Martha Bigelow Wood was born 1 February 1662 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts to John Bigelow (1617-1703) and Mary Warren (1624-1691) and died 20 January 1729 Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. She married Unknown Mr. King 1678 in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
Biography
Martha 2 BIGELOW, tenth child and fourth daughter of John 1 and Mary (Warren) BIGELOW, was born in Watertown, Middlesex co, MA, 1 Apr 1662. Howe's Bigelow genealogy says she married twice, but gives the name of only her second husband, Obadiah WOOD of East Hartford, CT.
The Will of John Bigelow
..... In his will, John BIGELOW in 1703 left a sum of money for children of Martha, wife of Obadiah WOOD, specifying it be divided among children "lawfully begotten of her own body." This implies two things: (1) that Martha was deceased and that her children were to inherit Martha's share, and (2) that Martha hasd step-children, from one of her two marriages. ( or she slept around a lot...ROD )
Marriage to Obadiah Wood
..... Concerning Obadiah WOOD, Savage's Genealogical Dictionary of New England states that an Obadiah WOOD of Ipswitch was married (1) to Margaret _____ , who died in childbirth 1667, and (2) to Hazabalponah ______ , who was the mother of several children, including an Obadiah jr, born circa 1668. Savage felt this Obadiah jr was the same as Obadiah WOOD of Hartford; he had fought in King Phillip's War, and was generously paid in land for his efforts. Savage says Obadiah jr married Martha _____ and had 3 children baptized in Hartford (he omits a fourth), and "probably many others". ..... Barbour's Families of Early Hartford stated that Obadiah WOOD of hartford was married to Martha KING (which may have been martha BIGELOW's name at marriage; no proof is intended, However) and that he had the following family:
Marriage to Mr King
Many questions arise from her list of children. If the last four were Martha BIGELOW's children, surely they were (in view of her age) born between 1687 and 1706. If born after 1706 surely then not children of Martha BIGELOW. Or does John BIGELOW imply that Martha's first husband had children from a prior marriage? In viewof Obadiah's birth circa 1668, he would surely not have had a wife prior to Martha BIGELOW. Also, John BIGELOW's will was drawn up in 1703, so when he says children, the plural word implies more offspring than the Abigail above. Lastly, what proof have we that Barbour is correct in calling the wife Martha KING?
Children of Martha Bigelow
- Margaret Wood, bapt 6 Nov 1687 First Church, died young
- Abigail Wood, bapt 23 Apr 1699 First Church.
- Margaret Wood, bapt 8 July 1705 First Church.
- Obadiah Wood, bapt 8 Sept 1706 First Church; m Mehitable _____ .
- John Wood,
- Mary Wood,
- Martha Wood, m John SHAW
- Samuel Wood.
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Margaret Wood (1687-1687) | |||
Abigail Wood (1699-) | |||
Margaret Wood (1706-) | |||
John Wood | |||
Mary Wood | |||
Martha Wood | |||
Samuel Wood | |||
Obadiah Wood (1706-) |
Siblings
See Also
- Martha Bigelow
- Bigelow Family
- Bigelow in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
- Wood in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
References
- History of Martha Bigelow Wood - Bigelow Family History Society.
- Bigelow Family Genealogy Volume. I page.17-18;
- Howe, Bigelow Family in America;
- Savage, Genealogy Dictionary of New England;
- Barbour Early Families of Hartford, CT
- Bigelows of New England
- http://www.silcom.com/~campbell/genealogy/bigelow.html