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Family tree▼ Facts and Events
Children
References
- ↑ Joslyn, Roger D. Vital Records of Charlestown, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1984-1995)
Vol. 1, p. 23.
Nathanll. Dunton & Abigail Richardson, both of Charlestown, m. by Rev. Mr. Josh. Stevens, Min., May 25, 1715.
- ↑ It often happens, when old genealogies make errors, modern genealogists sometimes attempt to fix the part that is right while preserving the part that is wrong, creating total confusion. That appears to happen here.
Source:Vinton, John Adams. Richardson Memorial (published 1876), p. 513, says Abigail, d/o Thomas Richardson and Abigail ---, b. 8 Nov 1700, m. (1) 25 May 1715 Nathaniel Dunton of Charlestown, m. (2) --- Hill, was a widow in 1756.
Source:Wyman, Thomas Bellows. Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629-1818 (published 1879), Vol. 1, p. 313 say Nathaniel Dunton m. (3) 25 May 1715 Abigail Richardson, who m. (2) --- Hill. Vol. 2, p. 815 says Abigail is the d/o Thomas Richardson of Billerica.
Now one can decide for themselves if Wyman copied Vinton, but the text of neither source says anything that explains how the father of Nathaniel's wife was identified. At the same time, one can't help noticing that the girl was six months shy of her 15th birthday at the time of this marriage, and called of Charlestown at age 14 when her father lived in Billerica. In other words, this is probably wrong (unless evidence not in evidence is presented). The will of Thomas Richardson leaves his estate with his wife to be distributed to his children (not explicitly named) on her death. That his daughter Abigail was a widow Hill is known from documents in 1756 pertaining to the estate. Even though these sources don't known who Mr. Hill was, careful reading of the probate shows it was Samuel Hill Tertius [Middlesex Probate 19161], and they had a child born in Billerica in 1727 (Billerica VRs p. 97), even though no marriage record is located. So the marriage to a Mr. Hill is correct.
The identification of Abigail as widow Hill in 1756 causes problems because that means she lived. Nathaniel Dunton's probate indicates his wife Abigail died about a fortnight before he did. Source:NEHGS Nexus (New England Historic Genealogical Society), Vol. 10, p. 159, uses this fact to suggest Wyman got confused and Abigail did not marry the father in 1715, she married the son. This article accepts the old identification of Abigail even though even this adjustment still implies the problematical marriage at age 14 1/2, and instead throws out the identification of the husband because Abigail's survival to 1756 implies she wasn't that lady that died a fortnight before the father. However, his son Nathaniel Jr. is not married in 1746 and his estate is distributed to his mother and siblings [Middlesex Probate 6536]. So Abigail couldn't have been his wife either unless they got divorced, an extremely rare event at that time.
The only explanation possible is that the identification of Abigail is wrong. Probably based on the age of Nathaniel Sr., and her death in 1718, she was a widow and much older than the woman mentioned by Vinton and Wyman.
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