James Kennion, of Haydock

The matter is firmly settled by the original marriage records of Mary Kennion and Humphrey Atherton in the Winwick Parish Register showing Humphrey Atherton of Wigan Parish and Mary Kennion of Winwick, the marriage dated 29 March 1624/25. (Winwick and Wigan are neighboring parishes.) Based on his 1607 baptismal records, we know that Humphrey lived in Wigan Parish. That Mary Kenion, not Mary Wales, was Humphrey Atherton's wife is further confirmed by the will of James Kenion of Haydock, Lancashire (Mary's father) which names his daughter Mary and Humphrey Atherton of Winstanley as his son-in-law and nominates him as Executor of his Will.

Before they left England, Mary's father, James Kenion of Haydock, Winwick Parish, wrote his will dated 6th April 1632, in which he also names Mary and her husband Humphrey Atherton "of Winstanley" as his "loving sonne-in-law" and also nominates him as Executor of his Will, written as follows:

"I give and bequeath unto the children of Humphrey Atherton and Marie his now wyffe here begotten or to be begotten, betwixte them to be equally divided amongest them.

"And I do constitute ordayne and make Humphrey Atherton of Winstanley within the County of Lancaster Yeoman, my loving sonne-in-law my true and lawful Executor, hoping that he will execute this my said Will according to the trust in him reposed."

James Kennion died and was buried at Winwick 13 March 1636, after Humphrey and Mary had gone to Massachusetts, so Humphrey could not act as executor.