Samuel Waterman 1666-1718 and Mercy Ransome d. 1697 of Plymouth, Mass.

Samuel Waterman was born 16 October 1666 at Plymouth, Mass., the son of Robert and Ann (Sturtevant) Waterman. I wrote about Robert and Ann here. Samuel is my 8^th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family.

On 26 July 1692 at Taunton, Bristol Co., Mass., Samuel married Mercy Ransome. I have not found Mercy’s birth, but I believe she was the daughter of Robert Ransome. Her first name is also seen as Marsey and Marcy.

On 14 March, 1688/9, "John Doten of Plimouth ..... Planter", for £3, 10s., sold to "Samuel Waterman of Marshfeild .... all that Tract of prsell of meadow land which lyeth on the Northwest or westrly side of the Meadow which John Waterman bought of Major Bradford Sittuate in .... Plimouth & is in Estemation about three acres. “ The deed was signed by a mark.  The witnesses were Nathaniel Thomas, Jr. and Edward Gray.

On 14 March, 1688/9, John Doten acknowledged the deed "And Elizabeth his wife acknowlegd her Consent to the sale", before Nathaniel Thomas, Justice of the Peace, and Nathaniel Thomas, Clerk of the Peace.

The deed was recorded 1 April, 1689.

Mercy and Samuel had two daughters:

Annah born 7 December 1693 at Plymouth

Mary (unrecorded) who was born before 3 August 1697, the date her mother Mercy died at Plymouth. Author and Mayflower expert Susan Roser found Mary’s name in the division of Samuel Waterman’s estate, dated 24 December 1718, which mentions Anne and Mary Waterman, daughters by his “first wife.” (Plymouth Co. Probate Records, 5:153)

I descend from Mary who married Nathaniel Cobb.

Samuel married, 2^nd, Bethiah, by September 1703. I have seen her maiden name as Lucas and Bryant, but no primary sources.  

They had three children recorded at Plymouth:

Samuel b. 23 Sept. 1703

John born 12 January 1704

Hannah born 13 March 1705/6

I have also seen an Elizabeth attributed to them, but not certain. 

Samuel and Mercy’s gravestones and burial location have not survived, but Bethiah died in 1727 and is buried at Old Cemetery, Plympton.

source: Findagrave.com

HERE LYES YE BODY
OF BETHIA WATERMAN,
WIFE OF SAMUEL
WATERMAN, WHO DEC'd
JAN. 22d,
1726/27 IN
YE 59th YEAR
OF HER AGE