Frederick Fulkerson (1759-1824) and Elizabeth Pottinger

Frederick Fulkerson (1759-1824) is one of my wife's fifth great grandfathers.

The phrase "Frederick married to Elizabeth POTTINGER (in 1799) and several others" appears in a handful of places on the internet. And countless other people have copied the facts of a 1799 marriage, and additional unnamed wives. Inevitably, with a few exceptions, five children are attributed to Frederick and Elizabeth, all with dates of birth prior to 1799.

I have a difficult time imagining the logical processes of a family historian who notes Frederick had multiple wives, married one of these wives in 1799, and then assumes that this wife is the mother of Frederick's five children, all born prior to their marriage.

It's certainly possible the 1799 date for the marriage is wrong. If it were wrong by 10 years, that is if the correct marriage year was 1789, that would help with two of the five (three if we allow for a January marriage while Elizabeth was in her final month of pregnancy. That type of thing did happen.) My wife's ancestor, Richard Fulkerson, was the one born January 29, 1789.

Allegedly. I haven't seen the records from which any of the dates involved are taken.
I have not recorded Elizabeth Pottinger as my wife's fifth great grandmother.

I suggest anyone reading this who have Frederick and Elizabeth in their database as ancestors should put a huge question mark beside Elizabeth's name in their notes. Unless they have records to back it up. In which case, please contact me.