Family talk:Elkanah Watson and Mercy Unknown (1)

Wife was not Mercy Hedge [4 July 2009]

I removed the wife Mercy Hedge, d/o Elisha Hedge, b. 1680, as this would make her younger than her first child!

Instead, the serious speculation that Elkanah's first wife was Mercy Hedge focuses on the Mercy Hedge who is the daughter of William Hedge of Yarmouth. William's will dated 30 Jun 1670 left fifty pounds to an apparently unmarried "Daughter Marcye". See Source:Mayflower Descendant, p. 33:101. In this article, the editor George Bowman says he can find no evidence or authority for this claim.

The Freeman Genealogy identifies Elkanah's wife as "a Bradford", but Bowman likewise states he cannot verify that claim either, and no evidence was given. He notes that this work is known to contain many errors.

We can probably only conclude that her surname is unknown. One might speculate that the fact that the first child was named John could be a clue, since Elkanah's father was named George. --Jrich 17:13, 4 July 2009 (EDT)