Person:Mary Lewis (222)

Identifying the Mary Lewis who married Nathaniel Lewis took me over 25 years. Cutter, New England Familieserroneously reported her as the daughter of David and Elizabeth (Babcock) Lewis. Cook, Lewis Families left her unidentified. I made a bad guess one time that she was the daughter of John and Mary (Burdick) Lewis, passed it on to someone else and this bad guess can now be found on the internet.

Finally, I took at good look at the will of Joseph Lewis (husband of Mary Wilcox) and compared the will with the children I had listed. Joseph mentions his daughter, Mary Lewis, in his will, but I had failed to include Mary in the list of children. Cook also made the same omission. Both of us confused the daughter Mary, with Joseph's wife who was not named in the will, presumably because she pre-deceased him.

Joseph Lewis named 10 children in his will. An eleventh can be added from the Vital Records of Rhode Island compiled by Arnold. We don't know the birthdays of all of the children. The oldest two were born in 1707 and 1709, then a gap until 1716. Other children were born in 1720, 1724, and 1730. So we have birth dates or an estimated birth year for 6 of the 11 children. We know that Mary Lewis' spouse, Nathaniel, was born in 1706 and that she married Nathaniel Lewis 13 Nov 1729. So Mary was probably born during the first gap, say circa 1711-1712.

Is there anything else that might tie Mary Lewis, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Wilcox) Lewis, to the Mary Lewis who married Nathaniel Lewis? Nathaniel and Mary Lewis named their first child, Amos. Joseph and Mary Lewis also had a son, Amos. None of the other contemporary Lewis families in Rhode Island named a son Amos. Finally, there are no other Mary Lewises running around Rhode Island at this time who could have been the spouse of Nathaniel. The latter, of course, is a weak argument and caused Cook to say that Nathaniel Lewis' spouse, Mary Lewis, was unidentified. But, then, Cook failed to pick up on Joseph Lewis naming a daughter Mary Lewis in his will.--Bill Wright 15:05, 10 November 2011 (EST)

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Abstracts of Hopkinton Wills, in Alden G. Beaman. Rhode Island Genealogical Register. (The Rhode Island Genealogical Research Institute)
   276, Jan 1983.

   Mary Lewis of Hopkinton, widow. Will dated 26 Sep 1794, proved 5 Jun 1797, pps. 116-117.
   Sons: Amos, Nathaniel, Elijah deceased leaving heirs, Israel and Beriah.
   Daughters: Mary Cross, Jane Lewis, Ruhama Champlin and Thankful Gavit (Grant?).
   Witnesses: Betsey Lewis, John Grant Jr and Caleb Potter.

2. ↑ Probate 1757-1850 I-R
   2:195; 3:116, 5 Jun 1797.

   http://www.hopkintonhistoricalassociation.org/page25.html
   
   LEWIS, Mary – PR 2:195 11 March 1782 - Affidavit for freedom of her slave, “Will.”
   
   PR 3:116 Will written 26 September 1794, proved 5 June 1797
   
   Sons, Amos, Nathaniel, my deceased son Elijah, Israel, Beriah. Daughters, Mary Cross, Jane Lewis, Ruhamah Champlin, Thankful Grant.
   
   Witnesses: Betsey Lewis, John Grant Jr., Caleb Potter.

3.   See abstract of will of father, Joseph Lewis.
4.   LAND:
   -28 Sep 1756 Mary Lewis of Charlestown, widow, to Joseph Pendleton, Beach & Salt Marsh 13 acres bounded: Joseph Lewis, Stephen Babcock.
   Witnesses: Nath Lewis, Ruhamah Lewis and Daniel McCoon, justice. [Westerly Land 9:209]