Mary Bowater

  General Notes:

Mary's last name has oft been printed as Davis of Welsh descent. (C-273, 972,999) Mary Davis was from Manoaken, Somerset, Maryland. According to Farmer, the lineage goes back through James Davis, a founder of Jamestown. Farmer says her birthdate was Mar. 16, 1674 and her marriage was Dec. 2, 1689. This birthdate aligns with the other children of her supposed parents, James and Margeret Davis, and in no way aligns with the published Quaker birthdate for Mary Wright in Hopewell records. It also has no first hand support other than a family group sheet that states her name and dates came from "Records of the Society of Friends, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Penn in 1908." (C-956)

This oft printed theory and incongruous lineage in as reputable a source as Farmer, has now effectively been disproven by Stewart Baldwin in "The American Genealogist", July/Oct. 1997 issue. She was a Bowater based on multiple pieces of evidence. Mary Wright's birthdate is listed in Feb. 12, 1689 in Hopewell Quaker records. This is off by a 1 day from being Mary Bowater's actual birthdate in English records if the 1689 date is interpreted as 1688/1689. As an orphaned young woman, Mary Bowater was received on certificate from England to live near her brother, Thomas in the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting records dated 28 4th month 1706. This is the only time she is mentioned in this country under her maiden name. By 26 11th mo 1708/9 in Philadelphia records Mary condemed her marriage as contrary to discipline. This record coincides with the estimated marriage date for Mary and James Wright. Although the Quaker records were destroyed for the time period of their marriage, later marriage records of Mary and James Wright's children include many Bowater relatives as witnesses and do not include any Davis relatives. Mary and James Wright were also listed in the relatives column for her brother, Thomas Bowater's daughter's marriage. Lastly, they have a grandson named Bowater. Stewart Baldwin's case that Mary is a Bowater is actually one of the finest pieces of genealogical analysis I've seen. (C-999)

Her will is as follows: "I, Mary Wright, of Frederick County in the Colony of Virginia, being aged and sickly but of a sound and well disposing mind and memory do make this my last will and testament hereby revoking and disanulling all other wills that have heretofore been made or done by me. First, my will is that my body be decently buried and that all my just debts and funeral charges that I leave to be defrayed at the discretion of my executors hereafter named. Secondly, I give and bequeath and demise to the proper use and behalf of him the said Thomas Wright his heirs and assigns forever. Thirdly, I give and bequeath all and singular of my wearing apparel unto my seven daughters, vis., Mary, Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Lidia to be equally divided among them. Fourthly, I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Pickering, one brass mortar. Fifthly, I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Wright all and singular of my stock and household goods. I also will that what money remains after my decease, from the land sold on Middlefork is to be equally divided among my ten children, vis. James, Isaac, Mary Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Lydia and John. Lastly, I ordain and constitute my well beloved daughter, Mary Ballinger, Jesse Pugh and William Pickering sole executors of this my last will and testament as witness my hand and seal this 5th day of the 8th month, 1760. Signed, sealed and acknowledged by the said Mary Wright to be her last will and testament in presence of us. Signed: Mary Wright Witness: Elizabeth Powell, Elinor Rogers, Susanna Bevin. (This was proved March 6, 1764 in Frederick Co., VA)

Mary married James Wright, son of William Wright and Penelope Leigh, on 2 Feb 1707 in East Nottingham, Chester County Pennsylvania. (James Wright was born in Aug 1676 in Lancashire England and died on 15 May 1759 in Frederick, Virginia, USA.)