I'm not convinced Elizabeth (Whipple) Potter existed. Change my mind!

Question

There are just so. many. problems. Here's what I think happened.

It all started the way so many colonial genealogical problems do: an ambiguous "I give unto Anthony Potter my son in law sometimes, forty shillings," in the 1669 will of PGM John Whipple of Ipswich.

One perfectly reasonable interpretation of this passage would be that Anthony Potter had married a daughter of John Whipple.

Armed with this perfectly reasonable interpretation, researchers delve into the Ipswich records and find that Anthony Potter was "presented" in Ipswich, 27 Sep 1653, for the infraction of his wife, not named, wearing a "silk hood." OK, now we know their marriage must have occurred before 1653. Anthony's wife Elizabeth co-signed deeds with him in 1661/2 and 1664, and Anthony's 1689/90 will names his wife Elizabeth and their children. Voilà! Her name must have been Elizabeth Whipple! "Mrs. Elisabeth Potter" was recorded buried at the Old Burying Ground in Ipswich, "died March ye 10 1712 aged 83 years." Very good, we now have a death date and estimated birth year for Elizabeth Whipple.

Quite a few family genealogies written in the late 1800s and even early 1900s report that Anthony had one wife, Elizabeth Whipple, who was born about 1629 and died 1712, by whom he had seven children.

But then — plot twist! Researching the Gregory Stone family in Cambridge, we find his daughter Elizabeth Stone named as "Elizabeth Potter now of Ipswich" in 1658/9 and again as Elizab. Potter in his 1671 will. Now we know those 1661/2 and 1664 deeds, 1689/90 will, and 1712 burial were actually referring to Elizabeth (Stone) Potter.

Now that you mention it, it'd be weird for John Whipple to leave forty shillings to his "son in law sometimes" without naming his daughter or any of her children if they were also still living. And "sometimes"? Right! That must mean "Elizabeth Whipple" was a first wife, and she died, so Anthony used to be a son in law but isn't anymore, and... she left no children! That's it!

So Torrey p. 1217 ends up saying:

• POTTER, Anthony & 1/wf Elizabeth [WHIPPLE] (-1641)
• POTTER, Anthony (1627/8-1690) & 2/wf Elizabeth [STONE] (1629-1712); b 1653; Cambridge/Ipswich

We know where he got Whipple from, but (-1641)?

Later biographies mostly follow this lead: two wives, both named Elizabeth.

One thing overlooked at this point: the only records naming Anthony Potter's wife as "Elizabeth" fall after 1658/9. They're all referring to Elizabeth Stone. If Anthony had a first marriage to a daughter of John Whipple, there's nothing telling us what her first name was. Folks must have gotten attached to her being "Elizabeth," though, because "Elizabeth Whipple" she has remained.

Somewhere along the way, we pick up dates for "Elizabeth Whipple":

• A 1 Nov 1627 baptism for Elizabeth, dau. of John, in Essex, England, sourced as "Bocking Parish Registers."

I've looked for this record and I cannot find it. I did find, strangely, a record in Vital records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, vol. 2, p. 424, for Elizabeth Whypple, dau. of "Elder," dated 1 Nov 1627, and ten siblings. These records all cite "P.R. 487," which in the sources list refers to "Record in Wheatland papers now in possession of Essex Institute." Anderson's Great Migration Directory has no Whipples/Whypples in New England prior to 1632, and John Whipple of Bocking only after 1638. Wha?

A note in The Genealogist 20 (2006) p. 216 reads: "Of interest, the English births of John's children are recorded in the printed vital records of Salem, obviously compiled from a family manuscript described as having originated in 'The Wheatland Papers now in possession of Essex Institute' (presumably now held at the Peabody Essex Library in Salem, Mass.). It is unclear whether these are births or baptismal dates. Attempts are currently underway to obtain access to the Wheatland Papers." They're looking at the same Salem book (which says nothing about the births occuring in England). The author cites Bocking parish records extensively elsewhere in the article, but not for these children, and if original parish records had been found then surely the author would know whether they were birth or baptismal dates, which tells me the author didn't find the children in Bocking, and didn't even find the Wheatland Papers!

• A 1641(!) marriage for Anthony Potter and Elizabeth Whipple.
• A 15 Dec 1648 death record for Elizabeth (Whipple) Potter.
• Oops, did we say 1641 marriage date? We meant 1647 marriage date.

None of those records exist. As best I can tell, Ipswich vital and church records don't start until about 1657.

1641 must be Torrey (or whatever he got 1641 from): if she died 1641 then they must've married before that — never mind that they'd've each been about 13 years old....

And "15 Dec 1648" is oddly specific, which makes me wonder if it's referring to some other kind of record, like a deed or a probate, that I haven't found yet — perhaps something that should have named Anthony's wife but didn't? None of Anthony Potter's children's births are recorded — all are estimates, starting from about 1652-3.

At last, we come full circle to the frequent and sad realization that "son in law" in colonial documents had several possible meanings. In fact, the Gregory Stone Genealogy 1918, p. 65, calls Anthony Potter a stepson of John Whipple! (There doesn't seem to be any evidence for that, either — although John married second to a widow whose origin is unknown, she left a will in 1687 naming her children and "my foure Grand Children" that doesn't include Anthony or any other Potters.)

All in all:

• I'm not convinced Anthony Potter had a wife before Elizabeth Stone
• I'm not convinced Anthony married a daughter of John Whipple
• I'm not convinced John even had a daughter Elizabeth

I'm sure I haven't found everything there is to find, though.

At this point, I'm not suggesting we detach or delete poor Elizabeth (Whipple) Potter — there are still questions about her that might have reasonable answers. My purpose in posting is more of a sanity and research check. Can anyone find any primary sources to fill in any of these gaps, and answer the question about Anthony Potter's wife or wives with any greater confidence?

Answer 1

I ploughed through a lot of citations. There's quite an echo chamber here of repeated information without clear sources.

Torrey's references for Anthony Potter's first marriage are:

• NEHGR 11:238 - this states that an unnamed daughter of John & Sarah Whipple married Anthony Potter. No source is indicated for this marriage.
• NEHGR 109:307 - this states Anthony Potter (1628-1690) married Elizabeth Whipple (1629-1712). No sources are cited in this memoir of a deceased NEHGS member.
• Pillsbury Anc. 48 - "Elizabeth [Whipple], b. 1 Nov. 1627, d. 15 Dec. 1648, without issue; m. about 1647, Anthony Potter, b. about 1627, d. 1689-90, Ipswich, who m. (2), in 1652, Elizabeth Stone, daughter of Dea. Gregory Stone, by whom he had seven children." The birth is indicated as being in Bocking with "The birth dates are from a family record found among the "Wheatland Papers" in the Essex Institute."
• Putnam's mag. 2:7 - I can't locate this volume online. Many of Putnam's publications are on archive.org  but I don't see this one.

There are no surviving baptism registers for Bocking 1605-1655 (https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk/ search for 'bocking baptism register'), neither are there Bishop's Transcripts (Gibson, J. "Bishops' Transcripts and Marriage Licences, Bonds and Allegations. A guide to their location and indexes." 5th edition. Bury: FFHS, 2001.)

The Whipple one-name study entry for her https://whipple.one-name.net/tng/getperson.php?personID=I5939&tree=whipple cites

• 'A Partial list of the Descendents of Matthew Whipple, the Elder, of Bocking, Essex County, England / Compiled from Divers Sources' by Henry Burdette Whipple (High Point, North Carolina, Oct. 1965), p. 8 for her birth date, death date, name and lack of children. That volume https://archive.org/details/partiallistofdesc00whip/page/n30/mode/1up repeats the text from Pillsbury Anc. above without any sourcing.
• John Osborne Austin, 'One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families' p.262 [1893] https://archive.org/details/austinj160alliedfam/page/262/mode/1up This has Eliza Whipple married Anthony Potter, 1652, she died after 1690, no birth date, mother of Anthony's children. In support it only cites John Whipple's will. Under Potter on p.200-201 it cites Anthony's will as well.
• Torrey, New England Marriages - see above.
• Mabel Young Sanborn, "The Ancestry of Brigham Young," The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine (1931), vol. 22, p. 17. This has: "Elizabeth, b. abt. 1638, Bocking, Essex, England; d. before 1669; md Anthony Potter." Citations for the whole family are:
  • Probate Records, Essex Co., Mass., Vol. II, p.166 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101062077290&seq=182 This is John Whipple's will.
  • Simon Stone Genealogy, 1926, p. 53 - https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89080563331&seq=109 This does not mention Elizabeth, just her sister Mary.   
  • Savage's Genealogical Dictionary, Vol. IV, p. 505. [1862] https://archive.org/details/genealogicaldic04savarich/page/505/mode/1up This states John Whipple's elder daughters including Eliz. were born in England, and "Eliz. m. perhaps, Anthony Potter". No sources of course in Savage.
• Blaine Whipple, History and Genealogy of "Elder" John Whipple of Ipswich, Massachusetts (Victoria, B.C.: Trafford, 2004), p. G4. https://archive.org/details/historygenealogyo00whip
  • page 53:  Elizabeth, born 1 November 1627; died 15 December 1648 without issue; married Anthony Potter in Ipswich. [No citations.]
  • p.65 mention of Anthony Potter in John's will.
  • p.171 quotes the will and comments "His daughter Elizabeth was not mentioned, although her husband, Anthony Potter, was, suggesting she was not living. Her name appears in a deed given by Mr. Potter 22 Dec. 1644.²" Note 2: Ipswich Deeds 2:220.
  • page G4: "Elizabeth Whipple⁶ was born 1 November 1627 and died 15 December 1648 in Ipswich at 21 years of age. She married Anthony Potter in Ipswich in 1647. ... Anthony married (2) Elizabeth Stone in Massachusetts abt 1652. She is identified as "my daughter Elizabeth Potter" in Gregory Stone's Will dated 22 Nov. 1762 [sic]. Anthony and Elizabeth Stone had a son, Samuel. Many records incorrectly identify Elizabeth Whipple as the mother of Anthony's child. She died childless."
  • p. G321 [Note 6 referred to in previous] 6. Parish Records, Bocking; New England Historic Genealogical Society Register (New England Historical Genealogical Society, Boston), 8:69-70; 10:229-30; 11:238; 23:61; 73:xlv; 86:140-41; 109;140-41, 307; 148:31. [Hereafter cited as Register]; Essex Co., MA, Vital Records, Salem births, 424; J. Gardner Bartlett, comp., Simon Stone Genealolgy - Ancestry and Descendants of Simon Stone of Watertown, Massachusetts (Boston: Stone Family Association, 1926), 65. [Hereafter cited as J.G. Bartlett]; and Mellinde Lutz Sanborn, transcriber from the original by WP Upham, Essex County, Massachusetts Probate Index 1638-1840, Vol. II. Probate file 2259.

Expanding on the Blaine Whipple citations:

• Ipswich Deeds 2:220 https://archive.org/details/ipswich-deeds-1-2/page/615/mode/1up is however a deed of 1664 NOT 1644 by Anthony Potter naming his wife Elizabeth. The year appears three times in numbers and once in words so there is no doubt.
• Parish Records, Bocking - as noted above none exist for the births/baptisms in the relevant period
• NEHGR 8:69-70 - will of Gregory Stone, 1672, mentioning his daughter Potter.
• NEHGR 10:229-30 - Almanac of Rev. Nathan Stone (1707-1781) "My grandmother Stone was Mary Whipple. She had ... 3 sisters who mar'd Mr Potter, Worth & Goodhue." https://archive.org/details/newenglandhistor010wate/page/229/mode/1up
• NEHGR 11:238 - see above.
• NEHGR 23:61 - deals only with one male line of Anthony Potter's descendants.
• NEHGR 73:xlv - (image 367) memoir of a deceased member, no citations.
• NEHGR 86:140-41 - names John Potter son of Anthony Potter and Elizabeth Whipple, citation is "Mr Louis Dow Scisco".
• NEHGR 109:140-41 - this seems to be an error, it is part of the society accounts.
• NEHGR 109:307 - see above.
• NEHGR 148:31 - should be page 311 - mention of Samuel son of Anthony and Elizabeth (Stone) Potter. Cites Stone Genealogy, Pillsbury Anc., and Essex Co Probate File 22591.
• Essex Co., MA, Vital Records, Salem births, 424
• J. Gardner Bartlett, comp., Simon Stone Genealolgy - Ancestry and Descendants of Simon Stone of Watertown, Massachusetts (Boston: Stone Family Association, 1926), 65 - see above
• Mellinde Lutz Sanborn, transcriber from the original by WP Upham, Essex County, Massachusetts Probate Index 1638-1840, Vol. II. Probate file 2259. - not accessible online.

Discussion

The will of John Whipple clearly indicates that Anthony Potter was his son-in-law. That could mean wife's son or daughter's husband.

The Almanac of Nathan Stone is not a contemporary source, but seems to be based on family tradition a couple of generations later, indicating a daughter of John Whipple marrying a Potter. The information there about her sisters is confirmed by primary sources.

Could Anthony Potter have been the son of one of the wives of John Whipple?

• Anthony Potter purchased a house in 1648 (sources on his profile), and according to Austin in 'One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families', "is called age 40" in 1668. Austin is usually reliable but he does not indicate a source here. It would be worth checking Sanborn's "Ages from Court Records, 1636-1700" to see if she has this record. Anthony Potter must have been born by 1627 to be of age to buy a house in 1648, but if the age record is about right, not much before this.
• Susannah (Clark) Whipple (1595-1658) was a spinster when she married John Whipple in 1621, and predeceased him. She cannot be Anthony Potter's mother.
• Jennet (Unknown) (Dickinson) Whipple (died 1686) was having children by her first known husband Thomas Dickinson from 1640-1655. Therefore she cannot have been born much before 1610, and would have been aged at most 17-19 when Anthony was born. Anthony and his children are not mentioned in Thomas Dickinson's will or Jennet Whipple's will. It is thus possible but very unlikely that Jennet was Anthony's mother.

There is therefore no evidence to support the interpretation that Anthony Potter was the son of one of the wives of John Whipple.

Conclusion

My interpretation of all these sources is that an unnamed daughter of John Whipple married Anthony Potter. She existed, but we don't know that she was called Elizabeth, nor do we know a birth date, marriage date, or death date. The infraction of 1653 cited in the question indicates a marriage before that date. She did not have children surviving at the death of her father, and therefore she died before the birth of Anthony's eldest surviving child, which appears to be about 1652 (but I haven't checked the sources just Wikitree profiles, which are not citing or arguing from primary sources).

But as you note there are a lot of specific dates here and the mysterious Wheatland papers reference, so there may be more to be found.

Comments

These might be the Wheatland Papers: https://pem.as.atlas-sys.com/repositories/2/archival_objects/41056

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BRAVO. I vote for unamed daughter.

NOTE: Anthony Potter was made a freeman at the Essex Court held on 27.1.1649 [27 March 1649] so was definitely over 21 as of that date. See archive.org, Essex Quarterly Court Records 1, page 161

John Whipple's unamed wife was ALSO presented on 23 Sept. 1653 at EQC 1:303 for the same offense as Anthony's wife, EQC 1:304. Both men were said to be worth over 200£. The women were among a group of wives all presented at the same time for "scarves". John Whipple as a court offer signed off on several documents related to these cases.

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While not detailed on the website, there should be a paper finding aid for each box, mirroing the file folders in each box.This is especially important in regards the Misc. papers. Call or email them.

Answer 2

The CORRECT interpretation is in the paragaph beginning "At last ..." The phraseology used in the key documents is: "son in law sometimes" and "step son".  A STEP SON can also be a SON IN LAW, because being a step-son is indeed a Relation By Law. (I'm suggesting both a Google terminology search and a look up in older versions of Black's Law Dictionary or even the OED online. I don't have a copy right now.)  Uses of these relationship phrases can, as we know, be very elastic in this period. To make the STONE reference to stepson work, Anthony HAS to be a son of John Whipple's FIRST wife.

The level of complexity is high in this case. However, there has to be a way to figure out what the evidence for the STONE statement might be. Given as they cite Essex County Court for another "fact," a search there AND among deeds is needed and regular Salem/Ipswich town records also. After all, that's a pretty strong statment by the STONE compilers to make, re Potter to Whipple.

At this point, I would want to link to p. 65 pf STONE thru archives.org, but I can NEVER get the copy function to work. What gives and why??????????

Comments

I think the 'stepson' description in the Stone Genealogy p.65 is not directly from any source (in this discussion nothing earlier than that volume has been mentioned that uses the term), but the author's gloss on the reference to 'son-in-law' in John Whipple's will.

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I agree - "stepson" does not come from any primary source. It's a much later author interpreting what they think "son-in-law" might have meant (and it's a Stone author, so they know Anthony's wife Elizabeth was Elizabeth Stone).

Andrew did a fine job above showing that it's very, very unlikely Anthony was actually a stepson of John Whipple.