Re: Mary(Mercy) Scudder m Joseph Lathrop Sr

When Mary/Mercy Scudder married Joseph Lathrop on 8 April 1686, her surname was Scudder in the Norwich Village Records. Therefore either she was a Scudder by birth or a widow named Scudder. That Mary might have been widow of another Scudder has not really been considered. Her three children by Joseph were born 1686 - 1693. If she was the Mary Scudder born 1648, she would have been 38 at birth of first child and 45 at birth of last, certainly not impossible, but unlikely.

Secondly it has been assumed by everyone that the Elizabeth Scudder who married Richard Edgerton on 4 Jan 1691 Norwich was sister of Mary/Mercy. This Elizabeth died in Norwich 20 December 1762. So if Elizabeth is indeed sister of Mary, it cannot be the Mary you suggest as Elizabeth would have had to have been well past 100 to have been in that family.

It is thought that Mary/Mercy was born circa 1664 and Elizabeth circa 1667. Robert Edge Edgerton's theory is that these girls are the offspring of a second marriage of John1 Scudder (I have some trouble with this as it suggests that Mary and Joseph were first cousins), but they also might be children from an unknown first marriage of John2 Scudder.

My research suggests all the known Mary and Elizabeth Scudders have identifiable spouses, so clearly they are unrecorded or they were possible immigrants direct from England. Who knows?