Rebecca (Bushnell) Hand (1646 - abt. 1719)

Born 5 Oct 1646 in Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut

Ancestors

Wife of Stephen Hand — married before 1686 in New York Colony [uncertain]

Died about 1719 at about age 72 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: S Willson [send private message]

Disputed Spouse

In several references, Rebecca Bushnell is shown as married to John Hand, Jr. However, searches of primary sources have not found evidence of the marriage or that John Hand was ever married at all. Per this source:^[1] "Diligent search of Long Island and Connecticut records fail to show that John Hand, Jr. ever married. Steiner's History of Guilford, Savage (quoting Steiner), and the Meigs Family History, History of Wyoming Valley and Mary Walton Ferris Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines - to cite a few - all claim that John Hand, Jr., married, and the usual statement is that his wife was Rebecca Bushnell, daughter of William Bushnell of Saybrook. But in no case has documentary proof been adduced." The author offers additional evidence that John Jr. did not have a wife as of when he died in 1687, and also reports that no probate of land records of his estate were found. The author also reports that "Mr. Donald J. Jacobus, who has made some independent study of the Hand family, says: 'I have seen no proof of marriage or children for John Hand, Jr.'" The author reports that in the will of Stephen Hand, probated 1693, he named his wife Rebecca.

With further support of what the author has found and not hand, she concludes: "Having no documentary proof of a marriage of John Hand, Jr., and having ample proof that Stephen Hand's wife was Rebecca, the writer concludes that Rebecca (Bushnell) Hand was the wife of Stephen Hand."

Upon further reflection, and after reading all the sources found, this writer is unable to reach the conclusion that Rebecca Bushnell married Stephen Hand. That she married a Hand is certain based on her father's will; most likely it was not John Hand she married based on the Kiepura article. However, this writer doesn't see compelling evidence that it was Stephen Hand she married, unless she married him after his first wife, Sarah Stratton had passed away.Hill-11959 17:35, 8 June 2018 (UTC)

Biography

Rebecca Bushnell was born Oct 6, 1646 at Saybrook, Connecticut to William Bushnell.^[2]

Rebecca married John Hand per two sources:^[3][4] However, neither of these references list any further information for the marriage such as vital records, dates, or places. (Refer to disputed spouse section above.)

Rebecca Hand, daughter of William Bushnell, was identified along with her siblings in probate-related records found in New London, Connecticut in 1710.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Kiepura, Genevieve Tylee "Alice and Rebecca Hand" The American Genealogist;;. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) Reference Volume 26 (1950), page 62. Subscription
2. ↑ Nash, Sylvester. Records of Saybrook, CT., The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1850) Vol. 4, Page 19
3. ↑ New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Reference Volume 2, page 693. Subscription
4. ↑ Smyth, R.D., Compiler; Steiner, Bernard C. "Descendants of Francis Bushnell of Guilford Connecticut and his Descendants" The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) Reference Volume 53, page 209. Subscription
5. ↑ "New London, Connecticut Probate Records" The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) Reference volume 10 (1933) page 103. Subscription