Robert EDWARDS (1612 – bef. 1641) was Alex’s 10th great grandfather, one of 2,048 in this generation of the Miner line.

Robert Edwards – Coat of Arms

Robert Edwards was born in 1613 in England.  He married Frances FAIRFIELD.  Robert Edwards, aged about 22, who came on tho “Hopewell” from London in 1635. Robert died before 1641 when his wife remarried.

Frances Fairfield was born in England,  Her parents were Daniel FAIRFIELD and Mary SHAW.  She was most likely John Fairfield’s sister, as her child Matthew Edwards (from her first marriage) later refers to John as “Uncle.” An additional sibling relationship to Frances (and thus to John, as well) is inferred by the reference in her will to “Elin Hilles, her sister in owlde England.”   After Robert died, she married Robert Hawes.  Frances died in 1645 in Salem, Mass and her will was probated 10th 7th mo., 1645.

Robert Hawes was  born 12 May 1611 in Ashford, Kent, England.

John Fairfield was  born in 1612 in England.  He married Elizabeth Knight 7 Jun 1632 in England.  John died 22 Dec 1646 ‎(Age 34)‎ Wenham, Essex  Mass.  Elizabeth Knight Fairfield married again after John Fairfield’s death. Her second husband was Peter Palfrey. There was some litigation between the children of John and Elizabeth and Peter Palfey over John’s estate after the death of their mother Elizabeth.

10 Sep 1645: “brother Fairfield” presented nuncupative will of Frances, then wife of Robert Hawes. Frances was almost certainly John’s sister, as her child Robert Edwards (from her first marriage) later refers to John as “Uncle.” An additional sibling relationship to Frances (and thus to John, as well) is inferred by the reference in her will to “Elin Hilles, her sister in owlde England.”

Children of Matthew and Mary:

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Children of Frances and Robert Hawes

Savage

ROBERT EDWARDS, Concord, came from London in the Hopewell, Capt. Babb, in the autumn of 1635, aged 22, or he may be the same wh. seven days earlier than his entry for Babb’s sh. is, at the London custom ho. certif. to have tak. the oath of allegiance being aged 27, and to pass. to Virg. Possib. only one man so nam. was in London. He by w. Christian, had at C. Sarah, b. 12 Sept. 1640, d. in 2 wks.; Christian, 15 Mar. 1646, and sev. others, prob. bef. as well as after. He was freem. 18 May 1642, d. early, for his inv. was tak. 18 Dec. 1646. ROBERT, Salem, br. of Matthew, s. of that wid. wh. m. Robert Hawes, and d. 1645, as in her will of 12 June in that yr. is seen.

Frances Hawes 1 Will

Frances Hawes 2 Will

Historical collections of the Essex institute By Salem Mass, Essex institute 1859

Robert Hawes’ Wife, 1th mo., 1645. Will of Robert Hawes’ wife, testified to by witnesses William Gooses, Katherine Darlin, Sarah Bartlett, who heard her on her death bed, on the 12th June, 1645, dictate her will, mentions the young child Thomas she had by Robt. Hawes, £20, her three sons, Robert Edwards and Matthew Edwards .Robert Hawes daughter, Alise, his sons, Robert and Matthew, her sister, Ellen Hibbert, in Old England, two maids who tended in her sickness, viz: Kathrin Darlin aud Sarah Bartlett.—’ Probate 10th 7th mo., 1645.

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/o/j/Heather-W-Rojo/GENE25-0125.html

In 1641 “brother <John> Fairfield” presented to the Court the nuncupative will of his Francis, then wife of Robert Hawes. In the proceedings there is mention of her children Robert and Matthew Edwards, Thomas Hawes, and a “sister Ellin Hilles in Old England”.

He prepared his will December 11, 1646 and made bequeaths to wife Elizabeth; to sons Walter, ae. 8 years, and Benjamin, ae. 2 years; cousin Matthew Edward’s land within my farm had from Salem; Henry Bartholomew and Robert Hawes of Salem, supervisors of will. His estate was inventoried December 23, 1646 and probated July 6, 1647. Peter Palfrey, Elizabeth’s second husband, gave bonds to pay the portions of the three children, Walter, John and Benjamin. In 1658 Peter Pelfrey stated in a lease that Benjamin Fairfield would be twenty years old on July 21, 1666. In February 1659 Matthew Edwards conveys a deed of property inherited from “Uncle John Fairfield deceased”.

Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England, Before 1692 by James Savage

EDWARDS, MATTHEW, Reading, came in the Speedwell 1656, from London, but he had come near 20 yrs. bef. with wid. mo. wh. m. Robert Hawes, and in her will of 12 June 1645, ment. him and his br. Robert; m. 2 Dec. 1657, Mary, d. of John Poole, had Mary, b. 25 Mar. 1659; Sarah, 26 Jan. 1661; Matthew, 24 Oct. 1662, d. young; and Elizabeth; the ds. are nam. in their gr.f.’s will of 1667. He was freem. 1669; d. 23 Dec. 1683, aged 52

John Fairfield had land in Charlestown in 1638 by which others (including George Bunker) bounded their property in the Charlestown Book of possessions (Boston Record Commissioners* Report, Volume III, pp. 3-4, -26, 28, and 40), although his own land was not recorded, probably because before the registration was completed in 1639 he had moved to Salem and sold the Charlestown property to some one else who registered it in his own name. Had liberty from the town to buy John Baker’s house, 1638, Tradition in some branches of the family says that he came over-to Massa­chusetts in 1635; this is so far undocumented. Salem Court Record of July 16, 1639, says: “John FFairefeild desires accommodation” and on Dec. . 23t 1639, he was granted land, 80 acres for a farm, “10 acres of which to be meadow”. He later bought 18 acres from William Fisk, and had “house (and) ground” in co-partnership with [our ancestor] Joseph BATCHELDER. Admitted to Salem Church, August 25, 1639; freeman, May 13, 1640.- the Enon area in which his land was situated was set apart as the town of Wenham on “ye tenth day of ‘ ye third month anno 1643” (May 10, 1643 old style); On a later survey, part of his eighty acres proved to be in the part of Ipswich known as Ipswich Hamlet, now called Hamilton.

Robert Hawes witnessed John Fairfield’s will

John Fairfield Will

To god be the prayse, I John ffayrefeild being in perfect mimory though weake in Boddy doe make this my last will and Testament in manner and forme as followeth, first I commit my soul into the hands of my faythful Redeemer, through a liuely hope that when this frayle body of mine shall be laid in the dust I shall be preserved safe through his merrits and worthyness alone unto the great day of the resurrection at what time my soule and Boddy being reunited togither by the power of his grace and the efficac y of that his Alsufficyent mediation, I shall be glorifyed togither with him in his eternell kingdome: And as touc hinge the outwarde goods of this life which God of his good ness haue giv n me my Will and Pleasure is that they be dispposed in such sort as here followeth:

Imprimis I doe Give and Bequeath unto Elizabeth my beloued wife my pte of house and ground which I have in Coptner shipe with Joseph Batchelder to her and to her Heires for ever. Item: I doe giue unto my wife all my moueables withi n dores and without as namely my Cowes Cattle Swine Corne Housall Implyments and utensels Bed bedinge Linine Wooling e Brass Peuter mony Debts and whatsoever is mine eyther i n Possesion or accruinge or belonginge to me for her the sa id Elizabeth to have and injoy the same as her owne fee Simple to disposs of at her pleasure without Interruption or m olestation from any other, and also my will is that my said wife shall have the use and occupation of the house I now live in and the ground Appertayninge there unto and of my fear me had from Salem; until such time as Benjamen my youngest sonne shall Come to twenty yeeres of Age; and then m y minde and will is that this house and Land and my moveabl e Goods, then remaining, shall all be equally in the propor tion devided, betwine my wife, and three Children, soe man y of them as shall then survive. And further this is my will that my wife shall see the bringinge up of my Childre n Christian Like and Honestly and alsoe the due disposall o f them unto such honest occupations or lawefull Callings o r Conditions of life as she in her wisedome with the ad ice of the Supvisors of this my will shall esteem most me ete, this her said] care of them to extend towards my sai d Children untill my yongest son Benjamine Comes ot twent y yeeres of Age; And Likewise my will and pleasure is my sonne Walter shall rest himself satisyed with what I heere ha ve done as concerninge him and take it as my minde and advice that he would approve himselfe dutifull unto his Mother upon whose Curtisy he shall depend for ought elce he migh t expect: Alsoe my minde is my said wife shall make no estr ipp or wast of Timber fensings, and shall keepe my said hou ses in good and sufficient Reperrations and my ground sutab ly fenced and inclosed accordinge as she finds the same dur inge the said space of Tearme, and in Cause she shall dispo se her selfe in marryage that then she shall before the sol emninginge of the same enter into sufficyent bond and secur ity for the fulfullinge of this my will unto the Supvisors , further my minde and will is that my gunes and swordes: m y Chrildene shall have the use of them as need requre. Item : I give unto Mathew Edwards my Cossen Twenty Acres of upla nd lyinge within my fearme had from Salem wth two acres o f meddow to be laid out mos indifferently by my supvisors t o injoy it at one and twenty yeeres of Age. Item. I Constitute And ordayne Elizabeht my wife sole Executrix And my Lovinge and well approved friends Mr. Henery Bartholomew of Salem and Robertt Hawes of Salem these two Supvisars to thi s my last will and Testament.”

John (his mark) Fairefild.

Wit: Jo. Fiske, William Fiske, Robert Hawes.

Sources: Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex Co., MA, edited by George Francis Dow, Vol. 1, pp. 116- 117; Court held at Salem, 6: 5: 1647:

25 Jan 1641 Robert Hawes brought civil action against William Pester for an incurred debt (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Salem.).

12 Jul 1642 – Samuel Eaborne brought civil action against Robert Hawes; Robert Hawes brought civil action against Charles Glover for an incurred debt, and Robert Hawes brought civil action against Robert Lewes for an incurred debt (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Salem.). On July 10, 1644 Thomas Smith brought civil action against Robert Hawes (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Salem.). On September 9, 1645, by Adjournment, the will of Frances, wife of Robert Hawes, sworn to by Mr. Wm. Goose July 24, 1641. On September 10, 1645, Return received from brother Fairfield. She died June 12, 1641. She bequeathed to the little Child w^ch she had by Robt Hawes twentie pownd and to her two sons Robert Edwards & mathew Edwards, & her young Child Thomas Hawes to being them up in lerning her sayd Husband Robert Hawes is to pay into the Hands of sume honest man ten pownds to see them brought up in lerninge & to his daughter she did will to be given (Alis Haws) her worst Philip & Cheny gown & two petticoat & a wast coat & two Aporns w^th all smale linnin sutable to it & a silver bodkine & a payre of pillowbeers & to Robert & mathew Hawes she Did will to be given to each of them a payre of sheets & each of them a payre of pillowbeers & each of them half a duson of napkins & town silver spoons & a gould ring to thomas Hawes & to Elin Hilles her sister in owld England she wiled to be sent two yerde of lawn and a bible. Alsoe to the two mayds that kept her in her sichnes she did will to be given to them namly Kathrin Dorlow & Sarah bartlett each of them a new handkerchor a Coyf & Crocloth & to Katurne Dorlow half an ell of lase; morover in the presens of Katrin Dorlow & Sarah Barltett she Did will fowre pound w^ch her husband pmised to send to owld England to a Child ther & a pewter dish. Wit: Wm. Goose, Katerin (her mark) Dorlow, Sarah Barttlet (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Salem.). On February 23, 1648 Robert Hawes was fined for want of scales and weights in his mill (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Salem.). On November 24, 1657 Robert Knight brought civil action against Robert Hawes for an incurred debt (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Salem.). On March 30, 1658 Mathew Edwards, aged twenty-five years, deposed that he had often seen the colt of John Hakes, sometimes four days in the week, and in his conscience this was the colt (Source: Court Records: Massachusetts Colony: Ipswich.).

Sources:

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=99633408

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/2492322/person/-1367896849/story/1ae061cc-22cc-49df-9600-12c732424755?src=search

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/2492322/person/-1367896849/story/f2189107-47cb-481d-bf7f-ca2f25ef19a2?src=search 

http://www.fairfieldfamily.com/records/court%20documents/court_index.html