2 Mehitable Rice born in 1731. Which one married Joseph Willoughby Aug 1765?

Question

One girl was born 3 Apr 1731 to Perez and Lydia Rice. One was born 10 Sept 1731 to Eliakim Rice and Mehitable Livermore. Both born in Mass. One married Moses Peirce in 1754 and one married Joseph Willoughby in 1765, marriage info does not give parents or birth dates. I have only found the grave of Mehitable Rice Willoughby and memorial shows 10 Sept 1731 as date of birth but I do not see it inscribed on monument. I have clear evidence of the Willoughby line but need to source the Rice line. How do I identify the correct Mehitable Rice?

Answer 1

The best proof (but not the easiest) would be if either of the fathers or mothers left wills or probate documents that specifically named Mehitable (by the last name of her husband). Sometimes land records and deeds can give a clue.

Location could also be a clue - Moses of Weston & Mehitable of Worcester were married in Worcester. Where were the Mehitables born?

Comments

Daughter of Eliakim was born in Worcester, Worcester Co.

Daughter of Perez was born in Westborough also in Worcester Co

So that wasn't much help

Did either of them name children after their parents.

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Or you take someone else's word for it

https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalhist00ward#page/72/mode/2up  see #838

which says that Mehitable d/o Eliakim (resident of Worcester) married Moses Pierce.

Answer 2

Not an answer but another lead -- in 1700's in New Hampshire at least one Willoughby family was active.  In Grafton County, there was a "Willoughby Hill".  

In the 1950's, Al Willoughby had a dairy farm and owned land, including a pond, in Bloomfield,  Hartford County, Connecticut

Perhaps it's time for a Willoughby one name study?