Mercy (Foster) Whitman (1727 - 1812)

Born 14 Aug 1727 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Wife of John Whitman — married 6 Feb 1748 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 24 Dec 1812 at age 85 in Annapolis, Nova Scotia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Reginald Askew [send private message] and Morag M [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Whitman Name Study.

Mercy Foster was born on August 14, 1727, the daughter of Daniel Foster and Hannah (Clark) Foster of Rowley, Massachsuetts^[1][2]. She was called Marcy or Marey in her father's will,^{[3] [2]}

As Marcy Foster, she married Deacon John Whitman at Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts on February 6, 1748.^[4]. In the calendar of the time, the new year didn't start until March 1, so this refers to February of the latest of the two options, now 1748.

1. Dorcas, born May 5, 1749^[5], who married Captain Ebenezer Perry and Samuel Mclntire, and moved to Upper Canada ^[2]
2. Daniel, born June 5, 1750^[5]; who married Sarah Kendall and lived in Rosette, N. S^[2]
3. Hannah, born. Aug. 12, 1751^[6]; who married William Ellery Tufts and lived in Albany, Nova Scotia^[2]
4. Edward, born Aug. 6. 1752^[6] who married Dorothy Gates and lived in Annapolis, N. S. ^[2]
5. John, born. Sept. 25, 1753; who married Elizabeth Rice, of Stow, Mass and lived in Round Hill, N. S. ^[2]
6. Salome, born March 29. 1755; who married Major Ezekiel Cleveland and then married Nathaniel Parker, lived in Nictaux, N. S. ^[2]
7. Elnathan. born April 16, 1756; who died March i, 1765^[2]
8. Jacob, b. Oct. 14, 1757; who married Annie Spinney; and lived in Rosette. N. S. ^[2]
9. Isaac, born. Nov. 3. 1755 , who died July 20, 1777 ^[2]
10. Abraham, b. Sept. 10, 1761; who married Hannah Webber and lived in Chester, N. S.^[2]
11. Nancy, born March 26, 1763; who married Nelson Freeman and lived in Milton, N. S. ^[2]

Mercy and her husband and children were part of a group of New England Planters who emigrated to Annapolis Township, 17 May 1760 on the sloop "Charming Molly." They brought 2 oxen, 10 sheep, 1 pig, 4 calves, and 6 lambs with them on the journey^[2]

John Whitman died Sept. 12, 1763^{[7] [2]}, and Mercy is listed in the 1770 Annapolis census heading a household of ten persons; three of them listed as born in Nova Scotia, and seven as born in New England.^[8]

Mercy later remarried to a widower, Judge Samuel Bancroft, brother of Rev Aaron Bancroft of Worcester^[9][2]

Mercy (Foster) (Whitman) Bancroft died in Round Hill, Annapolis on December 24, 1812 at the age of 85^{[10] [2]}

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records Volume 1, page 78, also shown on NEHGS, which states FOSTER Hannah, d. Dan[ie]ll, bp. Sept. 26, 1731
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16} Foster genealogy by Pierce, Frederick Clifton, 1855-1904. Publication date 1899; Publisher Chicago, Press o W.B. Conkey company. Abraham is person #10, his son Daniel is person #82, found on page 132 and 142
3. ↑ Case #22046, Worcester County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1731-1881 Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)
4. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records Volume 1, page 144, also shown on NEHGS, which states FOSTER Marcy of Harvard, and John Whitman, int. Feb. 6, 1747/8.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Massachusetts Vital Records Volume 1, page 98, also shown in NEHGS, which states
   • WHITMAN Dorcas, d. John and Marcy, May 5, 1749
   • Daniell, s. John and Marcy, June 8, 1750
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Massachusetts Vital Records Volume 1, page 99, also shown in NEHGS, which states
   • WHITMAN Edward, s. John and Mercy, Aug. 6, 1752
   • Hannah, d. John and Marcy, Aug. 12, 1751
7. ↑ Farnam, p. 69; Chute, p. ccxlii.
8. ↑ 1770 Annapolis Census - Nova Scotia Archives vol. 443 no. 4-7.
9. ↑ Farnam, p. 69; Chute, p. ccxlii.
10. ↑ Farnam, p. 69; Chute, p. ccxlii.

See Also:

• Chute, William Edward. A Genealogy and History of the Hute Family in America. Salem, MA: 1894.
• Farnam, Charles H. History and Descendants of John Whitman of Weymouth Mass. New Haven, CT: Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, 1889.
• Calnek, W. A. [History of the County of Annapolis.] Toronto: Briggs, 1897. pp. 624-626.
• Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850
• 1770 Annapolis Census - Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 443 no. 4-7
• Annapolis County Land Grants Map 21, listing for John Whitman
• Various family trees showing this information
• Gary Boyd Roberts, "#58 Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources: Elizabeth Boyd Roberts: A Genealogical Tribute, With 50 'New' Notable Kin of Stoughton, Scudder, Baldwin, Stanley, Martin (Bates-Stowe), Stebbins, Bullard, Hull, Latham (Dungan-Clarke), William Peck, Royce, Gaylord, Hale, Calkins, Cowles, Withington, Woodruff, or Alcock Descent;" No. "46.: Cyrus Stephen Eaton ... ," New England Historic Genealogical Society, Published: April 11, 2002
• Unsourced family tree handed down to Reginald Askew.