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Mary's last name has oft been printed as Davis of Welsh descent. (C-27 3, 972,999) Mary Davis was from Manoaken, Somerset, Maryland. Accordin g to Farmer, the lineage goes back through James Davis, a founder of J amestown. Farmer says her birth date was Mar. 16, 1674 and her marriag e was Dec. 2, 1689. This birthrate aligns with the other children of h er supposed parents, James and Margaret Davis, and in no way aligns wi th the published Quaker birth date for Mary Wright in Hopewell records . It also has no first hand support other than a family group sheet th at states her name and dates came from "Records of the Society of Frie nds, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Penn in 1908." (C-956) This oft printed theory and incongruous lineage in as reputable a sour ce as Farmer, has now effectively been disprove by Stewart Baldwin i n "The American Genealogist", July/Oct. 1997 issue. She was a Bowate r based on multiple pieces of evidence. Mary Wright's birth date is li sted in Feb. 12, 1689 in Hopewell Quaker records. This is off by a 1 d ay from being Mary Bowater's actual birthdate in English records if th e 1689 date is interpreted as 1688/1689. As an orphaned young woman, M ary Bowater was received on certificate from England to live near he r brother, Thomas in the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting records dated 2 8 4th month 1706. This is the only time she is mentioned in this count ry under her maiden name. By 26 11th mo 1708/9 in Philadelphia record s Mary condemned her marriage as contrary to discipline. This record c oincides with the estimated marriage date for Mary and James Wright. A lthough the Quaker records were destroyed for the time period of thei r marriage, later marriage records of Mary and James Wright's childre n include many Bowater relatives as witnesses and do not include any D avis relatives. Mary and James Wright were also listed in the relative s column for her brother, Thomas Bowater's daughter's marriage. Lastly , they have a grandson named Bowater. Stewart Baldwin's case that Mar y is a Bowater is actually one of the finest pieces of genealogical an alysis I've seen. (C-999) Her will is as follows: "I, Mary Wright, of Frederick County in the Co lony of Virginia, being aged and sickly but of a sound and well dispos ing mind and memory do make this my last will and testament hereby rev oking and disanulling all other wills that have heretofore been made o r done by me. First, my will is that my body be decently buried and th at all my just debts and funeral charges that I leave to be defrayed a t the discretion of my executors hereafter named. Secondly, I give an d bequeath and demise to the proper use and behalf of him the said Tho mas Wright his heirs and assigns forever. Thirdly, I give and bequeat h all and singular of my wearing apparel unto my seven daughters, vis. , Mary, Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Lidia to be equally div ided among them. Fourthly, I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Pi ckering, one brass mortar. Fifthly, I give and bequeath unto my son Th omas Wright all and singular of my stock and household goods. I also w ill that what money remains after my decease, from the land sold on Mi ddlefork is to be equally divided among my ten children, vis. James, I saac, Mary Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Lydia and John. Last ly, I ordain and constitute my well beloved daughter, Mary Ballinger , Jesse Pugh and William Pickering sole executors of this my last wil l and testament as witness my hand and seal this 5th day of the 8th mo nth, 1760. Signed, sealed and acknowledged by the said Mary Wright t o be her last will and testament in presence of us. Signed: Mary Wrigh t Witness: Elizabeth Powell, Elinor Rogers, Susanna Bevin. (This was p roved March 6, 1764 in Frederick Co., VA) |