Family:Robert Converse and Mary Sawyer (1)

The deed cited here was actually in an article on the other Converse family, Allen Converse's descendants, to show a mixup between one of their Elizabeth's and Robert's daughter Elizabeth. But it is useful for showing the marriages of most of Robert's children. Daughter Elizabeth m. Josiah Simonds, daughter Hannah m. Ebenezer Thompson, d. Mary m. Daniel Reed, d. Sarah m. Samuel Smith, daughter Ann is unmarried at this time. Isaac Snow married daughter Esther, but she died in 1737.

Of interest are the "Also signed by" names. Ruth Snow is the only surviving daughter of Esther and Isaac Snow. Apparently these also signed by names were added about 1760 as she was born 1735 and wouldn't be of legal age until after 1753.

Also Robert's daughter Kezia has reached majority, and is now married to Jonathan Reed (that happened in 1740).

The big mystery are the two remaining names: Benjamin Converse and Lois Carr.

There is a mixup in Woburn records showing Robert's second son Benjamin being born before the first one died. As explained on his page, this is suspected to mean that they both died young. Robert's probate identifies Ebenezer as his only son, and his wife's probate confirms this, while listing Ebenezer's children. So the Benjamin Converse must be the son of Ebenezer who was the administrator of Ebenezer's estate, and also of his grandmother Mary's estate.

But this creates a mystery over the identity of Lois Carr. In 1756 Lois Converse of Woburn married James Carr of Boston. No birth of a Lois Converse is found. Presumably her participation in this deed indicates she is somehow a heir. If she was a daughter of James, the brothers and sisters would have received nothing as their participation is based on there being no children. She is not a sister as she is not listed as a heir of Mary, and she is not a daughter of the only son, Ebenezer, as she is not listed as one of his heirs. The only possibility seems to be that she is the illegitimate daughter of one of Robert's daughters. Given her marriage in 1756, her birth should be around mid-1730 or earlier, and we would assume her mother was unmarried at that time. Finally, for Lois to have a claim, her mother would have needed to die, or else the claim would still rest with her mother. In 1767, when Mary Converse's estate was distributed, three daughters (Elizabeth m. 1730 Josiah Simonds, Esther m. 1732 Isaac Snow, and Hannah m. 1728 Ebenezer Thompson) were mentioned as deceased.

Of all the children of Robert, only Susanna and her husband (after 1746) Caleb Simonds are unaccounted for in this deed. She would have been a minor when the original deed was executed, was alive until 1771, so her, or her husband's signature should have been among the signatures added later.