John Ayer, Jr., of Haverhill

Not the same as Captain John Ayres of Ipswich

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ayers-390

"John Ayer, [2nd, son of John Ayer Sr. (c 1582 - 1657) and Hannah (Unknown)]. He was born in England in 1623 and died after 1700. Married first time May 5 1646 Sarah, daughter of John Williams. Married second time March 26 1663 Mary, daughter of John Wooddam.

""In 1645 he was one of Haverhill's thirty two land owners and in 1650 his property was valued at 80. His name repeatedly appears in Haverhill records in connection with lands and in 1660 he built a new house. He was a famous hunter and trapper and his skill and sagacity in woodcraft equalled that of the Indians with whom he was in constant rivalry that not infrequently it amounted to an open warfare.

"About 1665 a serious trouble with the natives obliged him in order to save his life to remove secretly and without his family to Connecticut where he settled in what is now known as Ayers Gap, in the vicinity of Franklin, where he lived by himself pursuing his favorite vocation and many traditions of his adventures with Indians and wild beasts form the theme of stories related of him by his posterity. These tales delineate him as a man of great endurance, heroic fortitude, and striking eccentricities.

"Just before his death his son Joseph joined his father in Connecticut bringing with him his children Joseph and Timothy. Their descendants still remain in Franklin.

"Their children were all born at Haverhill Mass:

• 1. John Unmarried Died in 1683
• 2. Zecheriah
• 3. Nathaniel Married Ann Swann daughter of Robert Swann
• 4. Joseph Married in 1686 Sarah Corliss daughter of George Corliss He removed before 1707 to Ipswich Mass
• 5. Sarah
• 6. Samuel[1]

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https://minerdescent.com/2012/04/10/john-ayre/

John’s first wife Sarah Williams was born 1628. Her parents were John WILLIAMS and Jane GOULD.. Sarah died in 25 Jul 1662 Haverhill, Essex, Mass.
John’s second wife Mary Wooddam was born 1634 in Salisbury, Essex, Mass. Mary was living in 1694 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass.
John was a farmer. He received his fathers estate. He lived in Haverhill, Massachusetts until 1679, when he moved to Ipswich, Massachusetts.
He took the oath of freeman in Ipswich November 4, 1645. He could write and in 1658 was constable of Haverhill, serving on the trial jury in 1652, 1657, 1664, 1665 and 1666; and on the grand jury in 1663.
John and Sarah conveyed to his brother Obadiah their interest in a dwelling, barn and 8 acres May 18, 1659.
He took the oath of Allegiance and Fidelity in Haverhill. Nov. 1677. He with his brothers Peter and Nathaniel, sons of John deceased, quit claimed land in Dec, 1692, in Salisbury, to one Abram Clements, his mother, Hannah, also signed the deed so he was living then.

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"John Ayer. He was born in England in 1623 and died after 1700. Married first time May 5 1646 Sarah, daughter of John Williams. Married second time March 26 1663 Mary, daughter of John Wooddam.

In 1645 he was one of Haverhill's thirty two land owners and in 1650 his property was valued at 80. His name repeatedly appears in Haverhill records in connection with lands and in 1660 he built a new house. He was a famous hunter and trapper and his skill and sagacity in woodcraft equalled that of the Indians with whom he was in constant rivalry that not infrequently it amounted to an open warfare.

About 1665 a serious trouble with the natives obliged him in order to save his life to remove secretly and without his family to Connecticut where he settled in what is now known as Ayers Gap, in the vicinity of Franklin, where he lived by himself pursuing his favorite vocation and many traditions of his adventures with Indians and wild beasts form the theme of stories related of him by his posterity. These tales delineate him as a man of great endurance, heroic fortitude, and striking eccentricities.

Just before his death his son Joseph joined his father in Connecticut bringing with him his children Joseph and Timothy. Their descendants still remain in Franklin.

Their children were all born at Haverhill Mass:

   - John Unmarried Died in 1683 

   - Zecheriah 

   - Nathaniel Married Ann Swann daughter of Robert Swann 

   - Joseph Married in 1686 Sarah Corliss daughter of George Corliss He removed before 1707 to Ipswich Mass 

   - Sarah 

   -Samuel[1] 

From Find a Grave contributor:

John Ayres arrived at Ipswich, Mass. by 1643. He was granted land at Quaboag Plantation (later Brookfield, Mass.) in 1660, where he moved by 1665 locating on the Town Road across from the Meeting House (now Foster Hill) with his wife Susannah [Symonds] and eight children. His house also served as a Tavern where he was licensed to sell wine. He was associated with Capt. John Pynchon's grist mill from the construction on Mill Brook in 1669 (now Sucker Brook in West Brookfield, off Wickaboag Valley Road, now Pynchon's Grist Mill Preserve) and was the miller from 1672 until the mill was burned by the Indians in 1675. In 1673 he signed the petition for the incorporation of Quaboag to become the Town of Brookefield. First Sergeant Ayres and two of his militia men (Prichard and Coy) joined Captains Hutchinson and Wheeler with troops to negotiate a Treaty of Peace with the Nipmuck Indians. They were ambushed about 10 miles north of Brookfield, claiming the lives of Ayres, Coy and Prichard along with five of the troops, in the battle known as Wheeler's Surprise (now in New Braintree, Mass.). For three days, the surviving troops and 63 Brookfield citizens with stood a siege in the Ayres Fortified Tavern. On Aug. 4th, Major Willard with 26 soldiers arrived to drive off the savages. The Ayres family returned to Ipswich. John Ayres' Monument at Brookfield was erected on Foster Hill Road in 1963 by Col. Fairfax Ayres, a descendant.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119113993/john-ayres