Barnabas Fawer, of Dorchester

From the Great Migration Biographical Sketch (http://www.greatmigration.org):

BARNABAS FAWER

• ORIGIN: Unknown.
• MIGRATION: 1635 on the James from Bristol.
• FIRST RESIDENCE: Dorchester.
• REMOVES: Boston 1645.
• OCCUPATION: Tailor [Aspinwall 379]. On 6 October 1647, Nehemiah Bourne delivered to "Barnaby Fower 380 yards Norwich stuffs, 30 grs. buttons, 2 pound silk, 30 ells taffeta" [Aspinwall 404].
• BIRTH: By about 1614 based on estimated date of first marriage.
• DEATH: Boston 13 December 1654 [BVR 47].

MARRIAGE:

• (1) By 1639 Dinah _____. She died Dorchester 27 September 1642 [NEHGR 5:243] (shortly after the birth of their son).
• (2) By 1644 GRACE NEGUS [BChR 39]. She married (2) by 1656, as his third wife, JOHN JOHNSON (on 9 August 1655, "Grace Fawer" swore to the inventory of her deceased husband [SPR 3:23]; on 24 July 1656, John Johnson made an agreement with the overseers of Barnabas Fawer's estate [MA Arch 15B:183]) [GMB 2:1108]. She died between 21 December 1671 (date of will) and 29 December 1671 (probate of will)

CHILDREN:

• (first wife): ELEAZER, b. Dorchester 8 September 1642 [NEHGR 5:243], bp. Dorchester 2 October 1642 [DChR 155]; m. Boston 28 May 1662 Mary Preston [BVR 86]. She m. (2) Dorchester 6 July 1670 Samuel Jenkins [DVR 22].
• (Second wife): ABIGAIL, bp. Dorchester 30 July 1644 [DChR 157]; not mentioned in her father's will of 29 December 1654 [SPR 1:102] or in her mother's will of 21 December 1671 [SPR 7:175].

COMMENTS:

On 27 May 1635, as the James and the Angel Gabriel rode at anchor before Bristol, "Barnabas Fower" was one of a party, including Rev. RICHARD MATHER , from the James who went to visit the passengers on the Angel Gabriel, and during this visit Fawer was called into the presence of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who was also visiting the same vessel [Young's First Planters 450-51].

A Barnabas Fawer, son of George of St Mary, North Cockerington, Lincoln, was baptized there 11 June 1595, but has not been demonstrated to be the immigrant, and seems to be about twenty years too old for the role.

From an early date, Barnabas Fawer conducted an extensive business along the coast of New England. It is also possible that he travelled to England on business one or more times, particularly in late 1646, for on 20 October 1646, Barnabas Fawer was given letters of attorney from Christopher Lawson to recover a legacy due to Lawson's wife from the wills of Henry James and Thomas James of Filton, Gloucestershire [Aspinwall 31].

In the last few years of his life, Barnabas Fawer involved himself with his neighbors' deeds and estates. On 22 February 1652[/3?], Barnabas Fawer witnessed a deed of Augustine Clement [SLR 1:286-87].?  In 1653 "Barnabas Farre" and Leonard Butle appraised a house and garden owned by Henry Maudesly [SLR 2:160]. On 20 September 1654, "Barnabas Fower," John Johnson, William Parkes, Joseph Roch and Nathaniel Sowther witnessed a deed of Nathaniel Oliver [SLR 2:138]. On 29 September 1654, Barnabas Fawer witnessed the settlement to widow Anne Grosse [SLR 3:423].

• Suffolk County Wills: Abstracts of the Earliest Wills Upon Record in the ... By The New England Historical and Gen page 147
• Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America: With a Brief History of ... By Henry Whittemore. Page 187
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=branagak&...