Person:Anna Lanphere (1)

Named in father's will as Anna Lewis.

Anna (Lanphere) Lewis's father, John Lanphere, in his account on werelate is said to be born in 1673. The birthdates of the children of John Lewis who allegedly married Ann Lanphere range from 16 Oct 1683 to 11 Jan 1706-7. Anna (Lanphere) Lewis's father was 10 years old when the first child of John Lewis was born and 34 when the last child of John and Ann Lewis was born (births recorded in Westerly, RI). The seven older children are recorded as children of John Lewis (mother not named) on page 172, Vol I, of the Westerly records. Then after a lapse of 6 years, the youngest child, Jerusha, was born on 11 Jan 1706-7. This latter birth was recorded on page 117, Vol 2, of the Westerly records.

What we know about the wife of John Lewis is that in his will dated 14 Apr 1732, John Lewis named his wife Ann. The widow, Anna Lewis made her will 25 July 1739. John Lanphere in his will dated 31 Mar 1730 named a daughter Anna Lewis. The birth of Jerusha, youngest child of John and Ann, born 11 Jan 1706-7, was recorded in Westerly.

The explanation that best fits this data is that John Lewis was married twice. By his unknown first wife, he had seven children. His first wife died between 1 Feb 1701-2 and say, Apr 1706. After the death of his first wife, John Lewis married a second time. This second wife was Anna Lanphere who gave birth to Jerusha. This does not completely solve the age mis-match between John Lewis and Anna, daughter of John Lanphere. But if John Lanphere could have been born earlier than 1673, and his daughter Anna born say 1685-1690, and both the father, John Lanphere, and his daughter, Anna, married in their late teens or say near age 20, then the dates make sense.--[[User:Bill Wright] 12:39, 7 October 2009 (EDT)