I am trying to resolve the parentage of Achsah Bennet in my line. Specifically who her mother is. In the Sandwich, MA VR, there is an entry between Stephen Bennet and Mehetable Tobey that reads “entered to be published”, if I am reading it correctly.
What is the exact meaning of the term? Intentions to be marriage? Or the actual marriage itself? Or something else?
The matter is further complicated in that the only Mehetable Tobey from Sandwich seems to already be married to Nathaniel Bourne, since 1779, and he was still living. Also, Stephen Bennet’s 1st (?) wife, Zerviah Hammond, has no death record that has been found, so it is unclear whether she was living at the time, or not. (Although she would be in her very late 40s at the time of Achsah’s birth, which is already a red flag.)
Thanks for any info!