Re: What's the Evidence That the Two Marthas Were One?

Gene,

Your right, of course, about the testator and inheritance law.I was merely offering a suggestion without realizing that there was evidence in the will of family discord.That would change things considerably.

We've now come full circle, I think.If Nicholas is Bliss' step-son, then he can'tbe married to Bliss' daughter Martha.Assuming Bliss married Ide's mother (who, as you pointed out, we don't know for a fact even came to America).But if Nicholas is Bliss' son-in-law and married to Martha Bliss, then his marriage date and/or the date of his son's birth is wrong.

I'm willing to accept that Nicholas and Martha married on May 16, 1646 not 1647 and that Nathaniel was born on November 11, 1646, not 1647.That would make the will accurate for, as you point out, Bliss' four children can only be Elizabeth, Mary, Martha and Nicholas (assuming the marriage with Mrs. Ide and Nicholas as step-son).

For my purposes in trying to define a line of 4 generations of yeoman farmers in New England as background for William Ide, perhaps I will avoid any discussion of Bliss and his daughter and just go with the basic information that Nicholas existed.

Thanks for a stimulating debate, Gene.

Jerry