Mary (Bowater) Wright (1689 - abt. 1764)

Born 3 Feb 1689 in Spitalfields, Stepney, Middlesex, England

Ancestors

Wife of James Wright Sr. — married 2 Feb 1707 in East Nottingham Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Province of Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 6 Mar 1764 at about age 75 in Frederick, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Glenn York [send private message], Anon Murphy [send private message], and Amy Himsel [send private message]

Biography

A Mary, daughter of John and Mary Bowater of Spitalfields, London, was born on 3 February 1688/9.^[1]

James Wright married a woman named Mary on 2 Feb 1707 in East Nottingham, Chester, Pennsylvania. In Quaker records for the family of James Wright, Mary Wright's birthdate is listed as 3 Feb 1689/90. She died before 6 Mar 1764 and was buried in the Hopewell Friends Burial Ground in Frederick county, Virginia.

Research Notes

The American Genealogist, 72:233 (1997) states without equivocation that Mary, wife of James Wright, is the Mary Bowater born 1688/9 at Spitalfields, London and that she is the half sister of a John and Thomas Bowater.^[2] This article specifically states that the maiden name Davis is in error (see further discussion below). However, there do appear to be serious questions regarding the identification of the various Mary Bowater's as outlined below. There is also a succinct discussion of this found at Find A Grave: Memorial #213090867 and the related profiles at that site.

Those who say Mary's surname is Davis likely got their info from the now disproven book by Walter I. Farmer: In America since 1607. It claims that Mary Davis was of Welsh descent and from Manaoken, Somerset, MD. It also says her birthdate was 16 Mar 1674 and her marriage 2 Dec 1689. This birth date aligns with other children of her supposed parents, James and Margaret Davis, but in no way aligns with the published Quaker birth date for Mary Wright in Hopewell MM records. It also has no other first hand support, other than a family group sheet that states her name and dates came from "Records from the Society of Friends, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Penn in 1908" (C-956).

This oft-printed theory and incongruous lineage in as reputable a source as Farmer, has now effectively been disproven by Stewart Baldwin in "The American Genealogist," Jul/Oct 1997 issue. Mary was a Bowater by multiple pieces of evidence. Baldwin shows her birth date as similar to those from England (with usual confusion between not only Quaker and English dating, but the third problem of old English dating before 1753). Although Quaker records were destroyed for the time period of their marriage, by 26 11th mo 1708/9 in Philadelphia records Mary condemned her marriage as contrary to discipline. This record coincides with the estimated marriage date for Mary and James Wright. Later marriage records of their children include many Bowater relatives as witnesses and do not include any Davis relatives. Mary and James Wright were also listed in the relatives column for her brother, Thomas's daughter's marriage. Lastly, they have a grandson named Bowater.

However, there are those who dispute Baldwin's conclusions. One Find a Grave page argues that conflicting timelines prove that the father of the immigrants Thomas and John Bowater and the father of Mary Bowater born in London were different John Bowaters:

- The London John Bowater # 213090752 was imprisoned from 1679 to 1682 and wrote multiple letters from prison proving he was there during those years.

- The Warwickshire John Bowater #213891742 and his sons Thomas and John Junior witnessed a marriage dated 23 Feb 1681 in Bromsgrove.

Baldwin responded by providing a more detailed timeline, asserting that the argument over conflicting dates had been due to a misinterpretation of certain Quaker calendar dates.^[3] In the same response, Baldwin also stated that Mary's decision to leave was documented in Quaker records:

"Ann Cox proposeing to [th]e meetinge that Mary Bowater Daught[e]r of John Bowater deceased intended to remove herself to pennsylvania And to [tha]t end desires a certificate of her clearness." [transcript from Albert Cook Myers Collection, Notes on original settlers of Pennsylvania 1681-1737, on FHL film #567,012] Another transcript from the "two weeks" meeting minutes dated 20 6mo. [August] 1705 states the the certificate had been signed and also names both parents: "A certificate signed concerning Mary Bowater, dau. of John and Mary Bowater, late of Spittlefields Deceased - Directed to the friends and Breth[re]n of Pensilvania or elsewhere she being abo[u]t to Transport her selfe thither." [same source]. On 28 4mo. [June] 1706, the women's minutes of the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting,^[4] then report: "Certificates on Behalf of Thomas Story, Naomi Berry & Mary Bowater were read at this Meeting."

Another Find a Grave page argued that Baldwin's conclusions were based only on weak circumstantial evidence. Referring to the the condemnation in Quaker records:

First, only this "Mary Wright" is listed, not her husband's name and not her maiden name which could have very well been Wright. Secondly, her supposed marriage to a respected Quaker elder is condemned, why? And thirdly, the late 1708 marriage date is a after the birth of the 1st child.

The theory also uses circumstantial evidence that because James Wright witnessed many Bowater marriages, then he must be related to them. This assumption is similar of being guilty by association. James Wright a respect Quaker elder and named as one of the founders of the colony of Hopewell Meeting, so naturally he would attend many weddings and other functions. But also more than once he was appointed as keeper of the marriage records. So it was his job to be there. He attended lots of marriages, not just the Bowaters. He recorded and kept the records, then he would journey to the main Quaker Meeting House in Philadelphia and give them a copy. His assigned job led to another theory that he was some kind of a traveling minister.

Last Will & Testament:

On August 5, 1763, Mary Wright of Frederick County, Colony of Virginia, executed her Last Will and Testament giving her Estate as follows: first, to her grandson Thomas Wright, son of Thomas & Esther Wright, one hundred acres of land which my Husband James Wright left to me; second, to her seven daughters, Mary, Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah and Lidia, her wearing apparel; third, to her daughter Sarah Pickering one brass "morter"; to her son Thomas Wright, all livestock and household goods; fourth, to my be divided equally among her ten children, James, Isaac, Mary, Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Lydia, and John, funds from the sale of her lands Middle Creek; and, fifth, she nominated as Executors her daughter Mary Ballinger, Jesse Pugh and William Pickering. The Will was admitted to Probate on March 6, 1764. ^{[5] [6]}

Sources

1. ↑ The National Archives, ref. RG6/498, LONDON AND MIDDLESEX: Quarterly Meeting of London and Middlesex: Births, FindMyPast
2. ↑ Baldwin, Stewart, Quaker Marriage Certificates, The American Genealogist, 72:233 $ubscription
3. ↑ FamilySearch thread, originally posted to rootsweb.
4. ↑ "U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 for Mary Bowatar", Swarthmore, Quaker Meeting Records. Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
5. ↑ Frederick, Virginia, Wills Available here
6. ↑ Joint Committee of Hopewell Friends, Hopewell Friends History, 1734-1934, Frederick County, Virginia: Records of Hopewell Monthly Meeting, p. 27-28 Available on Google Books here

1763 WILL

Mary Wright of Frederick County, Colony of Virginia

Widow of: James Wright

Grandson: Thomas Wright, son of Thomas Wright and Esther Wright

Seven Daughters:

Daughter: Mary Ballinger

Daughter: Hannah

Daughter: Martha

Daughter: Elizabeth

Daughter: Ann

Daughter: Sarah Pickering

Daughter: Lidia

Ten children:

Son: James Wright

Son: Isaac Wright

Son: John Wright

Executors: daughter Mary Ballinger; Jesse Pugh; William Pickering (Quakers)

Witn: Elizabeth Powell; Elenor Roges; Susanna Bevain

Will written: 5th day of the 8th month 1763

Will proven: March 6, 1764

Virginia Wills

...

See also:

• Info From: "Hopewell, Virginia Memberships, 1759-76"; Name: [p.487] Wright, James Sr. Born: 1671; Name: w. Mary Born: 2-12-1689 (2nd month by old calendar is April)
• "England and Wales Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Records 1578-1837 Quaker Meeting of London and Middlesex" states that she was born 3 Feb 1688. Copy of original is on Ancestry.com. The handwritten copy says 3rd day of 12th month 1688. At that time (before Feb 1, 1753) the 12th month in Quaker record-keeping was Feb in that old English. For this reason whoever translated her birth as 3 Feb 1688 was probably correct. (Also there is a FHL copy of film #817383. Ref ID is 142.)
• "England Select Births & Christenings 1538-1975" Same date as previous listing. (The original copies of each look the same. The Quaker records may have taken info from England's records.
• Global Find-A-Grave for Burials at Sea and Other Specified Burial Locations 1300's on. Mary Wright died Mar 1764 at Frederick Heights, Frederick Co., VA. Burial is in Hopewell MM Cemetery (Quaker)
• Dorman, John Frederick, C.G., F.A.S.G.. , "Adventurers of Purse and person Virginia 1607-1624/5, 4th ed. p. 809 list Mary "born 16 March 1674/5 at Manokin."
• John Bowater: Find A Grave: Memorial #213090752
• John Bowater: Find A Grave: Memorial #213891742
• Find A Grave: Memorial #101049646
• Find A Grave: Memorial #213137101