In 1719 Joseph was engaged to Mary Pierce and they had an illegitimate son (Joseph) 4 mos. later. The record shows no mother's name at the time of his birth. She didn't keep the child with her. She then had another illegitimate child in 1725 and then married that baby's father. Joseph didn't marry until after she married someone else. Was he hoping she would have a change of heart and marry him all that time?

Some genealogies show an Elizabeth Grover as his wife, but there is no Elizabeth Grover in the Woburn records. Some also show another marriage to Mary Grover, too (giving him a total of 4 wives). A Joseph Whittemore, born 1705, married Mary Grover in 1730. They went to Canada.

Thee is confusion about which of his wives were the mothers of which children.

“I have not found the marriage in Woburn although in the time that it should have taken place parts of the pages are missing and perhaps were missing in the 1850 when the transcription was made. There is no birth for an Abigail born to a Joseph Whitmore in Woburn either.”231