Person:Nancy Parsons (9)

BIOGRAPHY: Parsons Family Descendants of Cornet Joseph Parsons Springfield, 1636 - Northampton, 1655 By Henry Parsons, A. M. Frank Allaben Genealogical Company Three West Forty-Second Street, New York Page 141

Particular words were used to refer to relationships between a man and a woman at the time. The 1876 History of Seneca Co., New York reports that “Content Standish was content to keep company with Horace Shekel; that Joshua Merrill went to see Sophia Curtiss; that David J. Baker paid attention to Sarah Fairchild; and that everybody said that Caleb Fairchild was going to have Aurelia Maltby….” Weddings were free from formality and stiffness. Simplicity and hilarity were the rules. On the occasion of the marriage of Job White, at the residence of Mrs. Quartus Knight, provision was made, not alone for invited guests, but for the neighbors in general. Most marriages were solemnized according to law by the Esquire. The parson did not object, since, while the former got most weddings, the latter got most fees.

CENSUS: 1870 United States Federal Census Name: Nancy W Knight Estimated birth year: abt 1787 Age in 1870: 83 Birthplace: Massachusetts Home in 1870: Waterloo, Seneca, New York Race: White Gender: Female Post Office: Tyre Living with daughter Mabel and family Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Waterloo, Seneca, New York; Roll: M593_1093; Page: 316; Image: 641.

MARRIAGE: The Complete Mayflower Descendants Vol. 1-46 CD #1 MSMD 94 Vol. 40 July 1990 [Hand written letter on letterhead of Town Clerk, Town of Hatfield, Mass., dated 27 February 1897 and signed by Wm. D. Billings, Town Clerk] Mrs. W. H. Butler Jr., 883 Second Ave. Detroit Mich. Dear Madam: In reply to yours of Feb. 23 (handed to me in the absence of Pastor of the Cong. Ch. here) would say that I find in the records of this town the marriage of Quartus Knight and Nancy Parsons by Rev. Joseph Lyman, October 16th 1807. I do not think either of the parties were born in Hatfield, at least I can find no record of them in the Church or town records. Probably she was born in Northampton, Mass.