Since writing the message below I have been able to consult "Hinckleys of Maine" by Marlene Alma Hinkley Groves, and see that she does indeed cite Shubael (she spells it Shubeal) as the father of Mercy Nancy. She lists Lydia Bangs, Mary Snow and Elizabeth Whitford as wives of a Shubael a generation earlier (uncle to the one I am concerned with), and Mary Smith, Elizabeth Worster and Sarah Young as wives of Shubael, son of Mary Freeman and Samuel. She states that Mercy (or Mary) b. Oct 7, 1734 is a child of the first wife, Mary Smith. She does not cite a source for this relationship. Is anyone else familiar with this book who can give me an opinion on its accuracy and reliability? I have the Brewster pink book on fifth generation descendants through daughter Patience, so I am confident in the data for these first five generations. The book even lists both Seth and Shubael in generation six as sons of Mary Freeman and husband Samuel Hinckley, but does not name wives or children for either of them. Thus my problem is confined to this sixth generation. I have also seen citations referencing a book titled, "The Ancestry of Mercy Hinckley (1734-1814), wife of Benjamin Whitney in Maine," by Hugh A Johnson, published privately in Alaska in 1990. I presume this book addresses the issue, but I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy yet. NEHGS has it but not available for loan. Is anyone familiar with THIS book, who could give me an idea if it would help me with this question? Any suggestions as to where I could look for primary records or reliable secondary sources? I've already written to the Vital Records Offices in Brunswick and Lisbon, ME, but have come up empty so far. Are vital records from this time period archived or transcribed somewhere else? I appreciate the wisdom and experience represented on this list and hope there is someone out there with an answer or some clues to help me on my quest. Thanks! Mimi *************** (original message sent Dec 12-02) I am trying to document a Mayflower line from William Brewster, and have run into a snag with the Hinckleys. Can anyone here help me clear this up? This is the line I thought I had and have been trying to document: William Brewster, Mayflower passenger Thomas Prence m. Patience Brewster, Edmond Freeman m. Mercy Prence, Sarah Mayo m. John Freeman, Samuel Hinckley m. Mary Freeman, Seth Hinckley m. Thankful Atwood, Mercy Nancy Hinckley m. Benjamin Whitney, Isabella Whitney m. Increase Blethen, Sarah Blethen m. Thaddeus Richardson, Mary Jane Richardson m. Jacob Johnson Barker, had George, who had Miles, who had Lynn, who had Milton, who had me. But now I have heard from someone that "You do not have the correct order and the right people in your list. It should be: Thomas Prence and Patience Brewster Mercy Prence and John Freeman Edmond Freeman and Sarah Mayo Mary Freeman and Samuel Hinckley Shubeal Hinckley and Mary Smith Mercy Nancy Hinckley and Benjamin Whitney Isabella Whitney and Increase Blethen" This writer later named his source for this info as "a book in the Mayflower Library: "Hinckleys of Maine" by Marlene Alma Hinkley Groves Penobscot Press information is found on page 20 & 21 about Shubeal and Mary Smith pages 30 and 31 for Mary Mercy Hinckley and Benjamin Whitney" So were Mercy Nancy Hinckley's parents not Seth and Thankful Atwood Hinckley, but Shubael and Mary Smith Hinckley? Shubael and Seth are brothers and thus both Mayflower descendants, but I need to know which was the father of my Mercy Nancy who married Benjamin Whitney. When I raised the question on a Hinckley list, I found out that "the Mayflower Ancestral Index (1981) shows that the parents of Mercy Hinckley (17346) and Benj. Whitney are Shubael Hickley (17367) and Sarah Young not Mary Smith. Mary was married to another Shubael Hinckley(17366). Other numbers : Patience Brewster - 4708 Mercy Prence - 27345 Edmond Freeman - 13160 Mary Freeman - 13335" I have heard that the Mayflower Society will no longer accept this index as proof of lineage, and I don't have access to the other book cited to verify that info, or what sources it uses. Can anyone help, or point me to a reliable source which might help? Thanks