Martha Johanna (Winthrop) Lyon (1630 - abt. 1653)

"Thomas Lyon to John Winthrop, Sr.

From Stamford ye 14 April 1648

Loving Grandfather--My humble duty remembered unto you. This is to aquaint you that I have received your kind token you sent to my wife in great sted. For my own part, I am willing to doe for my wife to the utermost of my power, but she being is such condition, not able to helpe her selfe, makes me doe and suffer that which otherwise I might not; but my trust is in the Lord, who had apointed us to com together. He can help and releive those that wayt upon Him, as experience shows. Although I am base in degree to you, and poore, yet that you should look upon me to helpe me the goodness of God is great. As for your good counsell, I humbly thanke you. The Lord inable [me] to follow it, that soe I might make my wife’s life as comfortable as I can in her conditon. As for my wife she is worse and worse, soe that is a great hindrance to me, having but little buy my labor, and cannot git a helpe for her, they being all so scarce here.

Concerning my wife's mother, she had delt very harsh with me, witholding my right from me in severall cases. The reason as I conceived and noe other, I shall tell you. When I married first, I lived in the house with her, because my father [referring to his wife's step-father, Mr. Feake] being distracted, I might bee a help to her. Whereupon seeing severall carages betwene the felow she ow had to be for husband and that the people allsoe tooke notice of it (which was to her disgrace) which greved me verie much,--and I can say as the Lord knowes, her fall hath been the greates greefe and trouble to me that ever com by other, --and after long time heering and seeing what condition whe were in I spake to her about it privately and after I discovered my dislike, I see her carage alter toward me.

And haveing profered divers times to the utermost of my power to help her to take care of her estate, either in the house with her or in a house by her, haveing soft all menes that were lawfull, both betweene she and I--alsoe, when naught would prevale, before witnes--that soe she might gaine her name, bring glory to God, and part with the felow; yet nothing would pervale, but the more I desired her to part with the felow, the more I see that she were against mee. But however I hope I shall have a clere consiance toward her before god that I have not been the cause in the leest by my neglect, but to relate were tedieous. However I am sorrow for the sad efect she hat brought upon her selfe in general, and now more partickquler than none of her former freinds will scarse look upon her, which I desier the Lord would lay it open to her if at the last there may be hopes and I desire my selfe and others may take notis of her fall and that soe it may be gaine to others. My wife remembers her duty unto you and to all the rest of her friends in generall, with thanks to you for your gifts sent to her and likewise to all her freinds to their kindness. I thought to have writ to my Uncle John Winthrop, but the time is -------[torn]------------I shall not.

Further concerning the condition she is. My father Feeke going away sondingly, having taken no course about the children and estate, only deseired a friend of his, and I, in case wee see them about makeing away the estate and to remove, wee should stay it--allsoe sending a letter to same effect from Watertown--wee send for counsell that wee should do. Wee were advised to stay it according to my fathers order; whereupon wee sent to the Dutch Governor, and went allso, that the estate might be stayed according to my father’s desier. My mother and William Hallett coming there, there were som complants made against them, their living together; whereupon the Gov. ordered that the estate should be preserved for the children and my father upon his land at Greenwidg. It were farther ordered that my mother sould live with her children having the benyfit of comfortable to live on, if she continewed there. If she did not stay there, she was not to carie away any of the estate, nor children; likewise William were to depart the jurisdiction. But when they were returned to Greenwidg because the fellow might not live there, my mother in law came hither with him, bringing away the children and estate, which we have seized on. Allsoe sence she came here she hath openly confessed she is married to him, is with child by him; and she had been at New Haven but could have not comfort nor hopes for present to live in the hurisdiction, and what will become of her I know not. She is resolute in her course or else I think if she would leave William, she might stay here, and for the present they are in an unsettled condition, not knowing what to doe; and wee have had much trouble concerning the children, for the estate is sould and wasted by their menes and charges comd on it, soe that it will not be soe good as my father left it neigther will it maintayne the children excepty they be put forth. I could desier that my Uncle John would make a voyage hither and see if hee could settle things for the best, for the children and the estate spedely. The ocasion of my writing is to informe you of the truth, let you might be informed otherwise. If my uncle John Winthrop would come, it would be very good. I humbly intreat you to speke with him about it for the children and the estate suffer. Or I would inreat you to send by this bearer your mind what you think will be best. I intreat your favour to aquaint him, how things are that I could desier (as the case stands) he would make a jorny hither spedely. Likewise let me intreat you soe much because I shall not write to him of the place here and helpe me with a couple of sithes and a sickell or two against the harvest, for there is none to bee got, and I shall send such pay as the cuntry doth aford, as whete; for if it had such things it would help me to get much that now I cannot. Oure thoughts are for the present to see to the Dutch Governor if he will resine the part of the Estate there in our hands soe wee might have it all improved at Greenwich upon the land. I intreat you would be please to let me heere from you spedely, soe in hast I rest. Your dutyfull and obedeant grandson, Thomas Lion."

Source: Miller, Robert B.; Lyons, A.B., M.D., Assoc. Editor. The Lyon Memorial: New York Families Descended from the Immigrant, Thomas Lyon of Rye. Detroit, MI: William Graham Printing (1907). Ferguson Library, The Stamford Public Library, 15 Mar 1998

Winthrop-128 and Winthrop-77 do not represent the same person because: These two ladies are not the same. We know the history of Martrha Johann Winthrop. Margaret Wynthrop seems to be from another place and time. There were lots of families with name of Lyon. And the ship Lyon brought folks to Massachusetts. Her birth date is an impossibility. The merge remains rejected.

sorry. we all agree. i'm just adding to the agreement. the site chose to format my words incorrectly. im adding that winthrop-128 simply doesn't exist. whoever created the profile would check all arguments & data & realize it's 99% likely it's actually winthrop-77 . especially seeing as the original importer didn't even have the correct birth country nor the name of either parent. if i'm off please correct as i'm a newb

Winthrop-128 and Winthrop-77 do not represent the same person because: There are too many inconsistencies in the information, sources, and available possibilities. No person of European background was born in Connecticut in 1630 unless they were from Plymouth. Margaret was the name of Gov John Winthrop's first wife, but he did not have a daughter by that name. The Winthrop family was large and had many descendants. I think this Margaret was listed as being born in the wrong century.

Winthrop-128 and Winthrop-77 appear to represent the same person because: someone commented she couldn't have been born in ct but back in england & the other profile confirms this i'm not sure why someone thinks her name was margaret

If she died in 1653, how is it possible that she married Thomas Lyon in 1690? My records indicate the marriage was in 1647. After her death in 1653, Thiomas married in 1654 to Martha Winthrop.