Person:Anne Parker (10)

One Wife or Two for Rev. William Noyes

In her will, Anne Noyes names only the youngest Noyes children, including James and Nicholas. This "division of interests" suggests that William may have had an earlier wife who was mother of the older boys who were born ca. 1596-1600. Although Anne Parker was of a suitable age to have been mother to all the known children, Ann Stephens, could possibly have been the first wife as suggested in a newspaper clipping attached to one of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society lending library Noyes Genealogy books. It would be interesting to pursue this possibility since the newspaper clipping update speaks only to updated "proof" that Ann Stephens was wife to William Noyes as opposed to specifically saying she was mother to James and Nicholas. Neither is there source material included in the article.

Ould Newbury, p. 165, says "Rev. William Noyes married Anne Stephens, daughter of Nicholas Stephens, Esq. of Burdop Manor, in Wiltshire, England." Again, there is no reference saying that Ann Stephens was the mother of the younger children including James and Nicholas, only that their father, William, had married Anne Stephens, thus possibly establishing a familial connection with the Rev. Thomas Parker who married Anne Stephens' sister Dorothy [Rev. Thomas Parker never married; see The Great Migration, V:367-370]. However, the same author, in the History of Newbury, I:311, says, in a footnote, "The statement that Rev. William Noyes married Anne Stephens, daughter of Nicholas Stephens, printed on page 165, "Ould Newbury," is probably incorrect."

Walter Goodwin Davis' Argument for Two Wives

"The will of Anne Noyes of Cholderton, co. Wilts, widow, dated March 18, 1655, was proved April 20, 1658. She gave to James Noyes and Nicholas Noyes, "my two sons now in New England" 12 pence apiece and to such children as they have living 12 pence apiece. To her son-in-law Thomas Kent of Upper Wallop, 12 pence, and to his wife 5 shillings and to their children 5 pence apiece. To Robert Reade of East Cholterton, gentleman, the residue, and he is to be executor [Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1658-130].

As Ephraim and John Noyes, sons of William, were both living in 1655 when Ann Noyes made her will and as they are not mentioned therein, it is reasonably supposed that they were children of an earlier wife. Nor do the wills of Ephraim and Nathan Noyes name any of the New England Noyses or the known Parker connections."^[2]

Dean Crawford Smith's Argument for One Wife

Anne Noyes, of Cholderton, in the County of Wilts., widow, in her will dated 18 March 1655[/6], proved 20 April 1658, named Robert Rede sole executor, and bequeathed

…to James and Nicholas Noyes, my sons, now in New England, twelve pence apiece and to such children as they have living twelve pence apiece. … To won-in-law Thomas Kent of upper Wallop twelve pence, to his wife five shillings and to their children twelve pence apiece. To Robert Read of East Cholderton, in the County of Southampton, gentleman, all the rest and residue I ordain that the said Robert Rede shall be sole executor. Witnesses John Tesdale and T. Tesdale. Signed by Anne Noyes [Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 130 Wooton].

It is curious that Ann named only the youngest Noyes children in her will, while eldest child Ephraim named only his brother John and the children of deceased brother Nathan. Widows had much more latitude in choosing legatees than their husbands did, yet it is unusual that Ann bothered to make token bequests to children in New England while ignoring children relatively nearby. This division of interests suggests that Ann may have been mother of the youngest children and that William had an earlier wife who was mother of the older boys. Despite Walter Goodwin Davis' willingness to accept multiple wives for Rev. William, [Walter Goodwin Davis, The Ancestry of Abel Lunt (Portland, Me., 1963), pp.71-78] no other evidence supports this interpretation, and Ann was of a suitable age to have been mother to all the known children.^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Four Generations Of English Ancestry For The Noyes Families Of New England, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   p. 116, 118, April 1995.

   Ann Parker who was born about 1575/6 and was buried at Cholderton 7 March 1657/8, aged 82 [Cholderton parish register], sister of Rev. Robert Parker.

2. ↑ Davis, Walter Goodwin, Compiler, and Introduction by Gary Boyd Roberts. Massachusetts and Maine Families in the Ancestry of Walter Goodwin Davis (1885-1966): A Reprinting, in Alphabetical Order by Surname, of the Sixteen Multi-Ancestor Compendia (plus Thomas Haley of Winter Harbor and His Descendants). (Baltimore, Maryland, United States: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1996)
   III:55-56.