BENJAMIN CROCKERS AND THEIR WIVES
By Lt. Col. Stanton Crocker Parker, M.B.A.
Texas Christian University, Forth Worth, Texas
Researchers on the Crocker family are still haunted by footnotes in the Genealogical Notes of
Barnstable, Mass., Families (Amos Otis Papers), revised by C.F. Swift, 1888. Amos Otis' second
thoughts on the Benjamin 4 Crockers have now been proven correct.
The footnote under consideration is the one in Otis, 1:246: In 1747 there were four Benjamin
Crockers, 1, Benjamin, son of Josiah, born in 1692, removed to Ipswich; 2, Benjamin, son of Joseph,
born in 1696; 3, Benjamin, son of Samuel, born in 1711; 4, Benjamin, son of William, born 1720. The
Benjamin, who married in 1747, Bathsheba Hall, is called Jr., and I inferred from the fact, that there
was then an older man of the same name in town, that the one numbered 85, X, was the person
intended. I am now inclined to think that 138, III [misprint, 138, VIII is intended] was the person
intended. An investigation of the wills, which I have not time to do, will settle the question.
It is highly desirable to settle the question and publish the findings, as succeeding generations of
amateur genealogists are continuing to copy Otis' first assumption; many not even reading far enough
to discover the footnote made on page 246 at a later writing. Also, some may prefer to accept the
material in the text rather than that in the far from positive footnote. Unfortunately, in spite of the
footnote statement, an investigation of the wills was not entirely sufficient to settle the question;
however, in conjunction with land deeds and gravestone records, the question can now be answered.
For those who do not have a copy of the Amos Otis Papers available, reference 85, X, states that
Benjamin 4 Crocker (Samuel 3 , Job 2 , William 1 ), born July, 1711, married 1738, Abigail, daughter of
John Jenkins of Falmouth. He married in 1747, Bathsheba, daughter of Dea. Joseph Hall of Yarmouth.
He probably married for his 3 rd wife in 1759 Annie Hardy of Sandwich. He had seven children born in
Barnstable, all of whom, excepting Josiah, were baptized at the West Church. 1, Joseph, April 15,
1748; 2 Benjamin, Sept. 17, 1749; 3, Timothy, Oct. 3, 1751; 4 Abigail, Nov. 91 (sic), 1753; 5,
Bathsheba, Nov. 11, 1755; 6, Peter, Jan. 11, 1758; 7, Josiah, April 17, 1760.
Reference 138, VIII (misprinted in the footnote as 138, III) in Otis 1:246 states that Benjamin 4
Crocker (William 3 , Joseph 2 , William 1 ), born March 20, 1720, married Bathsheba Hall of Yarmouth,
April 1747.
Briefly summarized, Otis is saying that his first thought was that Benjamin 4 who married
Bathsheba Hall and was father of her children was the son of Samuel 3 (Job 2 , William 1 ); and that his
second thought was that the Benjamin 4 who married Bathsheba Hall was the son of William 3 (Joseph 2 ,
William 1 ).
The following evidence will (1) substantiate that Otis' second guess was correct: the husband of
Bathsheba Hall was indeed the Benjamin 4 Crocker born 20 March 1720, son of William 3 ; (2) disprove
that Benjamin 4 born July 1711, son of Samuel 3 , married Bathsheba Hall in addition to Abigail Jenkins
and Annie Handy; and (3) help straighten out the identity of the four Benjamin Crockers of Otis'
footnote and their wives.
Benjamin 4 Crocker (William 3 ), born at Barnstable 20 March 1720, and died there 27 Feb. 1785
in his 65 th year (g.s Marstons Mills), married in Barnstable in April 1747 Bathsheba Hall, born in
Yarmouth, Mass., 5 July 1719, and died 4 July 1808 aged 88 (g.s.), daughter of Dea. Joseph Hall. They
are both buried in the Marstons Mills Cemetery and the stones are side by side between those of their
sons Benjamin 5 and Joseph 5 . The names and dates are clearly legible and can be easily read from
recent (1961) photographs. The age at death of this Benjamin 4 on his gravestone agrees with the birth
date of Benjamin 4 son of William 3 , but not with that of Benjamin 4 , born July 1711, son of Samuel 3 .
The latter died at Sandwich, Mass., about 1774; married (1 st ) 15 May 1738 Abigail Jenkins,
born 27 March 1715, daughter of John and Abigail (Whiston) Jenkins, and (2 nd ) at Sandwich, 27 March
1760 [VR 1720-1812, p. 117; marriage intention published at Barnstable 24 Nov. 1759, Mayflower
Descendant, 25:130] Anna daughter of Isaac Handy. The will of Isaac Handy, dated 19 June 1760,
proved 6 March 1762, names a daughter Anna Crocker [Barnstable Probate 12:283].
On 19 May 1750, Benjamin Crocker and his wife Abigail signed a deed [Plymouth County
Deeds 41:74] relating to land on which they lived in Rochester, Mass., which had come to them
through John Jenkins. Therefore Benjamin 4 (Samuel 3 ), having been married to Abigail Jenkins from 15
May 1738 (date of marriage) to at least 19 May 1750 (date of above deed; Abigail's date of death has
not been found), could not possibly have been the Benjamin who married Bathsheba Hall in 1747.
The children of Benjamin 4 (William 3 ) are shown in Barnstable Vital Records as children of
Benjamin Crocker, Jr., and Bathsheba his wife. The designation 'junior' was apparently used to
distinguish him from the other Benjamin, he being the younger of that name then living in Barnstable.
The other two Benjamins mentioned in Otis' footnote appear to be clearly identified as shown
by the following data.
Benjamin 4 Crocker (Joseph 3 , John 2 , William 1 ) is shown correctly in Otis 1:222 under number 74
as marrying Priscilla Hall. He was born at Barnstable 5 April 1696 and died there 28 June 1757 in his
62 nd year (Barnstable Epitaphs). He married at Barnstable 17 Sept. 1719 Priscilla Hall (Barnstable
Vital Records), born 28 March 1693, died 19 Dec. 1779 in her 87 th year, Wid of Capt Benjamin (g.s.,
Marstons Mills Cemetery), daughter of Dea. Joseph and Hannah (Miller) Hall. The will of this
Benjamin Crocker, dated 12 July 1756 (the year before his death), names his wife Priscilla.
The remaining Benjamin mentioned in Otis' footnote 1:246 is Benjamin 3 (Josiah 2 , William 1 ),
born at Barnstable 26 Sept. 1692 and died at Ipswich, Mass., 9 April 1767 in his 75 th year. He married
(1) Mary Whipple, (2) Experience Coolidge, and (3) Elizabeth Williams.
The compiler is deeply grateful to Mr. William A. Walter of Independence, Missouri, for his
kindness in reading and concurring with these deductions. Because Mr. Walter has the largest
collection of information on the Crocker-Crooker families in the United States, he may well be
considered a final authority on most genealogical questions relating to these families in this country