Madness Monday: The Tilley Family of Durham and Barrington, N.H.

I briefly wrote about the mysterious Sedeny Tilley, who is the second wife of my ancestor Samuel⁴ (William^3-2 George¹) Wallis.  In addition to their marriage record, I discovered this deed.  On 1 January 1793, Sidna Wallace of Barrington widow, for 60 pounds sold to Thomas Glass of Nottingham, land in Barrington, 35 acres 1/2 lot formerly owned by Samuel Tilley of Barrington.  She signed by mark as "Sibna Wallace".  [rec. 2 May 1793, Strafford Co. Deeds 15:518].  So the three times her name appears in records it is Sedeny, Sidna or Sibna.  I'm guessing this is a variant of Sabena.

She is the presumed daughter of Samuel and Jane (---) Tilley who were living in Durham, N.H.  There is only one deed (no grantee at all) for this man: Samuel Tilley of Durham, collier, dated 7 June 1738 where he sells his proprietors share of Canterbury to a Prendergast of Portsmouth.  His wife Jane releases dower on the deed.  [NHPD 24:526].  Somewhere there is a Tilley family where the son Samuel is given the genealogists death knell of "no further records."  Well, I know where he went.  Or he is a 18th century immigrant through Portsmouth.  All we can say is that out of nowhere there is this Tilley family in Strafford County, N.H. 

Comments

[Heather Rojo]

I don't know if this is a clue or not, but there was a Hugh Tilley in Yarmouth, Massachusetts with a son Samuel, and daughter Deborah. His wife, Rose, remarried to a Thomas Huckins in 1648. I know there are Huckins in Rockingham County, but are they the same family or not?

[Martin Hollick]

I noticed that too. They seem to go by two surnames Hillier alias Tilley. They must be hell to research!