Mary (Brigham) Fay (1638 - 1676)

Born 1638 in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Wife of John Fay — married before 1669 in Marlborough, Massachusetts [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 2 Aug 1676 at about age 38 in Watertown, Massachusetts

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Bob Fox [send private message] and Jenny Redo [send private message]

Biography

Notes for MARY BRIGHAM:

Mary was the daughter of Thomas and Mercy (Hurd) Brigham; born probably in Cambridge, Mass., about 1638; died in Watertown, in 1676; married John Fay, the emigrant, who settled in Marlboro, Mass., and died 5 May, 1690, age 50.

Mary was the first Brigham born in America, and as such deserves special mention. Paige, in his History of Cambridge (pp. 501_2), a most thorough and painstaking work, chronicles that "Mary went to Sudbury and Marlboro with her mother, brothers and sister, when her father died, where she married John Fay of Marlboro." And he cites evidence, as already indicated by a legal document (Mid. Prob. Recs., vii. 9), wherein, joining with other complainants, John Fay and Samuel Fay, children of Mary Fay of Marlboro, and heirs of Thomas Brigham, late of Cambridge began suit September 28, 1695, to recover certain lands in the possession of Samuel Hastings, who possessed also the Puritan Brigham homestead. John Fay Sr.'s wife was Mary, and there was no other Fay in Marlboro at that time of suitable age to be the father of said John, Jr., and Samuel Fay, parties to said suit. Paige was undoubtedly correct, and we must include in our genealogy of the Brighams the children of John and Samuel Fay, sons of Mary (Brigham) Fay. Both of them had large families, among them being sons who became the heads of numerous branches (see Fay Family). There was also a daughter, Mary Fay, who married Jonathan3 Brigham, her cousin, and a son of Thomas2 Brigham; they had 10 children, thus starting several male lines of Brighams. Hudson, in his Hist. of Marlboro, does not conflict with Paige's position; and he adds that John Fay retired (with most other Marlboroites), during King Philip's War, to Watertown, where he buried his wife Mary and a young son David, just coming five years.

John Fay, the husband of Mary Brigham, came to America when he was eight years of age. No mention is made of his parents. He is found in Marlboro as early as 1669. He married (2) Susanna, daughter of William Shattuck of Watertown and widow of Joseph Morse. As will be seen, she married for her third husband, Thomas2 Brigham. [Brigham (1907) p. 63]

More About JOHN FAY and MARY BRIGHAM:

Marriage: Abt. 1669, Marlboro, Massachusetts

Unless otherwise noted, from The History of the Brigham Family..., p. 63

Mary Brigham born about 1638 probably in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the first Brigham child born in the colony. She was the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Hurd) Brigham.

That the Mary who married John Fay was daughter of Thomas Brigham is supported by Middlesex Probate Records (vol. vii, p. 9) where John Fay and Samuel Fay, "children of Mary Fay of Marlboro and heirs of Thomas Brigham, late of Cambridge, began suit September 28, 1695, to recover certain lands..."

She married about 1660 the emigrant John Fay, and they settled in Marlborough, MA. He died 5 May 1690, age 50. (That date needs checking.)

She died in 1676 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Her husband had removed the family to this location during King Philip's War.

An ancestry.com family tree claims a specific date of 2 Aug 1676 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts.^[1]

This conflicts with the 23 Dec 1693 date listed above as her death date. Need to resolve.

Her widower, John Fay, married second Susanna, daughter of William Shattuck of Watertown and widow of Joseph Morse; she married third, Thomas2 Brigham.

Children

1. John Fay Jr, b 30 Nov 1669 Marlborough; d Westbro 3 or 5 Jan 1747; m1 Elizabeth, dau of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Sweetman) Wellington, b 29 Dec 1673; d 8 Mar 1729; m2 Levinah4, dau of Elnathan3 Brigham; res. Westboro
2. David, b 15 Oct 1671; d. 28 Sep 1676, prob. bur. Watertown, MA (as was his mother)
3. Samuel Fay, b 11 Oct 1673 Marlboro; d Westboro 10 Nov 1732; m 16 May 1699 Tabitha dau of Increase and Record Ward, b 16 May 1675; res in Westboroth
4. Mary Fay, m. Jonathan3 Brigham, her cousin, son of Thomas2 Brigham; 10 children.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees , Provo, UT, USA (2006) Database online. Record for Mary Brigham

See also:

• Kristie Aldrup, Administrator of the Brigham List at Rootweb. Probably the "kka" who wrote: "The material presented here is from family and known unknown sources. There was a "professional" genealogical chart made previously. I do not know who made it or when. I have spent nearly 35 years trying to document the information presented to you this date. Enjoy... Update and or make your connections (NOTE: Spousal and non-direct lines will be posted at a later date... I have still "bring my reseach for the last three years up to date") (Ed: editorial-kka)"
• William Richard Cutter, New England Families, Genealogies and Memorials, Clearfield Co., Inc (1913); Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co. (1994, 1995); Vol. 1, p 277 (Brigham Family)
• Robert Charles Anderson, et al., The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England 1634-1635, Boston, MA: NEHGS (1999), p ???

Acknowledgements

• Molly Rice
• Jenny Redo