Mary Oliver

Thomas Oliver married Mary Leman 29 Jan 1626 in Norwich Norfolk England. They originally immigrated to Boston, with 2 children and 2 servants, on the "Mary Anne" in 1637. At that time Thomas Oliver's profession was calender. They moved to Salem where he accumulated property which he left there when they returned to England.

Mary's constant and unpleasant public comments (especially her support of Roger Williams) caused her to be punished as early as 1638. Thomas Oliver's inability or perhaps unwillingness to control her caused them to be exiled from the Colony and return to England c. 1649. Mary died in England some years later and Thomas returned to Salem.

They had at least 3 sons, and according to Upham at least 3 daughters. One daughter married a constable who may have caused Bridget Oliver Bishop to be brought up on charges of witchcraft.[1]

Nothing is known of what became of Thomas Oliver's sons Thomas Jr. and John nor two of the three daughters by his first marriage. It was surmised in scholarly 19th century examinations of Court records that that Bridget Bishop's claims on Thomas Oliver's estate were posited as the real reason for her being charged of witchcraft. One of the police officials involved in her arrest was married to one of her in-laws. (http://www.witchway.net/times/bishop.html)

family

Her parents are not known.

Children (birth dates are estimated ranges) include:

1. Thomas Oliver b. 1626 - 1634 in England
2. John Oliver b. 1626 -1634 in England
3. Two Unknown Daughters b. ?
4. Mary Oliver b est 1638 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. Married 1) Job Hilliard 2) William West
5. David Oliver b. 1645 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, USA m.Grace Parker in 1670 in Georgetown, Maine. Two Children: Thomas and David Oliver

Citations

1. Salem Witchcraft with an account of Salem Village and a history of opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects. Charles W. Upham, NY: Frederick Unger Pub Co, 1978, 2 v.
2. Greene, David L. Salem Witches I: Bridget Bishop. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Jul 1981), 57:129.
3. Perley, Sidney. The History of Salem, Massachusetts. (Salem, Massachusetts: Sidney Perley, 1924-1928), I:443 … Mary, aged thirty-four (in 1637).

Links

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Oliver_(husband_of_Bridget_Bish...
• http://leewiegand.com/familytree/Marriages/1050/1050OliverLeman.html
• http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Mary_Unknown_%285423%29_