Elizabeth 'Hester' Knowlton

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Witt-214

Elizabeth's middle name of Hester was claimed in Balcomb's Witt Genealogy.

Ref 1: From Balcomb's Witt Genealogy: [1]

Elizabeth was a daughter of John Witt Sr and an unknown mother (Elizabeth Unknown or Sarah Unknown Rooles). See discussion in her father's biography for the analysis of their family.

Elizabeth was mentioned in her father's 1675 will.

I give to my Daughter Elizabeth five shillins shee also having received her portion alreaddye.
Ref 2: Father's Will [2]

Was she named after her mother Elizabeth, or named in honor of John's first wife Elizabeth assuming she was a daughter of Sarah?

Marriage

In his will, John Witt Sr. gave money to his first daughter Ann:

I give to my daughter Ann Barnitt, five shillings she having received her portion already.
Since he referred to Ann as Ann Barnet (Barney) using her married name, it would seem that in 1675 Elizabeth was not married since he gave her no married surname.

So there exists some confusion about Elizabeth's husband(s).

Hypothesis 1

Samuel Knowlton
Elizabeth married Samuel Knowlton in April 1669 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Ref 3: Knowlton Marriage Ref A [3]
Ref 4: Knowlton Marriage Ref B[4]

Since it does not seem that she was married in 1675, this claim above that she married Samuel Knowlton in 1669 is suspect.

Hypothesis 2

Ebenezer Hart
1635–
marriage in 1683
U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
Elizabeth's birth year 1639
Ref 5: Hart Marriage: [5]
Ref 6: Balcomb's Witt Genealogy pg 1 : [6]

Since there are documents supporting both hypotheses one must wonder if another Elizabeth Witt existed in Massachusetts Bay Colony at that time. so that one married Mr. Knowlton and one married Mr. Hart.

References

1. WikiTree contributors, "Elizabeth Hester (Witt) Knowlton (abt.1644-aft.1688)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Witt-214 : accessed 08 September 2024).
2. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/3455697/person/702...
3. Balcomb, Frank W. The Witt genealogy: The Witt genealogy: Some of the Descendants of John Witt. Peabody, Mass.: Fraedy Press, c1943. < AncestryImage > Page 5

• The history and genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America by Stocking, Charles Henry Wright, 1835- (Publication date 1897). Page 22. < Archive.Org >; page 27 (page 71 of the .pdf) < PDF >