The English ancestry of Reinold and Matthew Marvin of Hartford, Ct ...

Reinold and Matthew Marvin 9
The allusion in the following Will to the maker's " cousin
Barbara" seems to require notice, because of the use of the
word cousin, which at that period sometimes signified niece.
If it be held that this is its meaning here, and the reference
be to Reinold's daughter Barbara (I have found no other
Barbara), it would indicate that the writer was the brother,
not the nephew, of Reinold. It is evident from the latter's
Will (see p. 79) that his brothers survived him, and it has
been stated (p. 73) that possibly John was younger ; even if
that John was born as early as 15 10, as we have conjectured,
he would have been only sixty years old, if living, when this
Will was drawn.
But I do not think "cousin" means "niece" in this in-
stance : if the writer was the brother of Reinold and Thomas,
then Roger and Margaret, whom he calls his brother and
sister, held the same relation to them ; but neither they, nor
Elizabeth Hayle (35) who was evidently a sister of the writer,
nor their children, are mentioned by Reinold or Thomas,
although each of these names his two brothers and sister
Christian, given on p. 39, and refers to their children : on
the other hand this John does not mention either Reinold,
Thomas, Christian, or their children. This silence — it can-
not be intentional neglect— in the three Wills is significant.
It is further evident from the terms of the Will below, and
its provisions for the bringing up of the children, that both
the boys were then quite young, as their guardian was to
have "alowde him £$ And xs. to each of them yearly," until
they were fourteen ;
his " cousin " Barbara was then married
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