Marcy Mercy Rhodes

Notes:

I believe she must be the Mary Aborn that testified at the Revolutionary War pension hearing for Jonathan Remington, our ancestor. At that time, 1850, she said she was age 82 and living in Pawtuxet. She mentioned that her grandmother's husband was the uncle of Jonathan & John Remington. She would have been referring to Mercy (Sheldon) (Fenner) Remington, wife of Stephen Remington; Stephen was their uncle. (see full text below)

In the 1850 Federal Census, Marcy Aborn is age 81, living at Cranston, RI.

"I, Marcy Aborn of Pawtuxet, Cranston, in the County of Providence and State of Rhode Island, on oath do testify and say that I am now in the 82nd (Eighty Second) year of my age -- and was born in the village of Pawtuxet. I have a distinct recollection that during the war of the Revolution a great many troops were stationed in that village. Among the troops stationed here there was a part of a regiment of Artillery to which John Remington and Jonathan Remington, two brothers, belonged. John was a Lieutenant and Jonathan was a Sergeant. I do not remember the name of the Captain -- I recollect of hearing the name of Captain Carlisle -- and also of Captain Garzia -- mentioned -- and according to the best of my recollection, Colonel Elliott was their Colonel.

"The reason why I recollect John and Jonathan Remington being here with the troops is that they were in the habit of visiting at the house of my grandmother where I used to often see them and they used to talk to me. I was then a child about 10 years of age -- between 9 and 10. My Grandmother's husband was their uncle.

"And I further testify that the said Jonathan Remington afterwards married the Widow Potter. After his death she married a Mr. Greene -- Edward Greene -- and is now his widow and living in the town of Cranston in this State.

"I cannot remember how long the said artillery were stationed here, but it was some time. Marcy Aborn

"The State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations, Providence County, Sc. (?) In Cranston in Said County this Twentieth Day of August A.D. 1850 personally appeared Marcy Aborn and made oath that the facts & statements contained in the foregoing affidavit signed by her in my presence are true. And I further certify that she is a respectable person and a credible witness. Before me, Edwin Metcalf, Justice of the Peace."

Marcy — Joseph Aborn. Joseph (son of Anthony Aborn and Lydia Burrows) was born 9 Feb 1765; died Between May and Jun 1841. [Group Sheet]

1. Elizabeth R. Aborn was born 13 Feb 1798; died 7 May 1843.

Notes:

The RI Cemetery Database has his date of birth as c.1749.

Malachi married Waite Fenner 29 Nov 1767. Waite (daughter of Thomas Fenner and Mercy Mary Sheldon) was born Feb 1749/50; died 10 May 1777; was buried , Pawtuxet Burial Yard, Post Rd., Pawtuxet, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Information on Waite's marriage and children came from "The Sheldon Magazine," Vol. I, June 1855, p. 8r.

Malachi married Deborah Wightman 27 May 1731, Warwick, RI. Deborah (daughter of George Wightman and Elizabeth Unknown) was born Abt 1708. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Malachi & Deborah were married by William Greene, Justice.

Notes:

According to "The Fenner Family,", p. 16, Thomas was married first to a widow, Mary Cloyn (I have roughly estimated her dates). After she died, he married Mercy Sheldon, by whom he had a daughter, Wait. As far as we know, he had no other children. After his death, his widow Mercy (Sheldon) Fenner remarried to Stephen Remington, a widower.

I don't know exactly when Thomas died, but it must have been before 10 Feb 1755, when a Cranston deed is signed by Stephen & Marcy Remington.

Thomas married Mercy Mary Sheldon Abt 1748. Mercy (daughter of Nicholas Sheldon, Sr. and Abigail Tillinghast) was born Abt 28 Jul 1709, Providence, RI; died 24 Nov 1802; was buried , Historical Cemetery 3, Post Rd., Pawtuxet Village, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The Boyd Scott Remington genealogy chart at RIHSL has her birth date as 28 Jan 1709. Martha A. Benns's "Remington Family" book has Mercy married to the other Stephen Remington born in 1696. However, the preponderance of evidence indicates that is most likely incorrect.

Mercy (or Marcy/Mary) is mentioned as Mary Remington in the will of her sister Lydia (Sheldon) Arnold dated 3 August 1774.

Notes from the Mary E. Rice Collection, concerning Cranston land evidence: on 18 March 1784, Stephen Remington sold one lot of land in Pawtuxet to Rhodes Greene; "Marcy Remington, wife of the above-said Stephen," surrenders her dower right. On 10 Feb 1785, Stephen Remington sold land to Capt Josiah Haines. This document was signed by Stephen & Marcy Remington. (Cranston bk 4, p10)

About her name: the name Marcy was the common pronunciation for Mercy in those days, and as such is a phonetic spelling of the name, and thus has evolved into a given variation of the name. Mary was also used frequently as an alternative for both Mercy and Marcy, possibly as a nickname or as a result of transcription errors.

She died at age 93 years, 5 months, and 27 days.

I believe the following death notice may be for her, in the Columbian Centinel of 4 Dec 1802: "Remington, Mrs., d. in Pawtuxet, aged 91."

From the RI Cemetery Database:
REMINGTON, MARCY 1709c - 24 NOV 1802, WK003

Malachi married Dorothy Whipple 8 Mar 1699/00, Providence, RI. Dorothy was born Abt 1680; died 10 Sep 1723. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

When Israel married her in 1719, she was the widow of Malacha (Malachi) Rhodes/Roades.

Notes:

George Wightman bought land from Thomas Remington in Cowesett, Warwick, RI, in January 1712/13. He was a deacon at Shawomet Baptist Church, Old Warwick, then located "near the fulling mill" in the Apponaug area.

George married Elizabeth Unknown Abt 1698. Elizabeth died Bef 1738. [Group Sheet]

Joseph married Wait Harris Abt 1716. Wait (daughter of Thomas Harris and Phoebe Brown) was born 21 Apr 1694; died Aft 8 Nov 1737. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

According to one genealogy, Wait (Harris) Fenner died in March 1720/21. If that is true, only two of these children are hers, and the other four are by Joseph's second wife, Amy. However, the genealogy at the Fenner family web site has all the children borne by Wait. (needs more research)

Notes:

His will was proved in Jan 1747, with a notation that he died the previous November. However, at that time the year changed in March, so the will was proved in Jan 1747/48.

Nicholas married Abigail Tillinghast Abt 1692, Providence, RI. Abigail (daughter of Pardon Tillinghast and Lydia Taber) was born 30 Jun 1674, Providence, RI; died 1744, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Abigail's date of birth has been given variously as March 1674, 20 Jan 1674, and 30 June 1674.