Cites Suffolk deed Vol. 37, p. 437 where on 19 Jun 1700 Mercy Kingsbury sells land to fall to her from her mother's dower after her mother dies. Believes the coincidence of it not being recorded until 9 Jun 1724, and Samuel's death in 1724 is significant.
[Note: Samuel's wife is identified by Torrey as Mercy Kingsbury which lists this and two other sources. One is a query asking who she was (NEHGR, p. 37, p. 203), and the other (p. 500) identifies her as Mercy ---, leaving just this source. This seems a little flimsy, since usually the grantee was the person most interested in getting deeds recorded, not the grantor, especially when they were about to sell. However, Mercy may have been selling in 1701 to prepare for marriage.
An alternative theory is seen in secondary literature, also with no real evidence, that this Mercy Kingsbury married Richard Briggs of Norton. No marriage record is found, and the marriage is said to occur "1706 or 8" even though the first known child's birth is listed as 1711 (when this Mercy would have been 34, but the actual facts are that he is eldest and second child b. 1712/13. The last child is baptized 1719 when this Marcy would have been 42). The gravestone in Norton says she d. 1749 in her 56th y. which place her birth about 1795, clearly not 1777, but since her husband's gravestone says he died 1741 when his will is dated 1732/33, it is though the gravestone might be in error. (Source:Briggs, Samuel. Archives of the Briggs Family, p. 92, Richard's wife is merely identified as Mercy with a good discussion of the possible gravestone error, NEHGR, 125:87, identifies this Mercy as "possibly" his wife, and Source:Clark, George Faber. History of the Town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859, p. 165, indicates that Mercy wife of Richard Briggs was admitted from the church in Taunton.)
Neither family has children named after Mercy's parents Joseph and Mary.]
