Sorting out Thomas Low who married Martha Boreman took some work.
That’s because there were three men of the same name, son, father and grandfather, who lived in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts in the 1600s and the youngest predeceased his father.
I am not descended from this family as far as I can determine, but need to examine the family members to decide whether it is possible that Susannah (MNU), wife of Thomas Burnham, might belong to this family.
First, we have immigrant (1) Thomas Low, thought to have been born in England around 1600. This man married Susannah (MNU) and died in Essex County, Massachusetts in 1677, intestate.
Second, we have (3) Thomas Low, grandson of Thomas and Susannah, who married Sarah Symonds. Thomas and Sarah are the parents of Symonds Low, whose land sale was witnessed by Thomas and Caleb Burnham, among others.
(3) Thomas was born on 14 April 1661, so is TOO YOUNG to be the father of Susannah (MNU) Burnham, born c1675. Therefore, there is no need to spend time on this family iehter.
However, this couple was not having children born in the 1670s, so there is no need to look at the family make up.
Next, we have (2) Thomas Low, son of Thomas and Susannah, born c1632, also in England. He married Martha Boreman in 1660 in Ipswich and died in Essex County on 12 April 1712, aged 80 years. Martha survived him, passing away on 22 January 1720.
This couple is the perfect age to have a daughter born in the 1670s. I found births of their children recorded for:
- Thomas, born 14 April 1661
- Jonathan, born 7 July 1665
- David, born 14 August 1667
- Martha, born 10 March 1669
- Nathaniel, born 7 June 1672
There the births ended, even though Martha would have only bee about 32 years old in 1672.
Thankfully, Thomas Low left a will. In addition to the five children whose births were recorded, he also named the following children:
6. Abigail, who married Joseph Goodhue
7. Samuel
8. Joannah, who married Mr. Dodge
9. Sarah, unmarried at the time her father’s will was written
If we assume that these children were born, say, 1674, 1676, 1678 and 1680, most of Martha’s childbearing years are accounted for.
There is also NO Susannah named in the will of Thomas Low, so I have to conclude that Susannah (MNU) Burnham was NOT a Low.
That leaves the Symonds family, which I will examine next.