I discussed the wife of Thomas Crail a couple of days ago. I decided to offer a little more depth today. Some family trees have her listed as Elizabeth Ann Wilson, others as Jane Wilson, Elizabeth Ann "Jane" Wilson, or Jane Elizabeth Wilson.
Four options are given for her father: Nathaniel Michael Wilson, Nathaniel Wilson, James Wilson or unknown Wilson.
Nathaniel Michael Wilson was born in Massachusetts in 1653 and died there in 1721. There is no evidence that he left home for Pennsylvania to have a daughter there. Considering most sources, all undocumented, give Mrs. Crail's birth year as 1724, Nathaniel Michael is ruled out by being deceased at the time.
Nathaniel Michael did have a son, James, by his 2nd wife. James was born in 1696. He was of the right age to have a daughter in 1724, but, again, nothing suggests he migrated to Pennsylvania.
A few trees show this James as being born in New Jersey in 1697. That would be close enough to Chester or Delaware Co., PA to be the father.
Some of the trees offer an alternative father, James Wilson, b. c1700, with no further details.
In several of the Nathaniel trees, his mother and grandmother have the same name, Hannah Craft or Crafts. Possible, but unlikely!
Lacking any documentation that suggests a Wilson from MA moved to PA and fathered a daughter named Elizabeth, Jane, etc., I believe the Nathaniel Wilson line can be removed from Mrs. Crail.
Based on the migratory patterns of the late 17th & early 18th centuries, I would tend to think Wilson was a native of Virginia, Maryland or Pennsylvania. Some New England families did move to NY, NJ & PA, but that tended to include a move farther West [western PA or OH.]
Now what was Mrs. Crail's given name? Elizabeth Ann, Jane, Jane Elizabeth? Jane was not a common nickname for Elizabeth or Ann to the best of my knowledge. I figure "Jane" was added to Elizabeth Ann to cover bases.
Since no evidence has yet to surface identifying Mrs. Crail's name, it is all conjecture at this point.
For now, I'm reasonably comfortably with Jane, daughter of James Wilson, marrying Thomas Crail.
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