The Leeds Family of New Jersey:Information about Mary Butler
Mary Butler (b. Abt. 1639, d. Bet. 1712 - 1713)
Notes for Mary Butler:
Mary Butler was married to John Washburn 6/17/1655 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., CT and had John Washburn b 11/20/1657 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., CT.Letters of Administration of John Washburne's estate was granted to Mary (Butler) Washburne, widow of John Washburne and daughter of Richard Butler on 1/19/1658.
Mary's father,Richard Butler lived in Stratford, Fairfield Co., CT from 1650. d abt 1676. Her mother's name is unknown. Richard Butler was on the list of Freemen of Stratford 8/7/1669.
Other children she had with Thomas Hicks: Elizabeth b 1660 in Queens, Jacob b 1663/1664 in Queens, Sarah, b abt 1668 in Queens, Phoebe b 1672 and John b abt 1676.
On Mar. 9, 1712/1713 Mary Hicks, late of Cornberry Neck, Queens county, NY had her estate distributed. And her children sold their grandfather's land.
Evidently Mary inherited a considerable amount of property in Stratford, CT from her father, which passed under the control of her second husband,Thomas Hicks, after her death as trustee for her children. Finally in 1712/13 Thomas released this property to Mary's children in the probate of the "Estate of Mary Hicks, Cornberry Neck, NY" as processed by the Fairfield Probate District of CT, in March 1712/13. (File # 2868 as on microfilm at the Ct State Library in Hartford - Film # 317, Fairfield 1648-1880 in the Series of Pre-1881 Probate Papers. It also bears the identification # 1018754).
This probate file, which was previously noticed by Donald Lines Jacobus but seems to have been overlooked by most Hicks researchers, provides original source documentation of the children of the first marriage of Thomas Hicks and suggests a probable birth order within each sex. It further clarifies just which children should be connected to which wife -- an issue which has been clouded and subject to varying listings in various well-known secondary sources. This file lists all the heirs of Mary Butler Washburn Hicks -- grandson John Washburn (her son John, Jr having died) ; sons Thomas Hicks, John Hicks, and Jacob Hicks; daughters Phebe Hicks, Mary Hicks, Sarah Hicks, and Elizabeth Hicks -- the "legatys" of Mary Hicks.
According to the cover sheet for the File # 2868, Estate of Mary Hicks of Cornberry Neck, NY - it consists of three documents which were deposited in the Connecticut State Library some time after 1929:
1) A "misc" instrument executed and signed by "Tho. Hickes" on "this (fifth?) day of feb. 1712/13." It was witnessed by Bena Hicks, and John Smonds. Further, "March 2 day 1712/13 then apered Thomas Hicks before me and acknoleged the above Instrument a gift to be his voluntorn act and deed before me". Signed William Cornell. I cannot make out the text in its entirety but some significant portions are clear.
2) An inventory, dated March 7, 1712/13 of the "Estate of Mrs. Mary Hicks of Cornberry Neck on the Island of Nassau in Queens County in the province of New York ?? which lands and estate are ?? as being in the Comm(?) of Stratford in the Colinoy of Conocticott as appears on the record." Follows a listing of all the properties with their estimated value (totalling 126=00=00), and appended at the end - "ye legatys as followeth":
John washbon grand child to ye desesed
Thomas Hicks )
John Hicks ) sons to ye desesed the above inventory apprized by us March 7th
Jacob Hicks )
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Phebe Hicks ) Joseph Curtifs
Mary Hicks ) daughters to ye desesed James Judson
Sarah Hicks )
Elizabeth Hicks )
3) A distribution document - The division by the court is confirmed in Stratford Land Records, Vol 2, p 111, which relists all the same individuals, except noting that Thomas and Mary are deceased and their respective shares go to their heirs.
Original Sources - (Microfilms of all originals available at the CT State Library, Hartford, CT)
More About Mary Butler and Thomas Hicks:
Marriage: Abt. 1659
Children of Mary Butler and Thomas Hicks are:
- +Thomas Hicks, b. Abt. 1660, Hempstead, Queens, LI NY, d. Bet. Mar 1712 - 1713, Flushing, Queens Co., LI NY.