Corporal Samuel Braley - Real or Imagined Parents of Samuel Braley

In July 1750 21yr old Gideon Braley married 15yrs 10mo Patience Mayo. According to established "premise" Samuel was born around 1751.

The following are the FACTS:

Plymouth County, MA: Plymouth Court Records, 1686-1859 Vol 3 page 95

... Patience Brailey.. widdow... Gideon Brailey, deceased... and her minor children Sarah, Abigail, and Gideon...late inhabitants of Freetown...lately come to live in Middleborough, to depart town, 9 Feb 1763.

This simple paragraph shows much. Gideon Brailey died before or by Feb 1763. Gideon and Patience had 3 minor children. Two girls and one boy. Most telling, this was a warrant to basically "get out" of Middleborough.

We know that Patience was in Dartmouth by 1774 and Married Thomas Pell.

From other records we know Samuel Braley and Sarah Tailor declared an intent to marry on 5 Mar 1764. If Samuel was a minor of 12yrs (born in 1751) it would be supposed he would have been listed on the warrant to Patience Brailey.. He was not.

The marriage intent does not mention any unusual circumstance. There is a good reason to believe that Gideon and Patience are not his parents. It is interesting that Samuel is believed to be Gideon's child, but no one ever thinks he could be Abrose Braley and Mary Reynolds Braley's son, making him Gideon's brother. They would rather believe a 12 or 13 year old married into the Mayo family, a Mayflower line of descent.