Monday, September 10, 2007

Probate Records of Mary Slocum (1657-1732) of Jamestown RI - Part I

This is the summary of the probate records of Mary Slocum (1657-1732) of Jamestown RI. The will was posted in Part 2, and the codicil, inventory summary and other records in Part 3.

One of the very best records that can be used to prove relationships between parents and their children, especially female children, are wills and other probate records. There are probate records for women in some locations - usually when they outlive their husbands and have a significant personal estate, or when they own land. The latter is fairly common in colonial New England.

Mary (Thurston) Slocum was the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Mott) Thurston. She married Ebenezer Slocum (1650-1715) in about 1676 in RI, and they had children Elizabeth, Mary, Johanna, Rebecca, Mercy, Samuel, Ebenezer, Desire, Deliverance, Giles, Joseph and Abigail.

The will of Mary (Thurston) Slocum identifies her children and grandchildren living in 1729. It is an amazing list:

Children listed:

* Son Samuel Slocum
* Daughter Desire Dyre
* Son Giles Slocum
* Son Joseph Slocum
* Daughter Abigail Thomas
* son Ebenezer Slocum
* daughter Elizabeth Green
* daughter Frances Rogers (I don't have her on my list - I wonder if this is "Deliverance" who married a Rogers?)

Grandchildren mentioned are:

* Patience Carr, daughter of Caleb Carr
* Caleb Carr, son of Caleb Carr
* Joseph Carr, son of Caleb Carr
* William Carr, son of Caleb Carr
* David Green, son of David Green
* Elizabeth Green, son of daughter Elizabeth Green
* Thomas Green, son of daughter Elizabeth Green
* Susanah Green, daughter of daughter Elizabeth Green
* Ebenezer Slocum, son of son Samuel Slocum
* Mary Slocum, daughter of son Samuel Slocum
* Desire Slocum, daughter of son Giles Slocum
* Mary Slocum, daughter of Giles Slocum
* Ebenezer Slocum, son of Giles Slocum
* Ruth Slocum, daughter of son Ebenezer Slocum
* Thomas Rogers, son of Frances Rogers
* William Burling, son of William Burling
* Rebeca Burling, daughter of William Burling
* Benjamin Burling, son of William Burling
* Hannah Burling, daughter of William Burling
* Sarah Burling, daughter of William Burling
* Ebenezer Burling, son of William Burling
* Amy Burling, daughter of William Burling
* Mary Carr, daughter of daughter Elizabeth Green
* Marcy Thomas, daughter of George Thomas

Niece listed:

* Susanah Thurston, daughter of brother Jonathan Thurston.

From the way the will is worded, it is apparent that several daughters have died:

* Mary, who married David Green
* Johanna, who married Caleb Carr
* Rebecca, who married William Burling

What a boon to descendants of Ebenezer and Mary (Thurston) Slocum.

Note that the will even provides Mary's maiden name since she called Jonathan Thurston her brother.

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