Mary Allen

Mary Pratt

• Birth: bef 3 Mar 1668, Weymouth, Norfolk, MA
• Death: aft 28 Jul 1727, Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA
• Father: Matthew Pratt , Jr. (<1629-1713)
• Mother: Sarah Hunt (1640-1729)

Married

1. abt 1700, Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA to Samuel ALLEN (3rd) as his 2nd wife

Children

1. Joseph , 697 (1701-1777)
2.  Benjamin , 698 (1702-1755)
3.  Mary , 699 (1704-1740)
4.  Rebecca , 700 (1706-1746)
5.  Matthew , 701 (1708-1787)
6.  Seth , 702 (1710-1760)
7.  Abigail , 703 (1712-1799)

Disputed Origins

The parentage of Mary, second wife of Samuel Allen, has been questioned over the years. Some say that she was the daughter of Joseph Alden, son of the Pilgrim John Alden However, this theory has not been proven and, according to an Alden researcher, it's not even proven that Joseph Alden had a daughter named Mary/Mercy. But is it known that Abigail Allen was not the daughter of Samuel's first wife, Rebecca Cary and that his second wife was a Mary or Mercy. Further, no Alden researchers are currently working on the Joseph/Mary/Samuel Allen relationship.

Charles Almon Torrey in "New England Marriages Prior to 1700," suggests that Mary may have been daughter of Matthew Pratt, apparently because she named a son Matthew. Savage indicates that Matthew Pratt did have a daughter named Mary, b. 1667 at Weymouth. I have shown Mary as being daughter of Matthew Pratt, Jr., a logical conclusion given Mary Allen's marriage date and birth years of her children. This conclusion is also supported by knowledge, to date, of the other Mary's in multiple generations: it's known that Mary Pratt, daughter of Matthew, Sr. married a Thomas White, Jr; that a Miss Mary Pratt married, in 1719, a Rev. Samuel Brown, who also had a son named Matthew, she likely was daugher of Matthew, III, given this Mary's probable birth in light of her 1719 marriage.

Mary Pratt, daughter of Matthew Pratt, Jr is listed in "The Pratt Family" as having been born 27 Nov. 1669 and marrying ___ Allen. This confirms Torrey's suggestion. Born 1667, per Genealogy of the Name and Family of Hunt, pg. 271 and per Weymouth VRs, pg. 235.

(See 'The Ancestry of Bob and Mary Beth Wheeler' at http://thewheelers.com>

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=whuber&id...
There is dispute as to Mary Alden's' lineage. She is not recognized by the Alden Society as being a daughter of Joseph Alden and Mary Simmons. It is believed by some that her name was in fact Mary Pratt, and she was either adopted or raised by the Aldens. Some authorities say that she is the daughter of deaf parents named Pratt. However, their are authorities who state she is in fact a daughter of Joseph Alden and his wife Mary Simmons, including some histories of the Mayflower Families. There is no proof either way, as there is no evidence of her birth either as Mary Alden or Mary Pratt. The writings of the Allen Family considered her to be a blood relative of the Aldens According to "A Genealogical History of the Jennings Family" by William Henry Jennings, he states that Mary Alden Allen is in fact the granddaughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins. Ebenezer Alden who wrote the "Memorial of the Descendants of the Hon. John Alden" in 1867, lists Mary Alden as a daughter of Joseph Alden and granddaughter of John Alden and the wife of Samuel Allen, married in 1700. He lists their children as Joseph b. 1701, Benjamin b 1702, Mary b 1704, Rebecah b 1706, Matthew b 1708, Seth b. 1710, and Abigail b. not listed.

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Family:Samuel_Allen_and_Mary_Pratt_(1) Some secondary sources name the 2nd wife of Samuel Allen as Mary Alden. Unfortunately Joseph Alden did not name any daughters in his will, but a grandson said there were three daughters, who are thought to be Mercy wife of John Burrill, Elizabeth wife of Benjamin Snow and Hopestill wife of Joseph Snow. Because a marriage record has been found for Joseph Crossman and Sarah Alden, it is speculated that Sarah is also, but there is no proof this is the right family for her. No marriage record has been found for Samuel Allen's second marriage so there is no proof that her maiden name was Alden.

This identification of Samuel's 2nd wife as Mary Alden apparently started with Mitchel's History of Bridgewater, a somewhat discredited source, who calls Mary "D. perhaps of Joseph Alden". One can only guess what prompted this, possibly the naming of their first son Joseph and a sympathy with the marriage of brother Isaac Alden and Mehitable Allen, Samuel's sister. However, Samuel Allen tried to name a son Joseph with his first wife Rebecca Cary, only to have it die in infancy, and this was simply his next chance to use that name, so the naming of the son may indicate nothing. Mary is not listed in the Joseph Alden family by the Alden Kindred of America

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http://www.johnbrobb.com/Content/ALLEN/R/BridgewaterMA-VR-SamuelALL...

The Samuel Allen Families in the Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Vital Records, 1660-1710 1 Compiled by John Barrett robb; published 25Mar2014

¤ = born, + = married, × = died

4Dec1660 ¤ Samuel, to Samuel Sr
1Mar1662/3 ¤ Essiel (dau), to Samuel Sr.
20Jan1664 ¤ Mehetable (dau), to Samuel Sr. “in Duxborugh”

14Apr1667 ¤ Sarah, to Samuel Sr.

12May1669 ¤ Bethiah (dau), to Samuel Sr.

10Feb167[2#a] ¤ Nathaniel, to Samuel Sr.

14Oct167[4#a] ¤ Ebenezer, to Samuel Sr.

21Apr1677 ¤ Josiah, to Samuel Sr.

8Feb1678 ¤ Elishah, to Samuel Sr.

5Jan1680 ¤ Nehemiah, to Samuel Sr.
2Dec1685 + Samuel Jr. & Rebecka [Cary#b]
18Oct1686 ¤ Samuell, to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka “first born”

11Apr1689 ¤ Ephraim, to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka

22Feb1691 ¤ Timothy, to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka

11Aug1693 ¤ Joseph, to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka

14Aug1693 x Joseph, of Samuell Jr. and Rebecka

18Dec1694 ¤ Mehetable, to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka

26Oct1697 ¤ ____ (son), to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka

26Oct1697 x ____ (son), to Samuell Jr. and Rebecka “still born”

29Oct1697 x Rebeckah, wife Samuel Jr.

13Jan170[0/]1 ¤ Joseph, to Samuel Jr. and Mary

22Sep1702 ¤ Benjamin, to Samuel Jr. and Mary

11Jun1704 ¤ Mary, to Samuel Jr. and Mary

19Mar1705/6 ¤ Rebecca, to Samuel Jr. and Mary

10Jun1708 ¤ Matthew, to Samuel Jr. and Mary

5Aug1710 ¤ Seth, to Samuel Jr. and Mary

SOURCE: Vital Records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston, 1916)

1. a the source for the final year digit is a “copy” of the town records titled:

“Records of John Gary, The first town clerk of Bridgewater, Mass., from 1656 to 1681.”

1. b the source for the wife's surname is “Marriages in the Town of Bridgewater previous to its Division” in NEHGRegister 21(Jul1867):225
2. from TORREY: "ALLEN, Samuel (1660-1750) & 2/wf? Mary [ALDEN?]/PRATT? (?1667-), dau Matthew, had son Matthew; by 1701; Bridgewater"

• http://capecodgenes.com/web%20cards/ps02/ps02_195.html