Could Mercy Watson be John Freeman's wife's name?

Question

I have a hand written note with the above information.

Answer 1

John Freeman married Mercy Watson in 1701 in Massachusetts. They had Elkeniah, a son, in 1702, daughter, Marcy, was born in 1706, then, John in 1709, and Phebe in 1711. 

Mercy (Watson) Freeman died about 1721. All their children were born at Harwick, Barnstable, MA. 

Frank 

 

 

Answer 2

Charles Anderson in Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume II, C-F, page 580, says that John Freeman married Mercy, dau of Thomas Prence. He cites Plymouth Colony Records volume 8, page 26 for their 13 Feb 1649/50 Eastham, Barnstable Co., marriage; he cites his own Great Migration Begins, volume 3, pp 1518-24 for identification of her parents.

 

Comments

I have seen reference to a Mercy Watson married to a John Freeman, but two generations later-- i.e., she married the grandson of John Freeman, Sr.

This would need to be confirmed.

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In "Prence Freeman of East Hampton, Conn." in The American Genealogist, volume 17, p 95, the author claims that Mercy Watson was second wife of John Freeman after the death of Sarah Merrick. This John Freeman was son of John Freeman Sr and Mercy Prence.

Unfortunately, no source is provided to support this conclusion.

Answer 3

Wow... The Freeman family genealogy is quite a Gordon's (?) knot. George Ernest Bownman tries to untangle mistakes made by previous researchers in "John Freeman of Eastham and Harwich," in MayFlower Descendant, volume 33 (1935), page 100 on. 

VERY MUCH recommended reading for anyone descended from both early Freemans and Watsons. Sheesh.

Members of the New England Historic Genealogical Society can access digital copies of this and other journals. See www.americanancestors.org. Membership is affordable, and any researchers of colonial New England ancestors should join. Their digital holdings are phenomenal, and include much that is not available through a standard Ancestry.com subscription.

 

-- Jillaine

 

Comments

There were two Mercy Watsons who married John Freemans.

1. Widow of Elkanah Watson married a widowed John Freeman

2. HER daughter, Mercy Watson, married (I think) the son of said John Freeman above. (At least I think that's what Bowman is saying in the other-referenced article.)