John Fay, Immigrant

What in the world would an eight year old boy be doing, traveling by himself, on a trip across the Atlantic ocean in 1656?  The Speedwell carried several other passengers who are our ancestors, but we can't prove that any of them knew the Fay family in England.  After thinking about it for a while, perhaps inheritance had something to do with it.  His presumed father is Henry Fay, with a death date, in Ipswich, Middlesex, Massachusetts of 1655.  Maybe John was sent across the ocean to stake a claim to whatever his father had left him.  A woman by the name of Dorothy Fay died in Ipswich on the same day as Henry.  He name is listed next to Henry's in the register, but we don't know for sure that this was his wife.  We don't even know for sure that Henry was John's father, but it appears likely.  Many websites give the parents as David Fay and Elizabeth Coale, but it doesn't appear likely to me that a woman of almost 50 would give birth.  These are more likely John's grandparents. 

We don't know what happened to John when he arrived in America, alone as far as we can tell.  He was eight years old, so unless a relative stepped forward to care for him, he would have been bound out.  He may have been bound out anyway, as this was the frequent way to deal with children.  They needed to learn a trade or skill.  

John did grow up and married first Mary Brigham, by whom he had four children, and then Susannah Shattuck Morse, by whom he had four more children.  He married Susannah on July 5, 1678 in Watertown, although it's not believed he ever lived there.  Early in his life, but probably when he was an adult, John went to Marlboro, where he was made a freeman in 1669.   He acquired land in Worcester, and was considered a proprietor there, but he apparently didn't live there.  He stayed in Marlboro until the fury of King Philip's War forced the family to go to Watertown,

We wouldn't know much more about John except that he left his inventory.  Actually, there are two inventories for him, one taken in 1691 (John died December 5, 1690) and one in 1695.  The youngest child was born in 1686 so perhaps it was time to settle the estate.  The older children, from his first marriage, may have been getting anxious to get "their share".  The estate was valued at about 209 pounds in 1691.  The 1695 inventory is not totaled but it appears to be very similar.  From the items listed, it appears that John was a farmer; he had the usual animals including two oxen, and "husbandry tools",  He also had a Bible and books, total value given as 1 pound and one shilling. 

The other interesting thing about John I can't prove.  It is said that he was of Huguenot parentage.  Whether his parents were Huguenots or whether the connection is further back, I don't know.  I don't even know if there is a connection.  It's a possibility. 

The line of descent is:

John Fay-Susannah Shattuck
David Fay-Sarah Larkin
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stannard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants