Person talk:Martha Morse (2)

Something's wrong [11 February 2010]

Birthdate given for Martha is same as Sarah, namely 30 Jul 1696, but whereas Sarah's birth is recorded in Sherborn VR's, Martha's is not.

It is true that Source:Morse, Abner. Memorial of the Morses, p. 21 lists Martha b. 1696 m. Timothy Bacon, and also lists Sarah b. 1696 m. prob. John Collar. And given Sarah's birth date of 30 Jul 1696, the only way Martha could be born in 1696 would be to be a twin, but how could one twin get recorded in Sherborn VRs and not another?

Source:Baldwin, Thomas Williams. Bacon Genealogy : Michael Bacon of Dedham, 1640 and His Descendants, p. 177, says Timothy Bacon married Martha Morse, d/o Samuel and Deborah Morse of Sherborn, and that they received land from his estate in 1720. This would seem to be pretty good evidence that there is a daughter Martha in this family.

In the appendix of the Morse Memorial, p. 254, it says that the will of Samuel Morse in 1704 mentions his sons Samuel, Eleazar and Benj., and their 4 sisters. Going back to p. 21, Deborah married Joseph Lovwell of Weston, Sarah m. John Collar, "Bathia" d. 1717, Miriam m. Benjamin Bullard, and Tabitha m. Nathaniel Battle. Assuming Mehitable died young, this is already 5 daughters living in 1704, and Martha would make 6??

There is an error here somewhere, but it is not obvious which fact it is. --Jrich 00:17, 12 February 2010 (EST)

The indenture granting land to Timothy Bacon and his wife Martha is here in Middlesex Probate file 15574, and appears to prove Martha is Samuel's daughter. By order of mention she is younger than Deborah, hence the youngest of the married sister. Mehitable and Sarah are mentioned next as unmarried women. Miriam and Tabetha are "younger sisters", apparently not old enough to execute or sign a deed.

The will does name the three sons, but does not seem to mention "four sisters", or enumerate them or name them in any way.

Sarah's birth on 1696 page, Mehitable on facing page under 1695, and Deborah on 1690 page. No sign of Martha. Given the marriage in 1714, it is unlikely Martha was born after 1696, and given the order in the indenture possibly she falls between Deborah and Mehitable. Given the frequency and regularity with which children are born in this family, it is unlikely that there is a gap from 1690 (Deborah) and 1695 (Mehitable), and all these considerations are suggests Martha was born about 1692. How the 1696 date came about in Morse is unknown, and making her a twin appears to be an assumption by somebody trying to make sense of the data. --Jrich 01:19, 26 January 2021 (UTC)