Question

What is the evidence that the wife of Sylvabus Campbell (b 1671-1718) of Norton, Mass., was named Mary Leonard?

Answer 1

There was a Selvanis Cambell whose spouse's first name was Mary. The couple had Gershom, Caleb, Jeremiah, Selvanis, William, Rachell,Ruth, and Mary.

There is an ancestrial file submission that has Sylvanus Campbell born 1671 at Norton, Bristol, MA, who died on 16 May 1718 at Norton, Bristol, MA. His spouse is shown as Mary Leonard, born 1673, Married 1691, and died 13 Feb 1723.

Two children are listed as Mary Campbell born 8 May 1696 and Rachael Campbell born 31 January 1693 who died 29 Nov 1756.

Comments

Norton, Mass. was created in 1710. So both Sylvanus and Mary must have been born (and married) elsewhere. That said, I just looked at the published vital records for this town*, and they do record some earlier dates, including (under spelling of CAMBELL):

Rachell, ch. Selvanis and Mary, Jan. 31, 1692 or 3 <-- despite this early birth record, there is no marriage record in the Norton VR for Sylvanus and Mary.

Deborah, ch Selvanis and mary, July 17, 1694

Mary, ch Selvanis and Mary, May 8, 1696

Abiah, ch. Selvanis and Mary, Nov 22, 1697

Sarei, ch Selvanis and Mary, feb 27, 1698/9

Selvanis, ch Selvanis and Mary, Oct 19, 1701 [ck]

Ruth, ch Selvanis and Mary, mar 26, 1703

Gershom, ch Selvanis and Mary, Nov 14, 1704

Neomi, ch Selvanis nd Mary, Feb. 9, 1705 or 6

Abigaill, ch Selvanis and Mary, Oct 10, 1707

William, ch Selvanis and Mary, Jan 1, 1709 or 10

Caleb, ch Selvanis and Mary, Apr 13, 1711

Ruth ch Selvanisi and Mary, Apr 9, 1714

Jeremiah, ch Selvanis and Mary, feb 17, 1715/6

Mary, wife of Salvenas, d. Feb. 13, 1723-4

I do not find a death of Sylvanus Campbell in Norton.

Norton was formed out of Taunton, MA, so maybe they're there...

I'll go see what I can find.

*

Vital records of Norton, Massachusetts, to the year 1850.

Published 1906 by Published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, at the charge of the Eddy Town-Record Fundin Boston, Mass .

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Not in Taunton.

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There are marriage records at  familysearch.org  for Mary Leonard in Bristol, MA, but none that show here married to Sylvanus Campbell.

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The Ancestral Files are submissions that are not verified, so they may or may not be accurate.

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Thank you for your efforts. I have already looked in the Mass. VRs. Genealogical data not supported by correctly published sources or original documents such as  deeds, wills, and probate records, are of little use in research except maybe as  questionable leads.

Answer 2

Ah... here's a clue and the possible source, if only circumstantial, tying Sylvanus Campbell to the Leonard family.

In the Bristol County Probate records is the will of on Joseph Wood of Taunton who died 12 Feb 1697. It was witnessed by Thomas Leonard, Sylvanus Camball and Elkanah Leonard in 1698.

This was published in NEHG Register 64(1910):31-32.