52 Ancestors Challenge Week 30: "Teams" - Writing with Cousin Mary

Recently, my Cousin Mary and I have committed to work together to contribute a column about genealogy research to a family newsletter, called The Raynor Shine, put out by the Raynor Family Association. Mary and I are 6th cousins once removed. Our common ancestors are descendants of Edward Raynor (1624 - 1685).

Edward Raynor set sail for the New World from Ipswich, England in April of 1634 aboard a ship called the Elizabeth. He was just 10 years old at the time. Orphaned, he came to the New World with his uncle, Thurston Raynor and his wife, Elizabeth, and their 5 children; Thurston, Joseph, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Lidia. There was another minor traveling with this family, Elizabeth Kemball of whom I know nothing. There were other Kemball families aboard the same ship but Elizabeth (age 13) is listed as a ward of Thurston Raynor the elder.

The Raynors first settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, then Wethersfield and Stamford, Connecticut before heading to Hempstead, Long Island, New York in 1644. Edward is noted as one of the original settlers of Hempstead. He was a large landowner, credited with settling the area now known as the Village of Freeport in Nassau County in 1659. At one time the area was known as Raynortown. He died in about December 1685 or January 1686

Cousin Mary and my most recent common ancestors are Jacob Raynor (unknown - March 1829) and his wife Rebecca Raynor-Raynor (June 10, 1769 - February 14, 1855). That's right Raynor-Raynor. Enter endogamy; the custom or constraint of marrying within the limits of a local community, clan, or tribe. Rebecca was a Raynor who married a Raynor. Aside from spouses, I am unsure of the relationship between Jacob and Rebecca but they were likely cousins of some ilk. The Raynors were a big Long Island family. We aren't exactly sure who Jacob's parents were but Rebecca was the great-great granddaughter of the aforementioned Edward Raynor.

Mary and I have teamed up on many occasions to research potential parents for Jacob. It's so hard to sort out when the region was so densely populated with Raynors. And Jacob is not exactly a unique first name. There were dozens of Jacob Raynors in the area of relatively the same age. And to date, no other Raynor family researcher has been able to show me a source stating my Jacob's parentage. Oh sure there are trees out there naming his parents but are they documented? NO. And to some extent I'd be okay with that if the tree maker told me their source. Did grandma tell you that? Did you read it in some book? Just tell me where ya got that from but NOoooo.

So I am hoping Mary and I can use our column to help our Raynor cousins to do some quality research and share their sources. I am looking forward to the experience of co-authoring with one of my favorite genealogical finds; Cousin Mary.