Mercy Hurd

Notes:

From "Some Ancestors and Descendants of Samuel Converse, Jr." page 38: Mary Brigham, who married John Fay, was the daughter of Thomas and Mercy (Hurd) Brigham of Cambridge, Mass. Thomas Brigham married, about 1637, Mercy Hurd, a lady ten or fifteen years his junior ...

From "Some Ancestors and Descendants of Samuel Converse, Jr." page 39: "Thomas Brigham married, about 1637, Mercy Hurd. She married, second, Edmund Rice, Senior, of Sudbury, march 1655/56, who removed to Marlboro; and, in May 1663, she married, third, Wm. Hunt of Concord, whom she survived, and died in Marlboro 22 or 28 December 1693. "on her second marriage she took with her to Sudbury and to Marlborough all her children, from whom descended a numerous posterity residing in and near Marlborough, some of who attained high distinction." The above is from Paige's History of Cambridge, Mass., Savage's Genealogical Dictionary, Hudson's Marlborro, Bond's Watertown, and Rev. Abner Morse's " Genealogical Register of Several Ancient Puritan Families." In the latter book will be found a fuller account of Thomas Brigham, including a more extended description of his possessions.
Of Mrs. Mercy (Hurd) Brigham, Rev. Aabner Morse says: "Thomas Brigham married about 1637, Mercy Hurd, a lady ten or fifteen years his junior, for whom tradition has brought down a high character, alleging that she and her sister, who married Wm. (?) Cutler, were so tantalized in England for non-comfomity that they resolved to seek their liberty and fortunes in New England, and arrived unattended by husbands or lovers." Mr. Morse says teh tradition is direct and probably reliable. "Success rewarded the enterprise. They were in as quick demand as unmarried teachers at the West, and if the number of worthy husbands whom a lady marries is the measure of her worth, then madam Brigham was a most worthy and attractive worman, for she married no less than three . . . During her third widowhood she saw two bloody Indian wars. During the first Marlborough was burnt, and she with one of her sons is believed to have retreated to their former home on the rocks in Cambridge, while her two sons went in pursuit of the enemy."

Mercy married Thomas Brigham about 1637. Thomas was born about 1603 in England; died on 08 Dec 1653. [Group Sheet]

1. Mary Brigham

Mercy married Edmund Rice in Mar 1655/56. Edmund died before May 1663. [Group Sheet]

Mercy married William Hunt in May 1663. [Group Sheet]