Anna McKenney Parcher (Foss)

Anna Foss, b. in Saco, 1764, was the dau of Walter Jr. and Hannah (Carle) Foss. She was m. in Pepperellborough (Saco), 30 March 1786, to Jeremiah McKenney, b. Saco, 5 June 1763, son of John and Mary (Rand) McKenney. They had three children -- Solomon (1786), Anna (1788), and Jonathan (1790) -- before Anna gave birth to triplets on 26 Oct 1791 (Olive, Pamelia, and Silas). On 14 Aug 1793, Jeremiah McKenney, age 30, drowned at Buxton, Maine. One month later, Anna gave birth to twin daughters -- Mary and an unnamed girl who died shortly thereafter.

Administration of Jeremiah's estate was granted to Anna on 11 Nov 1793. Acting as a surety for her bond of L 150 was her brother, James Foss of Saco.

In May 1796, widow Anna (Foss) McKenney m. 2nd, her first cousin, Elias Parcher (1747-1832), a widower with 10 children. He was the son of George and Patience (Carle) Parcher. [Patience (Carle) Parcher was the older sister of Anna's mother, Hannah (Carle) Foss.] By Elias Parcher, Anna was the mother of three more children.

Anna died in Buxton, Maine on 10 Oct 1839, age 75 years.

From "The Oxford Democrat", 13 Oct 1874: "Mr. [Silas] McKenney informed me three years ago, on being told how smart he was for a hard working farmer of 80 years, that he was a triplet, born in Saco in 1791. His mates were Mrs. Edgcomb and Mrs. Milliken; all were married, and were parents and lived 55 years before the death of Mrs. Edgcomb... Their mother was truly a mother of Saco, if not in Israel. August, before they were two years old, their father, Jeremiah, was drowned. In September she gave birth to twins, giving her the care of five children under two years old, and three others that were older. In the midst of the trouble, her house was burned. The following year, by the assistance of her neighbors, she raised 40 bushels of corn, doing much of the work herself. She afterwards married Mr. Parcher, and gave birth to twins. When 75 she would weave five yards of cloth in the forenoon and in the afternoon take knitting work and go visiting."