Mary Fay

• Death Notes
  • d. aft 2 Aug. 1676

• General Notes
  • Mary was the daughter of Thomas and Mercy (Hurd) Brigham; born probably in Cambridge, Mass., about 1638; died in Watertown, in 1676; married John Fay, the emigrant, who settled in Marlboro, Mass., and died 5 May, 1690, age 50.   Mary was the first Brigham born in America, and as such deserves special mention. Paige, in his History of Cambridge (pp. 501-2), a most thorough and painstaking work, chronicles that 'Mary went to Sudbury and Marlboro with her mother, brothers and sister, when her father died, where she married John Fay of Marlboro.' And he cites evidence, as already indicated by a legal document (Mid. Prob. Recs., vii. 9), wherein, joining with other complainants, John Fay and Samuel Fay, children of Mary Fay of Marlboro, and heirs of Thomas Brigham, late of Cambridge began suit September 28, 1695, to recover certain lands in the possession of Samuel Hastings, who possessed also the Puritan Brigham homestead. John Fay Sr.'s wife was Mary, and there was no other Fay in Marlboro at that time of suitable age to be the father of said John, Jr., and Samuel Fay, parties to said suit. Paige was undoubtedly correct, and we must include in our genealogy of the Brighams the children of John and Samuel Fay, sons of Mary (Brigham) Fay. Both of them had large families, among them being sons who became the heads of numerous branches (see Fay Family). There was also a daughter, Mary Fay, who married Jonathan3 Brigham, her cousin, and a son of Thomas2 Brigham; they had 10 children, thus starting several male lines of Brighams. Hudson, in his Hist. of Marlboro, does not conflict with Paige's position; and he adds that John Fay retired (with most other Marlboroites), during King Philip's War, to Watertown, where he buried his wife Mary and a young son David, just coming five years.   John Fay, the husband of Mary Brigham, came to America when he was eight years of age. No mention is made of his parents. He is found in Marlboro as early as 1669. He married (2) Susanna, daughter of William Shattuck of Watertown and widow of Joseph Morse. As will be seen, she married for her third husband, Thomas2 Brigham. [Brigham (1907) p. 63]