John Fairfax

John Fairfax (1623 – 11 August 1700) was an English ejected minister.

Life Fairfax was born in 1623. He was the second son of Benjamin Fairfax (1592–1675), ejected from Rumburgh, Suffolk, who married Sarah, daughter of Roger and Joane Galliard, of Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk. Theophilus Brabourne, the sabbatarian, was his uncle by marriage. The Suffolk Fairfaxes are a branch of the ancient Fairfax family of Walton and Gilling, Yorkshire.

Early religious views and education Fairfax dated his religious impressions from an incident which occurred in his eleventh year: ‘the (supposed) sudden death of his sister in the cradle.’ He was admitted at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1640. After graduating BA he was appointed a Fellow by the Earl of Manchester on 10 January 1645 (admitted 14 January) in the place of Thomas Briggs, ejected. He had qualified by subscribing the covenant, and undergoing an examination by the Westminster Assembly. He graduated M.A. in 1647.

From his fellowship he was ejected in 1650 or 1651, on refusing to take the engagement of 1649, promising fidelity to the Commonwealth, 'without a king or house of lords.’ He also took charge of Stockton’s nonconformist congregation in Ipswich, in addition to his own. The independent section formed a separate congregation in 1686; on the issue of James II's 'declaration for liberty of conscience' next year (4 April), the Presbyterians under Fairfax hired a building for public worship in St. Nicholas parish. Timothy Wright became his assistant at Ipswich in 1698. On 26 April 1700 Fairfax opened the existing meeting-house in St. Nicholas Street (now Unitarian).

He died at Barking on 11 August 1700. The funeral sermon was preached on 15 August in the parish church by Samuel Bury. Fairfax was succeeded at Needham by his grandnephew, John Meadows, who in his later years was assisted by Joseph Priestley; and at Ipswich by Wright, who died in November 1701, aged 42.

Marriage Fairfax married Elizabeth Cowper of Mosborough, Derbyshire. They had five sons and two daughters. who possessed an original painting of John Fairfax; a duplicate is in the possession of the Harwoods of Battisford, descended from his daughter Elizabeth (born 1668), who married Samuel Studd of Coddenham, Suffolk; his other children were Thomas (?) and William. The copy of the painting owned by the Harwoods was presented to the Congregational Church in Needham Market in 1927 and can be seen there to this day.

Works The Dead Saint Speaking, &c., 1679, (this is a sermon preached at Dedham, Essex, on 16 September 1668, in memory of Matthew Newcomen; it was reported to Gilbert Sheldon as containing 'dangerous words' at an 'outrageous conventicle;' the publication, which bears Fairfax's initials, was made against his consent by John Collinges, D.D.) A warning to drunkards (with Owen Stockton) The true Dignity of St. Paul's elder, Exemplified in the life Of that Reverend, Holy, Zealous, and Faithful Servant, and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Owen Stockton, M.A. Sometimes Fellow of Gonville and Caius Colledge in Cambridge, and afterward Preacher of Gods Word at Colchester in Essex..., London. Printed by H.H. for Tho. Parkhurst.., 1681. Πρεσβύτερς διπλῆς τιμῆς ἄξιος … life of … O. Stockton … funeral sermon, &c., 1681, (dedicated to the Lady Brook; the sermon has separate title-page, 'Mors Triumphata,' &c.). Of the life there is an abridged reprint in Christian Biography, 1826. Primitiæ Synagogæ, &c., 1700, (sermon on opening the Ipswich meeting-house; dedicated to Sir Thomas Cuddon, chamberlain of the city of London).

Fairfax's funeral sermon (1673) for Samuel Spring, ejected from St. Mary's, Creeting, is quoted by Calamy, but does not seem to have been published.