full half of my messuage & buildings at home, as also the other half of it after my wife's decease & the decease or marriage of my daughter Lydia Farr in case he shal look after them & give them a proper maintenance out of it & them & me Decent Christian burial out of it. Item” I give to my said daughter Lydia her maintenance as above said during life if she shal remain a single woman but if she should happen to marry four pounds lawful money & she shal quit her title to the maintenance abovesaid  this beside her bed & the furniture of it.  Item: I give to my three married daughters what I gave them viz. Hannah Farr, Elizabeth Whitney, & Hepsibah Thomas each of them one pound six schillings & eight pence lawful money apiece for each of them & all my household goods to be equally divided among them after my said wife has done with them, but if my said wife shal continue my widow during her life she shal enjoy my moveable estate during said term. But if she should happen to marry, my said son after marrige shal befree from his obligation with regard to her maintenance & enjoy my estate as if he had maintained her for life & she shal have liberty to take a bed & furniture with her. Further I give a piece of land that I bought of Butterwick to my three sons Samuel, Daniel & Abraham Farr, & constitute & appoint my said son Abraham Farr soul executor of this my last will and testament & revoking all other wills by be at any time made. I ratifie and confirm this & no other to be my last will & testament the day & year above written.
Memorandum: The ten acres near the clay pitts adjoining to my said son Samuel, I call my messuage at home & accordingly give it to my said son Abraham.
Signed, Sealed, Published, Pronounced & Declared by the said Samuel Farr as his last Will & Testament in the presence of us the Subscribers:
John Gardner
Elizabeth Gardner
Susannah Gardner

RESIDENCE: Tax records.

WILL: Mentions his brother John Farr in his will. Because Samuel was confirmed in Stephen Farr's family by DNA testing, John is now confirned through the will.

Hannah WHITNEY ^{1, 2} was born about 1692 in of Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Hannah married ³ Samuel FARR ⁴ about 1713 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

The will of Richard Whitney of Stow, yeoman, aged; eldest son Richard Whitney; second son Jonathan Whitney; youngest son Joshua Whitney; eldest daughter Hannah Farr; daughter Elisabeth Wetherbee; daughter Sarah Whitney; daughter Ruhamah Whitney; youngest daughter Hephzibeth Whitney; my eight children; sons Richard and Jonathan Whitney, executors; witnesses John Gardner, Jr., Moses Whetney, Jr., and Mary Whitcomb; dated 2 Dec 1723. (docket #24735, will in vol. 17, pp. 44-45)

In the ""Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-ZPYN?cc=2061550 : 29 November 2018), > image 1 of 1; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston." it has "Hannah, dau. Richard Whitney, m._______ Farr. This is the marriage record for Samuel Farr and Hannah Whitney.

Samuel COREY was born ¹ on 20 Sep 1691 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Samuel married Mary FARR about 1712 in of Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Mary FARR [Parents] [scrapbook] was born ¹ on 4 May 1686 in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. She died ² on 23 Jun 1748 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Mary married Samuel COREY about 1712 in of Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

The IGI and many other sources, incorrectly have this Mary Farr as the wife of Jacob Hooker. Sinnett in his book, "The Farr Genealogy", uses a Middlesex County, Massachusetts's land deed, dated 1766, incorrectly to support her as the wife of Jacob Hooker. Using the dates from the land deeds, this Stephen Farr would have to be about 125 years old. However, there could be a Jacob Hooker from an earlier time that could be confusing the matter.

Mary, that married Jacob Hooker, would be the daughter of Stephen Farr b. abt 1710 and Sarah Bennett b. 1708/9.

Mary Farr probably married abt 1712, Samuel Corey b. 20 Sep 1691 Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts. They had the following children:  Samuel b. 25 Feb 1714/15, Samuel b. 30 Aug 1717, Mary b. 2 Apr 1720, Stephen b. 25 Mar 1723, Elizabeth b. 13 Feb 1725, and Oliver b. 21 Aug 1729.

Samuel Corey was appointed guardian of John Farr's children in 1724.

Record of Mary being a child in this family found in Concord Reg. births, marriages and deaths of Middlesex County reference # US/CAN 974.44/C4 v2c.

Mary's Headstone Inscription:
Mary Corey the wife of Left Samuel Corey Desest the 28th day of June 1748 aged aboute 62 years

Thomas FARR Sr. [Parents] [scrapbook] ^{1, 2} was born in 1688 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He died ³ before 8 Jul 1783 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. Thomas married ^{4, 5, 6} Elizabeth POWERS on 16 Mar 1713 in Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Other marriages:

WHITCOMB, Hannah [Powers]

Thomas Farr Sr. and Hannah
and
Thomas Farr Jr. and Hannah
By Tim Farr
Updated 20 January, 2017

Thomas Farr Sr. was born abt. 1688 to 1692 of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor. Thomas Farr Sr. had seven children between the years of 1715 and 1730. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Elizabeth.

Thomas Farr Jr. was born on 4 Nov 1719 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Thomas Farr Sr. and Elizabeth Powers. Thomas Farr Jr. had six children between the the years of 1742 and 1755. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Hannah.

The only marriage records found to date are of Thomas Farr and Hannah Powers on 5 Aug 1758 and Thomas Farr to an Elizabeth Powers 16 Mar 1713/14. All publications attribute the children of Thomas Farr Jr. to Hannah Powers. Some indicate, including my own publications,that the marriage date must have been mis-transcribed and should read 5 Aug 1738.

Hannah Powers birth and death were never found and so the idea of the marriage date really being 1738 was fine at the time but I have uncovered new evidence to the contrary. I first discovered the headstone of a Hannah, widow of Mr Thomas Farr, located in the Congregational Church Burial Yard of Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

This sparked my curiosity because Dr. Arlene Eakle and I have done so much research on Thomas Farrs that I knew it had to be the wife of Thomas Farr Jr. or the wife of Thomas Farr Sr. the grandson and son of our Stephen Farr the immigrant of Concord, Middlesex,Massachusetts and Lidlington, Bedfordshire, England.

I first searched the cemetery records to see if any Farrs were buried there other than Hannah and I found none. I then found a number of Powers buried in the same cemetery so I looked in the “Hollis Family Album, The Folk Tales and Family Trees of the First Settlers of Hollis, New Hampshire” and found that Peter Powers was one of the first settlers in that town. Peter Powers is a son of Daniel Powers and Elizabeth Whitcomb making him a first cousin to Elisabeth Powers Farr the wife of Thomas Farr Sr.

At this point I needed to know if Hannah on the headstone was a Powers or not so I looked for a probate record of a Hannah Farr in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. To my surprise Hannah did leave a will dated 8 Jul 1783 and probated on 16 Aug 1785 found on FHL US/CAN Film #16070, p. 358. In the will Hannah states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. She then makes a bequeath to her son named “Thomas Powers” and also makes him executor of her will.

This find caused me to go back to the marriage bann shown previously and I then noticed that it listed Hannah as“Mrs. Hannah Powers” and Thomas as “Mr. Thomas Farr” which means that they had both previously been married. This now tells us that the marriage date in the records of 5 Aug 1758 is correct and that Hannah Powers is not the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s. children! Hannah Powers maiden name is now not known and the maiden name of Thomas’ first wife Hannah is also not known.

Given the fact that the headstone of Hannah states that she was 92 years and 7 months old when she died on the 6 Jul 1785, puts her birth at abt. 6 Dec 1692. This makes her too old to be the one that married Thomas Farr Jr. Hannah’s will also states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. We know that Thomas Jr. died in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire so this would indicate that Thomas Sr. is her husband.

The headstone of Hannah ____ Powers Farr would never have been found if it were not for someone taking the time to photograph the headstones in that cemetery and posting them to the Internet. Until now, we’ve had no reason to look for Hannah in Hollis, New Hampshire. But it now makes sense why she was not found in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire because she was not the mother of the Farr children.

We now need to find which Powers Hannah was married to before she married Thomas Farr Sr. so we can find her maiden name. We also need to re think who Hannah, the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s children, really is!

After doing a search for Powers marrying a Hannah, I found Joseph Powers married Hannah Whitcomb in Groton, Massachusetts on the 16 Mar 1713 and they had their children in Littleton. Joseph died on 18 Dec 1744 in Littleton. The widow Hannah Powers  then married Thomas Farr Sr. in Hardwick on the 5 Aug 1758 and was listed as being from Littleton. Her son Thomas Powers listed in her will was the son of Joseph Powers and Hannah Whitcomb/Powers/Farr.

Joseph Powers is the brother of Thomas Farr's first wife Elizabeth Powers, so he married his sister in law Hannah Whitcomb Powers! We now know that Thomas Farr Sr. died in Hollis, NH.

I also found in The Hollis records a "warning out" for Thomas and Hannah Farr and it said that they were previously of Littleton.

Since publishing the above findings, I received an email from a Thomas Stanley Farr of Crystal Lake, Illinois to add more of his Farr line to the Stephen Farr descendants book and also make some corrections. Stan asked me if I was familiar with the 1915 Lawrence Brainerd genealogical chart of the descendants of Stephen Farr Sr. I had never seen the chart and figured that it would have all the usual mistakes found in the earlier published charts. I looked for the chart on FamilySearch and found a digitized film with Brainerd's hand written charts on it. After going through over 200 pages of film, I couldn't find the Farr chart that Stan had mentioned. I emailed Stan for a copy and was surprised to find it on my doorstep just three days later.

Stan had pointed out to me that the Brainerd chart had the answer to who Thomas Farr Jr.'s wife's maiden name was. Stan had read the above article on my website and knew that I was looking for Hannah's Maiden name. The chart shows that Thomas Farr Jr. married his first cousin Hannah Farr the daughter of Samuel Farr and Hannah Whitney.

At first I couldn't swallow this assertion but the more I studied it the more it looked possible. In looking at Samuel Farr's will, we find the following: Item: I give to my three married daughters what I gave them viz. Hannah Farr, Elizabeth Whitney, & Hepsibah Thomas......... He names his daughters by their married names and this includes Hannah!

Next I looked at the vitals that I had on Hannah Farr daughter of Samuel Farr and all the information I could find online. Everyone has her being born about 1732 and married to Samuel Hildreth on the 27th of November 1759. I also have her marriage documented with an original source. The problem I saw with the marriage year of 1759 was the fact that Samuel Farr's will was dated 1754 thus putting Hannah's marriage well before 1759 and obviously not to Samuel Hildreth. The parentage of the Hannah Farr that married Samuel Hildreth is now not known. This now puts the birthdate of Hannah Farr the daughter of Samuel Farr much earlier than 1732 and at least in the neighborhood of 1720 in order to be named as a married daughter in a will dated 1754.

This makes it extremely possible that Hannah Farr daughter of Samuel Farr is the Hannah that was married to Thomas Farr Jr. the son of our direct ancestor Thomas Farr Sr. The Samuel Farr we have been talking about here is the brother of our Thomas Farr Sr. thus Brainherd's chart labeling Hannah Farr as a 1st cousin and wife of Thomas Farr Jr. The chart also points out that Dr. William Farr married his 1st cousin Jemima Farr. Dr. William Farr was a son of Jonathan Farr brother of our Thomas Farr Sr. and Jemima Farr was a daughter of Stephen Farr Jr. also a brother to our Thomas Farr Sr. This information we already had correct.

Whether or not this is correct about Hannah Farr being the wife of Thomas Farr Jr., it is correct that Hannah Farr daughter of Samuel Farr is not the one that married Samuel Hildreth, her birth was much earlier and her married name was "Hannah Farr"!

I found a listing on FindAGrave.com for both Thomas and Elizabeth being buried in the Hardwick Central Cemetery. I called the cemetery sextant and he told me there was no record of them being buried there.

The best proof we have that ²Thomas was a son of ¹Stephen is the DNA results between participants #14704 (Ben W. Farr Sr.), #20588 (Kendall Clark Farr), #20589 (Keith Lyle Farr), #23559 (Robert Farr) and #14723 (David Jackson Farr) whom descend from ²Thomas Farr, and participants #15338 (Donald Eugene Farr) and #46956 (Rupert Andrew Farr) whom descend from ²Stephen Farr Jr. (proven son of Stephen Farr). The DNA results are as follows:

#14704----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#20588----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#20589----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#23559----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#46956----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 (Rupert Andrew Farr)
#14723(David Jackson Farr)----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17 11 10 19 23 17 15 17 17 36 38 12 12
#153389(Donald Eugene Farr)----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17 11 10 19 23 17 15 17 17 36 38 12 12

All seven have an exact match. Thomas Farr is a brother of Stephen Farr Jr. and we know that Stephen Jr. is a son of Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor from the Concord vitals. Full results of the Farr DNA Project with FamilyTreeDNA, can be viewed at: www.dustyhills.net/FarrDNATestResults.htm. If you read the Melinde Sanborn article under Stephen Farr, you can see why most of his children are not found in the vital records.

Thomas buys land from Stephen Farr Jr Mar 10, 1741:
Thomas Farr of Acton, Mass., 500 pounds to Stephen Farr Jr. of Stow, Mass., land in Acton, Mass., 120, or 170 acres. film #0015506 p. 50.

Mention of Thomas Farr, M. at Groton, Mass., March 16th, 1713 to Eliza (Elizabeth) Powers.in the Rev. Charles N. Sinnett's book "The Farr Genealogy" FHL film #0015506 p. 11. Marriage also mentioned in Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800, Middlesex, Hamshire, Bershire and Bristol, Middlesex County, Groton, page 58.

FHL film #1321409, item 13, page 37: John and Thomas Farr as land owners in Littleton.

The following is from Hollis Town Records 1733-1887 vol. 2 and was provided to me by Susannah Zemke: "Thos Farr and his wife Hannah was warnd out of Town July 1, 1773 who last came from Littleton in the County of Middlesex & Province of the Massachusetts Bay."

DEATH: "Thomas Farr late of Holles deceased".

Elizabeth POWERS [Parents] was born ¹ about 1693 in of Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. She died before 5 Aug 1758 in Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Elizabeth married ^{2, 3, 4} Thomas FARR Sr. ^{5, 6} on 16 Mar 1713 in Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Thomas FARR Sr. [Parents] [scrapbook] ^{1, 2} was born in 1688 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He died ³ before 8 Jul 1783 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. Thomas married Hannah [Powers] WHITCOMB ⁴.

Other marriages:

POWERS, Elizabeth

Thomas Farr Sr. and Hannah
and
Thomas Farr Jr. and Hannah
By Tim Farr
Updated 20 January, 2017

Thomas Farr Sr. was born abt. 1688 to 1692 of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor. Thomas Farr Sr. had seven children between the years of 1715 and 1730. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Elizabeth.

Thomas Farr Jr. was born on 4 Nov 1719 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Thomas Farr Sr. and Elizabeth Powers. Thomas Farr Jr. had six children between the the years of 1742 and 1755. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Hannah.

The only marriage records found to date are of Thomas Farr and Hannah Powers on 5 Aug 1758 and Thomas Farr to an Elizabeth Powers 16 Mar 1713/14. All publications attribute the children of Thomas Farr Jr. to Hannah Powers. Some indicate, including my own publications,that the marriage date must have been mis-transcribed and should read 5 Aug 1738.

Hannah Powers birth and death were never found and so the idea of the marriage date really being 1738 was fine at the time but I have uncovered new evidence to the contrary. I first discovered the headstone of a Hannah, widow of Mr Thomas Farr, located in the Congregational Church Burial Yard of Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

This sparked my curiosity because Dr. Arlene Eakle and I have done so much research on Thomas Farrs that I knew it had to be the wife of Thomas Farr Jr. or the wife of Thomas Farr Sr. the grandson and son of our Stephen Farr the immigrant of Concord, Middlesex,Massachusetts and Lidlington, Bedfordshire, England.

I first searched the cemetery records to see if any Farrs were buried there other than Hannah and I found none. I then found a number of Powers buried in the same cemetery so I looked in the “Hollis Family Album, The Folk Tales and Family Trees of the First Settlers of Hollis, New Hampshire” and found that Peter Powers was one of the first settlers in that town. Peter Powers is a son of Daniel Powers and Elizabeth Whitcomb making him a first cousin to Elisabeth Powers Farr the wife of Thomas Farr Sr.

At this point I needed to know if Hannah on the headstone was a Powers or not so I looked for a probate record of a Hannah Farr in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. To my surprise Hannah did leave a will dated 8 Jul 1783 and probated on 16 Aug 1785 found on FHL US/CAN Film #16070, p. 358. In the will Hannah states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. She then makes a bequeath to her son named “Thomas Powers” and also makes him executor of her will.

This find caused me to go back to the marriage bann shown previously and I then noticed that it listed Hannah as“Mrs. Hannah Powers” and Thomas as “Mr. Thomas Farr” which means that they had both previously been married. This now tells us that the marriage date in the records of 5 Aug 1758 is correct and that Hannah Powers is not the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s. children! Hannah Powers maiden name is now not known and the maiden name of Thomas’ first wife Hannah is also not known.

Given the fact that the headstone of Hannah states that she was 92 years and 7 months old when she died on the 6 Jul 1785, puts her birth at abt. 6 Dec 1692. This makes her too old to be the one that married Thomas Farr Jr. Hannah’s will also states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. We know that Thomas Jr. died in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire so this would indicate that Thomas Sr. is her husband.

The headstone of Hannah ____ Powers Farr would never have been found if it were not for someone taking the time to photograph the headstones in that cemetery and posting them to the Internet. Until now, we’ve had no reason to look for Hannah in Hollis, New Hampshire. But it now makes sense why she was not found in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire because she was not the mother of the Farr children.

We now need to find which Powers Hannah was married to before she married Thomas Farr Sr. so we can find her maiden name. We also need to re think who Hannah, the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s children, really is!

After doing a search for Powers marrying a Hannah, I found Joseph Powers married Hannah Whitcomb in Groton, Massachusetts on the 16 Mar 1713 and they had their children in Littleton. Joseph died on 18 Dec 1744 in Littleton. The widow Hannah Powers  then married Thomas Farr Sr. in Hardwick on the 5 Aug 1758 and was listed as being from Littleton. Her son Thomas Powers listed in her will was the son of Joseph Powers and Hannah Whitcomb/Powers/Farr.

Joseph Powers is the brother of Thomas Farr's first wife Elizabeth Powers, so he married his sister in law Hannah Whitcomb Powers! We now know that Thomas Farr Sr. died in Hollis, NH.

I also found in The Hollis records a "warning out" for Thomas and Hannah Farr and it said that they were previously of Littleton.

Since publishing the above findings, I received an email from a Thomas Stanley Farr of Crystal Lake, Illinois to add more of his Farr line to the Stephen Farr descendants book and also make some corrections. Stan asked me if I was familiar with the 1915 Lawrence Brainerd genealogical chart of the descendants of Stephen Farr Sr. I had never seen the chart and figured that it would have all the usual mistakes found in the earlier published charts. I looked for the chart on FamilySearch and found a digitized film with Brainerd's hand written charts on it. After going through over 200 pages of film, I couldn't find the Farr chart that Stan had mentioned. I emailed Stan for a copy and was surprised to find it on my doorstep just three days later.

Stan had pointed out to me that the Brainerd chart had the answer to who Thomas Farr Jr.'s wife's maiden name was. Stan had read the above article on my website and knew that I was looking for Hannah's Maiden name. The chart shows that Thomas Farr Jr. married his first cousin Hannah Farr the daughter of Samuel Farr and Hannah Whitney.

At first I couldn't swallow this assertion but the more I studied it the more it looked possible. In looking at Samuel Farr's will, we find the following: Item: I give to my three married daughters what I gave them viz. Hannah Farr, Elizabeth Whitney, & Hepsibah Thomas......... He names his daughters by their married names and this includes Hannah!

Next I looked at the vitals that I had on Hannah Farr daughter of Samuel Farr and all the information I could find online. Everyone has her being born about 1732 and married to Samuel Hildreth on the 27th of November 1759. I also have her marriage documented with an original source. The problem I saw with the marriage year of 1759 was the fact that Samuel Farr's will was dated 1754 thus putting Hannah's marriage well before 1759 and obviously not to Samuel Hildreth. The parentage of the Hannah Farr that married Samuel Hildreth is now not known. This now puts the birthdate of Hannah Farr the daughter of Samuel Farr much earlier than 1732 and at least in the neighborhood of 1720 in order to be named as a married daughter in a will dated 1754.

This makes it extremely possible that Hannah Farr daughter of Samuel Farr is the Hannah that was married to Thomas Farr Jr. the son of our direct ancestor Thomas Farr Sr. The Samuel Farr we have been talking about here is the brother of our Thomas Farr Sr. thus Brainherd's chart labeling Hannah Farr as a 1st cousin and wife of Thomas Farr Jr. The chart also points out that Dr. William Farr married his 1st cousin Jemima Farr. Dr. William Farr was a son of Jonathan Farr brother of our Thomas Farr Sr. and Jemima Farr was a daughter of Stephen Farr Jr. also a brother to our Thomas Farr Sr. This information we already had correct.

Whether or not this is correct about Hannah Farr being the wife of Thomas Farr Jr., it is correct that Hannah Farr daughter of Samuel Farr is not the one that married Samuel Hildreth, her birth was much earlier and her married name was "Hannah Farr"!

I found a listing on FindAGrave.com for both Thomas and Elizabeth being buried in the Hardwick Central Cemetery. I called the cemetery sextant and he told me there was no record of them being buried there.

The best proof we have that ²Thomas was a son of ¹Stephen is the DNA results between participants #14704 (Ben W. Farr Sr.), #20588 (Kendall Clark Farr), #20589 (Keith Lyle Farr), #23559 (Robert Farr) and #14723 (David Jackson Farr) whom descend from ²Thomas Farr, and participants #15338 (Donald Eugene Farr) and #46956 (Rupert Andrew Farr) whom descend from ²Stephen Farr Jr. (proven son of Stephen Farr). The DNA results are as follows:

#14704----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#20588----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#20589----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#23559----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30
#46956----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 (Rupert Andrew Farr)
#14723(David Jackson Farr)----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17 11 10 19 23 17 15 17 17 36 38 12 12
#153389(Donald Eugene Farr)----13 23 14 10 11 12 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 16 17 17 11 10 19 23 17 15 17 17 36 38 12 12

All seven have an exact match. Thomas Farr is a brother of Stephen Farr Jr. and we know that Stephen Jr. is a son of Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor from the Concord vitals. Full results of the Farr DNA Project with FamilyTreeDNA, can be viewed at: www.dustyhills.net/FarrDNATestResults.htm. If you read the Melinde Sanborn article under Stephen Farr, you can see why most of his children are not found in the vital records.

Thomas buys land from Stephen Farr Jr Mar 10, 1741:
Thomas Farr of Acton, Mass., 500 pounds to Stephen Farr Jr. of Stow, Mass., land in Acton, Mass., 120, or 170 acres. film #0015506 p. 50.

Mention of Thomas Farr, M. at Groton, Mass., March 16th, 1713 to Eliza (Elizabeth) Powers.in the Rev. Charles N. Sinnett's book "The Farr Genealogy" FHL film #0015506 p. 11. Marriage also mentioned in Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800, Middlesex, Hamshire, Bershire and Bristol, Middlesex County, Groton, page 58.

FHL film #1321409, item 13, page 37: John and Thomas Farr as land owners in Littleton.

The following is from Hollis Town Records 1733-1887 vol. 2 and was provided to me by Susannah Zemke: "Thos Farr and his wife Hannah was warnd out of Town July 1, 1773 who last came from Littleton in the County of Middlesex & Province of the Massachusetts Bay."

DEATH: "Thomas Farr late of Holles deceased".

Hannah [Powers] WHITCOMB [scrapbook] ¹ was born about 6 Dec 1692 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. She died ² on 10 Jul 1785 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. She was buried in Jul 1785 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. Hannah married Thomas FARR Sr. ^{3, 4}.

Hannah had a will ⁵ on 8 Jul 1783 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. Her will was probated ⁶ on 16 Aug 1785 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States.

Other marriages:

POWERS, Joseph

Thomas Farr Sr. and Hannah and Thomas Farr Jr. and Hannah
By Tim Farr

Thomas Farr Sr. was born abt. 1688 to 1692 of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor. Thomas Farr Sr. had seven children between the years of 1715 and 1730. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Elizabeth.

Thomas Farr Jr. was born on 4 Nov 1719 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Thomas Farr Sr. and Elizabeth Powers. Thomas Farr Jr. had six children between the the years of 1742 and 1755. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Hannah.

The only marriage records found to date are of Thomas Farr and Hannah Powers on 5 Aug 1758 and Thomas Farr to an Elizabeth Powers 16 Mar 1713/14. All publications attribute the children of Thomas Farr Jr. to Hannah Powers. Some indicate, including my own publications, that the marriage date must have been mis-transcribed and should read 5 Aug 1738.

Hannah Powers birth and death were never found and so the idea of the marriage date really being 1738 was fine at the time but I have uncovered new evidence to the contrary. I first discovered the headstone of a Hannah, widow of Mr Thomas Farr, located in the Congregational Church Burial Yard of Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

This sparked my curiosity because Dr. Eakle and I have done so much research on Thomas Farrs that I knew it had to be the wife of Thomas Farr Jr. or the wife of Thomas Farr Sr. the grandson and son of our Stephen Farr the immigrant of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts and Lidlington, Bedfordshire, England.

I first searched the cemetery records to see if any Farrs were buried there and I found none. I then found a number of Powers buried in the same cemetery so I looked in the “Hollis Family Album, The Folk Tales and Family Trees of the First Settlers of Hollis, New Hampshire” and found that Peter Powers was one of the first settlers in that town. Peter Powers is a son of Daniel Powers and Elizabeth Whitcomb making him a first cousin to Elisabeth Powers Farr the wife of Thomas Farr Sr.

At this point I needed to know if Hannah on the headstone was a Powers or not so I looked for a probate record of a Hannah Farr in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. To my surprise Hannah did leave a will dated 8 Jul 1783 and probated on 16 Aug 1785 found on FHL Film #16070, p. 358. In the will Hannah states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. She then makes a bequeath to her son named “Thomas Powers” and also makes him executor of her will.

This find caused me to go back to the marriage bann shown previously and I then noticed that it listed Hannah as “Mrs. Hannah Powers” and Thomas as “Mr. Thomas Farr” which means that had both previously been married. This now tells us that the marriage date in the records of 5 Aug 1758 is correct and that Hannah Powers is not the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s. children! Hannah Powers maiden name is now not known and the maiden name of Thomas’ first wife Hannah is also not known. But who was Mrs. Hannah Powers married to, Thomas Jr. or Thomas Sr.?

Given the fact that the headstone of Hannah states that she was 92 years and 7 months old when she died on the 6 Jul 1785, puts her birth at abt. 6 Dec 1692. This makes her too old to be the one that married Thomas Farr Jr. Hannah’s will also states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. We know that Thomas jr died in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire so this would indicate that Thomas Sr. is more likely her husband.

The headstone of Hannah ____ Powers Farr would never have been found if it were not for someone taking the time to photograph the headstones in that cemetery and posting them to the Internet. Until now, we’ve had no reason to look for Hannah in Hollis, New Hampshire. But it now makes sense why she was not found in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire because she was not the mother of the Farr children.

We now need to find which Powers Hannah was married to before she married Thomas Farr Sr. so we can find her maiden name. We also need to re think who Hannah, the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s children, really is!

After doing a search for Powers marrying a Hannah, I found Joseph Powers married Hannah Whitcomb in Groton, Massachusetts on the 16 Mar 1713 and they had their children in Littleton. Joseph died on 18 Dec 1744 in Littleton. The widow Hannah Powers  then married Thomas Farr Sr. in Hardwick on the 5 Aug 1758 and was listed as being from Littleton. Her son Thomas Powers listed in her will was the son of Joseph Powers and Hannah Whitcomb/Powers/Farr.

Joseph Powers is the brother of Thomas Farr's first wife Elizabeth Powers, so he married his sister in law Hannah Whitcomb Powers!

Hannah Farr's last will:

In the Name of God Amen
The Eighth Day of July 1783
I Hannah Farr of Holles in the County of Hillsborough, and State of Newhampshire Widow and Relict of Thomas Farr late of Holles deceased being aged and Infirm in Body but of sound mind and memory, thanks begiven unto God therefor and Calling to mind the mortality of my Body knowing that is it Appointed to all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. (Viz)

Imprimis, I will, and ordain that all my just Debts should be paid. Item, I give and Bequeath to my beloved Son Thomas Powers of Holles aforesaid all my household Furniture of all sorts and kinds to his use and dispose, and all my Cloathing, and I do Constitute and Appoint my said Son Thomas Powers to be sole executor of this my last will and Testament—In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the day and year abovesaid.

Hannah Farr her mark

Signed, sealed, Published, pronounced and declared by the said Hannah Farr as her last Will and Testament in Presence of us the Subscribers

Thomas Wheeler
William Ball
Noah Worcester

DEATH: Headstone says 6 Jul 1785.

Jonathan FARR [Parents] ^{1, 2} was born about 1690 in of Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He died on 14 Jan 1721 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Jonathan married Elizabeth about 1713 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

A descendant of Jonathan took the DNA test and he matched the other participants that descend from other sons of Stephen Farr. He is DNA Participant #133892 in the Farr project with Family Tree DNA. We now have proof that he descended from Stephen also. Only one son remains to be proven, Joseph.

Mention of Jonathan is found in the Rev. Charles N. Sinnett's book "The Farr Genealogy" Film #0015506 p. 11, 66-67 lived at Stow, Mass., and married Elizabeth.

The following is from the research of Linda M. Farr Welch:

The most frustrating part of all the Farr and related family genealogies is this very family line of Jonathan Farr.  There has been an inability to find much source material about our Jonathan Farr's life, except the bare minimum He signed the Covenant at Stow, Mass. 10 June, 1700.  He was a Tithing man in Stow, 1719-20, and elected one of the selectman, 6 March, 1720. He was well respected, obviously, by his peers. He died much too young. His three children were all very young to lose their father.

Stow was settled between 1650-55. It lies on the Assabet Brook in the northwest part of the town near the border with Boxboro. It's original limits composed territory bounded by Sudbury, Concord, Groton, Lancaster, Marlboro and Littleton. The first meetinghouse was built in 1686. In 1697 there were “twenty-eight poor families settled” because eight had left town due to the want of a settled minister and trouble with the local Indians. The townspeople petitioned the Massachusetts authorities to help provide funds for a minister as they just couldn't afford it. The most respected and loved minister was Rev. John Gardner, who came to Stow from Charlestown. He served the town's ministry from 1718-1775. He was probably the minister who was present for the funeral and burial of Jonathan Farr.

Elizabeth ^{1, 2, 3} was born about 1692. Elizabeth married Jonathan FARR about 1713 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Last name may be 'Powers'.

Walter POWERS was born ^{1, 2} in 1639 in Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. He died ^{3, 4, 5} on 22 Feb 1707/1708 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Walter married ^{6, 7} Trial SHEPARD on 11 Jan 1660 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

Marriage record came from Middlesex County Records, Married on the 11th day of ye first month 1660 to Trial Daughter of Deacon Ralph and Thankes Shepard. Before 1752 in England and New England, if the dates were written as above, it meant that the first month was March and the the first day of the new year was the 25th. the above date would be the 4th of April 1660.
Walter's father was probably William.

Trial SHEPARD [Parents] was born ¹ on 19 Dec 1641 in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States. She died ² on 22 Feb 1707/1708 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Trial married ^{3, 4} Walter POWERS on 11 Jan 1660 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

Marriage record came from Middlesex County Records Married on the 11th day of ye first month 1660 to Trial Daughter of Deacon Ralph and Thankes Shepard. Before 1752 in England and New England, if the dates were written as above, it meant that the first month was March and the the first day of the new year was the 25th. the above date would be the 4th of April 1660.

Thomas POWERS [Parents] ^{1, 2} was born ³ in 1667 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. He died on 21 Jan 1734. Thomas married ^{4, 5} Elizabeth GOULD in BY 1692 in of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

Elizabeth GOULD [Parents] was born ^{1, 2} on 15 Jan 1664/1665 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. She died ^{3, 4} on 25 May 1698 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Elizabeth married ^{5, 6} Thomas POWERS ^{7, 8} in BY 1692 in of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.

of Concord

Francis GOULD ^{1, 2} was born ³ about 1622 in England. He died ^{4, 5, 6} on 27 Mar 1676 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He was buried ⁷ in Mar 1676 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. Francis married Rose ^{8, 9} in BY 1649 in of Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

FRANCIS GOOLE, the immigrant ancestor of this branch of the Gould family, was born in England about 1622. Exactly where he came from in England or when he arrived on the shores of the New World is not known. The first mention of him is found in the records of the town of Boston where he is listed as being a watchman before the court in 16392 When next we find mention of him he was in Duxbury, Plymouth colony, (In 1691 Plymouth Colony was united by royal charter to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.) and in 1643 he was listed among the inhabitanta of Duxbury who were able to bear arms. Apparently he remained in the area of Duxbury and nearby Plymouth until the late 1640's for we find that on April 3, 1645, one John Eddy, aged eight years, was apprenticed to "Francis Goulder of Plymouth, yeoman." Since it is recorded that young Eddy learned the trade of a blacksmith from Goole, it seems evident that Francis practiced smithing as a trade.

By 1649 Goole had moved to Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, where he was living with his wife, ROSE Unfortunately, no records have come to light which would indicate to us when they were married or what Rose's maiden name was. The first five children of Francis and Rose Goole were born in Braintree and they continued to reside there until late in 1659 or early in 1660 when they moved to what was then the frontier at Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, It was at Chelmsford that Francis and Rose made their home for the rest of their lives.

At the Chelmsford town meeting of October 7, 1673, the town made a contract with Joseph Barrett, son in law of Francis Goole, to build a house on Robins Hill, outside Chelmsford. When built the house consisted of one room, 16 feet by 18 feet, covered with a single thickness of boards, and had one window. The house was undoubtedly built to serve as a Lookout post to warn the town of approaching hostile Indians, at that time a danger in the area. Francis---Goole, or Goold, signed an agreement with the town selectmen stating that "I have taken to hier the house and land that I now live in of the selecttmen of the town For which house and land I Do covenatt with thin to pay yearly the sum of one peck of endian Corn For the towns use as wittnes my hand this last tuesday in Desembor 1673. (Signed) Francis Goold, his mark."

Thus Francis and Rose Goole moved into the Robins Hill house, outside Chelmsford, with their children, Francis lived there until his death, March 27, 1676, while Rose remained in the house with her daughter and son in law, Hannah and Daniel Galusha, after they took it over from the town. Rose died about 1679 in Chelmsford.

In the records for this generation the name Gould is spelled variously as Goole, Goold, Gold, and Gould.

Rose ^{1, 2} was born about 1624 in England, United Kingdom. Rose married Francis GOULD ^{3, 4} in BY 1649 in of Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Joseph POWERS [Parents] [scrapbook] was born ¹ on 1 Dec 1692 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. He died ² on 18 Dec 1744 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Joseph married ^{3, 4} Hannah [Powers] WHITCOMB ⁵ on 16 Mar 1713 in Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Hannah [Powers] WHITCOMB [scrapbook] ¹ was born about 6 Dec 1692 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. She died ² on 10 Jul 1785 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. She was buried in Jul 1785 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. Hannah married ^{3, 4} Joseph POWERS on 16 Mar 1713 in Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.

Hannah had a will ⁵ on 8 Jul 1783 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. Her will was probated ⁶ on 16 Aug 1785 in Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States.

Other marriages:

FARR, Thomas Sr.

Thomas Farr Sr. and Hannah and Thomas Farr Jr. and Hannah
By Tim Farr

Thomas Farr Sr. was born abt. 1688 to 1692 of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Stephen Farr and Mary Taylor. Thomas Farr Sr. had seven children between the years of 1715 and 1730. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Elizabeth.

Thomas Farr Jr. was born on 4 Nov 1719 in Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts to Thomas Farr Sr. and Elizabeth Powers. Thomas Farr Jr. had six children between the the years of 1742 and 1755. All of the children’s birth records indicate that the mother’s name was Hannah.

The only marriage records found to date are of Thomas Farr and Hannah Powers on 5 Aug 1758 and Thomas Farr to an Elizabeth Powers 16 Mar 1713/14. All publications attribute the children of Thomas Farr Jr. to Hannah Powers. Some indicate, including my own publications, that the marriage date must have been mis-transcribed and should read 5 Aug 1738.

Hannah Powers birth and death were never found and so the idea of the marriage date really being 1738 was fine at the time but I have uncovered new evidence to the contrary. I first discovered the headstone of a Hannah, widow of Mr Thomas Farr, located in the Congregational Church Burial Yard of Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

This sparked my curiosity because Dr. Eakle and I have done so much research on Thomas Farrs that I knew it had to be the wife of Thomas Farr Jr. or the wife of Thomas Farr Sr. the grandson and son of our Stephen Farr the immigrant of Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts and Lidlington, Bedfordshire, England.

I first searched the cemetery records to see if any Farrs were buried there and I found none. I then found a number of Powers buried in the same cemetery so I looked in the “Hollis Family Album, The Folk Tales and Family Trees of the First Settlers of Hollis, New Hampshire” and found that Peter Powers was one of the first settlers in that town. Peter Powers is a son of Daniel Powers and Elizabeth Whitcomb making him a first cousin to Elisabeth Powers Farr the wife of Thomas Farr Sr.

At this point I needed to know if Hannah on the headstone was a Powers or not so I looked for a probate record of a Hannah Farr in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. To my surprise Hannah did leave a will dated 8 Jul 1783 and probated on 16 Aug 1785 found on FHL Film #16070, p. 358. In the will Hannah states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. She then makes a bequeath to her son named “Thomas Powers” and also makes him executor of her will.

This find caused me to go back to the marriage bann shown previously and I then noticed that it listed Hannah as “Mrs. Hannah Powers” and Thomas as “Mr. Thomas Farr” which means that had both previously been married. This now tells us that the marriage date in the records of 5 Aug 1758 is correct and that Hannah Powers is not the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s. children! Hannah Powers maiden name is now not known and the maiden name of Thomas’ first wife Hannah is also not known. But who was Mrs. Hannah Powers married to, Thomas Jr. or Thomas Sr.?

Given the fact that the headstone of Hannah states that she was 92 years and 7 months old when she died on the 6 Jul 1785, puts her birth at abt. 6 Dec 1692. This makes her too old to be the one that married Thomas Farr Jr. Hannah’s will also states that she is the widow of Thomas Farr late of Hollis deceased. We know that Thomas jr died in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire so this would indicate that Thomas Sr. is more likely her husband.

The headstone of Hannah ____ Powers Farr would never have been found if it were not for someone taking the time to photograph the headstones in that cemetery and posting them to the Internet. Until now, we’ve had no reason to look for Hannah in Hollis, New Hampshire. But it now makes sense why she was not found in Chesterfield, Cheshire, New Hampshire because she was not the mother of the Farr children.

We now need to find which Powers Hannah was married to before she married Thomas Farr Sr. so we can find her maiden name. We also need to re think who Hannah, the mother of Thomas Farr Jr’s children, really is!

After doing a search for Powers marrying a Hannah, I found Joseph Powers married Hannah Whitcomb in Groton, Massachusetts on the 16 Mar 1713 and they had their children in Littleton. Joseph died on 18 Dec 1744 in Littleton. The widow Hannah Powers  then married Thomas Farr Sr. in Hardwick on the 5 Aug 1758 and was listed as being from Littleton. Her son Thomas Powers listed in her will was the son of Joseph Powers and Hannah Whitcomb/Powers/Farr.

Joseph Powers is the brother of Thomas Farr's first wife Elizabeth Powers, so he married his sister in law Hannah Whitcomb Powers!

Hannah Farr's last will:

In the Name of God Amen
The Eighth Day of July 1783
I Hannah Farr of Holles in the County of Hillsborough, and State of Newhampshire Widow and Relict of Thomas Farr late of Holles deceased being aged and Infirm in Body but of sound mind and memory, thanks begiven unto God therefor and Calling to mind the mortality of my Body knowing that is it Appointed to all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. (Viz)

Imprimis, I will, and ordain that all my just Debts should be paid. Item, I give and Bequeath to my beloved Son Thomas Powers of Holles aforesaid all my household Furniture of all sorts and kinds to his use and dispose, and all my Cloathing, and I do Constitute and Appoint my said Son Thomas Powers to be sole executor of this my last will and Testament—In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the day and year abovesaid.

Hannah Farr her mark

Signed, sealed, Published, pronounced and declared by the said Hannah Farr as her last Will and Testament in Presence of us the Subscribers

Thomas Wheeler
William Ball
Noah Worcester

DEATH: Headstone says 6 Jul 1785.