Glimpse into Made to Last Forever: George Fairbanks the Cooper

George Fairbanks, the Barrel Maker of Dedham, Massachusetts

George Fairbanks, the second son of Jonathan and Grace Fairbanks, was christened in 1619 in England. He was probably educated in England. There was no formal education in Dedham for years after the town was founded. In support of George’s education, he had 49 books in his inventory at death. His father, Jonathan Fairbanks worked with wood as a spinning wheel maker. George learned to work with wood.

George was 18 years old when the Fairbanks House was built in 1637, not long after the family’s arrival in Massachusetts Bay Colony. No doubt, he had a role in preparing the lumber for building the house.

In 1644, at age 25, George joined the Massachusetts Military Company (MMC), a colony wide military group who trained monthly in Boston with the latest equipment and techniques of war. This was the first coordinated defense in the colonies. Prior to this, security was the responsibility of individual town militias. This MMC became the prestigious Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts (AHAC) which has a museum in Fanueil Hall in Boston. 

In 1646, George Fairbanks married Mary Adams. Over the years, they had seven children. The first was born in 1647. The last one was born in 1664. 

In 1649 at age 29, the Dedham’s town records called him Sergean George Fairbanks. At this time, George was given permission to use trees in the town commons for his work. Following is the grant as stated in the Dedham Town Records: “Granted to George Fairebanke free liberty to fell and take for his own vse vpon the Comon Land of the Towne such timber as he shall from time to time need for his trade pvided. that he neither sell nor trade a waye any such timber, vnwrought into vessels. & he hath allso libertie heereby to let his timber so felled, lye the space of one whole yeare it being sufficiently marked wth som knowen marke.” This was found in the Dedham Town Records, Vol. III, page 124.

Coopers making barrel staves and barrels.

Barrel making was an important occupation in the 1600s. Each town had a cooper or barrel maker. Barrels were used for both wet and dry contents of all kinds: from vinegar, rainwater, beer to salt pork, apples, crops, etc. They were also used for transporting goods.

Wood for barrels had to be “seasoned or aged” so the lathes would not crack when made into barrels staves. Thus, the trees needed to be felled for a period of time before usage.. It was an honor to use tree from the town commons. Generally, an individual had to petition to use even one tree, unless it was fell on his own property. Note, George could not sell the town wood for any reason other than to use it for his business. He was to “mark” the trees he felled. Please let me know if anyone knows what he or other Fairbankses used for their mark. 

In Made to Last Forever, A Family. A House. A Nation, Jonas, George’s younger brother, is depicted as helping George make barrels. This is not documented. However, Jonas went to Hammersmith (now Saugus Ironworks) in 1651 and 1652, about the same time it is believed that James Fales (Vales) came to Dedham. It is quite possible that James Fales was an apprentice to George Fairbanks. In 1654, Fales was admitted as a proprietor of Dedham at the same time Jonathan Jr. Fairbanks, george’s youngest brother, was admitted (Dedham Town Records, Vol. 3 p. 149). 

This Dedham town documen of February 11, 1662 depicts James Fales as the apprentice of George Fairbanks, “…James Vales is to haue the same grant that his master Georg Fayrbanks had providded he doe suplye the towne with Marchandable weare of his trade to thos that desire it at Marchandable price such pay as the Towne can pay equifielent to corne or money.” The grant was entered into the records at this later date (Dedham Town Record, Vol. 4, p. 57). 

This grant to James probably was made after George moved his family to Medfield (later know as Sherborn, then Millis) on the west banks of the Charles River. Medfield plus an additional grant of land by the General Court west of the Charles River became a spinoff town of Dedham in 1650. Although George owned land in this area earlier, he moved his family around 1657 when his garrisoned house was built in the Bogastowe area, west side of the Charles River.

During King Philip’s War, on February 22, 1676, and again May 6, 1677, the Natives attacked George Fairbanks’s garrison house in Medfield which harbored numerous neighbors for shelter and safety. The Natives were repelled during both attacks. 

January 1682/83, George drown in the Charles River when he was repairing bridge supports. By the time of his death, all his children were grown. His wife Mary supplied the probate court with George’s inventory (Case 1281, Suffolk County Records 1680-1689, FamilySearch.org). George’s inventory indicates he had implements of husbandry (farming) and coopering (barrel making). George was buried in the Old South Cemetery, Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

From the above documents, it is reasonable to believe that George Fairbanks provided Dedham and possibly Medfield with the important commodities of barrels from his cooper business. 

Made to Last Forever: A Family. A House. A Nation.
Holiday Gifting Ideas

Made to Last Forever: A Family. A House. A Nation.

This Thanksgiving, consider giving the book, Made to Last Forever: A Family. A House. A Nation., as a hostess gift. You may choose to give it to the families participating to stimulate a lively conversation at the gathering. The Fairbankses had many Thanksgiving Days, as well as, Days of Humiliation.. Read about them in the book.

For Christmas, give the book as a special gift from you. Include your or the recipient’s family lineage on the blank pages left for that purpose.

Help preserve and share both Massachusetts Bay Colony’s history (400 years in 1630), and the Fairbanks History whose house will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 1637.