Mercy Nye

Notes:

Mistaken Identity

Mercy NYE From "Genealogies of Mayflower Families, G-Pa, Nye-Snow Family Record:""Mercy Nye and Mercy, Wife of Lt. Matthias Ellis":'The following case of mistaken identity is a perfect example of how an error, once it has appeared in print, can have a life of its own

1. Per the Genealogies of the Mayflower family HER PARENTS ARE NOT BENJAMIN NYE & KATHERINE TUPPER As listed in the ancestral file, Benjamin's daughter Mercy Nye didn't marry Lt. Matthias Ellis or anyone else! It is now clear that the identity of Mercy Nye Ellis is still to be found. See below

George H. Nye and Frank E. Best, the compilers of "A Genealogy of the Nye Family" published in 1907, stated that the Benjamin Nye of Sandwich and his wife Katherine (Tupper) Nye's daughter Mercy Nye, born 8 Apr. 1652, married about 1678 Matthias Ellis. The compilers of "Thomas Tupper and His Descendants (The Register, 99:59), repeated the allegation (1945) and Mrs. Lydia Brownson and I in our "Lt. John and Elizabeth Ellis of Sandwich" also wrongly assumed that the identification of Mercy, wife of Matthias Ellis was correct.

Conclusive proof has come to light which shows that Mercy Nye did not marry Lt. Matthias Ellis or anyone else! It is now clear that the identity of Mercy Ellis is still to be found. The proof lies in the wording of an original deed which is now in the possession of Mr. Lindsay Armstrong of Sandwich, Mass., who has furnished me with a Photostat. This document is a conveyance by "Benjamin Nye of the Town of Sandwich in the county of Barnstable in New England", dated 9 June 1704, in which the grantor gives all his lands, mills, and appurtenances in Sandwich to his son Jonathan Nye. This gift was subject to the restriction that the grantee Jonathan Nye was to continue to care for, "relieve and support" the father "and Katherine my now wife and Mercey Nye my daughter who have not been able for some years last past to relieve and support ourselves by reason of weakness and other infirmities." Benjamin Nye gave also in this deed to his son Jonathan land in Middleborough in Plymouth Colony.

As if it were not fortunate enough that the actual deed has itself been preserved, an additional oddity, worthy of a Ripley "Believe It Or Not", appears here. On the back of the original document is the notation, "June the 9th 1704 then received this deed to be recorded, and is accordingly recorded in Barnstable County. Recorded in the fourth Book of Evidence of Lands folio 151 and herewith compared per me Wm Bassett Regr." But this volume, of course, was consumed in the Court House fire of 1827. And so, below the first notation there is a second note on the original deed's back page: "Barnstable SS received Aug. 24, 1909 at 12 M and is entered with Barnstable County Deeds in book 297, pg. 221. Attest John A. Holoway, Register."

One wonders how many instances may exist of a deed, recorded and destroyed and re-recorded more than two hundred years later, so that it can be seen to-day, along with the original from which both copies were made!

Another curious facet of this misidentification of Mercy, wife of Lt. Matthias Ellis, is to be found in the "Nye Family Of America Association Proceedings At The Second Reunion", published by E. Anthony and Sons, Inc., New Bedford, Mass., in 1904, a Mrs. Jerome Holoway read a paper which shows that the original Benjamin Nye deed, here referred to, had been found, and was then in the hands of a descendant, Samuel H. Nye of East Sandwich. Although Mrs. Holoway does not seem to have noted that the instrument proved that Mercy Nye was unmarried in 1704, she actually provided additional proof. She stated that by a deed dated 1713 Jonathan Nye gave considerable land to his son Jonathan, provided that the latter care for "my sister Mercy who is feeble in body and mind."

Therefore, we know now that Mercy Nye--unmarried and unable to care for herself in 1704--was still in feeble health in 1713. In contrast, Mercy, wife of Lt. Matthias Ellis, mother of ten children, was still sufficiently vigorous by 13 Nov 1744 so that in her husband's will of that date he made her co-executrix!

One final note, although at their second reunion the Nye Family Association were already aware that Benjamin Nye's daughter was not married in 1704, strangely enough, George H. Nye and Frank E. Best, op. cit., made the misidentification in 1907. And in "A Genealogy of the Nye Family, Vol. II" (1965), although the writer contributed numerous additions and corrections, the error about Mercy Nye was once again overlooked. Mia culpa!--Pittsburgh, Pa; Maclean W. McLean

Sources

1 Lorna Borman, The Descendants Of The Nye Family In Denmark, England, and America.

2 Tupper Family Association, Thomas Tupper and His Descendants.

3 Roberts, Gary Boyd, Genealogies Of Mayflower Families, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD, 1985.(Genealogy Library, genealogy.com, 2001).

Marilyn Mangano Mistaken Identity: In The N.E. Historical Genealogical Register, July 1965, I found that Matthais's will was witnessed by Elisha & Elad Tupper, Jr. and Sumuel Jenning. Barnstable County Probate, vol. 8 page 215-6. I didn't see the name of Burgess mentioned. I also saw that he left Joseph Nye, Jr. L4. 18s.

Mercy married Matthias Ellis in Jan 1679 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA. Matthias (son of John Ellis and Elizabeth Freeman) was born on 2 Jun 1657 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA; died on 30 Aug 1748 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

FAMILY OF STEPHEN AND EXPERIENCE ELLIS CHURCHILL

Stephen Churchill was born February 16, 1685, the son of Eliezer and Mary Churchill. In 1708, he married Experience Ellis, who was the daughter of Matthias, from a place called Sandwich. Stephen and Experience had six children. Stephen died in 1750.

Ephraim, born October 15, 1709. Married on March 27, 1730, to Priscilla Manchester, and had eight children. Ephraim died December 14, 1749. In the family tree materials, he is referred to as "Ephraim I" because he had a grandson also named Ephraim.

Nathaniel, born December 19, 1712. Married on January 2, 1733, to Mary Curtis and had 4 children.

Mary, born April 29, 1716, and died December 13, 1716.

Stephen, born August 24, 1717. He married Hannah Barnes on July 4, 1738, and had seven children.

Zaccheus, born October 30, 1719. He died November 18, 1732.

Benjamin, born August 19, 1725. He married Ruth DeLong on November 3, 1746 and had nine children.

Source: http://www.marthachurchill.com/family/ChStephEliez.htm

Experience married Stephen Churchill on 2 Dec 1708 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA. Stephen (son of Eleazer Pontus Churchill and Mary Mercy Bryant) was born on 16 Feb 1685 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died on 6 Oct 1750 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1751, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Stephen married Hannah Barnes on 4 Jul 1738 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Hannah (daughter of Jonathan Barnes and Sarah Bradford) was born in 1718 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died on 12 Jun 1793 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Hannah married John Otis on 13 May 1765 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. John (son of John Otis and Temperance Hinckley) was born on 19 Feb 1743 in Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA; died on 27 Mar 1817 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]