Elizabeth (Davis) Butterfield (1718 - abt. 1783)

Born 15 Sep 1718 in Barnstable, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Wife of Ephraim Butterfield — married 16 Mar 1731 in Westford, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died about 1783 at about age 64 in Westford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Michael Soliday [send private message] and Jennifer Carroll [send private message]

Identity of Parents

There is no evidence that Elizabeth Davis born in Barnstable in 1718 was the spouse of Ephraim Butterfiled and good reason to think she was not. Elizabeth born in 1718 would be 12 years old at the time of marriage and would be having her first child at 13.

Nathan Davis who is given here as the father of Elizabeth wrote his will in 1783 in which he names two daughters, Sarah Hopkins and Martha Preston. He does not mention Elizabeth or any heirs of Elizabeth (Connecticut Probate, Litchfield County, volume 4, p 236)

Given the lack of evidence for the parentage of Elizabeth Davis who married Ephraim Butterfield, it may make more sense to leave her parents unknown and adjust the year of her birth to about 1711 more in line with the date of marriage.

Also note that the Elizabeth Davis who married Ephraim Butterfield was "of Littleton" at the time of the marriage -- not consistent with the family of Nathan Davis first in Barnstable and then in Connecticut. (Eliza[beth], of Littleton, and Ephraim Butterfield, Mar. 16, 1731. Westford Vital Records)

Making these changes would also allow for the merging of the two Elizabeth Davis currently as mother of Stephen Butterfield (several members of this family group are currently duplicated).

Biography

Elizabeth Davis was born on 15 September 1718 in Barnstable, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay, the daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth (Phinney) Davis.^[1]

She married Benjamin Merrick on 21 December 1738 in Harwich, the son of Nathaniel Merrick born Harwich on 20 March 1717/18.^[2]

Child born Harwich:^[2]

1. Lucy, b. 26 Nov 1739.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch : 13 July 2016, Barnstable > Barnstable > Town records 1640-1774 vol 1-2 > image 268 of 663; town clerk offices, Massachusetts.
   Barnstable Town Records Vol. 1:407.

   Nathan Davis & Elizabeth Phinny Were Married 25 of Nov 1714 P^r Justice Parker

   his Son Jabez born 7 of Oct^r 1715

   Sarah born August 12 1717 & Died 23 of s^d August

   his Daughter Elizabeth born 15 Sept^r 1718

   his Son Isaac Born [illegible] Janu^ry 1720

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Mayflower Families Fifth Generation Descendants, 1700-1880. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017). From Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620. Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1975-2015. Vol. 6, Stephen Hopkins, p. 386. (Link by $ubscription)

See also:

• Ann Reeves and Alice W.A. Westgate, Mayflower Families Through 5 Generations, Thomas Rogers, Vol. 19 (Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2000), p. 108.