"In the Records of the Colony of Mass. Bay, p. 232, and Mass. Archives (9: 16) we find that on 22 May 1651 the Court granted Mary Longe of Dorchester (Mass.) liberty to remarry upon consideration of her petition and supporting affidavits reciting that her husband Joseph Long went to England to see his brother William about a legacy from their father's estate; that he was last heard from at London when he wrote that he was proceeding the next day; that his brother William stated he had not seen or heard of him; that other efforts to locate him in England were unavailing and he was thought to be dead."