Munnings (mtDNA)

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Status summary

Completed as of February 12, 2026:

  • Recruiting matrilineal (direct female-line) descendants of Elizabeth MUNNINGS Sturgis for mtDNA testing - anyone interested in submitting their DNA for testing should contact MayflowerDNA1620@gmail.com

Biography

For more information see: White, Elizabeth Pearson, John Howland of the Mayflower, volume 2 (son John Howland), Picton Press, Camden, ME. 1993

First Generation

There is much uncertainty regarding the early generations of the matrilineal family. Targeted mtDNA testing would help settle some of the questions.

For more information about the identification of Elizabeth, wife of Edward Sturgis, see "Elizabeth Sturgis of Watertown, Massachusetts" in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register 174:36-39.

Elizabeth, wife of Edward Sturgis was likely the daughter of George Munnings and Elizabeth Groome of Watertown and Boston. She was said to be aged 12 on the passenger list for the Elizabeth dated 30 Apr 1634, so she was undoubtedly the Elizabeth Munnings baptized at Rattlesden, Suffolk, England 27 Jan 1621/2. Elizabeth and Edward were married by about 1639 (birth of first child) and she died sometime before Apr 1692 when her widow filed marriage intentions to Mary, widow of Zachariah Rider of Yarmouth.[1] Elizabeth and Edward had the following children: Edward (c1639, m. Temperance Gorham), Samuel (c1641, m. Mary Hedges), Mary (bp Barnstable 1646), Elizabeth (Yarmouth 1648), Joseph (bur 1650 aged about 10 days) and Thomas (c1656). They may have also been the parents of Hannah and Sarah.[2] It may be possible to prove or disprove whether these last two were children of Elizabeth and Edward by extensive mtDNA testing matrilineal descendants of known daughters of this couple with matrilineal descendants of Hannah and Sarah.

Second Generation

Mary Sturgis was baptized Barnstable 1 Jun 1646 and died there 5 Mar 1712. She is said to have married Yarmouth 1666 Elisha Hedge and they had seven children: William (1669), Mary (uncertain, 1671), John (1673), Samuel (1675), Mercy (1680), Susanna (1682) and Thomas (bef 1700).

Elizabeth Sturgis was born Yarmouth 20 Apr 1648. She is said to have married by 1682 William Hedge (II), brother to Mary Sturgis' wife, but proof to the identity of both Sturgis' wives is lacking. They had at least three children (Bristol, MA [now in Rhode Island]): Elizabeth (1682-1682), John (1682-1687) and Elizabeth (1687).

Hannah Sturgis was born about 1654 and died Harwich 17 Oct 1736. She married twice, first about 1670 John Gray and second about 1676 Jabez Gorham. By her first husband she had one child: John. By her second husband she had eleven more children: Hannah (1677-1682), Elizabeth (c1680), Samuel (1682-1753), Jabez (1683/4), Shubael (1686-1734 s.p.), Isaac (1689), John (1690-1717), Joseph (1692), Hannah (1693/4 d.y.), Benjamin (1695) and Thomas (1701 d.y.)

Sarah, wife of Joseph Gorham (married prob. Yarmouth bef. 1678) may have been a daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Sturgis. Sarah and Joseph had eight children (Yarmouth): Sarah (1678/9), Joseph (1681), Samuel (1682), John (1683/4 d.y.), Desire (1685), Isaac (1687-1714 s.p.), Hezekiah (1689-1714 s.p.) and Josiah (1692).

Third Generation

Mary Hedge was born prob. Yarmouth in Mar 1671 and died there around 6 Aug 1727. She married twice, first Yarmouth 25 Feb 1691 (Deacon) Josiah Thacher, then Yarmouth 29 Jul 1708 Zachariah Paddock. By her first husband she had five children: Anthony (1691, unm.), Elisha (1698), Mary (1700), Josiah (1701) and Rebecca. By her second husband she had two more children: Hannah (1709) and Anthony (1711, unm.)

Mercy Hedge was born Yarmouth in Sep 1680 and died aft 18 Oct 1715, but before 13 Feb 1729/30. She married bef 1699 Edward Denison and they had: Edward (Stonington, CT 1699 d.y.), John (Stonington, CT 1701), Elisha (Stonington, CT 1703 d.y.), Mary (Westerly, RI 1705), Desire (c1727) and Abby.

Susanna Hedge was born Yarmouth 16 Dec 1682 and died there 24 Jan 1755. She married Yarmouth 22 May 1701 Amos Howes and they had five children (Yarmouth): Mercy (1702 unk. if marr.), Elisha (1704), Amos (1706), Lemuel (1711) and Stephen (1713).


Elizabeth Hedge was born Bristol (then part of Massachusetts, now part of Rhode Island) 5 May 1687. She married Newport, RI 22 Jun 1708 Samuel Gorham but they had no children.


Elizabeth Gorham was born Bristol (now in RI) abt 1680 and died Yarmouth 11 Apr 1746. She married twice, first probably Bristol abt 1700 William Downs and second, Yarmouth about 1710 Samuel Baxter. By her first husband Elizabeth had three children (Bristol): Edward (1701), William (1703) and Samuel (1705). By her second husband she had three more children (Yarmouth): Thankful (1711/2), Richard (1713) and Hannah (1720 d.y.)


Sarah Gorham was born Yarmouth 16 Jan 1678 and died there 9 Sep 1705.. She married Yarmouth 20 Apr 1699 (as his first wife) Ebenezer Howes and they had five children (Yarmouth): Thomas (twin, 1699/1700), Sarah (twin, 1699/1700), Elizabeth (bp 1701), infant son (1704-1704) and Ebenezer (1705).

Desire Gorham was born Yarmouth Apr 1685 and died there 23 Jun 1746. She married Yarmouth 11 Jun 1706 John Baxter and they had twelve children (Yarmouth): Elizabeth (1706/7), Sarah (1708), Jane "Jeney" (1710), Temperance (1712), John (1714), Joseph (1715/6), Isaac (1717/8), Hezekiah (1720), Desire (1722-1722), Samuel (1722/3 n.f.r.), Thomas (1724/5 n.f.r.) and Shubael (1726).

Fourth Generation

Mary Thacher was born Yarmouth about 1700 and died Norwalk, CT before 25 Jul 1761 when her estate was administered by her son Isaac. She married Yarmouth 17 Sep 1719 Joshua Sears and they had nine children (first seven at Harwich, now Brewster, last two at Norwalk, CT): Josiah (1720), Nathaniel (1722), Joshua (1724), Nathaniel (1726), Mary (1728 m. ___ Ketchum), Isaac (1730), Phebe (1731 m Seeley Squires & Thaddeus Hubbell), John (1735) and Anthony (1737).

Rebecca Thacher was born Yarmouth about 1700 and died in Boston. She married John Paddock, but it is currently unknown whether they had any children.

There is quite a bit of uncertainty regarding Hannah Paddock. It appears she was born Yarmouth about Aug 1709 and died 3 Feb 1781. She married 23 Feb 1728/9 David Howes and they had eight children (Yarmouth): Jonathan (1729), Thankful (1731 m. ___ Taylor), David (1735), Nathan (1738), Anthony (1744), Joshua (1746), Levi (1749) and Desire (1752 m. James Clark).

Mary Denison was born Westerly, RI or Stonington, CT in 1705 and died 3 Aug 1742. She married Westerly or Stonington 22 Jun 1724 Benjamin Billings. They had four children (born Westerly but recorded at Stonington): Desire (1726), Benjamin (1728), Mary (1732) and Ruhama (c1735).

Desire Denison was born Westerly, RI in 1707 or later. She died Colchester, CT abt 1740. She married Stonington, CT 11 Nov 1736 Jabez Smith and they had at least two children (Groton, CT): Desire/Keziah (1737 m. David Denison) and Priscilla (1740).

Abbie Denison married Andrew Galloway. No further information.


Elizabeth Baxter was born Yarmouth 2 Jan 1706/7. She married Yarmouth about 1726 William Downs (III) and they had twelve children (Yarmouth): Elizabeth (1727 m John Robbins), Desire (1728 m Prince Bearse), Barnabas (1730), Thankful (1732 m Benjamin Baker & Timothy Hope), Mary (1734), Jabez (1735/6), infant daughter (1737-1737), Sarah (1738 m Elijah Seaver), William (1740), Isaac (1742), Lydia (1743/4) and Benjamin (1749).

Sarah Baxter was born Yarmouth 28 Oct 1708. She married twice, first Yarmouth 20 Apr 1732 Gershom Cobb (no children) and second Yarmouth 23 Oct 1739 Benjamin Gorham. By her second husband she had one child (Barnstable): Samuel (1740).

Jane "Jeney" Baxter was born Yarmouth 5 Nov 1710 and died there 26 Feb 1768. She married Yarmouth 11 Apr 1734 (as his first wife) (Capt.) Richard Baxter and they had nine children (Yarmouth): Thankful (1734/5), Shubael (1736 d.y.), Hannah (1738-1740), Richard (1742), Desire (1744), John (1745/6), Prince (1748), Thomas (1750) and Jene (1756).

Temperance Baxter was born Yarmouth 14 Aug 1712 and died Harwich before 5 Nov 1789.[3] She mmarried twice, first Yarmouth 25 Feb 1730/1 Samuel Downs and second Harwich 30 Dec 1754 Nathaniel Howes (no children). By her first husband she had eight children: Hannah (1732), Nathaniel (1734), Temperance (c1736 m Jeremiah O'Killey), Samuel (1739), Shubael (1741), Jane (c1743), Jonathan (c1745) and Baxter (c1747).

Thankful Baxter was born Yarmouth 29 Jan 1711/2 and died Barnstable 9 Apr 1786. She married three times, first Yarmouth 11 Feb 1730/1 Thomas Thacher, second, Yarmouth 28 Jan 1747/8 (Capt.) Samuel Lumbert and third, Barnstable 19 Feb 1761 (as his second wife) John Hinckley (II). Thankful only had children by her first husband (Thacher, born Yarmouth): Lydia (1736-1736), Thomas (1740 d.y.), Elizabeth (1741/2 m Thomas Palmer) and Thankful (1744).


Sarah Howes was born Yarmouth 22 Jan 16991700 and died probably Chatham (now East Hampton), CT after 1748. She married Yarmouth 26 May 1720 Ebenezer Sears and they had fourteen children (Yarmouth) Sarah (1720/1 m James Higgins & Thomas Mayo), Desire (1722-1723), Ebenezer (1723), Desire (1725 m John Markham), Hezekiah (1727-1727), Hezekiah (1728), Thomas (1731), Betsy "Bette" (1733 m William Norcott [IV]), Dinah (1735 m Moses Kellogg), Mercy (1737/8 m Thomas Shepard), Hannah (1739-1742), Ann (1741-1741), infant son (1743-1743) and Paul (1744).

Elizabeth Howes was born Yarmouth 28 Sep 1701 and died there 7 Mar 1791. She married Yarmouth 10 Jan 1726/7 Joseph Crosby and they had seven children (Yarmouth): Elizabeth (1728 m Rowland Sears & John Hall), Rebeckah (1730 m David Hall), Sarah (1734), infant (1737-1737), Joseph (1737/8), Miller (1742) and Ebenezer (1744/5).


  1. ↑ It is possible Elizabeth's death date was around 14 Feb 1691.
  2. ↑ Some sources give another daughter Alice, but it is likely she never existed.
  3. ↑ Son appointed administrator of her estate.

DNA results TBD

To date, we know of no matrilineal (all female line) descendants of Elizabeth HINCKLEY Sturgis, who has taken a mtDNA test (and publicly posted their results). Anyone who believes they are a matrilineal descendant (ie mother's mother's mother's etc.) is encouraged to contact MayflowerDNA1620@gmail.com.

External resources and references

  • White, Elizabeth Pearson, John Howland of the Mayflower, volume 1 (daughter Desire), Picton Press, Camden, ME. 1990.
  • White, Elizabeth Pearson, John Howland of the Mayflower, volume 2 (son John Howland), Picton Press, Camden, ME. 1993.
  • Sturgis III, Samuel Paine, "Elizabeth Sturgis of Watertown, Massachusetts", New England Historical and Genealogical Register 174:36-39.
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