Person:Mary Unknown (8393)

Based on Essex Court Files which mentioned Robert Prince, Bethia, and Lydia as "servants in the house" (referring to Gedney's Inn), Moriarty stated that (quote): I think it may be fairly inferred that John Gedney's second wife Mary was the widow of — Prince and that Robert and Rebecca (Prince) Putnam were her children, also that there was a third child, Bethia Prince, who was identical with Bethia —, the first wife of Joseph Hutchinson. It seems probable that Mary Prince came as a young widow to Salem, prior to 1637, when she must have married Gedney. This would account for Robert and Bethia being in Gedney's household in 1651 and 1654 and also for his calling Rebecca (Prince) Putnam his daughter-in-law (i.e. his step-daughter) and for Bethia, daughter of Joseph Hutchinson, being called his "granddaughter" in 1690.

(see Bethia Prince for more)

1.   Moriarty, G. Andrews. A Problem in Salem Genealogical History. The American Genealogist. (Donald Lines Jacobus, 1937)
   v 14, p 85.
2.   Some assume her surname was Bartholomew because John Gedney had a son by that name. There was a baptism dated 1614 for Nicholas, son of Bartholomew Gedney in Saint Peter Parmentergate, Norwich, Norfolk, England. Perhaps John named a son after that Bartholomew who was the right age to be John's brother.