Charles Jenkins - Jane Collier, M. Scituate, MA 1785
This couple marriedin Scituate June 14, 1785, Charles being “of” Bridgewater, MA and Jane “of” Scituate.They had at least 9 children in Scituate between 1787 – 1808, several of whom died young. I can trace some of these descendants both in eastern Mass. and elsewhere.
Although my identifications are tentative, I believe Charles Jenkins, “Sr.” died in Scituate on March 21, 1841, while Jane (Collier) Jenkins died in Boston on June 19 or 20, 1843, “wid. [of] Charles.” Her age was probably 79 (church record and grave record), although the Scituate VRs also offer age 69. Age 69 in 1843 would place her birth about 1774, too young to marry in 1785, so age 79 – born about 1764 – seems more likely.
Some un-sourced online family data indicates Jane was born May 20, 1770, and that her father was Thomas.This would seem to point to her identification as the daughter of Thomas “Collyer” and Jane Foster, who married in Marblehead, Mass. on Oct. 26, 1766. Their daughter Jane was BAPTIZED in Marblehead on May 20, 1770. Thomas and Jane also seem to have had 2 daughters named Jenny, the first baptized Sept. 1, 1771 – presumably dying as an infant – and the 2d baptized March 3, 1776. I see no record of either death or marriage for any of these 3 daughters in Marblehead VRs. (The father Thomas was likely the son of Thomas Collier/Collyer and Ann Phillips, baptized in Marblehead on August 23, 1743.)
Although there certainly was nothing to prevent someone from Marblehead, on the North Shore of Mass. Bay, from living or marrying in Scituate on the South Shore, does anyone KNOW FOR CERTAIN the parentage of the Jane Collier who married Charles Jenkins? It would appear that her birth was as much as 5 or 6 years earlier than the baby baptized in Marblehead in 1770.Colliers of the South Shore family, descendants of Thomas Collier who arrived in Hingham in 1635, were living in several of the towns there in the mid-and latter part of the 18th century, including Scituate.Alas, I do not have an unattached Jane Collier of the correct age.
I would welcome any insight on this question.
Wade Collier
“Colliers of Massachusetts” Project