The Anne Parker – Anne Stephens Controversy

Paul Noyes analysis regarding the Anne Parker - Anne Stephens controversy:

In her will, Anne NOYES names only the youngest NOYES children, including James and Nicholas. This "division of interests" suggests that William may have had an earlier wife who was mother of the older boys who were born ca. 1596-1600. Although Anne PARKER was of a suitable age to have been mother to all the known children, Ann STEPHENS, could possibly have been the first wife as suggested in a newspaper clipping attached to one of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society lending library Noyes Genealogy books. It would be interesting to pursue this possibility since the newspaper clipping update speaks only to updated "proof" that Ann STEPHENS was wife to William NOYES as opposed to specifically saying she was mother to James and Nicholas. Neither is there source material included in the newspaper article.

Additionally "Ould Newbury" by John J. Currier, published in Boston by Damrell and Upham in 1896, says "Rev. William Noyes married Anne Stephens, daughter of Nicholas Stephens, Esq. of Burdop Manor, in Wiltshire, England. Again, there is no reference saying that Ann Stephens was the mother of the younger children including James and Nicholas, only that their father, William, had married Anne Stephens, thus establishing a familial connection with the Rev. Thomas Parker who married Anne Stephens' sister Dorothy.

It is curious that Ann named only the youngest Noyes children in her will, while eldest child Ephraim named only his brother John and the children of deceased brother Nathan. Widows had much more latitude in choosing legatees than their husbands did, yet it is unusual that Ann bothered to make token bequests to children in New England while ignoring children relatively nearby. This division of interests suggests that Ann may have been mother of the youngest children and that William had an earlier wife who was mother of the older boys. Despite Walter Goodwin Davis' "The Ancestry of Abel Lunt" (Portland, Me., 1963), pp.71-78 willingness to accept multiple wives for Rev. William, no other evidence supports this interpretation, and Ann was of a suitable age to have been mother to all the known children.

Rev. Cotton MATHER, pastor of the North Church in Boston, wrote to Rev. Nicholas NOYES of Salem requesting more information on Rev. Thomas PARKER of Newbury. Rev. NOYES was a grandson of Rev. William NOYES of Cholderton, by Rev. James NOYES. Rev. N. NOYES replied to Rev. MATHER with the following information: "Mr. James NOYES was born, 1608, at Cholderton in Wiltshire, of godly and worthy parents. His father [Rev. William] was minister of that same town, a very learned man, the school master of Mr. Thomas PARKER. His mother was sister to the learned Mr. Robert PARKER, and he [James] had much of his education and tutorage under Mr. Thomas PARKER." This contemporary reference by a grandson would seem to support the contention that the mother of James and Nicholas was indeed Anne PARKER as opposed to Ann STEPHENS.

Savage also notes that "This s. [Thomas PARKER] serv. short time at the altar in Newbury, Eng. and came in the Mary and John, May 1634, with his neph. Rev. James Noyes, ...." This reference to Rev. James NOYES as the nephew of Thomas PARKER also is supportive of the Anne PARKER theory.