Jabez FAIRBANK

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Born in Lancaster, 8:11:1670(?) and lived there, "died March 2, 1758, aged abou 84," according to the inscription on his tombstone, which would make his birth later than 1670.

He was a very efficient soldier and officer in the Indian wars, and was no doubt incited to heroic exploits by the massacre of his father and brother, in 1676, and of his only surviving brother in 1697. During the raid upon the town in 1697, when his brother Jonathan and one of the latter's children were slain, he was the means of saving a garrison and perhaps many lives, including that of his "little son," probably Joseph. In all, outside the garrison, twenty-one persons were killed, two wounded, and six were carried away as captives, of whom five returned. Among the captives returned was the wife of Jonathan....."See marvin's History of Lancaster"

"First in the order of time of our military heroes, in these dys of trial, " says marvin, "was Lieut. afterwards Capt. Jabez Fairbank. he was a famous scouting officer, and traversed large sections of the country to the north, east and west, in search of prowling Indians. More than sixty parties were engaged in this service. Some of names of the men under his command, between 1721 and 1724, were the following: Edward Hartwell, Ephraim Wheeler, Daniel Osgood, Isaac Farnsworth, Isaac Lancain, John Bennett, Joseph Wheelock, Ezra Sawyer, Moses Willard, John Eams."

Gov. Dummer immediately sought the services of Fairbank to enlist men. He offered him the choice of the office of sergeant, if he remained at home in Lancaster, or that of Lieutenant, if he wer willing to serve at Groton or at Turkey Hill. He chose the latter, and at once entered the service. He reported directly to the Governor during the war, and the published correspondence between them furnishes many interesting chapter of history. (See Mass. Archives and Marvin's History of Lancaster; also History of Groton)

In the year 1700 he had lands laid out to him "on both sides of danes Brook above Thomas Sawyer's Sawmill." This site became the home of the Fairbanks, and so remained for a hundred years or more."

He was elected as a representative to the General Court in 1714, 1721, 1722 and 1723.

Family/Spouse: Mary WILDER. Mary was born about 1675; died on 21 Feb 1718. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Dea. Joseph FAIRBANK was born in 1693 in Lancaster, Massachusetts; died on 6 Dec 1772 in Harvard, Massachusetts.

Jabez married Elizabeth ? on 25 Mar 1719. Elizabeth was born about 1675; died on 11 May 1755. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Born in England; came to Dedham with his parents; removed to Lancaster in 1657; signed the covenant march 7, 1659, and was "one of the fathers of the town." He was a farmer, and, it is believed, also a carpenter.

In 1652 he was fined for wearing great boots before he was worth L200, which was contrary to a sumptuary regulation of the government of Mass. ordered in 1651. He was killed, with his son Joshua, by the Indians Feb. 10, 1676, during a raid upon the settlement.

Jonas married Lydia PRESCOTT on 28 May 1658. Lydia (daughter of John PRESCOTT and Mary Gawkroger PLATTS) was born on 15 Aug 1641 in Watertown, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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He was born in England, before the year 1600. He came to Boston with his family in 1633, as already stated, and remained there about three years, when he settled in Dedham, being one of the earliest Pioneers. he with others signed the Covenant when the town was established and named.

He died in Dedham, Dec. 5, 1668. His wife's name was Grace (?). she died 28th 10 mo, 1673, or 19: 3: 1676.

Jonathan married Grace ?. Grace died in 28 Oct 1673 or 19 Mar 1676. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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His baptism is not found on the records, there being a break in them from 1602-1610, but we find his name in the will of his father, Ralph Prescott, in 1808. John Prescott lived in Sowerby, where five of his children were born, three of whom he brought to New England, while two were buried in Sowerby. In 1638 he was living in the Island of Barbadoes, owning more than ten acres of land on the island, as proved by an old record recently found there. In 1640, they came to New England, and settled for a time in Watertown, where he had large grants of land allotted to him. In 1643, he associated himself with Thomas King and others, for the purpose of purchasing from Sholam, the Indian Sachem of the Nashaway tribe of Indians, a tract of land for a township, which was to be ten miles long and eight miles in breadth, known as "Nashaway Plantation," afterwards Lancaster, Mass., of which he was one of the original settlers and is considered the founder. The town received its name 18th May, 1653; and the name, it is said, was given in honor of Mr. Prescott, it being the name of his native county in England. After the completion of his corn-mill, in 1654, he took up his residence near it, and the site of the garrison house has been noted as near the southeast corner of High and Water Streets, Clinton, Mass. At the time of his death, he was possessed of about seven hundred acres of land, and had given lands and a mill at Nonaicoiacus (now Ayer) to his son Jonas. three hundred acres of this estate lay about the Washacum Ponds, including the Sterling camp-grounds. He owned nearly all the land upon which the manufactories and most densely peopled streets of Clinton are located, and one hundred acres in South Lancaster, stretching from the summit of George Hill to the meeting of the river. M. 11 Apr. 1629, in Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England, 'Mary Gawkroger' or Platts, d. 1674. We find that "Gawkroger" meant "left-handed" or left-handed Roger." There ws probably a Roger Platts, who was left-handed or "gawky." We do not wonder that Mary and other members of the family when they came to New England, left the name of Gawky or left-handed Roger behind.

John married Mary Gawkroger PLATTS on 24 Jan 1629 in Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England. Mary (daughter of Abraham Gawkroger (PLATTS) and Martha RILEY) was born in Wygan, Lancashire; died in 1674. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]