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Facts and Events
References
- ↑ Nourse, Henry Stedman. Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1643-1850. (Clinton, Massachusetts: W.J. Coulter, 1890)
p. 453.
["...from sundry sources supposed reliable".]
Isabel, daughter of Robert and Esther Houghton, [born] June 6, 1687.
[Note: these supposedly reliable sources are not necessarily contemporary records, and it is not rare that they are wrong, which as it turns out, this one is. See comments connected with Woburn records, below.]
- ↑ Houghton, John Wesley. The Houghton Genealogy: The Descendants of Ralph and John Houghton of Lancaster, Massachusetts with an Introduction giving the Houghton Families in England from the time of William the Conqueror, 1065, to Lord Henry Bold Houghton, 1848. (New York: Frederick H. Hitchcock, © 1912)
p. 303.
Children of Robert Houghton [#4] and Esther Leppingwell: 3) Isabel, b. 7, 6, 1687, m. 9, 4, 1726 Samuel Rogers.
[Note: this source is, surprisingly, unaware of the previous marriage to her cousin Joseph Houghton.]
- Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871. (American Ancestors, 2014)
Case 11943: Robert Houghton 1723.
4 Feb 1723/24: assent to proving of will of "our Hon'd father Robertt Houghton" signed by Isabella Houghton.
22 Jun 1724: Division of real estate mentions daughter Isabella has received nine Pounds (as it appears have other married daughters).
19 Apr 1728: list of heirs includes Isabella wife of Sam'l Rogers
- ↑ Johnson, Edward F. Woburn Records of Births, Deaths, and Marriages . (Woburn, Massachusetts: Andrews, Cutler & Co., 1890-1919)
Vol. 1, p. 194.
HOUGHTON, Isabel, d. of Robert, [born], Aug. 6, 1862 [sic - transposition].
[Note: the Woburn original is here, and gives the date as 6th of 6th month 1682 (not 1862). The 6th month is August, but confusion with modern month numbering probably led to the error in the Lancaster records above which says June. Misreading 1682 as 1687, either in making, or copying notes, or by a typo when publishing, would be a relatively easy error to make as well. Unfortunately, this date mix up causes problems, e.g. NEHGR, Vol. 79, p. 397, which shows an Isabel b. 6 Aug 1682 "probably d. young" citing Woburn records, and then adds a second Isabell b. 6 Jun 1687 based on the "supposed reliable" Lancaster record. No death date or gravestone has been located so no age at death is known for Isabel.
However, the error in month numbering is so common that it is presumed that both Woburn and Lancaster records are based on the same actual event. Both the Houghton Genealogy and the NEHGR article make several errors in birth order (e.g., the father's probate shows Robert is eldest son, but he is listed after Eleazer in both sources, who in turn, is shown following 4 daughters in a row - 5 if there are two Isabels - a sequence which seems improbable). As a result, the birth estimates in these sources that are not found in the records carry little authority. Hence, it seems reasonable to presume that there was only one child Isabel. This makes Isabel closer in age to both of her husbands. And it also helps Robert. Since the first three daughters are recorded with no gaps, this change probably means Robert's birth was in the 1687 slot assigned by the Lancaster record to Isabel, which would better fit facts about Robert presented by the NEHGR article, p. 79:397 (the Houghton Genealogy has nothing about Robert except his estimated birth). Based on Robert's probate, the article says daughter Esther was 15 in 1727, hence b. about 1712. This implies marriage about 1711, hence Robert would need to be born before 1690 to be of age at the time of his marriage. (Note: the article misread the probate, thinking there was an oldest son named Robert that came before Esther, she being called the second child. But the passage where that referenced an oldest son Robert referred to the father Robert being the oldest son of his father, the grandfather, and not to a deceased child of Robert Jr.)]
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