William Farrar, IV

Married his first cousin.

Known as " Rochambeau ", William Farrar's plantation remained in his family three generations, finally being sold by his grandson, William Farrar in 1804.

William Farrar IV was the last Farrar born on Farrar's Island, VA. He was also the last Farrar owner of the island, which he sold to Thomas Randolph on 05 Feb 1727 after his wife Sarah relinquished her dower rights. The Farrar family had owned the island for 90 years

In return for the sale of Farrar's Island, William Farrar IV was to receive "land on the north side of the James River in the Parish of St. James and county of Henrico (later to become Goochland) between Dover Mill and Stoney Creeks, an estimated 600 acres." (Dr. Malcolm Hart Harris quoting Winfrey's "Acts of the Assembly").

William Farrar IV's plantation remained in his family for three generations, finally being sold to his grandson, William Farrar, in 1804; in 1914, this land became known as "Rochambeau" after the French General who was with General George Washington at Yorktown.

It is known today as Rochambeau Farms on the Manakin Sabot Road, Richmond, VA. However the farm is recently sold to a developer and is no longer in existence.

William Farrar IV married his cousin Sarah Farrar, daughter of Thomas Farrar and Katherine Perrin

Issue: 1.William Farrar V m. Mary Williams dtr of Nathaniel Williams issue: Salley, Nathaniel, Nansie and Frances 2.Joseph Farrar m. Susannah Jordan issue: Joseph, Charles, Susannah

3.Perrin Farrar m. Sarah Lacy, Issue: Mary Ann, Matthew, Stephen, Sarah, Lucy, Elizabeth, Frances

4.Richard Farrar m. Elizabeth Sanders, 1749, issue: a.Richard Farrar II m Phoebe Young issue John Sanders Farrar, George Young Farrar. b.Stephen Farrar b. 1756 m Catherine Lansford, Issue: Henry Lansford Farrar, Thomas, Stephen David Jr, Nancy, Elizabeth, Judith c.Shadrack Farrar b 1757,died 1780 RWS d.Priscilla Farrar b 1759 e.Rene Farrar b 1761 f.Seth Farrar g.Renard Farrar h.Elizabeth Farrar 5. Thomas Farrar, Sr m. ? Issue: William, Joseph, Mary

Some genealogies would have it that William married Sarah Perrin, but Sarah Perrin (dtr of Richard Perrin father of Katherine Perrin married Stephen Cocke) Evidently the assumption that he married Sarah Perrin is based on the fact that one of their sons is named Perrin and another named Richard, but that would be the case if the mothers grandfather was named Richard Perrin. Another reason that some would choose Sarah Perrin as a wife is due to religious motivations. It being "unseemly" that 1st cousins would marry, however 1st cousin marriages and double 1st cousin marriages were quite common in the 17th and even 18th century.

Necessary because of the dearth of eligible spouses in a sparsely settled country. and a way for a family to ensure that property, hard earned, was kept in the family. As we know all too often a persons property and status, left the family and wound up in another if there were no male heir, marrying a cousin ensured that the property and status stayed in the family.

• *Taken from findagrave by Boots Farrar