Person:Mary Unknown (689)

Biography

Her maidenname and parentage are unknown and unproven. In fact, it is really not known whether Mary of the Mayflower was his first and only wife and mother of his children, or if she was a second wife. As to her identity, a number of theories exist: (1) That she was Mary, dau. of Thomas and Grace (Gasciogne) Wentworth. This is the most popular of all the theories, and well liked by descendants due to the very distinguished nobility. It is also one of the most credible, but is certainly not proven. This theory is advanced by Walter Burgess in "John Robinson the Pastor of the Pilgrims" (1920), p.80; John G. Hunt, "New Light on the Brewsters of Scrooby and New England" TAG 41:1 (however, Hunt later abandoned the Wentworth claim, see below). See also Stratton's Plymouth Colony Its History & People 1620-1691, p. 250-1. "The will of Thomas Wentworth of Scrooby Manor, dated 27 March 1574 mentions a daughter Mary, evidently the eldest, but without indication of whether she was married or single." (Burgess p.81). (2) That she was Mary Wyrall of Loversall (near Doncaster), dau. of Thomas and Frences (Mallory) Wyrall. This theory was convincingly developed and advanced in a 1984 booklet "Of Mary Brewster" published by John G. Hunt, Bowling Green, Va. Hunt also elaborates Mary Wyrall's gentile ancestry, also containing royalty. This is also cited in Terry/Harding, "A Notebook on the Descendants of Elder William Brewster of Plymouth Colony.". Also given in "Calkins World" a newsletter of the Calkins Family Association. (3) "Mary STUBBE?", given in Melinde Lutz Sanborn's "Supplement to Torry". I know of no primary evidence for this claim. (4) Mary, dau. of Edward Wentworth. I saw this somewhere, but lost the source. (5) Mary Love. From a County History (I didn't record the source). Didn't look very credible, but the reasoning behind this conjecture is clear.

A review by E. A. Stratton in the Spring 1985 issue of the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine argues that her parentage is still unproven. See also Dr. Bangs in MQ 51:165-6, footnote 1. If Mary of the Mayflower was his second wife, the following marriage records are possible (Banks' English Ancestry p.35-9). 1. William Brewster and Mary Welles, June 21, 1599 at St. Mary Woolchurch, London. 2. William Bruster and Mary Scrobs Jan 24, 1604 in Stoke Bruern, Northants. 3. William Brewster and Mary Morden December 22, 1608 at St. Peter Eastgate, Lincoln.

Credits to Cathy (Malfaedor@@@@aol.com) for much of the above information.

1. ↑ General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims Who Landed at Plymouth, Mass. December 1620. (New England - United States: General Society of Mayflower Descendants., Various)
   William Brewster.
2. ↑ The Brewster Book, [1].

   Mary Brewster the wyfe of william
   Brewster dyed at Plymouth in new England the
   17th of Aprill 1627:

3.   Mary Brewster, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.

   Mary Brewster (ca. 1568 – April 17, 1627) was a Pilgrim and one of the women on the Mayflower. She was the wife of Elder William Brewster and the mother of six of his children (one of whom died in infancy and one, Wrestling Brewster, never married). She is an ancestor of possibly millions of people living in America today.

   There is a lot of speculation over Mary Brewster's maiden name. She is believed to have been born in Scrooby, England, and to have married Brewster about 1591. Her name is often given as Mary Love Wentworth, Mary Love Brewster, Mary Love, Mary (Mayflower) Brewster, or Mary Wyrral. It has been speculated that she was the daughter of Edward Love and Alice Pope or perhaps Thomas Wentworth and Alice Gascoigne, but there is no compelling evidence for either assumption.