Priscilla Daw (abt. 1693)

I’ve been following up on direct ancestors in my Ancestry tree and updating WikiTree, using the OPC database and FamilySearch for BDM references. In this instance, the lineage of my 3rd great grandfather Henry Curry 1769-1843.

Henry Curry’s mother was Mary Hacker 1738-1808, daughter of John Hacker 1715-1742 and Grace Colwell 1714-1794. • John Hacker b 7 Aug 1715 • Marhamchurch, Cornwall, England • https://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/more-info/?t=baptisms&id=4319972 Father: Digory, Mother: Elizabeth

In your entry for Digory Hacker, marriage is about 1710, deduced from the birth of Sarah in 1711. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hacker-496.

FamilySearch has only two marriage records for Digory Hacker between 1700 and 1720. • Hacker (Male) Spouse Elizabeth Cope 4 Apr 1711 in Mackworth, Derbyshire, England • Hekler (Male) Spouse Jane James 7 Dec 1713, Phillack, Cornwall, England

The Cornwall OPC Database has only one marriage record for Digory Hacker (including similar surnames) between 1700 and 1720 • 30-May 1706, Marhamchurch, Digory HACKER, Bride Priscilla DAW https://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/more-info/?t=marriages&id=1095465

In the absence of any other marriage record, the date and location of this marriage, I’m happy to go with this.

As for a person of that time having two names being extremely rare, that may be so, but it cannot be discounted. I have a sprinkling of ancestors with two names.

At the Family Heritage centre in Truro, I was advised that a John Ellis from Sennen was unlikely to be an ancestor of my 2nd great-grandfather in St Just because it was too far away (11 miles) and people didn’t move about much. I have since concluded otherwise, as it was typical of the time for miners to live up to 4 miles from the mine they worked, and they evidently moved around a lot depending on the fortunes of the mines. I take these ‘truisms’ with a grain of salt.

As you know, records before 1700 become increasingly rare, and for researchers like us, somewhat speculative. It is also the case that pre-1700 records are over-represented with ‘gentry’. Our connections to them are informed guesses, if that.

I did find an unreferenced Ancestry tree preceding my entry showing Digory’s spouse as Elizabeth Priscilla Daw, so I researched the veracity of that marriage yesterday.

As with WikiTree best practice, I link to existing profiles wherever possible. I’m happy to create another Digory Hacker 1679 if that helps. There is primary evidence of a Digory Hacker of that time marrying Priscilla Daw.

Given the speculative nature of pre-1700 ancestry, I’m happy to consider Priscilla and the un-named Elizabeth (the mother of Digory’s children, including my 5th great grandfather John Hacker 1715-1742) to be the same person.

Kind regards

Please supply additional primary sourcing that Priscilla Daw married this Digory Hacker, Digory Hacker (1679-1762). While Elizabeth appears as the mother of all of his children, Priscilla Dow is only referenced once in a secondary source. The assumption that Elizabeth was one of her names is very poor since it was extremely rare for people in those days to have two given names. More proof is needed before claiming she is the Elizabeth referred to in all of Digory's children's birth information.