I have mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) results for my father’s direct maternal line. I have gotten as far as Catherine Morehouse b. 22 Jun 1691 in Boston who m. Samuel Allen on 20 Aug 1707 in Westerly, Rhode Island. Their daughter, Catherine Allen, was b. in Westerly in 1711.

I thought that her parents were MARY HILL and THOMAS MOREHOUSE . . . . . that is what is found again and again on posted online trees. However – I suspect that there has been an error made and some assumptions made for which there is no evidence. To begin with I suspect that there was more than one Thomas Morehouse. And for another, as Christina Schaefer pointed out that the record of Mary Hill, daughter of Eliphalet and Ann, is an erroneous record . . . . her name was Mary Hitt (or Hett) who was b. 1 Apr 1670 in Boston.

But to get to the Mary who DID marry Thomas Morehouse (she m2 Joseph Sturgis): There is a gravestone in the Old Burying Ground in Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut for Mary Sturgis, widow of Joseph, who was b. ca 1669 (she d. in the 77th year of her age) and d. 9 July 1746. There is also a gravestone for Joseph Sturgis who was b. ca 1653 (he d. in the 75th year of his age) and d. 12 May 1728.

There is no photograph of Mary Sturges’ gravestone so I cannot confirm that the stone itself gives her maiden name as Sherwood but whoever has posted the information to the findagrave website has inserted Sherwood.

There was an inventory of Thomas Morehouse’s estate on 12 Mar. 1706: Mary Sturges, who was his widow, to have dower, 1 Mar. 1708; distribution to children ordered. John Morehouse appointed guardian 1708 for THOMAS and MARY; Sergt. Matthew Sherwood for JOHN and REBECCA. Distribution 14 Feb. 1719/20; sons Thomas and John; receipts from the daus.

The Fairfield birth records (Barbour Collection) shows only these four children for Thomas Morehouse and his wife, Mary – these are the same four named in Thomas Morehouse’s estate distribution (above):
1)       Rebeckah Morehouse b. 26 Apr 1693
2)       Thomas Morehouse b. 18 Nov 1695
3)       Mary Morehouse b. 30 Jun 1696
4)       John Morehouse b. 20 Sep 1698

Notice that Catherine Morehouse is NOT mentioned either in birth records nor in Thomas' estate settlement!

Later: Thomas Morehouse, eldest son, John Morehouse, and Joseph Booth in right of wife Rebecca, children of Thomas Morehouse, acknowledged receipt, 7 Feb. 1722/3, of the dower of their mother Mrs. Mary Sturgis. The next day, Joseph Sturges and Mary his wife conveyed to Joseph Booth of Stratfield land formerly belonging to the Est. of Thomas Morehouse, former husband of Mary.

Apparently there is a court record in which Catherine Allen of Westerly conveyed on 15 Jul 1717 to brother, Thomas Morehouse, of Westerly . . . . . this is an abstracted record and so I do not know (yet) the details.

However, there is no evidence that this Catherine Allen (my ancestor) and her brother, Thomas Morehouse, both of Westerly, Rhode Island were of the same family that left records and gravestones in Fairfield, Connecticut!