Framingham's original name was Danforth's Farm, named after Thomas Danforth, who owned the land. Danforth's family came to Massachusetts from Framlingham, England. The first petition to incorporate Framingham as a town was submitted to the General Court in 1693, and was denied because Thomas Danforth did not want Framingham to become a town. After Danforth died in 1699, the people made Framingham a town in 1700.