Notes for Mary Norman Spinney:
There is good evidence that Mary Spinney is not a natural daughter of
Thomas Spinney. She was probably the offspring from a
bigamous marriage between Margery Randall and a William
Norman. Their marriage was annulled after it was
discovered that Norman was not divorced from his wife in
England (NEHGR, 65:Jan 1911:85).
William Norman, pretending that he had been divorced,
contracted a bigamous marriage with Margery Randall.
Norman was found out and the marriage was legally
annulled, but not before the birth of a daughter Mary who
married John Fernald (GenDictionary of Maine and NH, p. 512).
In early times Thomas Spinney came to Chaleur Bay near the Gaspe, now Canada
and later went 'Piscataqua Colony' (in Captain Fernald's ship) at Strawberry Banks,
now known as Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He settled at old Kittery, now known as
Elliot, Maine. No recordings were kept at kittery until 1650. that year Spinney married
Margery Randall who had been the wife of William Horman, but when their daughter
was born it was learned he had a wife and family back in England. He was whipped
and banished, Margery had the marriage annuled and when she married Thomas the
baby became known as Mary Spinney. The Spinneys were to have five more children
of their own, Hannah, Samuel, James, Thomas and John.