Mary Alloway of Minehead

From: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Alloway-341#_note-3

Biography

Mary was a Friend (Quaker)

Mary Alloway was born on 16 July 1685 in Minehead, Somerset, England.[1] Her parents were the Quaker merchant John Alloway and his wife Elizabeth Holder, originally of Providence, Rhode Island. A deed dated 20 July 1715 found in the Department of Ancient Documents at the State House, Providence, Rhode Island states:

   "Walter Newberry of Boston... Massachusetts Bay... merchant, attorney to John Alloway of Minehead in the county of Somerset merch't. & Mary Alloway of ye Same place Spinster his daughter by his wife Elizabeth Deceased one of the Daughters & coheirs of Christopher Holder & Mary his wife..."[2][3] 

She married Richard Brocklesby of Cork. and they had eight children together, spending several years in Minehead before returning to live in Cork.[4] She died on 28 March 1754 in Cork.[5]

Research Notes

The connection between this Mary Alloway of Minehead, Somerset and the Mary Alloway who married Richard Brocklesby of Cork is tentative but there is strong circumstantial evidence: (1) we know that her parents were Quakers; (2) there is only one Quaker birth record for a Mary Alloway in Somerset in this period, and the parents are recorded as John and Elizabeth; (3) the Irish Quaker records state that the Mary Alloway who married Richard Brocklesby was born in "Somersetshire" and several of their children were born in Somerset, including at least one (Richard) who was born in Minehead.

Sources

   ↑ “England & Wales, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Births 1578-1841,” database with images, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.com/record?id=TNA%2FRG6%2F1226%2F0%2F0058... : accessed 23 January 2021), birth of Mary Alloway in Somerset on 16d 5mo (Jul) 1685, father: John, mother: Elizabeth; citing BRISTOL AND SOMERSET: Monthly Meeting of the West Division of Somerset (Bridgwater, Taunton, Wellington, etc), Archive Reference RG6/1226.

   ↑ Rhode Island Land Records, no. 3, 1707-1721, p. 196

   ↑ Francis R. Sears, "Notes," in NEHGR, 92(1938):202

   ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FQM11M-1%2F... : accessed 22 January 2021), Richard Brocklesby married Mary Alloway in England (date not recorded); citing Munster Family lists 1650-1876, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.

   ↑ Ireland, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Family Lists, image, FindMyPast (https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE%2FQUAKER%2FQM11M-1%2F... : accessed 23 January 2021), death of Mary Brocklesby on 28d 3mo (Mar) 1754 in Cork; citing Munster Family lists 1650-1876, Religious Society Of Friends In Ireland Archives.

Note that when Mary Alloway was born her parents John and Elizabeth were living in Wiveliscombe, near Minehead, Somerset. Her birth is recorded by the Wiveliscombe Quaker meeting.