Resolving a "one-in-the-same" person Conflict for two early 18th Century Ancestors Philip Thieler

Published on 14 April 2024 at 09:29

     A client recently requested assistance in addressing two “one-in-the-same” person conflicts which arose while going through the application process for a lineage society. Since there appeared to be no direct evidence which would explicitly identify his fifth-generation ancestors, my research focused on analyzing birth records with a view of going through a process of elimination and maximizing the use of correlating different pieces of indirect evidence which, in the end, would possibly enable me to resolve the two “one-in-the-same” person conflicts.  The following proof argument is the result of my research.   

Proof Argument 

Research Questions:

  • Was Patience Cole, daughter of John Cole and Mercy Perry b. 28 Aug 1733 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, the same Patience Cole who married Jonathan Wheeler 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol MA?
  • Was Jonathan Wheeler, son of Philip Wheeler and Martha Salisbury b. 08 Aug 1735 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, the same Jonathan Wheeler who married Patience Cole on 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA?

Biographical Sketch based on the findings outlined in the following proof argument:

  • Patience Wheeler née Cole who married Jonathan Wheeler on 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA and Patience Cole b. 28 Aug 1733 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, dau. of John Cole and Mercy Perry was one-in-the-same person.
  • Jonathan Wheeler who married Patience Cole on 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA and Jonathan Wheeler b. 08 Aug 1735 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, son of Philip Wheeler and Martha Salisbury was one-in-the-same person.

Executive Summary:  One of the challenges faced in this research project was the fact that although vital records maintained by the Town Clerk of Rehoboth, 1642 - 1896 were well documented, at no time did the town clerk include the names of parents in the marriage register. Therefore, my initial focus was to analyze the birth records in the first half of the 18th Century in Rehoboth with a view of correctly identifying the lineage of the two primary subjects – Patience Cole and Jonathan Wheeler who married on 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.

 

     There were three women named Patience Cole who resided in Rehoboth between 1700 and 1753.

  • Patience Cole of Swanzey m. Aaron Kingsley of Rehoboth on 18 Jan 1727-28.[1] Assuming that this Patience Cole was around the age of 18 at the time of marriage, her birth year would have been 1709-10. Since Mercy Perry was born in 1701 and John Cole c. 1699, they could not have been the parents of this Patience Cole. There is no other record that indicates that she may have married a Jonathan Wheeler; and she was born in Swanzey and not Rehoboth. Therefore, this Patience Cole is eliminated.
  • Patience Cole in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA., 28 Aug 1733 dau. of John Cole and Mercy.[2]
  • Patience Cole in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, 15 Jan 1744-45 dau. of Timothy and Hannah Cole.[3] Since this Patience Cole would have been around 9 years of age at the time of the marriage between Patience Cole and Jonathan Wheeler, this Patience Cole is eliminated.

 

     After studying the birth register found in the Town Clerk’s records 1700 – 1753, one can logically argue that of the three women named Patience Cole residing in Rehoboth during the first half of the 18th Century,

  • Only Patience Cole, dau. of John Cole and Mercy Perry could have been the wife of Jonathan Wheeler married on 08 Jan 1753, Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.

 

     There was only one Jonathan Wheeler identified in the Rehoboth Town Clerk’s Vital Record for the first half of the 18th Century - Jonathan Wheeler b. in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, 08 Aug 1735 son of Philip Wheeler and Martha.[4]

  • Therefore, Jonathan Wheeler, the son of Philip Wheeler and Martha Salisbury could have been the only Jonathan Wheeler in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, to have married Patience Cole, daughter of John Cole and Mercy on 08 Jan 1753, Rehoboth, Bristol MA.

 

 

[1] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for Patience Cole m. Aaron Kingsley, p. 104.

[2] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Patience Cole p. 591.

[3] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Patience Cole p. 592.

[4] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Jonathan Wheeler p. 772.

Methodology:

     Though the initial analysis provides a particularly good indication that both primary subjects are one-in-the-same person, further analysis of Vital Records[1] and Last Wills in Testament provide additional indirect evidence that will serve to strengthen this proof argument.

 

     In addressing this challenge, BCG’s Genealogy Standards Second Edition, GPS 47 Evidence Correlation offers a method of testing evidence by “comparing and contrasting evidence items” as a means of de-conflicting evidence.[2] This paper will leverage the technique of Evidence Correlation with Patience Cole and Jonathan Wheeler… their parents, siblings, and children in order to prove the kinship relationship of the two primary subjects to a genealogical proof standard.

 

Known Evidence:

  • Birth Record of Patience Cole, dau. of John Cole and Mercy has already been addressed.
  • Birth Record of Jonathan Wheeler, son of Philip Wheeler and Martha has already been addressed.
  • Jonathan Wheeler to Patience Cole, both of Rehoboth, married by Elder Richard Round Jr. on 08 Jan 1753.[3]
  • Patience Wheeler b. in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, on 07 Apr 1755 was the daughter of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole.[4]
  • Silvester Peirce to Patience Wheeler, both of Rehoboth, married by Elder Nathan Pearse, 20 Sep 1770.[5]
  • Mercy, wife of John Cole died in Rehoboth 29 Sep 1745.[6]
  • Martha, wife of Capt. Philip Wheeler died in Rehoboth 05 Aug 1745.[7]
  • Mercy Ingalls to Capt. Philip Wheeler, married by Elder Richard Round, 10 Oct 1745.[8]

 

Proof of extended family relationships and family naming conventions.

The Will of Philip Wheeler, dated 10 Sep 1765, Rehoboth, Bristol MA, provides an insight into the family of Philip Wheeler.[9]

  • Philip named his wife Mercy as the sole Executrix. The name Mercy correlates with the marriage record of 10 Oct 1745.
  • He identified his six sons including Jonathan which correlates with birth records for Philip Wheeler’s children on page 772 of the Rehoboth Vital Records birth page.[1]
  • He identified both his daughter Martha and his granddaughter Martha Wheeler. It is important to note that based on analyzing records for Rehoboth, the name Martha appears to be only found in the Philip Wheeler – Martha Salisbury line of descent.
  • His Sons Valentine, Philip Jr., and Jonathan (husband of Patience Cole) each named one of their daughters Martha. One can assume that they named their daughters after their mother Martha Salisbury.

 

     There also appears to not only be a tradition in the Wheeler and Cole families of naming their children after parents and grandparents but siblings as well.

     The name Ruth is also found in multiple generations in the Cole – Wheeler line of descent:

  • Ruth, dau. of John Cole and Mercy was born on 20 Feb 1740-41. One can assume that their daughter Ruth was named after Mercy Cole’s mother Ruth Jones.
  • Ruth, dau. of Jonathan and Patience Wheeler was born 08 Aug 1753. One can assume that they named their daughter after Patience’s grandmother Ruth Jones and her sister Ruth.
  • Nathan Cole, brother of Patience Cole also named one of his daughters Ruth.

 

Nathan Cole, son of John Cole and Mercy b. 23 Mar 1734-35, married Molly Wheaton on 23 Nov 1762 by Elder Richard Round Jr.[2]

  • Nathan Cole is listed just below his sister Patience Cole as a son of John Cole and Mercy.
  • Nathan and his wife Molly named one daughter Patience and the other Mercy. One can assume that they named their daughters after Nathan’s sister Patience and his mother Mercy Perry.[3]
  • Jonathan Wheeler and Patience named their second daughter Patience after herself and likely after her great grandmother Patience Little. Their third daughter was named Molly, one can assume that she was named after her sister-in-law Molly Cole.
  • Jonathan Wheeler and Patience named their eighth child after his father Philip and likely his brother Philip also identified in records as Philip Jr. The very next child was named Martha, likely named after the child’s grandmother Martha Salisbury.[4]

 

Last Will and Testament of Silvester Peirce, husband of Patience Wheeler.  His will was probated on 08 Feb 1830, Durham, Greene Co., NY.[5]

  • Their first child was named Patience nicknamed Pattie in the will
  • Silvester and Patience appeared to continue the tradition of naming their children after their parents and grandparents. Their second daughter was named Martha, and their fourth daughter was named Hannah… apparently named after Patience’s aunt Hannah who was the daughter of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience.

 

Summary of Findings:

     When analyzing birth records from Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, in the first half of the 18th Century and considering the ages, locations of birth and marriage records of the three women named Patience Cole,

  • Only Patience Cole, dau. of John Cole and Mercy could have been the wife of Jonathan Wheeler married on 08 Jan 1753, Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.

 

     Since there was only one Jonathan Wheeler identified in the birth records of Rehoboth, Bristol, MA., in the first half of the 18th Century,

  • Jonathan Wheeler, the son of Philip Wheeler and Martha could have been the only Jonathan Wheeler in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, to have married Patience Cole, daughter of John Cole and Mercy on 08 Jan 1753, Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.

 

     Family naming conventions provide an indication on how the Cole, Wheeler and Peirce families carried forward names of parents and siblings.

  • Four generations of the name Patience: Patience Little; Patience Cole, dau. of John Cole and Mercy; Patience Wheeler, dau. of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole; and Patience Peirce, dau. of Silvester Peirce and Patience Wheeler.
  • The name Mercy passed on through three generations: Mercy Perry; Mercy Wheeler, dau. of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole; Mercy Peirce, dau. of Silvester Peirce and Patience Wheeler.
  • The name Ruth passed on through three generations: Ruth Jones; Ruth Cole, dau. of John Cole and Mercy Perry; Ruth Wheeler, dau. of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole.
  • The name Martha passed on through four generations: Martha Salisbury; Martha Wheeler, dau. of Philip Wheeler and Martha Salisbury; Martha Wheeler, dau. of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole; Martha Peirce, dau. of Silvester Peirce and Patience Wheeler.
  • The name Philip passed on through three generations: Philip Wheeler (aka Capt. Philip Wheeler); Philip Wheeler, son of Philip Wheeler and Martha Salisbury; Philip Wheeler, son of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole.

 

Based on a review of direct and numerous pieces of indirect evidence concerning the parentage and marriage of the two subjects - Patience Cole, and Jonathan Wheeler, both of Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, the kinship relationship is proven to a genealogical proof standard.

 

-Patience Cole b. 28 Aug 1733 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, dau. of John Cole and Mercy Perry married Jonathan Wheeler on 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.

-Jonathan Wheeler b. 08 Aug 1735 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA, son of Philip Wheeler and Martha Salisbury married Patience Cole on 08 Jan 1753 in Rehoboth, Bristol, MA.

 

[1] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for Patience Cole m. Aaron Kingsley, p. 104.

[2] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Patience Cole p. 591.

[3] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Patience Cole p. 592.

[4] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Jonathan Wheeler p. 772.

[5] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry: Title Page

 

[6]  Board for Certification of Genealogists, Genealogy Standards Second Edition, Copyright 2019, Published by Ancestry.com, an imprint of Turner Publishing Company, pp. 27, 80.

[7] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for marriage of Jonathan Wheeler and Patience Cole p. 388.

 

[8] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for birth of Patience Wheeler p. 778.

[9] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry for marriage of Silvester Peirce and Patience Wheeler p. 294.

[10] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 16 March 2024) database entry death of Mercy, wife of John Cole p. 816.

[11] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 17 March 2024) database entry for death of Martha, wife of Captain Philip Wheeler p. 887.

[12] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 18 March 2024) database entry for marriage of Mercy Ingalls and Captain Philip Wheeler p. 205.

[13] Probate Record Vol – 18, Bristol County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, The Genealogical Society Salt Lake City, UT, microfilmed at Taunton Massachusetts, 14 March 1967, digital archives (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/326704 accessed on 18 March 2024) database entry for Will of Philip Wheeler, 10 September 1765.

 

[14] Rehoboth Birth Records, Philip Wheeler Family, p. 772.

[15] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 18 March 2024) database entry for marriage of Molly Wheaton and Nathan Cole, p. 385.

[16] Philip Thieler Compiler, “Vital Record Bristol Vol VI & Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896, digital archives (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903: accessed on 18 March 2024) database entry for family of Nathan and Molly Cole p. 592

[17] Family of Jonathan and Patience Cole, Ibid, p. 778.

[18] Probate Record Will Book C, Greene County, NY,  The Genealogical Society Salt Lake City, UT, at Taunton Massachusetts, Surrogates Office, Catskill, NY, November 1966, digital archives (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/12523179  accessed on 19 March 2024) database entry for Will of Silvester Peirce, 08 Feb 1830.

 

 

 

Philip R. Thieler                                                                                                                                                   Founder                                                                                                                                                        

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All rights reserved by Your-Lineage LLC; a registered Limited Liability Company in the State of Florida that provides Family History Research services. No part of this analysis may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author except for brief passages that a reviewer may quote.

 

We would like to sincerely thank Philip Theiler for being our contributing genealogist blogger this month and hope that you also check out his website, and follow him on social media for more information and great tips for genealogy research. Philip Theiler is also the author of The Genealogy Research Planning Cycle, an ebook available on Amazon or by visiting his website. If you would like to contribute to our History and Heritage monthly blog please reach out to us via our contact page or on social media. #BranchOut

 

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