Rebecca (Wade) Owen (abt. 1629 - 1711)

Born about 1629 in England [uncertain]

Wife of John Owen — married 3 Oct 1650 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut Colony

Descendants

Died 3 Dec 1711 at about age 82 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Kay Wilson [send private message], Shirley Becker [send private message], and Connecticut Project WikiTree [send private message]

Rebecca (Wade) Owen is a part of Connecticut History. Join: Connecticut Project Discuss: connecticut

Disputed Parents

Savage's Genealogical Dictionary suggests that the wife of John Owen, Rebecca Wade, was "perhaps d. of Robert of Hartford."^[1] The Windsor Barbour Collection of Vital Records simply says John Owen married Rebecca Wade, Oct 3, 1650.^[2] It does not suggest she was from Hartford. However, Robert was in the right place at the right time to be the father of Rebecca Wade, and Savage's "perhaps" should have lead to further research, not certainty. Savage's entry for Robert Wade mentions his 1657 divorce from Joane, but names no children.^[3] If Savage had known of his children, he would have mentioned them. In 1929, an article on John and his family “John Owen of Windsor, Conn., and some of his descendants,” by William Arthur Owen, makes no mention of Rebecca's parentage.^[4]

The 1941 Descendants of John Owen of Windsor, Connecticut (1622-1699), makes the leap from "perhaps" to "certainty" calling Owen's wife "Rebecca Wade of Hartford nearby. The bride was the daughter of Robert Wade and Jemima Wade."^[5] Did he make a slip of the pen calling the alleged mother Jemima? Robert had a wife Joane. He divorced Joane in 1657.^[6] Clearly Robert did not have a wife Jemima.

In addition, the distribution of Robert Wade's estate makes no mention of a daughter Rebecca Owen.^[7] It would appear he died intestate. He might have left Rebecca out of his will, but a court ordered distribution would include all his children or their heirs.

Biography

Rebecca's parents are unknown. No record of her date or place of birth has been found. Based on her date of marriage in 1650, she was probably born about 1629. She was probably born in England.

Rebecca Wade married John Owen on October 3, 1650, in Windsor.^[8][9][5]

Rebecca's husband, John Owen, died February 18, 1697/8.^[5][8]. An inventory of his estate was taken in April 1698.^[10] Rebecca, his widow, died December 3, 1711.^[5][8]

Rebecca and John had 11 children, all born at Windsor. Each of these children were recorded multiple times and there are some discrepancies in the dates. Clues indicate the dates labeled '(MG)' were added in a group later.

1. Josiah, b. 8 Sept 1651^[5][8][11] Removed to Simsbury^[11]
2. John b. 5 Nov 1652; d. young^[5][11]
3. John 2nd, b. 23 April 1654; d. 15 Jan 1670^[5] d. 13 Jan 1670.^[11]
4. Nathaniel, born 9 Aug 1656 (MG) (once)^[5][8] or Aug 29, 1656 (twice)^[8]; 9 Aug^[11]
5. Daniel, born 28 Mar 1658^[5][8][11] m. Mary Bissell^[11]
6. Joseph, b. 23 Oct 1660^[5][8][11] removed to Hebron.^[11]
7. Mary, was born 5 Dec 1662^[5][8]
8. Benjamin, was born 20 Sept 1664; d. 26 May 1665^[5][8][11]
9. Rebecca was b. 28 March 1666;^[5][8][11] m. Nathan Gillett of Windsor 30 June 1692.^[8][11]
10. Obadiah, son of John was born 12 Dec 1667^[5][8] or 12 Dec 1662 (MG)^[8] 12 Dec 1667.^[11]
11. Isaac. b. 27 May 1670^[5][8][11]

Note, however, that the original Lucius Barnes Barbour typescript shows additional records for the death of a son John in 1665 (who would have been the John born in 1654) and the birth of a son John in Jan 1667 (who would have been the John who died in 1670). (See image attached to this profile).

Sources

1. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692. Vol. I-IV. Boston, MA, USA: 1860-1862. Vol. 3 p. 326
2. ↑ Windsor. Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. marriage pp. 281
3. ↑ Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692. Vol. I-IV. Boston, MA, USA: 1860-1862. p. 378 Link at Archive
4. ↑ William Arthur Owen, “John Owen of Windsor, Conn., and some of his descendants,” NEHGS Register (1929), Volume 83, pages 39-40.)
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14} Ralph Dornfeld Owen, “Descendants of John Owen of Windsor, Connecticut (1622-1699)”, Philadelphia, 1941, pages 19-22.
6. ↑ Trumbull, J. Hammond. (transcriber). The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Prior to the Union with New Haven Colony May 1665. Hartford: Brown and Parsons, 1850. AKA Colonial Records of Connecticut. Volume I. 1636-1665 p. 301 Google Books
7. ↑ Robert's profile has full citations and particulars. TAG 33:151 citing [New London County Court Records 8:133] and [Saybrook Land Records, 2:96 & 2:402] & TAG 49:209 citing New London County Court records labeled "Trials." 4:21 and Page 56
8. ↑ ^{8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14} Windsor. Connecticut Vital Records to 1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. marriage pp. 281, 212; death pp. 213, 214; children 212-214
9. ↑ Ricker Compilation of Vital Records of Early Connecticut. marriage p. 9468, death p. 9472
10. ↑ Manwaring, Charles William. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records.Volume 1. Hartford District 1635-1700. Hartford, Conn., R.S. Peck & Co., Printers, 1904. p. 575
11. ↑ ^{11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13} Stiles, Henry R. The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut; including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington. 1635-1891. Volume II - Genealogies and Biographies. Hartford, Conn.:Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Company, 1892, pp 544-545

See Also:

• The following sources were used by Torrey's New England Marriage to 1700 "{Windsor CT VR 212, 281; TAG 24:44, 35:21; Windsor CT 2:544; Reg. 83:39; Phelps 1:120; Hartford Prob. 1:575} " They have all been looked at for relevance. They mostly concerned John, and did not shed any light on Rebecca, except as noted in the biography already.
• Spear, Verne Raymond, (compiler) The descendants of John Owen : who settled at Windsor, Connecticut, 1624-2007. South Deerfield, Massachusetts : V.R. Spear, 2007 Downloaded from Family Search. The first generation at least repeats the information given in the 1941 Descendants of John Owen of Windsor, Connecticut (1622-1699), including the dubious information stating that Rebecca's parents are Robert Wade and Jemima.