Person:Nancy Wilcox (1)

!UA-FGRA; Frame-Dana Ancestral Li Family Records in possession of LeoW. and Kathryn H. Powell 2200 E. 3205 So. Salt Lake City, UT 84109 THE STORY,"LYBERTIE' IN A NUT SHELL The Thomas Stevens Pedigree byVern Hall 157 N State St., Salt Lake City, UT in 1973

Origins

The theory that her surname was WILCOX is based on the will of William Wilcox who leaves her something in his will and refers to her as his "Sister" [See NEHGS 1875, p. 26:]

"...the Cambridge William Wilcox mentions in his will a sister, the widow Hall, whose children were William and Susan. We identify her with the widow Mary Hall, of Cambridge, who had children, John, Susanna, Stephen, William, Mary, Hannah and Lydia." [but did this "sister" mean blood sister or "church sister"?]

It is to be hoped that something more may be found in the records of Massachusetts, concerning Widow Mary Hall and Mr. Nathaniel Hall. Perhaps something satisfactory might be found in the records of Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

If any doubt should arise on examining the records of Coventry concerning Widow Mary Hall or Mr. Nathaniel Hall having lived there, the records of St. Edmunds Berry where William Wilcox came from, and where Bishop Joseph Hall lived, might be examined with a possibility of success.

Life in New England

From History of Cambridge, volume II, p. 570: Hall, Mary, a widow, is named by Mitchell as a member of his church. "Her children were all adult at the time of her joining. But two of them are since joined to the Church of Concord, viz., John, and Susanna." Her son Stephen was living in 1668, then "aged 28 or thereabouts." William, who d. at Concord 10 March 1666-7, was another son. [Later, same history says that William "by w. Grace, had Mary, b. 4 Nov. 1657. He removed to Concord and d. 10 Mar. 1667-7."] A John Hall of Cambridge had a share of the Shawshine lands in 1652, who may have been husband of Mary, but he was more probably her son.

From Halls of New England: Widow Mary Hall, is first mentioned by William Wilcox of Cambridge, in his will made 1653; in which he bequeaths her 20 shillings, and to her son William and daughter Susan 10 shillings each. She was a member in full communion of the church of Cambridge when William Wilcox made his will, as he calls her "Sister Widow Hall." And Rev. Mr. Mitchell in his new roll of members after the church records were burned in 1658, makes mention of Widow Mary Hall, as a member in fully communion, and adds that her children being of adult years when she was admitted, were not baptized, of whom two, John and Susanna have since been admitted to the church of Concord.

In 1662 Widow Mary Hall received a grant of land from the town of Cambridge.

Her son William having died in 1667, she petitioned the court to order a division of his property for her benefit. It appears from the papers found in the probate office at Cambridge, that she had assigned her property to her son William in consideration of her support during her life, and that she lived with him in Concord at the time of his death.

The paper was found on an upper shelf, filed with several others "No. 11-1688, 10-5, petition of Mary Hall of Concord, mother of William, deceased." The 1688 might have been intended for 1668. The paper seems to have been made by an attorney, but signed by her own hand very plainly without any ornamentation, and giving evidence that she was accustomed to use her pen.

Legacy

The names of the children of Widow Mary Hall appear to have been as follows:

1. John, b. abt. 1626 or 7 (See Halls of Medford)

2. Susanna, member of the church of Concord.

3. William who lived in Concord in 1653, and m. there Oct 14, 1658, Sarah Merriam and d. March 10, 1667, leaving no children.

4. Stephen, who lived in Concord; m. Dec 3, 1663, and removed to Stow (See Halls of Stow); and it is somewhat probable that Isabel Hall who m. Francis Whitmore, of Cambridge, b. 1625, was the dau. of Widow Mary Hall. Francis Whitmore was a kinsman to Thomas Whitmore or Wetmore who m. Sarah, dau of John Hall of Middletown, Conn.

Wiggins names these children:

• 1. John, b. 1617, d. 18 October, 1701, in Medford, Massachusetts, married Elizabeth Green 2 April, 1656.

2. Susanna.

3. Stephen married Ruth Davis 3 December, 1663.

4. William, d. 10 March, 1667, married Sarah Merriam of Concord 14 October, 1658.

5. Mary married Israel Meade 26 February, 1669.

6. Hannah married Stephen Francis 27 December, 1670.

7. Lydia married Gershom Cutter 1 June, 1677.

Additional Sources

[Incorporate into Sources]

1. Brooks, ???, p. 538

2. History of Cambridge, volume II

3. Halls of New England [shown to have errors], pp. 294- Chapter: The Posterity of Wd. Mary Hall, of Cambridge and Concord, Mass.

4. Mabel E. Preston Wiggins, BEGATS: A chronicle of the McMillan, Preston, Wiggins and Binford Families. Ellsworth American Publishing Company Ellsworth, Maine; 1979; pp. 248-251