When did Bristol, Plymouth Bay Colony, become Bristol, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations? [closed]

Question

I know that Plymouth County Massachusetts split into 3 different counties at some point. I am working on a profile for Bathsheba Cary Howland b.1693 in Bristol, Bristol County to David Cary and Elizabeth Brackett Cary.  The birth records of the children show up in Bristol County, Rhode Island. Does anyone know how to record the Place of Birth,  My notes say that after 1747, Bristol County was in Rhode Island,  Bathsheba married Joseph Howland (Mayflower Descendant) in Providence Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in about 1712.  Their first three children were born in Bristol and baptized in the First Church of Christ there, but their births are also recorded in Lowell , Massachusetts.  I am confused,  Can anyone help?

Answer 1

Simple answer: 1747.

Complex answer: If you're refering to the town named Bristol (vs. the county), it was part of Plymouth Colony originally, before the Colony formed any counties. In 1685, Plymouth Colony formed counties, and the town of Bristol was the "shire town" or county seat for the county of Bristol in Plymouth Colony. In 1691, Plymouth Colony was effectively dissolved, and the new name was the Province of Massachusetts Bay (not to be confused with Massachusetts Bay Colony). In 1747 the town of Bristol was transferred from the Province of Massachusetts Bay to Rhode island Colony. Bristol County remained in Massachusetts with Taunton as its county seat. Rhode Island then formed a county named Bristol also.

For a birth recorded in 1693 the appropriate location name would be: Bristol, Bristol County, Province of Massachusetts Bay. I would also note in the bio ..."was born in Bristol, Bristol County, Province of Massachusetts Bay (later Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island)."

[Note: I'm specifically ignoring the short lived Dominion of New England, but you can read about it in a lot of places.]

Comments

Wikipedia, for what its worth, says that Taunton was the original shire town of Bristol County, not Bristol.

Answer 2

I have very limited WIFI at the moment, but this might help

https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/pages/Rhode_Island.html

Answer 3

There's wikispace on Plymouth Bay Colony: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Charter_Members_of_Bristol%2C_Massachusetts%2C_Plymouth_Colony

I don't know why your ancestor would have birth records at two different locations. Maybe one is christening or it's register of families in the town. A lot of the birth records of my ancestors in Maine come from books that list the parents, their children and birthdates.