John Marks (1715 - bef. 1766)

Born 21 Sep 1715 in Brookfield, Worcester, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Husband of Mary (Wheeler) Marks — married 14 Sep 1743 in Brookfield, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Died before 5 Aug 1766 before age 50 in Hampden, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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Biography

John was born September 21, 1715 to Joseph and Mary Marks. ^[1][2]He was married to Mary (Wheeler) Kedder on September 14, 1743 at Brookfield. ^[3] She had been previously married to John Kedder, ^[4] and had a son, John, baptized in 1737. ^[5] Her will of 5 August 1766, however, doesn't mention him, so he was probably deceased by then.^[6]

John Marks is described as "husbandman" (farmer) of Quabbin, which was incorporated as the town of Greenwich in 1754. During the 1740s, he bought several parcels of land there.^[7] He sold a couple of them later, in the 1750s and 1760s.^[8]

John suffered "under a grievous wound which threatens my life" in September 1754, and made his will. In it, he left two parcels of land to "my brother Ephraim Wheeler" and "the boy Joseph who now lives with me" - his adopted son Joseph Marks Whipple,^[9] and the rest of his estate to his wife, with the proviso that "my aged mother....be comfortably supported out of the income from my estate."^[10] The will wasn't probated until August 5, 1766, when his wife, who survived him, presented it to the probate court the same day she made her own will. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records of Brookfield, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Worcester, MA, Rice, 1909), p. 153 (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/265025/?offset=0#page=154&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= , image 154 of 550).
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G979-Q9WD-T?cc=2061550&wc=Q4D4-92Q%3A353349801%2C353616301%2C353618301 : 20 May 2014), Worcester > Brookfield > Births, deaths 1700-1817 vol 1 > image 14 of 125; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston. Image of handwritten entry in Brookfield town record.
3. ↑ Vital Records of Brookfield, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Worcester, MA, Rice, 1909), p. 354 ( https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/265025/?offset=#page=355&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= , image 355 of 550).
4. ↑ Vital Records of Brookfield, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Worcester, MA, Rice, 1909), p. 436 (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/265025/?offset=#page=437&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= , image 437 of 550).
5. ↑ Vital Records of Hardwick, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Boston, MA, Wright and Potter, 1917), p. 65. ( https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/361792/?offset=0#page=65&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= )
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Will of Mary Marks pro. 14 Oct 1766, Hampshire Co., MA, v 10, pp. 325-326 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-N95B-J?i=355&cat=27571), image 356 of 390. Makes personal bequests to "my brother" Ephraim Wheeler, "my two sisters" Elizabeth Ramsdell and Sarah Emmons, Mary Wheeler (dau of Joseph), Elizabeth Wheeler (dau of Ephraim), and Mary Kellogg, the rest of her estate to go to adopted son Joseph Whipple. Will was drawn up on August 5, at which time Mary also produced her husband John Marks's will, made in September 1754.
7. ↑ John Marks in Index to Grantees, Hampden Co. Deeds, 1636-1800, p. 74 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZH-GVNM?i=450&cc=2106411&cat=438974), image 451 of 788.
8. ↑ John Marks in Index to Grantors, Hampden Co. Deeds, 1636-1800, p. 79 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99ZH-G66J?i=43&cc=2106411&cat=438974), image 44 of 397.
9. ↑ "Joseph Marks Whipple," in database of Whipple One-Name Study, web site maintained by Weldon Whipple (https://whipple.one-name.net/tng/getperson.php?personID=I32580&tree=whipple). Joseph Whipple, orphaned son of Jonathan and Anne Whipple, was adopted by John and Mary Marks of Quabbin/Greenwich.
10. ↑ Will of John Marks pro. 05 Aug 1766, Hampshire Co., MA, v 10, p. 318 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-N95B-1?i=347&cat=275711), image 348 of 390.

See also:

• Wheeler Family Guild, "Ephraim Wheeler of Greenwich MA had two wives--" Post by onesannessa, 7 June 2020 (https://www.cuzens.net/posts/6741814). "...Ephraim Whiler married Hannah Marks [sister or niece of John Marks] on 10 Nov 1746 in Pelham MA. The following year, on 17 Jul 1747, Ephraim bought his first land: the north 1/2 of Lot 64 in Quabbin [later Greenwich] for 15 pounds from Joseph Kidder..."
• Wheeler Family Guild, "Who was Hannah Marks?" ---- Post by onesannessa, 10 June 2020 (https://www.cuzens.net/posts/6797313). "Ephraim Wheeler married Hannah Marks in Pelham, MA on 10 Nov 1746. They were described as 'both of Quabbin'. The only Marks found at this time in Quabbin was John Marks, who had bought a second division lot of 50 acres in Quabbin on 5 Sep 1743, just nine days before he married (at Brookfield) Mary (Wheeler) Kidder "of Hardwick", Ephraim Wheeler's widowed sister. On 27 Jun 1745, John Marks bought 1 right in Quabbin, Lot 25, which had originally been the right of Joseph Lyon (and then John Kidder). After this purchase, John Marks is shown at town meetings as having 1 right (1748-1754)..."