Person talk:William Trowbridge (21)

From William Trowbridge (27): Probably belongs to second wife. [26 October 2009]

This page currently shows a birth about 1662 for William, but this conflicts with the birth of his sister Mindwell in 1662. Mindwell and Elizabeth are recorded in Dorchester. Cambridge records show John, Margaret, Thankful, Hannah, the death of the first wife, marriage to second wife, Thomas, Deliverance. Newton was established in 1691, and records there contain copies of the Cambridge with additions including a birth record of son William to James and Margaret with no birth date.

Since William isn't included in the Cambridge records, it is probable that he was born after Deliverance in 1679. This would make him a son of the second wife (both of the father James' wives were named Margaret). There are several death records in Newton for William Trowbridge, but the one for "Dea. William" on 19 Nov 1744, a. 60, suggests a birth about 1684. The most likely assumption is that the other two, in 1713 and 1714 with no further information given, were his sons? There is also a death record for Sarah, w. William, on 21 Jun 1720, a. 35. Her birth calculates to 1685, which seems to suggest 1684 is a reasonable birth date for William. Source:Cutter, William Richard. Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, p. 280, gives 19 Nov 1684 as the birth date.

As a result I am moving William to the second marriage, to Margaret Jackson. --Jrich 10:51, 26 October 2009 (EDT)

Source for birth date? Too coincidental [26 October 2009]

Several sources, especially various works by Cutter, give the same birthdate, 19 Nov 1684, though I can find no record of this birth date in Newton VRs, as the birthdate is missing in the record of William's birth. The death record says William died age 60 on 19 Nov 1744, and I notice the coincidence that this birthdate of 19 Nov 1684 is exactly 60 years before the death date. This suggests that somewhere along the way, a qualifier like "before" was lost. TIt might be more accurate to express the birthdate as abt. 1684, unless a source can be provided to explain how 19 Nov is known to be the actual day of his birth. --Jrich 11:18, 26 October 2009 (EDT)