George Fairbanks

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 10 Jan 1683, Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts

Notes:

He died by drowning. He appears to have spent the latter part of his life in a series of disagreements with the town authorities of Sherborn.

George married Mary Adams on 26 Oct 1646 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts. Mary was born about 1626; died on 11 Aug 1711 in Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. George Fairbanks was born on 26 May 1650 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts; died on 5 May 1737 in Medway, Norfolk, Massachusetts.
2. Jonathan Fairbanks was born on 1 May 1662 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts; died on 19 Dec 1719 in Sherborn, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

Notes:

He was long believed to have been a son of George Fairbanks and Mary Farrer, but in 2012 Ruth Fairbanks Joseph and James Swan Landberg (citation details below) argued convincingly that he was in fact a son of George Fairbank's brother John Fairbank, and that this resolved several long-standing difficulties in Fairbank/Fairbanks genealogy.

He and his family arrived in New England sometime before spring 1637, settling at Dedham. The home that was built for them there still stands and is, under the name "The Fairbanks House," open to the public, claimed as the oldest standing timber frame house in America.

Jonathan married Grace Smith on 20 May 1617 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England. Grace was born about 1597; died on 28 Dec 1673 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 19 May 1676, Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts

Notes:

She may have been a daughter of Samuel and Grace (Platts) (Gawkroger) Smith.

Notes:

The identity of his first wife is uncertain. She may have been the Margaret Symmes who married a John Fairbank in Halifax on 28 Apr 1578. Whoever she was, she died between 2 Aug 1590 (baptism of their youngest child) and 6 Aug 1593, when John Fairbank married, as his second wife, Isabella Staincliffe of Halifax. Either of John Fairbank's first two wives could have been the mother of the emigrant Jonathan Fairbank, although Joseph and Landberg (citation details below) believe its was more probably the second wife, Isabella Staincliffe. Isabella was buried in Halifax 9 Jul 1597 and John Fairbank married, in Burnley, Lancashire, 28 Aug 1598, as his third wife, Ellen Parker, probably a daughter of George Parker. As Ellen Fairbank, widow, she was buried in Colne, Lancashire, 18 Oct 1643.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1526

Notes:

Perhaps the George Fairbank buried at Sowerby, Yorkshire 29 Mar 1610.

George married Sibyl Wade on 10 May 1551 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England. Sibyl (daughter of Gilbert Wade) died on 21 May 1573; was buried on 21 May 1573 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]