When Robert Pratt married Rebecca Watson by licence in 1791 (in Lambeth), the witnesses were Edward and Elizabeth Myall. When Edward Myall had married Elizabeth Mather four years earlier (in Stepney), Rebecca Watson had been one of the witnesses. Given that Rebecca's mother (another Rebecca)'s maiden name was Mather, it seems reasonable to assume that Rebecca (daughter) and Elizabeth were related, probably as cousins. Both Edward Myall and Rebecca's father were shipwrights.
The most likely father to Elizabeth is Thomas Mather, who mentioned all his sisters in his will of 1767, including 'Becky Watson', the younger Rebecca's mother. He named no brothers, which suggests that his only known brother, Robert, had died; and gave most of his money to his wife, Margaret, as long as she 'maintains my children'. There were, therefore, at least two children, but he doesn't name them. I can only find the baptism of one: Frances in 1765 (in Stepney).
On her marriage licence, Elizabeth Watson is 'over twenty-one' giving a birth date of about 1766. There is a baptism for an Elizabeth at this time, to a John Mather (whose wife was also Margaret), but he had other children after 1767 and I am convinced that Elizabeth must be one of the children Thomas mentioned in his will (but didn't name).
Can anyone find the baptism? I haven't found his marriage to Margaret, but he wrote the will in Mar 1766 when he was about to set off as commander of the 'Pitt/Bill of London' to Virginia, so presumably Elizabeth was born before that. He was born in Newcastle in 1736 and then came to London, so the marriage could have been anywhere.
Richard
Added later: the marriage may be the one in Plymouth in 1761 between Thomas Mather and Margaret Natt as he is described as a Master of the ship Pelican.
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Topic: Who is Elizabeth Mather? (Read 380 times)