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Family tree▼ Facts and Events
Children
References
- ↑ The American Genealogist (TAG). (Donald Lines Jacobus, et.al.)
Vol. 14, p. 84, 86.
p. 84: "His [John Gedney's] wife Sarah, apparently died on the voyage over or soon after landing as Mary Gedney, apparently his second wife, was admitted to the First Church in Salem in 1637."
p. 86: "We should further note that the entry in the records of the First Church of Salem of the membership of Mary Gedney in 1637 may be an error for "Sarah", in which case John Gedney had but two wives Sarah and Catherine."
- Waters, Henry Fitzgilbert. "The Gedney and Clarke Families of Salem, Mass.", in Essex Institute Historical Collections. (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex Institute Press)
Vol. 16, p. 243.
"His first wife, according to Mr. Savage, was wrongly named on the Custom house records; certainly the mother of his children whose baptisms are found recorded at Salem, was Mary."
[Note: Savage, p. 2:241: "with w. Mary (call. Sarah in the custom ho. rec.)".]
- The supposition of three wives versus two is based, it seems entirely on the difference between Sarah and Mary, which has been pointed out by the cited sources, could be a mistake either way. If Waters is right about the baptism records saying Mary, then it would make it unlikely Mary is an error, but the published Salem VRs show the children belonging only to John, suggesting Mary is not named in the baptism records and meaning the name Mary appears in only one record, her admission to church - as the name Sarah appears to be in only one record, the custom house record, as Savage calls it. The spacing between John's childrens' births shows no break to support the idea of a remarriage. The reference to Rebecca Putnam as daughter-in-law in John Gedney's will is the only fact that really argues for the notion of two wives, and since there is always the possibility Rebecca is somehow related to John's last wife Catherine, as Bethiah Hutchinson turned out to be, this is not conclusive.
- On the other hand, a 2nd wife Mary explains the presence of Robert Prince, Bethia, and Lydia as "servants in the house" (referring to John Gedney's inn) as well as the 7 children in his household in 1637. They could very well be Lydia, Hannah, and John (who came to Salem with him and 1st wife Sarah), three children of his 2nd wife Mary (Robert, Rebecca, Bethia Prince?), and Mary (first child by 2nd wife Mary).
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