Family:John Durkee and Hannah Bennett (1)

Source:Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 has three separate marriage intentions involving a John Durkee in a very short time. Durgee, John and Anna Low of Chebacco, int. Jan 26, 1711-12. Durgee, John, and Hannah Benet, of Manchester, int. Oct. 18, 1712 Durgee, John, and Mary Lee of Manchester, int. Dec. 12, 1713.

The Anna Low intention is mentioned in her home town of Ipswich, where Chebacco was a parish, and since she is called a widow in the Ipswich recording, this is assumed to be John Durkee, Sr.

The Mary Lee intention is mentioned in her home town of Manchester, and the couple starts having children, so this is assumed to be John Durkee, Jr.

Source:Connecticut Nutmegger (Connecticut Society of Genealogists), p. 19:425, says that John Durkee m. (2) Hannah (Low) Bennett on 18 Oct 1712. Thus it appears to be assuming that the Anna Low and Hannah Benet records refer to the same person, with the latter record being the marriage, and not the intention. It is not clear if they have any other evidence to support this position. While this seems doubtful on the surface, because one is from Manchester, and one is from Chebacco (Ipswich), the dates are so close that it doesn't seem possible to be two separate marriages, and Anna and Hannah were used interchangeably. However, ...

Source:Butler, Elmer Ellsworth. Butlers and Kinsfolk : Butlers of New England and Nova Scotia and Related Families of Other Names, Including Durkees,, p. 98, says John Sr. m. (2) December 1713 Hannah Low, widow of John Low, and d/o Aaron and Hannah Bennett of Manchester, i.e., Hannah (Bennett) Low. It is unfortunate that they got the wrong date (the one for Mary Lee), because otherwise, this arrangement is at least supported by some evidence. To wit, ...

Source:Essex Antiquarian (Essex Antiquarian), p. 8:91, "Descendants of William Bennett of Manchester", says that Aaron Bennett, m. (1) Hannah ---, and had Hannah (Joanna), b. 25 Mar 1665, "living in 1708". This is supported by Source:Manchester, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Manchester, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, p. 24: Benet, Hannah, d. Aron and Hanna, [born] Mar. 25, 1665.

Then, Source:Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, p. 4:1927, says John Low Jr., b. Chebacco 24 Apr 1665 m. 1690 Johannah and had children 1691 to 1698. A birth, but no marriage or death records are found in Ipswich for John Low, Jr., but the births of children to "John, jr., at Chebacco" are recorded in Source:Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts to End of the Year 1849, p. 1:251-2, unfortunately without the name of the mother.

Thus, it seems that the two marriages of Anna Low and Hannah Bennett do refer to the same person, properly named Hannah (Bennett) Low. It would seem most likely that the first one is the intention, and the second one, since sooner than a year later, is probably the actual marriage. --Jrich 10:28, 8 February 2010 (EST)

1. ↑ Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts to End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex Institute, 1910, 1919)
   2:147.

   Durke, John, of Gloucester, and wid. Annah Low, int. Jan 26, 1711-12. CR4.

2. ↑ Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Gloucester, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Massachusetts.: Essex Institute, 1917)
   2:191.

   Durgee, John, and Anna Low of Chebacco, int. Jan. 26, 1711-12.
   Durgee, John, and Hannah Benet, of Manchester, int. Oct. 18, 1712