Mary Atherton

• Find a Grave Memorial

New Proof that Mary Kennion/Kenion was wife of Humphrey Atherton NOT Mary Wales. by Sara Patton

That Humphrey Atherton's wife, Mary, was Mary "Wales" is based on the will of Nathaniel Wales, SR, dated June 20, 1661, in which he calls Humphrey Atherton "my Brother in Law. (NEHGR V32 1878 p. 204) If they were brothers-in-law in today's use of the word, one would have had to marry the other's sister.

The "brother-in-law" statement leaves many to incorrectly conclude that Humphrey married Mary Wales, the sister of Nathaniel and daughter of their father John. Yet the will of John Wales (d. 1610), the father of Nathaniel, mentions no daughter named Mary.

The term "in-law" simply signified any relationship established by marriage. Thus, the brother-in-law reference may have an entirely different interpretation. We know that Nathaniel Wales JR. married Humphrey's daughter Isabel. Thus, with the marriage of Nathaniel's son and Humphrey's daughter, the two men were jointly fathers-in-law and it could be this relationship that made them "brothers-in-law" which then had a broader meaning than what we use today. Unfortunately the misinterpretation of the term "brother-in-law" leading to the assumption that Humphrey's wife was Mary Wales, appears in many published sources and continues to be used incorrectly.

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.

Please correct this page so that those new to genealogy will not continue to use the name Wales for the maiden name of Humphrey Atherton's wife, Mary Kennion. Contributor: Sara Patton (47790572) • past4me@comcast.net

Mary KENNION

• Birth: 30 APR 1613 in Winwick, Lancashire, England
• Death: 17 AUG 1672 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
• Burial: Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA

NOTE: Mary Kennion Atherton's headstone does not exist in this cemetery, but I am placing her here at this time, because I believe this is where she is buried.

Family

Married:

1. to Humphrey Atherton 29 March 1624 in Winwick, Warrington, Cheshire, England. He was b: 28 SEP 1608 in Preston, Lancashire, England. He was the son of Edmund Atherton and Mary Rudd of Winstanley, Lancashire, England.

CHILDREN BORN IN ENGLAND:

1. Jonathan Atherton
2. Catharine Atherton
3. Isabell Atherton
4. Elizabeth Atherton
5. John Atherton

CHILDREN BORN IN DORCHESTER, SUFFOLK CO., MA:

1. Mary Atherton
2. Margaret Atherton
3. Rest Atherton
4. Increase Atherton
5. Thankful Atherton
6. Consider Atherton
7. Hope Atherton
8. Watching Atherton
9. Patience Atherton

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Family links:

Spouse: Humphrey Atherton (1608 - 1661)

Children:

1. Jonathan Atherton (1627 - 1673)
2. Elizabeth Atherton Mather (1628 - 1678)
3. Mary Atherton Weeks (1636 - 1692)
4. Margaret Atherton Trowbridge (1638 - 1672)
5. Rest Atherton Swift (1639 - ____)
6. Thankful Atherton Bird (1644 - 1719)
7. Hope Atherton (1646 - 1677)

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Not a daughter of Nathaniel Wales