To those who have listed as wife of this Cornelius, Distemper Gripp(e), I offer the very REAL possibility that this was the condition he DIED from, not the name of his spouse. I have found it as his wife's name in MANY sources, only to also find that those dying in 1714 Influenza epidemic (as he did), were often listed as dying of distemper or gripp(e). These are two names commonly associated with the flu, especially in early days. The "coincidence" that he died from the afflictions that would somehow match his wife's name is a bit preposterous.

I'd be curious to the "original" documentation proving this to be his wife's name.

Who would be so cruel as to NAME their daughter after two diseases of the time? Was there, somewhere, an indication that "his wife killed him", and then, that associated with his dying of "distemper or ye ..." in his brother's diary, then somehow combined to come up with this as a name for his spouse?

I'm just a bit surprised this has not already been thoroughly disproved over the course of time, and wonder how so many would still list this "woman" as wife of Cornelius Hand. Perhaps he never married... but if he did, I have SERIOUS issues believing he married a woman named DISTEMPER Gripp!

Most sincerely,

Jared "Jed" Handspicker
Nashua, NH, USA