PRO E 115/158/41
We his ma(jesty) or ma(gestrate) commissioners here under named doe certifie and declare unto the Right Honorable, the lord High Treasurer of England and to all others to whom in this behalf it may apartaine, that William ffarr is taxed and accessed towards the payment of the *fyft ((fifth)) Subsedie, granted to his ma(jesty)or ma(gestrate) at fower pounds goodes in Bedford where he hath bene dwellinge and resident, for the most part of the yeare now last past, in witness whereof wee have hereunto set our handes and seales: dated this 19th day of Jun: in the yeare of our lord god 1629
William ffarrer
John Spenser Maior (probably “Major”)
4 pounds 10 shillings 8 pence
Jo: (hn) Wank
William Hawkes
I looked up the surnames Maior and Wank on Ancestry and they appear to be of German origin. The majority of Wank surnames in England are in London and the Maior surname is in Wales. But where “i” and “j” were interchangeable during this time period then the surname could be Major. There are “Major surnames all over England.
* I'm not positive this is “fyft”. The scribe is making his f's and s's the same with a slight variance so it could be “fyst” meaning “first”.
William is mentioned in the will of his father-in-law Robert Greene. Etheldred's christening is in Salford next to Wavendon. This Robert Green would be the one mentioned in the Wavendon title deeds found by Dean Hunter on one of his trips to England. This William, however, is not one of the William's mentioned in the title deeds. This William is, however, the grandson of our William Farre Sr. of Aspley.
Name spelled in Latin on births of two children Ralph and William.
Abstract of the Will of William ffarre
Bedford Probate Records
Film #1066815
On twentie of March one thousand six hundred & sixty
Will of Will ffarre Aspley Guies in Bed husbandman
Anne wife
Ralph son [not yet twenty one]
Will ffarre sone
John Collins
Anne ffarre daughter
Mary daughter
???? [witness]
Tho: Arkesorn [witness]
Robert Byworth [witness]
[Probate]
The following record references show that the Farr, Green, Claver and Dennett Families were living close together. In the records they have intermarried. Thomas Dennett is Elizabeth Farr's (sister of our Stephen Farr in Concord) father-in-law. Robert Green married a Faire the grandniece of our John Fayre of Aspley. Robert Green's daughter Etheldred married William Farr the grandson of our Wiliam Farre Sr. Arthur Claver is the father-in-law of two daughters of Robert Green. Robert Green and his wife___ Faire (grandniece of our John Fayre) had a daughter Mary who married Thomas Dennett.
Copies of these records need to be aquired on one of our cousin's trips to England!
Assignment of term of years D168/7/2 1 June 1640
These documents are held at Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies
Contents:
(1) Robert Smyth
(2) William Farr
Recital: Mortgage 25 Nov. 1638 whereby Sir John Thomson of Husborne Crawley, Beds., conveyed to Sir Thomas Hyde of Aldbury, Herts., the reversion of a lease of the manor of Wavendon, the manor house (occup. Thomas Dennett), a messuage and appurts. (occup. Robert Greene) and 3 cottages (occup. George Gostley, Thomas Norris and Thomas Savage), 3½a. and Abbots grove and Little grove
Recital: 15 Feb. 1640. Assignment by Thomas Hyde of the reversion of the lease to (1) [Thos. Hyde in full possession due to failure of re payment by Sir Jn. Thomson]
NOW (1) to (2) for the remainder of years, of the farmhouse, 3 closes and 1 pightle in the occupation of Robert Greene
Feoffment D168/7/1 14 April 1640
These documents are held at Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies
Contents:
(1) Arthur Claver of Buckingham, gent
Robert Smyth of Buckingham, gent. and son, William
(2) William Farr of Akeley, gent
Messuage or farmhouse in Wavendon and appurtenant lands (occup. Robert Greene; formerly in occup. Sir John Thomson, Knt.)
Consideration: £400
Feoffment [no ref.] 18 Mar. 1653/4
These documents are held at Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies
Contents:
(1) John Worrald of Kempston, Beds., yeoman
(2) William Farr of Wavendon, gent
Cottage called Nixons in Wavendon and 2 pightles
Consideration: £30
Purchases etc. by the Farr family [no ref. or date]
These documents are held at Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies
Messuage, 3 closes, 1 pightle (occup. Robert Greene) D168/7 [n.d.]
Various Pieces of Land in the common fields (occup. Thomas Dennett) D168/8
The Grange and Lands in the common fields D168/9 [n.d.]
Cottage called Nixons D168/10 [n.d.]
Various pieces of the common fields of Wavendon D168/11 [n.d.]
1 Messuage, 2 cottages and 116a. in common fields D168/12 [n.d.]
20a. on Wood Leys D168/13 [n.d.]
Normans Spinney or Grove, Wavendon D168/14 [n.d.]
Messuage, cottage and malthouse in Green End, Wavendon and c.123a. land D168/15 [n.d.]
