Individual Details
Mary Ruggles
(10 Dec 1728 - 27 Dec 1799)
WHO WERE THE PARENTS OF MARY RUGGLES?
Note: The Hardwick history (Vital Records of Hardwick, Massachusetts, to the year 1850, by Thomas W. Baldwin, 1917) indicated Mary Ruggles was the daughter of Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, born in New Britain, Connecticut, but the MA Vital Records of New Braintree indicates she was Mrs. Mary Ruggles. Further research indicates that the use of Mrs. did not necessarily mean the woman had ever been married.
The book "Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800," written by Frederick W. Bailey in 1897, lists the following marriage:
"Dr. Joel Carpenter of Hardwicke & Mrs. Mary Ruggles, Dec. 9, 1755"
The original text handwritten by Rev. Benjamin Ruggles in the Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, for the town of New Braintree, Worcester County, Massachusetts, is as follows:
"December 9th 1755 then Docter Joel Carpenter of Hardwich and Mrs Mary Ruggles of this District were married by me Mr. Benjamin Ruggles."
The reference to Mary as "Mrs. Ruggles" could imply that she was the widow of a Mr. Ruggles, and thus her maiden name would not have been Ruggles, and the Mary Ruggles who married Dr. Joel Carpenter was not the daughter of Benjamin Ruggles and Dorcas Whiting. However, there are other records on the same page that refer to the bride as Mrs., such as the very next entry:
"April 20th, 1757 then Mr. David ayers and Mrs. Elizabeth Spenny Both of this District were married By me Benja. Ruggles."
Immediately following that entry is the marrige of Rev. Benjamin Ruggles' daughter:
"august 25, 1757 then I married Edward Smith of Hardwich and Dorcas Ruggles of this District."
Further down the same page is the marriage of Martha Ruggles, and on the facing page is the marriage of Simon Ruggles. All of these were children of the Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, most likely including Mary Ruggles.
All the marriages in New Braintree during those years were by Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, and nearly all the entries appear to be in his own hand.
In most entries the names of the groom and bride are written with no indication of Mr or Mrs, but never is there a bride referred to as Miss. The bride is referred to as Mrs only if the groom is first referred to by a title such as Mr or Dr. Thus it appears that the Reverend's wording is inconsistent, his spelling is irregular, punctuation is mostly missing, an his use of the title Mrs is not necessarily meant to indicate that the woman had been previously married.
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Mary Ruggles
Birth: 10 DEC 1728 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Note: One source indicated birth in New Britain.
Death: 27 DEC 1799 in Ellington, Tolland, Connecticut
Burial: Ellington, Tolland, Connecticut - Ellington Center Cemetery
Note: Tombstone reads Mary Carpenter, relict of Doctor Joel Carpenter, died Dec 27, 1799, age 71 years.
New Braintree Vital Records lists CARPENTER, Joel, Dr., of Hardwick, and Mrs. Mary Ruggles, Dec. 9, 1755.*
The * means intention not recorded. (In this case the intention of marriage was not recorded in that town. In many cases the marriage intention was filed in the town of the groom or the bride. Prior to 1850 an intention of marriage in Massachusetts would list the names of both parties, and the date of the intention. If the person was African-American or Indian this may be indicated, if they were someone’s slave they will list the slave owner. But the only other fact you see is the residence of the other person if they were not living in the town the intention was filed at. Only on a rare occasion when the bride or groom is underage is a parent listed giving their permission in the early records.)
Hardwick MA Vital Records to 1850 lists Carpenter, Joel, Dr., and Mary Ruggles of New Braintree, in New Braintree, Dec. 9, 1755. Three children are listed in the Hardwick, Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, Eli born to Dr. Joel and Mary Dec. 12, 1756 and Luce and Mary baptized in Hardwick on 3 May 1761 for Luce and 6 May 1769 for Mary. The latter two did not refer to him as Dr. Joel and Mary, rather Joel and Mary. The latter three children (Elijah, Ruggles, and Levi) are not listed in the Ashford, Connecticut vital records except that Levi Carpenter married Hannah Keyes in Ashford, Connecticut.
Sources:
Abbrev: Carpenter, History of the Rehoboth Carpenter Family Title: Carpenter, Amos B., A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family in America brought down from their English ancestor, John Carpenter, 1303, with many biographical notes of descendants and allied families (Amherst, Mass., Press of Carpenter & Morehouse, 1898) Page: p. 235
Abbrev: Paige, Lucius R. - Hardwick, MA Title: Paige, Lucius R., History of Hardwick, Massachusetts with a genealogical register (Boston, Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1883, p. 271.) Page: p. 345
Abbrev: Ruggles, Martha Curtis family Title: Beckwith, Steven T. and H. Allen Curtis, "Martha (Ruggles) Curtis, daughter of Benjamin and Dorothy (Whiting) Ruggles of New Braintree, Massachusetts," NEHGR v. 157, no. 627 (July 2003): pp. 220-228 Page: p. 222
Abbrev: Dudley, Thomas in Royal Families, v. 1 Title: Watson, Marston with Gary Body Roberts, research consultant, Royal Families; Americans of Royal and Noble Ancestry, v.1; Governor Thomas Dudley and descendants through five generations (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical pub. co.,, 2004 (2nd ed.)) Page: p. 93, 324
Abbrev: Barbour VR - East Windsor & Ellington, Connecticut. Title: White, Loraine Cook, Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records; East Windsor 1768-1860; Ellington Part I Vital Records 1786-1850; Ellington Part II -- Marriage Records 1820-1853 (Baltimore, Genealogical Pub. co., 1998) Page: p. 4
Abbrev: Tombstone Title: Tombstone
Abbrev: Vital Records of New Braintree, Massachusetts. Title: Vital Records of New Braintree, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Boston, Massachusetts, NEHGS, 1904) Page: p. 73
Abbrev: Hardwick, Massachusetts VR to 1850 Title: Baldwin, Thomas W., Vital Records of Hardwick, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Boston, Wright and Potter, 1917) Page: p. 152
Abbrev: Woodstock, Connecticut, History of Title: Bowen, Clarence Winthrop, History of Woodstock Connecticut; Genealogies of Woodstock Families (Northwood, Mass, Plimpton press, 1930) Page: p. 171.
Mary Ruggles, b. 1728, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut, d. 27 Dec 1799, Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut.
http://longislandsurnames.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I12679&tree=Carpenter
Children of Joel Carpenter and Mary Ruggles are:
Eli Carpenter, b. 12 Dec 1756, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. Bet. 1807 - 1808, Orford, Grafton County, New Hampshire.
Mary Carpenter, b. 06 May 1758, d. date unknown.
Lucy Carpenter, b. 03 May 1761, d. date unknown.
Elijah Carpenter, b. 09 Aug 1762, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. 05 May 1795, Thompson, Connecticut.
Joel Carpenter, b. 21 Jan 1765, d. date unknown.
Ruggles Carpenter, b. 15 May 1767, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. 18 Sep 1836.
Daniel Carpenter, b. 01 Feb 1769, d. date unknown.
+Levi Carpenter, b. 1772, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. date unknown.
Note: The Hardwick history (Vital Records of Hardwick, Massachusetts, to the year 1850, by Thomas W. Baldwin, 1917) indicated Mary Ruggles was the daughter of Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, born in New Britain, Connecticut, but the MA Vital Records of New Braintree indicates she was Mrs. Mary Ruggles. Further research indicates that the use of Mrs. did not necessarily mean the woman had ever been married.
The book "Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800," written by Frederick W. Bailey in 1897, lists the following marriage:
"Dr. Joel Carpenter of Hardwicke & Mrs. Mary Ruggles, Dec. 9, 1755"
The original text handwritten by Rev. Benjamin Ruggles in the Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, for the town of New Braintree, Worcester County, Massachusetts, is as follows:
"December 9th 1755 then Docter Joel Carpenter of Hardwich and Mrs Mary Ruggles of this District were married by me Mr. Benjamin Ruggles."
The reference to Mary as "Mrs. Ruggles" could imply that she was the widow of a Mr. Ruggles, and thus her maiden name would not have been Ruggles, and the Mary Ruggles who married Dr. Joel Carpenter was not the daughter of Benjamin Ruggles and Dorcas Whiting. However, there are other records on the same page that refer to the bride as Mrs., such as the very next entry:
"April 20th, 1757 then Mr. David ayers and Mrs. Elizabeth Spenny Both of this District were married By me Benja. Ruggles."
Immediately following that entry is the marrige of Rev. Benjamin Ruggles' daughter:
"august 25, 1757 then I married Edward Smith of Hardwich and Dorcas Ruggles of this District."
Further down the same page is the marriage of Martha Ruggles, and on the facing page is the marriage of Simon Ruggles. All of these were children of the Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, most likely including Mary Ruggles.
All the marriages in New Braintree during those years were by Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, and nearly all the entries appear to be in his own hand.
In most entries the names of the groom and bride are written with no indication of Mr or Mrs, but never is there a bride referred to as Miss. The bride is referred to as Mrs only if the groom is first referred to by a title such as Mr or Dr. Thus it appears that the Reverend's wording is inconsistent, his spelling is irregular, punctuation is mostly missing, an his use of the title Mrs is not necessarily meant to indicate that the woman had been previously married.
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Mary Ruggles
Birth: 10 DEC 1728 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Note: One source indicated birth in New Britain.
Death: 27 DEC 1799 in Ellington, Tolland, Connecticut
Burial: Ellington, Tolland, Connecticut - Ellington Center Cemetery
Note: Tombstone reads Mary Carpenter, relict of Doctor Joel Carpenter, died Dec 27, 1799, age 71 years.
New Braintree Vital Records lists CARPENTER, Joel, Dr., of Hardwick, and Mrs. Mary Ruggles, Dec. 9, 1755.*
The * means intention not recorded. (In this case the intention of marriage was not recorded in that town. In many cases the marriage intention was filed in the town of the groom or the bride. Prior to 1850 an intention of marriage in Massachusetts would list the names of both parties, and the date of the intention. If the person was African-American or Indian this may be indicated, if they were someone’s slave they will list the slave owner. But the only other fact you see is the residence of the other person if they were not living in the town the intention was filed at. Only on a rare occasion when the bride or groom is underage is a parent listed giving their permission in the early records.)
Hardwick MA Vital Records to 1850 lists Carpenter, Joel, Dr., and Mary Ruggles of New Braintree, in New Braintree, Dec. 9, 1755. Three children are listed in the Hardwick, Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, Eli born to Dr. Joel and Mary Dec. 12, 1756 and Luce and Mary baptized in Hardwick on 3 May 1761 for Luce and 6 May 1769 for Mary. The latter two did not refer to him as Dr. Joel and Mary, rather Joel and Mary. The latter three children (Elijah, Ruggles, and Levi) are not listed in the Ashford, Connecticut vital records except that Levi Carpenter married Hannah Keyes in Ashford, Connecticut.
Sources:
Abbrev: Carpenter, History of the Rehoboth Carpenter Family Title: Carpenter, Amos B., A Genealogical History of the Rehoboth Branch of the Carpenter Family in America brought down from their English ancestor, John Carpenter, 1303, with many biographical notes of descendants and allied families (Amherst, Mass., Press of Carpenter & Morehouse, 1898) Page: p. 235
Abbrev: Paige, Lucius R. - Hardwick, MA Title: Paige, Lucius R., History of Hardwick, Massachusetts with a genealogical register (Boston, Houghton, Mifflin and Co., 1883, p. 271.) Page: p. 345
Abbrev: Ruggles, Martha Curtis family Title: Beckwith, Steven T. and H. Allen Curtis, "Martha (Ruggles) Curtis, daughter of Benjamin and Dorothy (Whiting) Ruggles of New Braintree, Massachusetts," NEHGR v. 157, no. 627 (July 2003): pp. 220-228 Page: p. 222
Abbrev: Dudley, Thomas in Royal Families, v. 1 Title: Watson, Marston with Gary Body Roberts, research consultant, Royal Families; Americans of Royal and Noble Ancestry, v.1; Governor Thomas Dudley and descendants through five generations (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical pub. co.,, 2004 (2nd ed.)) Page: p. 93, 324
Abbrev: Barbour VR - East Windsor & Ellington, Connecticut. Title: White, Loraine Cook, Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records; East Windsor 1768-1860; Ellington Part I Vital Records 1786-1850; Ellington Part II -- Marriage Records 1820-1853 (Baltimore, Genealogical Pub. co., 1998) Page: p. 4
Abbrev: Tombstone Title: Tombstone
Abbrev: Vital Records of New Braintree, Massachusetts. Title: Vital Records of New Braintree, Massachusetts to the year 1850 (Boston, Massachusetts, NEHGS, 1904) Page: p. 73
Abbrev: Hardwick, Massachusetts VR to 1850 Title: Baldwin, Thomas W., Vital Records of Hardwick, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 (Boston, Wright and Potter, 1917) Page: p. 152
Abbrev: Woodstock, Connecticut, History of Title: Bowen, Clarence Winthrop, History of Woodstock Connecticut; Genealogies of Woodstock Families (Northwood, Mass, Plimpton press, 1930) Page: p. 171.
Mary Ruggles, b. 1728, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut, d. 27 Dec 1799, Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut.
http://longislandsurnames.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I12679&tree=Carpenter
Children of Joel Carpenter and Mary Ruggles are:
Eli Carpenter, b. 12 Dec 1756, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. Bet. 1807 - 1808, Orford, Grafton County, New Hampshire.
Mary Carpenter, b. 06 May 1758, d. date unknown.
Lucy Carpenter, b. 03 May 1761, d. date unknown.
Elijah Carpenter, b. 09 Aug 1762, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. 05 May 1795, Thompson, Connecticut.
Joel Carpenter, b. 21 Jan 1765, d. date unknown.
Ruggles Carpenter, b. 15 May 1767, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. 18 Sep 1836.
Daniel Carpenter, b. 01 Feb 1769, d. date unknown.
+Levi Carpenter, b. 1772, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, d. date unknown.
Events
| Birth | 10 Dec 1728 | Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts |  |  | |
| Marriage | 9 Dec 1755 | New Braintree, Worcester County, Massachusetts - Dr. Joel Carpenter | | | |
| Death | 27 Dec 1799 | Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut | |||
| Alt name | Hannan | ||||
| Burial | Ellington Center Cemetery, Tolland County, Connecticut | | |
Families
| Spouse | Dr. Joel Carpenter (1732 - 1789) |
| Child | Dr. Eli Carpenter (1756 - 1807) |
| Child | Rebecca Carpenter (1757 - 1782) |
| Child | Mary Carpenter (1758 - 1790) |
| Child | Lucy Carpenter ( - ) |
| Child | Elijah Carpenter (1762 - 1795) |
| Child | Joel Carpenter (1765 - ) |
| Child | Dr. Ruggles Carpenter (1767 - 1836) |
| Child | Daniel Carpenter (1769 - 1770) |
| Child | Levi Carpenter (1772 - 1830) |
| Father | Rev. Benjamin Ruggles (1700 - 1782) |
| Mother | Dorcas Whiting (1704 - 1778) |
| Sibling | Benjamin Ruggles Jr. (1726 - 1795) |
| Sibling | Dorcas Ruggles (1731 - ) |
| Sibling | Whiting Ruggles (1733 - 1796) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Ruggles (1735 - 1821) |
| Sibling | Martha Ruggles (1737 - 1826) |
| Sibling | Lucy Ruggles (1740 - 1814) |
| Sibling | Samuel Ruggles (1742 - 1818) |
| Sibling | Joseph Ruggles (1743 - 1815) |
| Sibling | Betsey Ruggles (1745 - 1795) |
| Sibling | Nancy Ruggles (1759 - ) |
Notes
Birth
Town Records for Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, page 80."Mary Ruggles the Daughter of Mr Benjamin Ruggles & of Dorcas his wife was born: Decemr. ye 10th 1728"
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Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915
Mary Ruggles
Daughter
F
Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America
Name Mary Ruggles
Sex Female
Birth Date 10 Dec 1728
Birthplace Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America
Birthplace (Original) Middleboro, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
Father's Name Benjamin Ruggles
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Dorcas
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
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Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001:
Mary Ruggles
Daughter
F
Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
Name Mary Ruggles
Sex Female
Birth Date 16 Dec 1728 (This appears to be a misreading of the earlier record, which has "Decemr. ye 10th 1728".
Birthplace Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
Birthplace (Original) Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Father's Name Benjm. Ruggles
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Dorcas Ruggles
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Page p. 341
Marriage
Joel CarpenterSpouse's Name Mary Ruggles
Marriage Date 9 Dec 1755
Marriage Place New Braintree, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
Event Type Marriage
"December 9th 1755 then Doctor Joel Carpenter of Hardwich and Mrs Mary Ruggles of this District were married by me Mr. Benjamin Ruggles."
Burial
From Connecticut Headstone Inscriptions Vol 14:Mary, relict of Doctor Joel Carpenter, died Dec. 27, 1799, age 71 yrs.
Endnotes
1. "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FHC3-D7V : accessed 28 Oct 2013), Benjamin Ruggles in entry for Mary Ruggles, 10 Dec 1728..
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