Thursday, January 23, 2020

Is Robert Melton (d. 1759) wife Mary Farrar?

This lineage has been hotly debated for years and I wanted to pass along my research notes that I think definitely answer the question -- No!

-------

I have worked on the theory that Robert Melton's wife was Marry Farrar, daughter of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin. Even though atDNA seemed to suggest and supported that conclusion, original records, and other facts do not. The atDNA was just to far back, in my opinion, to be conclusive and override the written record presented below.

From Adventurers of Purse and Person V1, Page 934

Mary Farrar, daughter of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin probably married Joseph Watkins who died before 1 March 1734/5 when his estate was inventoried in Goochland Co. They had one child Mary Watkins. Thomas Farrar in his will names his granddaughter as Mary Watkins. Since Mary Farrar was still married to Watkins in 1734/5 in Goochland Co she could not have been married to Robert Melton in NC with that family. Time to see who Robert Melton's wife really was.

There is this from Boots Farrar (Genealogy.com Farrar GenForum) October 4, 2010:

Sorry, but there is no Mary Farrar descended from Councillor William Farrar and his wife Cecily widow of Samuel Jordan, who married a Robert Melton. In fact, there is a claim by the Meltons that she had a sister Elizabeth (O.) Farrar who married William James Melton, both claim that these girls were daughters of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin, but for a number of reasons that is impossible.

1. Thomas and Katherine did not have a daughter named Elizabeth.
2. Mary and Elizabeth were born in New Kent County, Va 1700

Thomas and Katherine were living on Farrar's Island, Henrico Co, Va in 1700, in fact, Thomas sold Farrar's Island to Thomas Randolph in 1727.

3. I am heavy into research in all branches of the Farrar family and have not found any Farrar living in New Kent Co, VA

I suspect that these Mary and Elizabeth Farrar's are actually Farrows or Farris even Farr's. Many researchers make the mistake of shoehorning Farrows, Farris and Farr's into the Farrar family, if they can carry it off, then they can join some social clubs like Ancient Planters.

Some Farrows are indeed Farrar's, maybe some Farris are indeed Farrar's (but I've yet to see evidence of that), however, most Farrows are actually Farrows, and not all Farrar's are Farrar's some are Farrows or Farr's. (could it be Furr?-LVH)

One thing can clear up the question, and that is to have a male Farrar join the Farrar DNA project at http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/farrar. Science can settle questions that until settled by science are merely myths.