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Charles Stocking's work,
"The History and Genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America", contains
more than a few errors, and should be used only as a guide; and, in connection
with the Errata Corrections of his work, published in 1903, by E. H. Knowlton.
This is the lineage stated in Stocking. Based on some research conducted
in this century, this is now in question. Research in England has
failed to turn up any tangible evidence of his relationship to the English
lineage given by Stocking.
Charles Stocking, in the Knowltons of England and America, 1897,
said that "the English tradition is that her name was Ann Elizabeth Smith".
I guess he meant a verbal legend. Subsequent research in England by a professional
research service hired by ______, has turned up a marriage for a person
who could be our Captain William to an lady with the last name Rice, and
none for Smith. So, the search goes on....
Stocking, and other authorities, principally from the 19th century, agreed that William and Hannah (Green) Knowlton were the parents of the Hannah Green that married Thomas Knowlton, Sr. There is currently in the LDS ancestral file, a tree showing this Hannah Green married to Thomas Knowlton, Sr. and Joseph Richardson, at the same time, having babies with each, at the same time. It appears there was a second Hannah Green from Malden, who married Joseph Richardson, from Woburn, and some folks are getting them mixed up. As near as I've been able to determine, this started with the History of Woburn, by Sewall, towards the beginning of this century.
We now know, from documents in William Green's estate packet, that
Stocking was right on this one, that the Hannah Green, daughter of William
Green of Woburn, is the Hannah Green married to Thomas Knowlton. See details
at the Green Research Notes Page.
Stocking shows the date/place of death of Thomas Knowlton, Sr. as February 28, 1717, in Ispwich, Mass. He shows Hannah died October 24, 1708.
The Vital Records of Norwich, Conn, show entries for a Thomas Knowlton
(with a "jur" after the name, possibly Junior?), died November 2, 1711.
Then, shows Hannah Knowlton, wife of Thomas, died Oct 24, 1708. Where does
the Ipswich date come from? If that is him, who is the Thomas Knowlton
shown as November 2, 1711 in Norwich, Conn? We already have Thomas, Jr.
accounted for as having died Sep 25, 1730, in East Haddam, Conn.
The family structure of the Hammatt Papers, by Abraham Hamatt, 1854, is generally not accepted now, in favor of the family struture that Stocking developed. The Hammatt Papers show a Thomas, son of Captain William, probably never married, date of death unknown. He then shows a Deacon Thomas Knowlton, "probably son of William", with a wife of Susannah, date of death of April 12, 1692. He then shows the Thomas Knowlton who married Margery Wilson, with Margery Wilson and some of the children, in a "laundry list" of Knowltons found in various records. He doesn't say how his third Thomas is tied into the scheme of things.
I think most researchers now accept Stockings theory that there were
only two Thomas Knowltons here, not two. Deacon Thomas Knowlton is accepted
as son of Captain William, and it was he who was married to a Susannah
and died April 12, 1692. Then the Thomas Knowlton who married Margery Wilson
is the Thomas Knowlton who was the son of William.
For those descendants in that branch wanting to learn more, I suggest you seek out the microfilm with Torrey's sources listed and start from there.
The Essex Antiquarian reports this will for Margery Knowlton:
This is to Certify that I Margery Knoulton widdow do make my brother Thomas Knoulton Executor to me & Assigne in my stead to fulfill my husbands will in my Roome & also for my selfe to giue to my Children according to our wills, for my household goods which are at my disposeing I doe giue equally to be deuided to my 3 children John Elisabeth and Abraham, onely I giue my great Byble to John, & all my weareing parrell to Elisabeth & a Iron pott with a bed tike that is hers & 20s that is Johns and 2 Candlesticks that are Abrahams. And I make mr Tredwell & my brother Wilson my overseers. Also Abraham is to haue the yearne & cloth to make his two shifts & to haue a new hatt. These 3 interlinews were made before she set her hand. the marke of Margery Knoulton
[In the margin of the record, midway is written: "These are
beside the Diuision."] pued in Court held at Ipswich the 28th (1) 1654
by the oaths of Theophilus Wilson Elisabeth Wilson
and mary Tredwell. p. me Robert Lord Cleric.
[Notice how she refers to her brother-in-law, Thomas Knowlton, as
"brother".
"The 14th of 12th mth 1653. This is to certify
that I Jane Kenning
being in perfect memory do make my two sisters
Elizabeth Wilson and
Margery Knowlton to be my executrixes........"
"John Knowlton I give twenty pounds;
& to the rest of my sisters
children ten pounds a peece Elisabeth
Knowlton Elisabeth Wilson Seaborne
Wilson, & Abraham Knowlton,
And to my brother Wilsons sone Thomas,
three pounds, & the rest for my mothers
use during her life......" [I
have tried to be meticulous about punctuation & capitals here.]
Witness: Mary Tredwell, Thomas Knowlton.
Proved Mar. 28, 1654 by Thomas Knowlton and
Mary wife of Thomas Tredwell.
Copy of will, Ipswich Deeds, vol. 1, leaf 140.
There are several ways the above combination of names could be applied, especially if one were to use the term "brother" or "sister" for "brother-in-law" or "sister-in-law". One of those possibilities is that Jane Kenning, Theophilus Wilson, and Margery Knowlton might be all Wilsons and siblings. But, that isn't the only possibility. It is also possible that Jane, Margery, and Theophilus' wife, Elizabeth were sisters, with a completely different name.
It's also interesting the Tredwells are witnesses to both wills, but named in either. Torrey says the wife of Thomas Treadwell was Mary Taylor.
I have presently entered the above set of names in my database as:
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