Person:Mary Smith (8)

MARY SMITH, the wife of Nathaniel Glover, was born at Toxteth Park, near Liverpool, Lancashire, England, the 20th day of July, 1630, and died in Barnstable the 29th day of July, 1703, aged 73 years. She was the daughter of Quartermaster John Smith and his first wife Mary Ryder of Toxteth Park. She was twice married ; first, in 1652, to Mr. Nathaniel Glover, of Dorchester, who died there in May, 1657, aged 27 years. She was married, second, to the Hon. Thomas Hinckley, of Barnstable (afterwards Governor of the Plymouth Colony for many years), March 2, 1659-60."

Her parents are thus noticed in a manuscript Journal of the Rev. Mr. Prince, "She was the only child of Mr. Quartermaster Smith, by bis first fife, formerly of Lancashire in England, and afterward of Dorchester in New England. Her father had been a Quartermaster in the army of the Netherlands, her mother a gentlewoman of a creditable family and of eminent natural powers, piety and acquired accomplishments. Of them she was born in Lancashire in England, in 1630. Her parents living under the ministry of the Rev. Richard Mather at Toxteth in that shire ; they came up and brought her with them to Bristol, in order for New England, in April, 1635 ; young Nathaniel, the son of the said Mr. Mather, being carried on one side in a pannier, and this young Mrs. Mary on the other, as I have often heard her say. May 23, 1635, she, with her father and mother, the said Rev. Richard Mather and Wife, their sons Samuel and Nathaniel, Mr. Jonathan Mitchell, then about 11 years of age, from Bristol. In the night, between Aug. 14 and 15, coming on the New England Coast, there arose an extreme hurricane, wherein they were in the utmost danger and wondrously delivered (see the account in the Life of Revd Richard Mather in the Magnolia), and on Aug. 17th arrived at Boston. Her father and others settling at Dorchester, and a new Church being gathered there, Aug. 23d, 1686, the said Mr. Richard Mather became their teacher, under whose ministry she lived, unless when sent to school at Boston, where she enjoyed Mr. Wilson's and Mr. Cotton's ministry." Rev. Mr. Prince adds, "she married to Mr. Nathaniel Glover, a son of the Hon. John Glover, Esq., of said Dorchester, by whom she had Nathaniel and Ann. And then this husband dying, she remained a widow until when she married the Hon. Thomas Hinckley, Esq., of Barnstable, whither she removed, and had by him Mercy, Experience, John, Abigail, Thankful, Ebenezer and Reliance, who all grew up and married ; and all but Ebenezer, before she died.

"At Barnstable, to the day of her death, she appeared and shone in the eyes of all as the loveliest and brightest woman for beauty, knowledge, wisdom, majesty, accomplishments and graces throughout the Colony. And there her first son Nathaniel married to Hannah, a daughter of the said Mr. Hinckley by his former wife. Her said daughter Anne married to Mr. William Rawson, a son of Mr. Secretary Rawson, Secretary of the Massachusetts Colony ; her daughter Mercy to Mr. Samuel Prince, of Sandwich ; Experience, to Mr. James Whipple, of Barnstable ; her son John, to Mrs. Trott, of Dorchester ; her daughter Abigail, to the Rev. Mr. Joseph Lord, of Dorchester, South Carolina, afterwards of Chatham, on Cape Cod ; Thankful, to the Revd Mr. Experience Mayhew, of Martha's Vineyard ; Reliance, to the Revd Mr. Nathaniel Stone, of Harwich ; and after her death, her son Ebenezer to Mrs. Stone, of Sudbury. Mrs. Hinckley died July 29, 1703, in the 73d year of her age."

The writer visited her grave in the ancient cemetery at Barnstable, in the summer of 1856, and copied the following from her gravestone, "Here lyeth Ye Body of Ye truly Virtuous and Praiseworthy Mrs. Mary Hinckley, wife unto Mr. Thomas Hinckley, who departed this life July 29th, 1703, in Ye 73d year of her age."

Mary Smith joined the Church at Dorchester previous to her mar-riage, and was subsequently dismissed from it to join the Church at Barnstable. The following is taken from the records of the Church at Dorchester: "The 22" day of the 2d month, 1660, Mrs. Mary Glover, whose maiden name was Mary Smith, and who lately married with Gov. Thomas Hinckley, about Sandwich, desired letters of dismission to the Church there ; but they were not at that time granted, It being so suddenly after her removal thither, and they not being in a capacity for the enjoyment of the ordinances, having no officers to dispense the same"

23 (4) 1664, Was Mrs. Hinckley, who formerly was the wife of Mr. Nathaniel Glover, dismissed to join the Church at Barnstable." Mary Smith was promised a marriage portion by her father* on her marriage with Mr. Nathaniel Glover, but, from a clause in her father's will, it appears she did not receive it until some time after. Quartermaster Smith's will, made December 30, 1676, was proved July 25, 1678.

Mrs. Mary Glover's marriage with the Hon. Thomas Hinckley was, for a time, resolutely opposed by the relatives and friends of her former husband. She being young, or at the age of twenty-nine years, at the time the grave subject was first presented for her consideration, with three children of the tender ages of three, five and six years, and possessing a competent estate and ability to rear and educate them, it seemed absurd to those who were nearly connected with her children, for her to enter into new relations with a man, however exalted his worth or elevated his position, who had a family of eight children, and was much her senior. To remove the children to a new home in a distant Province or Colony, could not at once be acquiesced in ; and to leave them at their tender age, seemed equally inconsistent and unmotherly. Accordingly the Governor's suit was rejected, although, it seems, not entirely abandoned by the parties. The marriage was delayed for several months ; but after a time the relatives became reconciled and gave their assent to it.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} E. Charles Hinkley. Hinkley Heritage & History. (Second Edition July 1976)
   p16.
2. ↑ Glover, Anna. Glover Memorials and Genealogies: An Account of John Glover of Dorchester, Massachusetts and His Descendants, with a Brief Sketch of Some of the Glovers who First Settled in New Jersey, Virginia and Other Places. (Boston, Massachusetts, United States: David Clapp & Sons, Printers , 1867)
   p. 171.
3. ↑ Mary Smith Pelton, in Find A Grave.