35 million Americans claim descent from Mayflower Pilgrims
even though just 51 survived that first year.
On July 11, 1666, Alice’s youngest daughter, Damaris Bishop, married William Sutton (born 1641 in Scituate, Plymouth). Their children were Alice (born May 13, 1668), Thomas (born Nov 11, 1669) and Marah (October 4, 1671).
I cannot find out what happened to Abigail. It’s a little heartbreaking that a young girl who watched both of her parents die (just as her mother had) simply disappears from the historical record. Abigail would have been the one child old enough to remember her mother fully, perhaps in even happier times. But there is no mention of Abigail Clark past the events surrounding AMB’s execution. One genealogist claims she died at five years old (before Martha’s murder) with no proof to back it up . Another claims she lived until 1687…again with no records.
We do know that Abigail’s stepfather, Richard Bishop, chose not to take care of her past 1648. Perhaps, she had already been placed in a home as a servant. The Plymouth courts did authorize one John Churchill to dispose of the Clark-Martin home and land and for the benefits to be given to Abigail and this is the last reliable record I believe we have of her (PCR II). But I often wonder about the stigma Abigail faced (as well as compassion received) as the daughter of the infamous murderess.
Richard Bishop does not fare well historically and maybe he was of questionable character before his wife became homicidal. We do know that just six months after his wife’s execution, Bishop pled guilty to stealing the spade of Andrew Ring, sat in the stocks for it and ordered to replace his neighbor’s tool (PCR II: 137). He would go on to have further theft charges against him until he finally settled with his daughter, Damaris Bishop Sutton, in New Jersey.
