Person:Mary Whitehead (32)

Mary Whitehead was born on 22nd January 1708 at Heckington in Lincolnshire, daughter of John Whitehead, a labourer, and his wife Mary.

On 1st May 1733, when she was 25, she married a shoemaker named John Gray at Heckington in Lincolnshire. They had seven children baptised at Heckington over the next 20 years. The later baptisms describe John as a farmer.

It seems likely that Mary's mother died in either 1740 or 1741. Mary's father died in 1747.

Mary's first known grandchild was born in 1757, and she had at least eleven grandchildren born in her lifetime.

Mary lived to be 80 years old. She was buried on 19th September 1788 at Heckington. John outlived her by about two years.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   1707
   Mary the daughter of John Whithead Labourer & Mary his wife born Jan[uary] 22 and baptised Jan[uary] 24 [i.e. 22 Jan 1707/8 and 24 Jan 1707/8]

   Whilst no named connection has been found, this baptism has been linked to the Mary Whitehead who married John Gray on the basis that it is at about the right time to match the age quoted at her burial, in the same parish in which she married, had her children and was buried and no evidence has been found suggesting that the Mary born in 1708 died young or married anyone else.

2. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Heckington (Lincolnshire). Parish registers, 1559-1968. (Lincoln, England: Lincoln Archives Office, 1993).

   Burials Anno 1788
   Mary Wife of John Gray Farmer 81 years old buried September 19th

3.   Stamford Mercury, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, 17 Oct 1788.

   Lately died at Heckington, aged 82 years, Mrs. Gray, wife of Mr. John Gray, senior. Although the above couple had been married near 60 years, and have had several children, this is the first instance of mortality in their family.