Person:Elizabeth Bacon (29)

Elizabeth Bacon was married 1st to Nathaniel Knowles (1686-1732) on 25 Apr. 1717 in Windham, Connecticut and 2nd to Beriah Smith (1680-aft. 1743) in 1734, in Eastham, Massachusetts. Elizabeth was Beriah Smith's 3rd wife after Susannah Savage on 16 Jun 1703 - Eastham, Massachusetts and Alice Small on 19 Apr 1711 - Truro, Massachusetts.

Eastham, Wellfleet and beyond

The birth date specified identifies Elizabeth as the daughter of Jacob Bacon and Elizabeth Knight of Roxbury, and then Newton.

The above website notwithstanding, some sources choose not to identify who Elizabeth Bacon is, because the evidence is largely circumstantial (e.g., "The Knowles Family of Eastham" by Charles T. Libby, in NEHGR, p. 79:383). In terms of age, this Elizabeth Bacon seems to be the best match, but there is much confused information her family that makes proving assertions difficult.

For example, "Michael Bacon and his Descendants", NEHGR, p. 56:368, says her father m. (2) 1700 Dorothy Broadhurst. But "Burial Ground in West Roxbury, MA", NEHGR, p.7:331, tells us that Jacob's first wife was still alive in 1700: "Here lyes ye Body of Elizabeth Wife to Jacob Bacon aged 57 years Dec'd Feb ye 27 1713". So the husband of Dorothy Broadhurst must have been the brother Jacob, not the father. Source:Baldwin, Thomas Williams. Bacon Genealogy : Michael Bacon of Dedham, 1640 and His Descendants says the will of "Jacob Bacon of Newton, dated 25 May 1709, proved 4 July 1709 mentions "Elizabeth my beloved wife" plus daughter Elizabeth, among others. So the father only had the one wife and neither parent appears have ever left Massachusetts.

This is important, because the question is how did Elizabeth Bacon get to Connecticut to meet and marry Nathaniel Knowles?

The Bacon Genealogy, p. 117, cites a 1719 petition that says brothers Jacob and John, about to go to Connecticut, leave their sister Abigail with "her brother and sister White". Some sources actually use this to suggest that the Elizabeth Bacon of this family married a Mr. White, but it was probably Elizabeth's sister Mary that was referred to. There is a birth in Newton for a son Samuel to parents Andrew and Mary White in 1717.

And although this petition in 1719 is after Elizabeth's marriage to Nathaniel Knowles, it does show a connection of this family to Connecticut. Combined with age considerations, it does seem probable that this is the Elizabeth Bacon that married Nathaniel Knowles. It would be nice, though, if Nathaniel and Elizabeth had named one of their sons Jacob to give us more confidence in this conclusion. --Jrich 23:28, 25 October 2010 (EDT)

1. ↑ Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Newton, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1905)
   1:14.

   Bacon, Elizabeth, ch. Jacob and Elizabeth, ---, in Roxbury.
   [Third child by this name.]

2. ↑ Historical Society of Watertown (Massachusetts). Watertown Records. (Watertown, Mass.: Press of Fred Barker, 1894-1939)
   1:65.

   1692. Elezibeth Bacon Daughter of Jacob and Elezibeth Bacon borne ye sixt Day of May: