Staggs Family History

My ancestors in the United States

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    Mary Oldham (1686-1775)

    BIRTH: 1 APR 1686, Scituate, Massachusetts, USA
    DEATH: 2 AUG 1775, Pembroke, Massachusetts, USA
    FATHER: Thomas Oldham (1660-1733)
    MOTHER: Mercy Sprout (1662-1728)
    SPOUSE: John Bisbee (1690-1773)

    When Mary Oldham was born on April 1, 1686, in Scituate, Massachusetts, her father, Thomas, was 25, and her mother, Mercy, was 23. She married John Bisbee on January 31, 1710, in her hometown. They had seven children in 15 years. She died on August 2, 1775, in Pembroke, Massachusetts, having lived a long life of 89 years.

    Her story

    Mary Oldham was born on April 1, 1686, in Scituate, a coastal town in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Thomas Oldham and Mary Wetherell—though some records suggest her mother may have been Mercy Sprout, reflecting the ambiguity often found in 17th-century documentation. Raised in a community shaped by Puritan values and maritime trade, Mary grew up during a time of expanding settlement and evolving colonial identity.

    Record of the marriage of Mary Oldham and John Bisbee in the Scituate, Massachusetts Town Records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths.

    On January 31, 1711, Mary married John Bisbee Jr., a fellow Scituate resident. Their union marked the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership. Together, they had seven children: Martha, Ruth, John III, Jonah, Gideon, Elizabeth, and Mary. These children would go on to establish families of their own, contributing to the growth of the Bisbee name in southeastern Massachusetts.

    Mary’s life was rooted in the rhythms of colonial New England—raising children, managing household affairs, and participating in the tightly knit community of Scituate and later Pembroke. Her husband John was active in local affairs and lived until 1773. Mary, listed as his widow in probate records, appears to have survived him by two years, dying in August 1775 at the age of 89. This longevity was remarkable for the era and suggests a life of resilience and stability. Her burial is believed to be in Pembroke, Massachusetts, where many of her descendants remained.

    Mary Oldham Bisbee’s life spanned nearly nine decades of colonial transformation—from the aftermath of King Philip’s War through the stirrings of revolution. Her descendants carried forward her legacy, and her name endures in genealogical records that continue to illuminate the lives of early American families.

    Legacy of Mary Oldham

    Parents

    Father: Thomas Oldham (1660-1733)

    Mother: Mercy Sprout (1662-1728)

    Married

    Married John Bisbee (1690-1773) on January 31, 1711, in Scituate, Massachusetts.

    Children

    • Martha Bisbee (1712-1714)
    • John Bisbee III (1714-1773) married Abiah Bonney (1712-1749)
    • Ruth Bisbee (1714-1754) married Job Bonney (1709-1773)
    • Jonah Bisbee (1717-1799) married Ruth Bryant (1714-1777)
    • Gideon Bisbee (1719-1760) married Rebecca Turner (1723-1797)
    • Elizabeth Bisbee (1720-1801)
    • Mary Bisbee (1727-1814) married Mathew Whiton (1718-1811)

    Documents

    • Birth Records
    • Marriage records
    • Death records
      • The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847-2011 > Name: Widow Mary Bisbee; Event Type: Death; Death Date: Aug 1775; Death Place: USA; Page number: 36; Volume Number: 136
    • Other
      • American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) > Name: Mary Oldham; Birth Date: 1680-1689; Birth Place: Massachusetts, USA; Volume: 127; Page number: 293; Reference: A Genealogical Dict. of the First Settlers of New England, Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692. By James Savage. Boston. 1861. (4v.)V.3:308 Gen. Column of the “Boston Transcript” 1906-1941.

    Relation of Mary Oldham to Steven Barry Staggs: 8th great-grandmother

    Page last updated November 29, 2025

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