Mary Bliss1

F, b. circa 1626, d. 29 January 1712
FatherThomas Bliss b. c 1593
MotherMargaret Hulins b. c 1605, d. 28 Aug 1684
     Mary was born circa 1626 in Rodborough Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. Mary married Joseph Parsons on 26 November 1646 in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.2 They first settled in Springfield where they had their first 5 children. In 1654, the family moved to Northampton, their remaining children were born there. About 1670, neighbors, envious of the family's prosperity, accused Mary of witchcraft. She was sent to Boston where she was fully acquitted. On 2 September 1675, their son, Ebnezer was killed by the Indians. Those who had accused Mary, then publicly announced that Ebenezer's death was God's retribution; also accusing the judges of having been bribed. The family returned to Springfield by 1679. Joseph & Mary had children: Joseph [11/01/1647-11/__/1729][m. 3/17/1669 Elizabeth Strong], Benjamin [1/22/1649-1/22/1649], John [8/14/1650-4/15/1728][m. 12/03/1675 Sarah Clark], Samuel [1/23/1652-11/12/1734][m. 1677 Elizabeth Cook, 2nd 1691 Rhoda Taylor & 3rd 12/15/1711 Mary Wheeler], Ebenezer [1655-9/08/1675], Jonathan [6/06/1657-12/__/1694][m. 4/05/1682 Mary Clark], David [4/30/1659-d.y.], Mary [6/27/1661-8/23/1711][m. 10/16/1685 Joseph Ashley & 2nd Joseph Williston], Hannah [8/01/1663-4/01/1739][m. 1/07/1687 Pelatiah Glover], Abigail [9/03/1666-6/27/1689][m. 2/19/1685 John Colton], Esther [9/11/1668-9/11/1668], Benjamin [9/11/1668-9/11/1668] & Hester [12/24/1672-1760][m. 9/15/1689 Joseph Smith].3 Mary's husband, Joseph, died on 9 October 1683 in Springfield leaving her a widow.4 Mary departed this life on Friday, 29 January 1712 in Springfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.5 She was buried there in the Springfield Cemetery.6

Family

Joseph Parsons d. 9 Oct 1683

Citations

  1. [S1715] John Homer Bliss, Genealogy of the Bliss Family in America from about the year 1550 to 1880, pages 30-31 - Mary Bliss, b. in England, m. Nov. 26, 1646, Joseph Parsons, Springfield, Mass., who d. Oct. 9, 1683. She d, Jan. 29 1712. Mr. Parsons, associated with Mr. Pynchon, was one of the most prominent men in the public business of the place, and quite wealthy. ... Joseph & Mary Parsons had five children before their removal to Northampton, Mass., in 1654. [Their son Ebenezer, born in this place, May 1, 1665, was the first white child born in the town, and he was killed by the Indians at Northfield, Sept. 2, 1675.] Here in Northampton, they had seven more children, making twelve in all, but three, named Benjamin, John & David died young. Mary Bliss, the mother of this family, two years after the birth of her youngest child was charged with witchcraft by some of her neighbors who were envious of their prosperity and endeavored in this way to disgrace them. She was sent to Boston for trial, where the jury gave her a full acquittal of the crime, and she returned home to Northampton, from whence they removed back to Springfield in 1679. Just after her acquittal in Boston, her son Ebenezer was killed by the Indians, and those who had been instrumental in bringing her to trial said: "Behold, though human judges may be bought off, God's vengeance neither turns aside nor slumbers." It is said that she possessed great beauty and talents, but was not bery amiable.
  2. [S2067] Massachusetts, U. S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 - Ancestry.com: Springfield - Birth, Marriages and Deaths page 118 - Joseph Parsons & Mary Bliss were joyned in marriage 9 mon 26 day 1646 at Hartford.
  3. [S1716] Henry Parsons, Parsons Family: Descendants of Cornet Joseph Parsons, Springfield, 1636-Northampton, 1655, page 4.
  4. [S2067] Massachusetts, U. S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 - Ancestry.com: Springfield - Birth, Marriages and Deaths page 184 - Cornet Joseph Parsons was sick and Died Oct. 9, 1683.
  5. [S2387] Horace A. Abell, One Branch of the Abell Family Showing The Allied Families, page 11.
  6. [S953] Find a grave - www.findagrave.com.