Mary Wier - wife of Robert Flack of New Britain

There is some dispute about who exactly Robert Flack married. Was it Mary Wier - or was it Margaret Wilson?

The dispute seems to eminate from the following Church marriage records:-

ABINGTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Marriages, 1716 - 1821: Montgomery County, PA.
1768, May 17, Flact, Robert, and Mary Wier.
1770, Oct. 4, Flack, Robert, and Margaret Wilson.

I have reproduced below (from Rootsweb) the 'will' of ANN WIER who was Mary Wier's sister - and in it you will see that she specifically names Mary as wife of Robert Flack of New Britain, and names some of their children too.

Its true that Margaret Wilson is also 'named' as Roberts wife By James Flack (the family 'Historian') when he did some of his early research for the Flack Family Reunion. All I can comment here is that I'm sure he didnt have the wealth of information at his fingertips that we do now - and he probably just used the church records above. But I hope you will agree that the 'Will' of Ann Wier is a much more positive indication of who Roberts real wife actually was.

Its actually also worth noting that one of Roberts sons was Thomas Wier Flack - and that one of the witnesses at the 'proving' of Roberts own 'Will' was John Wier (Marys brother).

The 'Will' of ANNE Wier (d:1802) is reproduced below:-

March 19th AD 1800
I Anne Wier, of the township of Warrington, County of Bucks, & State of Penns do make this my last Will of Testament in manner following, viz: commending my soul to God, in whose mercy I trust, & my body (when dead) to the disposal of my Executor, I dispose of my estate (the proper object of a will) as follows:
To Hannah Jones who now lives with me, I bequeath, (besides sundry bedding & other articles already given, or hereafter to be given to her by me) one cover lid, one sheet & one ??ift, at her choice, of those to be belonging; also one callico gown which was bought for her but made up for me; one striped cotton ditto; one blue quilted petticoat; all my pewter, consisting of two dishes & siz plates, & twenty five pounds specie in money to be paid at the decease of my brother John Wier herein-after mentioned with interest from ? after my decease. But if the said Hannah Jones die without leaving lawful issue, before the decease of my said brother, this legacy in money shall lapse, & pass to the then surviving children of my sister Jane Kelso deceased, to be divided among them, share and share alike.
To my sister, Mary Flack, wife of Robert Flack, of New Britain, I give my velvet & silk clokes.
To Anne, daughter of the said Mary Flack, I give my six silver teaspoons.
To Anne Forsythe, daughter of my said sister Jane, I give my bed curtains.
To my said brother John Wier, I give my case of Drawers & kitchen furniture; also to the said John Wier I devise, for the term of his natural life only, he committing now as to thereon, my Messuage & lands herein after described. This devise & bequest to my said brother John, to be in full consideration of his commissions, as my Executor & of the payment (which I charge him with) of my funeral expences, legal debts & other costs of administration.
To Thomas Wier Flack, son of my said sister Mary Flack, & to his heirs & ossigns(?), I devise my said Messuage & two contiguous tracts of land, situated in the said Township of Warrington, bounded by lands of Henry Wireman, said John Wier, & of my brother Robert Wier, containing, in the whole, one hundred, forty three acres & three quarters of an acre of land be the same more on less, to hold the said Messuage & described tracts of land, to the said Thomas Wier Flack, his heirs & assigns, from & after the decease of my said brother John, & thence forth forever subject nevertheless, to the payment of the said legacy in money, in time & manner aforesaid. But if the said Thomas Wier Flack shall die, before my said Brother John, without leaving lawful issue, then I empower the eldest son then surviving, of either of my said sisters, to sell at public vendue for the best price that can be obtained, my said Messuage & tracts of land, & good title or titles, in fee, to the purchaser, or purchasers thereof, to ma? & deliver, & out of the monies arising from such sale, after deducting necessary expences to pay the said legacy of twenty five pounds, with interest & divide the rest equally among all the then surviving children of my said Sisters Jane Kelso & Mary Flack. But before my said Nephew proceeds to make sale as aforesaid, he shall give sufficient security if required, to the other parties interested, for the due execution of the trust, & if he cannot or will not give such security, if required, his powers shall be transferred to any other of my said sisters Children, who can give the proper security, with preference to males & to age.
The residue of my body linnen, wearing apparel, bed, bedding & other personal property to be divided into three equal shares, whereof, one to be given to Mary, the wife of my said brother Robert Wier, one to my said Sister Mary Flack, & one to the surviving daughters of my said sister Jane Kelso --
I appoint my said brother John Wier, whole & Sole Executor, of this my last Will & Testament, authorizing him to do in my name & behalf, whatever to the Office & duty of an Executor pertaineth. Lastly, I hereby revoke all other Will or Wills by me heretofore made, & declare this & this only to be my last Will & Testament.
Anne Wier + her mark
Signed sealed & pronounced by the Testatrix Anne Wier as her last Will & Testament in presence of us: John Jones Jun, Henry Wierman, Nathl Irwin
--proven by John Jones & Henry Wireman May 10th--1802

Mary Wier - Mary Wier's Personal Data Page