Family:Joseph Anderson and Hannah Packard (3)

There are a lot of questions about the identity of Hannah Packard.

Traditionally, she is identified as Hannah Packard, d/o John Packard and Rachel Niles. Part of the reasoning is undoubtedly the comment in Source:Mitchell, Nahum. History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater, in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, p. 265, that this John "went to Chesterfield". Hannah's marriage intention clearly identifies her of that town. It is probably significant that the eldest daughter of Joseph and Hannah Anderson was named Rachel.

We don't have a birth record for Hannah, only a baptism in West Bridgewater in 1764, but as her parents were married in 1762, it could not be far off from the date of her birth, making her a young bride. However, the next older Hannah found was b. 1743, so there doesn't seem to be any better solution to the age issue.

Source:Lu, Helen M. Revolutionary War Period gives the marriage date 3 Feb 1779 from a Bible. Given the intention mentioned above, this must be an error, possibly remembered wrong, and should possibly be 3 Feb 1780. AFN X8CL-50 gives a marriage of 23 Apr 1780 in Hingham. There is no record of this marriage in Hingham VRs, so one has to doubt the credibility of this source. Since by 1780, the Anderson family was living in Chesterfield, as was Hannah's Packard family, one has a hard time imagining why they would go to Hingham to get married.

Source:Phillips, Vernon S. Francis Nash of Braintree, Mass. and 1550 of His Descendants, p. 19, says (without providing its evidence) that Hannah Packard, d/o John Packard and Rachel Niles, m. 7 Feb 1789 Joel Edson. This marriage is recorded in Bridgewater VRs, p. 2:276, but it seems improbable, given the idea that this family removed to Chesterfield. It is more likely that the marriage to Joel Edson in Bridgewater is for Hannah Packard, d/o Solomon Packard and Hannah Baily, who was born in Bridgewater also in 1764, and whose father Solomon stayed in Bridgewater, dying there in 1808. This is what Mitchell says on p. 159 and p. 268. The children of Joel and Hannah Edson, named Albert, Ard and Pliny, offer no clues that might identify their mother. --Jrich 13:09, 30 March 2010 (EDT)

1. ↑ Chesterfield (Massachusetts). Selectmen, and Chesterfield (Massachusetts). Town Clerk. Town records, 1762-1789; and vital records, 1753-1797. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1993)
   32.

   Novem'r ye 29th 1779 The Intentions of Marriage between Joseph Anderson & Hannah Packard both of this Town hath bin Published as ye Law Directs.