I tried to send one message in response to your question, but I cannot discern whether it was received and placed. Therefore, I will try again. I have a copy of "The Life and Family of John
Bean of
Exeter" by Bernie
Bean, in which it is noted John
Bean, who is buried in the Curch Yard of Congregational Church in
Exeter, was married twice. His first wife,
Hannah Lissen from
Scotland, he married 4-18-1654. If you know anything about a strong bit of
MacBean (
Robinson also) DNA, you probably will not be surprised to know John
Bean did not have to serve his indentureship to its fullest because he fell in love with the sawmill-owner's daughter and married her. After she died during childbirth and some time before 11-15-1660, he married a woman named Margaret, whose maiden name is unknown and who died in 1714. The family generally agrees she probably was an indentured orphan from
Scotland. By 1660, she was free, 19 years old, and ripe for the pickin,' as they say. According to Bernie
Bean, John
Bean sired 12 children, the first three by
Hannah and the rest by Margaret. Bernie
Bean is adamant in his description of Margaret
Bean as the noblest, first, and foremost queen in the house of
MacBean and that she held the title gaining much esteem. However, he does mention a family tradition that John
Bean originally came to
America with a bride of a only few months, who died during the journey and was buried at sea, but he cites the research of a Dr. Ames in 1906, who reported in the "
Essex Antiquarian" that year that the story was unfounded. (I have a huge quotation regarding both sides of this story, but it is too long to write here. However, he does indicate, the rumored wife's name was Mary, who bore a daughter named Mary. I would be very happy to make a copy of Bernie Bean's account and send it to you if you like.) Apparently, John
MacBean came to this country aboard the "Sarah and John," which carried only POWs (no wives whatsoever), either alone or, as some believe, with two brothers or some friends, one of whom had the last name Gordon. As you may know, astronaut Alan
Bean, who walked on the moon in 1969, traveled there with an astronaut also with the last name Gordon. It would be quite interesting and awesome if some connection could be made there.