Dear Group, and especially Bonnie W. and Todd H. who have been so gracious in writing me off-list. Gracious is the right word. You both believe my source erred in the contention that it was Ruth HAWKINS, not HOPKINS who in 1731 Scituate RI married Nathaniel WADE. I think you both wanted to spare me some embarrassment and therefore wrote off-list. Thank you! And thank you for your many helpful comments! The force of your convictions almost made me change my tree ! In my most recent prior post I asked if anyone had access to the "Old Book" Scituate RI Vol I and cited the page and an appendix. I didn't realize at the time that the "Appendix No." did not have anything to do with the original entry, but instead referred to a photocopy of that record in an appendix in the Schultz volume on the Wades which I now have before me. As this information is in conflict with a lot of established writing (Arnold's VR and Early Hopkins Marriages ) on the subject, I thought I should address this to the entire group. There is no doubt whatsoever that the original script quite clearly has Nathaniel Wade's wife's name spelled with a 'w' and not a 'p' There is no rounded form preceding the 'k' at all, no descending line for a lower case 'p' -- instead there is a clearly formed 'w' which matches the lower case 'w's elsewhere in the same hand. (It is true that the name appears to be spelled more like "Howkins" than "Hawkins.") As Hopkins is the same name as that of the Justice of the Peace, Stephen Hopkins, who performed the marriage, and as a Susanna Hopkins is in the very next marriage entry, these multiple occurrances of the Hopkins name in close proximity lead me to believe that Ruth HAWKINS' name was accidently transcribed incorrectly as Hopkins in secondary sources. Ruth (HAWKINS) Wade herself was married secondly to Zebedee HOPKINS in 1758, resulting in her appearing as "Ruth Hopkins" in her mother's will. I may be able to make a scan of this entry, but I am not sure if the quality of the image in the book, an old fashioned 2nd generation photocopy, will be clear enough. If you would like to see what kind of a scan I can produce, please let me know off list. [Bonnie and Todd, you will be sent a copy, of course]. I invite anyone with access to the Vol I Scituate RI records to take a look for yourselves. "Scituate June the 26th 1731---- [illegible in image] Nathaniel Wade and Ruth Howkins both Refients of this town of Scituate were Lawfully married to Each other by me-- Stephen Hopkins, Justice P-- "Recorded by me Jofeph Browne Town Clerk---" [from "Old Book" Vol I:14 Scituate RI records] Bonnie Oakland, California