Hello fellow WikiTreers!
I've been looking into Rebecca Brown's profile, which apparently was created based on an article about a witch trial that took place in Bridgeport, Connecticut Colony in 1653. It just so happens that the midwife who examined the supposed witch (Goody Knapp) and testified in the trial seems to be only referred to as "Goody Odell" or Goodwife Odell. I haven't read any primary sources on it, only articles about the trial. The surname would imply she was William Odell's wife, as their daughter Rebecca Odell, born in 1642, would be too young to be a midwife.
Despite the fact that several genealogies, both printed and online, state that Rebecca Brown was William Odell's wife there is simply no hard evidence to support that. There are, as happens most of the time, several men by the name William Odell in England being born around 1600. None of them seem to have married a woman named Rebecca Brown. Most of them are still having children in England in the 1640s, which would, I believe, exclude them from our selection of eligible candidates for the immigrant William Odell. Our William Odell seems to have arrived in new England around 1639.
Please check some of my notes on available records for some of them:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Research_Notes_for_the_Odell_Family
From what I can see, the William Odell who was born in Cranfield would be our best bet. And he did marry Agnes Franklyn, who Torrey listed as his wife, although you can tell he was uncertain "ODLE, William & Agnes?/Rebecca FRANKLYN" (
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/95078?token=YmcmLWVMuKXzVdP319MoCJLJfDkPYjCvdyGxVQ6Me%2BY%3D).
I would love to hear from someone with some knowledge on this couple. If Goody Odell is Agnes Odell, then our William Odell was born in Cranfield. So should Rebecca become Agnes? Or should we just go with unknown Odell for the wife?
I really feel like I'm walking on quick sand here, even more than usual.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one.
Rebecca's profile:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brown-18294
William's profile:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Odell-2266
Space page:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Research_Notes_for_the_Odell_Family
Thanks,
Marcia