Who is Molly Pegan? (Part 2)

Molly Pegan is my sixth great grandmother and a source of much controversy in my small Nipmuc community.  Some of us believe her to be Nipmuc, especially since her maiden name is Pegan - a known Nipmuc name. Others (including nameless BIA researchers) don't think she is Nipmuc and that the name is simply coincidence. Now her last name is not the only reason folks believe she was Nipmuc but you can read my previous post for more information on that here.

Molly is our tribal brick wall. We have no documentation on who her parents were. Her granddaughter identified her as a Dudley Indian (Dudley Indians are a band or subset of Nipmuc Indians) slightly more than 100 years after Molly's alleged birth. But why take the granddaughter's word for it? I created a research plan to try and crack this brick wall in my previous Molly post. Here's an update on my progress:

Before I move on to records that I haven't researched yet, I want to review the ones I've already read through. I can't help but think I'm missing a clue. Molly's Revolutionary War widow's pension file is full of detail on Molly's life. Perhaps reviewing the file here will lead to a new clue. Page 33 of the file is a favorite of mine so I'll start there. (Yes, I know it would be more orderly to start at page one. But this is my quest!)

I have a paper copy from the National Archive but this .jpg is from Fold3.com. It's the deposition of Sarah Howe Warren, the granddaughter of Rev. Aaron Brown's wife, Damaris Cady Howe Brown. Sarah lived in her grandparents' home during Molly's teenage years. Below is the transcribed document.

           “I Sarah Warren of Killingly in the County of Windham

           and State of Connecticut aged 73 years & able

           & duly sworn according to law. do testify & say

            that the Rev’d Aaron Brown formerly a Minister in

            said Killingly, was my Grandfather & I was

            frequently at his house & I lived [crossed out word] at

            his house when young & went to school. He

            brought up a coloured [sic] Girl named

            Molly Piggen who I knew very well. when

            Molly was about 18 years old she was courted

            by a black man from Thompson and

            my Grandfather was opposed to having

            Molly marry him & he by means of a ladder

            used to visit her unbeknown to most of

            the family. & it was said in the time

            of it that he married her & went to live with

            him, in Thompson. I well remember I

            was there and enquired [sic] for Molly & was told {by my grandmother}She

            had married a negro & gone off To Thompson.

                 After Molly had her first child she

            made a visit to my Grandfather Browns where

            she was brought up & I was there & saw her &

            her child, & remember of asking to hold the

            child & it was put into my arms & I held it

                 I was not at the wedding & did not

            see them married, but have no doubt of

            the fact.       according to recollection Mollys

            husbands name was Pollock.           Sarah Warren

      State of Connecticut Windham p Killingly. March 12” 1838 then

      Personally appeared Sarah Warren signer of the above deposition

      & made solemn oath to the truth of the same. And I

      further Certify the deponent is a person of Credibility & from

      personal knowledge of the [?] truth & veracity

              Before Simon Davis Justice of the Peace”

_________________________________________________________
So, what clues are in this document?
1. Molly was not raised by her parents.
2. Molly was raised by Rev. Aaron Brown of Killingly, CT.
3.Molly's race is referred to as "coloured".
4. Molly's husband's race is called "Black" and "Negro".
5. Molly was 18 when she married.
6. She moved to Thompson (CT) after she married.
7. Rev. Brown was opposed to the union.
8. Molly had more than one child.
9. Her husband's surname was Pollock.
10. A wedding did take place.

I am curious about a couple of things. Sarah specifically states that her grandfather raised Molly. She doesn't include her grandmother in the "raising" of Molly. Also, why was the Rev. opposed to the marriage? Molly was already 18. And, of course, why wasn't Molly with her family? Were they deceased? Was she indentured? Taken from her Native family to be raised "properly"? Also, why the distinction between coloured, Black and Negro?

Until next time-
Aquene!