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Martha (Unknown) Green (aft. 1610 - abt. 1681)

Martha Green formerly [surname unknown] aka Brett, Finch
Born after in Englandmap [uncertain]
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married 1634 in Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap
Wife of — married Sep 1658 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticutmap
Descendants descendants
Died about before about age 71 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut Colonymap
Profile last modified | Created 14 May 2017
This page has been accessed 846 times.
The Puritan Great Migration.
Martha (Unknown) Green migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).
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Contents

Disputed Maiden Name

Although claimed in many publications and online family trees, there is no evidence that Martha's maiden name (nor even a former married name) was Brett. Anderson and Torrey both provide only her first name (Although Anderson does present the same information that Paul Prindle shows below).[1][2].

However, Paul Prindle, tells us in his "Ancestry of Elizabeth Barrett Gillespie (aka Mrs. William Sperry Beinecke)," (printed 1976, pp. 138-42), the following
John Finch Sr. married second, Martha, maiden surname undetermined.
Then says
It is possible, though proof is entirely lacking, that Martha was born a Brett. The 13 November 1646 WILL of Thomas Brett of Tenterden, County Kent, England, refers to "my sister Finche, now wife of Mr. John Finch" ("The New England Historical and Genealogical Register" - aka NEHGS, 44:300).
We are uncertain if anyone has taken this research further to identify if Thomas Brett of Tenterden, County Kent, England had a sister named Martha who left for New England.

Biography

Nothing is known about the origins of Martha, the second wife of John Finch. Her birth year is estimated based upon the presumed marriage date and her birth location is likely in England.

Family

Martha married twice.

1) Martha married, probably at Watertown, by about 1635, (assuming she was the mother of his last four children), to John Finch, as his 2nd.[1]

John had immigrated, with other family members, to British America by 1632.[1] John apparently had five sons, all together. He perhaps had only one son with his first unnamed wife and then four sons with his second wife, Martha. John Finch the son, was by John Finch's first marriage.

John Finch, the husband, died at Stamford by September 5, 1658.[1] The inventory of his estate was filed in Stamford on the "9th, 12th mo. 1658."[1]

Martha is assumed to be the mother of his four youngest children:[1]

  1. Isaac, b say 1635; m1 Stamford Oct 1658 Elizabeth Basset [TAG 10:113]; m2 by 1682 Ann ____.
  2. Samuel, b say 1638; m by 1663 Sarah Hoyt, daughter of Simon Hoyt.
  3. Joseph b about 1647; m Stamford Nov 23, 1670 Elizabeth Austin.
  4. Abraham, b say 1648; m about 1670 ______ ______.


After John's death in 1657, Martha Finch married in September 1658, John Green.[3] His spouse also died in 1657.[4]

Martha died at Stamford on October 11, 1681.[citation needed]

About John Green, per “History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield”, Donald Lines Jacobus:

A John Green had a son John b. at New Haven, 26 Dec 1651, but otherwise does not appear in New Haven records. He may be the same whose wife Mary d. at Stamford, 14 Nov. 1657; and who m. there (2) Sep 1658, Martha Finch, presumably widow of John ... We suppose him father of Joseph, Benjamin, and perhaps John, of Stamford in the next generation. Of these, Benjamin had a dau. Sarah bapt. at Fairfield, 10 May 1696.[5]

Research Notes

An article by Shirley Martin in the Connecticut Nutmegger identifies John's second wife as Martha Brett and assigns her five children: John, Isaac, Samuel, Martha, and Joseph. (Abraham not included. The author writes, "One record only lists a son Abraham").[6] We do not know where Martin found her information, and other genealogists do not list a daughter, Martha.

Genealogists disagree about the parentage of children, Martha and Abraham. Martin includes Martha and not Abraham. Anderson includes Abraham and not Martha.

Clearly, the mother of son John was the first unnamed wife of John Finch. The dates would not make sense otherwise.

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 1995. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010) By Subscription $. Pages 669-671.
  2. Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Vol 1. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, 1985. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) By Subscription $. Page 542.
  3. "Stamford (Conn.) Town Records." The American Genealogist, Volume 10. New Haven, CT: 1933. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) By Subscription $. Page 113.
  4. "Stamford (Conn.) Town Records," The American Genealogist Vol 10 (1933), Page 45.
  5. Jacobus, Donald L., comp. and ed., History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, (Page 235), Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1981
  6. Martin, Shirley N., Death of John Finch The Connecticut Nutmegger. (Vol 22 (1989), Pg 315) Glastonbury, CT: Connecticut Society of Genealogists, 1970-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Web accessed May 2, 2021
  • Majdalany, Jeanne, “The Story of the Early Settlers of Stamford, Connecticut, 1641 - 1700” (including genealogies comp. with Edith M. Wicks), pp 161-163: Also references Paul W. Prindle records.




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Comments: 7

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Leader: I added the PGM Project Box; she married at Watertown in about 1635
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
I proposed a merge to change the LNAB to Unknown - but that leaves an issue with the alleged parents. Perhaps instead of a merge it should be a disconnect until evidence is found to support the surname Brett.
posted on Brett-108 (merged) by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
edited by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
Since there were no comments in the past month, I have disconnected the Brett parents
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
Brett-108 and Unknown-368749 appear to represent the same person because: As stated in the both bios; Martha's birth surname is unknown and the LNAB should be unknown
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
Brett-396 and Brett-108 appear to represent the same person because: Martha Finch (Brett) is my ninth Great Grandmother. Brett-396 and Brett 108 are the same person. Please merge them.

Sincerely, Eric Andersen-Vie

posted on Brett-108 (merged) by Eric Andersen-Vie
Brett-108 and Brett-396 are not ready to be merged because: These do represent the same person, but we have an issue. According to Anderson the last name at birth of Martha, wife of John Finch, is Unknown. Seems it would be better to either find a profile for Martha Unknown (or change the name to Unknown). We can make that the target profile for merges of all duplicates, instead of creating multiple redirects. Thank you!
posted on Brett-108 (merged) by Cynthia (Billups) B
Brett-108 and Brett-396 appear to represent the same person because: These two profiles of Martha Brett are the same. Both married John Finch and died the same date and location.
posted on Brett-108 (merged) by Eric Andersen-Vie

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Categories: Stamford Burying Ground (Columbus Park), Stamford, Connecticut | Puritan Great Migration