The Tuttles in Carrington History - Part 3

Sorry...I simply can't resist continuing this saga. Where were we...Oh yes, my 8th great grandfather, John Tuttle had all of these siblings. There definitely were some problems. Today I'll related some of the life of his sister Elizabeth. Again, I have much more information about this subject and will be glad to relate it to interested readers. Just let me know!

Elizabeth was born 1645 in New Haven and married Richard Edwards in 1667. Again quoting my websource, "The branch of the Tuttle family from which Elizabeth Tuttle came, was erratic to the degree of insanity. Mrs. Richard Edwards'(Elizabeth) brother was found guilty of slaying his sister and executed and another sister was found guilty of killing her own son. I'll try write about that later.

Elizabeth early on showed sins of an impetuous nature. Her husband Richard learned that he was not the father of the first child, Mary and he filed a petition to divorce her. Some of this document is a bit confusing but it looks like her father, William Tuttle brought up the child. Richard lived with Elizabeth eight or nine years when she 'obstinately refused conjugal communion with him, and deserted his bed; and her conduct was so intolerable that by advice, he traveled abroad, hoping by his absence she would relent. On his return, for a while, she behaved herself, but soon, in answer to some question, she said she had committed folly with another man, whome she named, and he renounced her as a wife. She has caused him intolerable and insupportable afflictions. She is guilty of adultery and he prays a release."

Edward's plea for divorce was denied despite the fact that Elizabeth's two eldest children by Edwards, Timothy and Abigail, testified against her. Two years later Richard made a second plea. by then he was calling himself an attorney, though he was self taught. He needed to be free to marry Mary Talcott, "with whom he had lain already." In fact this Mary had been fined for formication with him.

On top of that Mercy Brown, Elizabeth's sister, had killed her son the previous spring and her brother Benjamin had murdered Sarah, and it became clear that Elizabeth was not in her right mind and often "threatened to murder her husband while he was asleep". Edwards was granted the divorce and eventually married Mary Talcott, with whom he had six children.

There is no record of Elizabeth ever marrying again nor was the date of her death recorded. She may have been leading a marginal existence by the time she died. It is possible that she committed suicide. Suicide was a grave sin in those times.

Elizabeth was the ancestor of a family that included Jonathan Edwards and Aaron Burr. Her son Timothy, wrote a colorful description of his father Richard Edwards at the time of his death. Richard and Elizabeth had 7 children. I wonder if the Mary Edwards, b. 1668 is the child that William cared for.

Their son Timothy and wife Esther Stoddard were the parents of Jonatha Edwards. I'll need to write tomorrow about this famous relative.