John Ayer of Haverhill

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53294269/john-ayer

John Ayer, Sr.
Also Known As:	"John Eyre", "John Ayers", "John Ayres", "Ayers", "Eyre", "John Ayer or Eyre"
Birthdate:	September 02, 1582
Birthplace:	Ipswich, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom
Death:	March 31, 1657 (74) Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, British Colonial America
Place of Burial:	Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts, British Colonial America
Immediate Family:	Husband of Hannah Ayer Father of John Ayer, Jr., of Haverhill; Sarah Ayers; Joannah Ayers Barker; Sgt. Robert Ayer; Thomas Ayers and 8 others
Occupation:	Well to do grocer family. On June 3, 1635, he set sail for New Wold with Family-on ship called James. As approached New England, hurricane hit; they were forced to land at coast of modern day NHampton, NH. On 12/25/1650, he was assigned land grant #52

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Immediate Family

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53294269/john-ayer

Hannah Ayer

wife
John Ayer, Jr., of Haverhill

son
Sarah Ayers

daughter
Joannah Ayers Barker

daughter
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99846134/robert-ayer

Sgt. Robert Ayer

son
Thomas Ayers

son
Rebecca Keyser

daughter
Cornet Peter Ayer

son
Obadiah Ayers, Sr.

son
Mary Parker, Salem Witch Trials

daughter
Nathaniel Ayer

son
Hannah Webster

daughter

About John Ayer of Haverhill

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*Find a Grave: John Ayer Sr.

John Ayer (1582–1657) was one of the original European settlers to Massachusetts, settling in Ipswich, Haverhill, and Salisbury.

John's last name back in the 1500-1600's was spelt 'Eyre', but modern spelling is now 'Ayer'. He came by sailing ship 'James' in 1635/37 from Salisbury, England. He was in Salisbury in 1640. He was in Haverhill, Essex, MA. with his wife & nine children where he is counted as one of the landholders of the town.

John married Hannah (perhaps her name was Evered ALS Webb). Their children as named in his will:

John
Nathaniel
Hannah (married Stephen Webster)
Rebecca
Mary
Obadiah
Robert
Thomas
Peter

Original Probated Will of John Eyer 1656

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ayer-35

Disputed Origin

According to The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640 the parents and origins of this person are not known.[1]

Disputed Parents

It has been supposed that John Ayer was the son of Thomas Eyre, esq. of Salisbury, co. Wilts. (d. 1628), MP for Salisbury and Elizabeth Rogers of Poole, co. Dorset. However, their son John, baptized on 20 September 1582 at St. Thomas in Salisbury, co. Wilts,[2] could have been the John Ayer buried there in 1599.[3] This is almost certainly the case, as the 1613 Herald's Visitation includes this family, but does not name John. John is also not mentioned in the wills of his proposed English brothers.

"Eyre," in Vis. of Wilts., 1623.
"Eyre," in Vis. of Wilts., 1623.

"There are found two different English ancestry theories of this family. One, in the New England Heritage, that they came from Ayer/Eyer family of Bronham Parish, Wiltshire;[4] the second, in the Descendants of Steven Lincoln, that he came from the Eyer family of Poole. The New England Heritage information is much more detailed and is thus used."[5]

Capt John1 Ayers, son of Thomas Eyre (Ayer) and Elizabeth Rogers, (#6908) was born in Salisbury, Wilt, ENG 2 Sep 1582.(1) could this be 2 Sept 1582 as AIS says or 1587 as Rhonda McClure says ??? [6]

A Robert Ayer and Cicely Ayer had a son John but no sources have been provided to connect the two men. -- disconnected

Wikipedia
The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts: With Some Related ... By David Webster Hoyt. Page 35

From The Pioneers of Massachusetts: A Descriptive List, Drawn from Records of the ... By Charles Henry Pope. Page 25:

AYER, AYERS, EYRE ...

JOHN, Salisbury 1640, had Hannah, b. 21 Dec. 1644, rem. to Ipswich 1646, Haverhill 1647, there d. 31 Mar. 1657. His will of 12 Mar. pro. 6 Oct. foll. names w. Hannah, ch. John; Nathaniel; Hannah, wh. m. 24 Mar. 1663, Stephen Webster; Rebecca; Mary; Obadiah; Robert; Thomas; and Peter.

JOHN, Haverhill, s. of the preced. b. in Eng. m. May 1646, Sarah, d. of John Williams of the same, and next, after 1659, Susanna,d. of Mark Symonds of Ipswich, and rem. to Brookfield as one of its first sett. there k. by the Ind. when they destroy. the town, 3 Aug. 1675. He kept the inn, and his ch. were (beside Sarah) Samuel, John, Thomas, Joseph, Mark, Nathaniel, and Edward; of wh. some liv. at B. after its renova.

Probated Will

Massachusetts, U.S., Wills and Probate Records
Name John Eyer
Residence Date Abt 1656
Residence Place Haverhill
Will Date 12 Mar 1656
Probate Date 12 Mar 1656
Probate Place Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Inferred Death Year 1656
Inferred Death Place Massachusetts, USA
Household members
Name Age
John Eyer
Hannah Eyer wife
Children
John Eyer
Mary Eyer
Rebecka Eyer
Adadiah Eyer
Nathaniel Eyer
Peter Eyer
Robert Eyer
Thomas Eyer
Hannah Eye

Original Probated Will of John Eyer 1656

From John Ayre l - Miner Descent

John Ayers’ Will

The last will and Testament of John Eyers ye Elder of Haverhill made ye twelfe of March one thousand six hundred fifty six: fifty seaven:

ist ffirst I giue vnto my Sonne John Eyers my dwelling house and house Lott, butt my wyfe to haue the [my] house and Archyard & the psture of English grass by the barne, and the leantoo att the South end of ye barne and to haue livertie in ye Same Nue barne to lay in such hay or corne as shee shall haue occasion to make vse of duering the tyme of hir Naturall life and att hir death to returne to my Sonne Jno Eyers, and duering the tyme of my wiues life my Sonne is to haue the vse of my house Lott and barne, and to pay vnto my wife tenn shillings an acre for every acre of broken vpp land in this my house Lott, and after the end of my wyues life when this falls into my Sonne John Eyers hand then hee shal pay as followes, fiue pound the first yeare after my wyfes death to my Sonne Nathaniell . . .and that young Sowe, whose eare hangs downe and all my flaggy meadow

I giue to my Sonne Peter the other halfe of my decond division of meadow & vpland, & two Oxe comons with all privilidges belonging to two Oxe commons and three acres of land in ye upper playne which hee hath allreadie in his possession:

I giue my third division of land which is agreed on by the town to bee lay’d out, I giue vnto my Sonne John Eyers & Peter Eyers to bee equally divided beweene them. . .

I giue to my wife my best Cowe, and to my daughter Hannah my second best cowe, & my other Cowe and three yeare old heifer to my daughters rebecka & Mary: And all my other goods and Cattell and Swine and house hold stuff vndisposed of I giue vnto my wyfe Hanah Eyers whom I make my Sold Executrix and whom I appoint to discharge all my debts & to take care for my buriall: [No signature.] Proved in Hampton Court 6:8:1657 by Henry Palmer. Copy of will. Norfolk Deeds, vol. 1, leaf 58.)

notes

A John Ayers is known to have been in Ipswich in 1648 and 1672. In 1661 he and William Fellows jointly petitioned the county clerk on behalf of the minor children of Sarah, who was described as "our sister". Sarah had been married to William Lampson, who died before 29 Mar 1659. She then wanted to marry Thomas Hartshome; this was opposed by the petitioners, "her brothers." This is taken to mean that John Ayres was a true brother of Sarah and that William was married to the sister of Sarah and John.

Eyre was changed to Ayers when John Ayers b.1582 emmigrated from England to America.

Whitmore published a genealogy of the descendants of John Ayres, but learned nothing of origin or background . Beginning on page 9: Attempts to relate John and Mary Ayres to others of that name in New England have not been successful. It seems appropriate to look for Ayres in the Foxton area. There is one. Humphery (Humfray) Eyre was buried at Foxton, 10 August 1628. There are records of the baptism of two children: a daughter, Goodithe, 09 September 1607, and a son, John, 7 January 1609. No record has been found of the marriage, nor of a daughter Mary, but this is clearly of the "right" time and place. The Bishop's Transcripts which survive from this period are incomplete and not always readable; the parish registers themselves have not survived from a time earlier than 1694. It is possible that Ann Ayer Ireston, of Foxton, whose will was administered in 1636, is part of this family.The name "Goodithe," which was apparently quite uncommon, offers a possible point of contact.

In his will written 26 September 1636, Robert Fellows "the elder" of Foxton mentions his wife Goodith, as well as sons Robert and Edward. Perhaps this is Goodith Eyre. Luke Fellows was appointed overseer of Robert's estate.There is circumstantial evidence, then, to suggest that the wife of immigrant William was Mary, daughter of Humphrey Lyre of Foxton.

Sources:

Abbrev: Ayres (1870)

Title:

The Descendants of Captain John Ayres of Brookfield, Massachusetts

William Henry Whitmore, The Descendants of Captain John Ayres of Brookfield, Massachusetts (Boston, MA: T. R. Marvin and Son, 1870)

Repository:

Name: New England Historic Genealogical Society

Boston, MA 02116

U. S. A.

John's last name back in the 1500-1600's was spelt 'Eyre', but modern spelling is now 'Ayer'. Baptized in Bromham Parish on March 28, 1596. He came by sailing ship 'James' in 1635/37 from Salisbury, England. He was in Salisbury in 1640. He was in Haverhill, Essex, MA. with his wife & 9 children. He was a landowner in the town.

Birth

         o 1592

o Suffolk, Wiltshire, England
Marriage

         o 1622   (Age: 30)

o England
o to Hannah
Immigration

         o 13 August 1635   (Age: 43)

o Newberry, MA
o arrived aboard the ship James
Name changed from Eyre to Ayer

         o 1635   (Age: 43)

o Newberry, MA
Residence

         o 1640-1646   (Age: 48)

o Salisbury, MA
Attained status of freeman

         o 1645   (Age: 53)

o Salisbury, MA
Residence

         o 1647-1657   (Age: 55)

o Haverhill, MA
Death

         o 31 Mar 1657   (Age: 65)

o Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts

John's last name back in the 1500-1600's was spelt 'Eyre', but modern spelling is now 'Ayer'. He came by sailing ship 'James' in 1635/37 from Salisbury, England. He was in Salisbury in 1640. He was in Haverhill, Essex, MA. with his wife & nine children where he is counted as one of the landholders of the town.

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=nmoore22&...

Marriage 1 Hannah Evered b: ABT 1600 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

   Married: BEF 1622 in Norwich, Norfolk, England 1 2

Children

   Has Children John Ayer b: ABT 1622 in England

   Has Children Robert Ayer b: 1625 in England

   Has No Children Rebecca Ayer b: 1627 in England

   Has Children Thomas Ayer b: ABT 1630 in England

   Has Children Peter Ayer b: 1633 in England

   Has No Children Mary Ayer b: ABT 1634

   Has Children Obadiah Ayer b: 01 OCT 1635 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States of America

   Has Children Nathaniel Ayer b: 1638

   Has Children Hannah Ayer b: 21 OCT 1644 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States of America

This is the story, to the best of my knowledge, of John Ayer and his time in Haverhill MA. I want to thank people like Willis Brown, Robert Ayers, and Warren Ayer for sharing so much of their research and knowledge. Clearly their input has helped my research significantly and made this website possible.

The immigrant John Ayer was said to have come from England, arriving on The James in 1635 with his wife Hannah and their first 4 children - Thomas, Rebecca, Robert, and Peter. There is no documentation found for his journey, but in John's case he came with money, and perhaps was one of the people who were not allowed to leave without surrendering money and property to the Crown. Per Willis Brown's research, we place him on the James because of his later close association with other listed passengers on that ship, such as the Pike family, and his kinsman, John Evered alias Webb.

The James itself is a part of history, surviving the Great Hurricane of 1635. The James, out of Bristol, met the hurricane off the Isles of Shoals, there losing three anchors and being forced to put to sea, for no canvas or rope would hold. The storm winds drove her to within feet of the Pascataquack rocks. "At this moment," wrote Increase Mather (his father, mother, and four brothers being among the one hundred passengers), "their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes." On Aug 13, 1635, The James manages to make it to Boston Harbor proper with "...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges..."

So were the parents of' a great American family delivered from death at the hands of the tempest. Of the one hundred plus aboard the James, none were lost.

John and his family resided in Salisbury, MA from 1640 - 1646. Some people report that he lived in Ispwich for a time. We know this not to be true, as he was recorded as such in many family histories because he was made a Freeman in the Ipswich court. However, the court at that time traveled, and it was just a stroke of fate that it was in Ipswich when the issue of Freeman status for John and his son John was taken up by the court. The will of John also comes into the same category. He never lived in Hampton, but that is where the court was at the session that considered his estate.

John and family moved to Haverhill, MA in 1647, there John and Hannah had 5 more children - Mary, John Jr., Nathanial, Hannah, and Obadiah.

Occording to the New England Heritage John was made a freeman, and was a well respected member of Haverhill. A freeman in those days was not the opposite of a slave. A freeman was more of a citizen with benifits. The Church had to vote on who became a freeman, and the process and questions were excrutiating.

To the best of our knowledge, our John was married once, to Hannah, whose maiden name is lost to history. She survived her husband, and was the mother of all of his children, easily proven by the land deeds of MA. Below is a quote from Willis Brown in regards to Hannah and her maiden name:

"First and possibly foremost, John Ayer was not married to Hannah Evered. He was married to Hannah, who was not an Evered. A very early researcher, perhaps as early as 1860, identified her as Hannah Green(?) with the question mark next to it. He left us no notes, or lists of reference. I have found nothing that would indicate where he developed that theory.

The earliest identification that I have found of the wife of John Ayer as Hannah Evered was a newspaper genealogy column known as "The Boston Transcript." According to that source Hannah was listed in the will of John Evered alias Webb, therefore she must be his sister. She was not listed in that will. In fact, Hannah was still alive when the will was offered for probate, she was not mentioned and did not inherit. John Evered alias Webb did mention his cousins as the children of John Ayer: and not as the children of his sister Hannah. I think John Evered alias Webb knew what he was doing and I do not try to second guess him. In some so-called family trees, Hannah has been added as a sibling of John Evered alias Webb, but that is not supported by English records."

John passed away in Haverhill in 1657. his will was dated March 12, 1656, proved Hampton Ct. Jun 8 1657. His wife, Hannah, survived him, and died Oct. 8, 1688, having remained his widow. John Ayer devised his homestead to his son John Jr.

The publication "The Pioneer Families of Northwestern New Jersey" wrote about John's grandson (John, son of Obadiah Ayer). The publication also touch on John the immigrant and stated his inventory after his death (see below). Please keep in mind that the items and values are transcribed from the actual document, so there are some spelling and grammer errors.

John Ayer's Inventory at his Time of Death Item Value

fower cows, two steers, and a calf 20.00.00 twenty swine and fower pigs18.00.00 fower oxen 25.00.00 one plough, two pair plough irons, one harrow, one yolke and chayne, and a rope cart 4.00.00 two howes, two axes, two shovels, one spade, two wedges, two betell rings, two sickels and a reap hook hangers in the chimneys, tongs and pot hooks 13.00.00 two pots, three kettles, one skillet, and frying pan 3.03.00 in pewter 1.00.00 three flocks, beds, and bed clothes 18.00.00 12 yards of cotton cloth,cotton wool,hemp and flax 4.00.00 two wheels, three chests, and a cupbboard 1.03.00 wooden stuff belonging to the house 1.16.00 two muskets and all that belong to y' 2.10.00 in books 0.15.00 in flesh meat 0.15.00 about forie bushells of corne 7.00.00 his waring apparill 8.00.00 about six or seven acres of graine in and uppon the ground 9.00.00 the dwelling house and barne and land broken and unbroken with all appurtaneences 120.00.00 forks, rakes, and other small implements about the house and barne1.00.00 . in debt owing to him 1.00.00 between two or three bushels of sale and so mayle 0.10.00 TOTAL: 248.05.00 pounds

So the total was ~248 pounds, which was very good in those days, and he did not owe anyone anything. Also, if you add up the values you get quite a bit more than 248 pounds - but like I said I transcribed this all from the original source.

From roots web

(bio by: Melinda Wilson)

WIKIPEDIA

John Ayer John Ayer (1582–1657) was one of the original European settlers to Massachusetts, settling in Ipswich, Haverhill, and Salisbury.

John was born on September 2, 1582 to father Thomas Eyre (Ayer) and Elizabeth Rogers, in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. He married once prior to 1619, but it is unclear what happened to her.

In 1620 Ayer married Hannah Evered als. Webb, daughter of John & Mary (Webb) Evered, in Cockfield, Durhamshire, England. Their first son, John, died as an infant. Their second son, Thomas, was born in Lavenham, Suffolk.

On June 3, 1635, John Ayer set sail for the New World with his family, including his two brothers-in-law, John and Stephen, aboard the ship James. As they approached New England, a hurricane struck, and they were forced to ride it out just off the coast of modern-day Hampton, New Hampshire. According to the ship's log and the journal of Increase Mather, whose father Richard Mather and family were passengers, the following was recorded;

"At this moment,... their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes. ...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges..."

They tried to stand down during the storm just outside the Isles of Shoals, but lost all three anchors, as no canvas or rope would hold, but on Aug 13, 1635, torn to pieces, and not one death, all one hundred plus passengers of the James managed to make it to Boston Harbor.

New World settlements[edit] It is reported that John and Hannah first moved to Ipswich before being part of the new settlement of the "plantation at Merrimack" on September 6, 1638. A year later the plantation was named "Colchester", then finally Salisbury in 1640. The idea was to establish a plantation-style settlement with the following criteria, as reported to the General Court in March 1638:

"At a meeting at merrimack of Mr Simone Bradstreet, Mr Samuell Dudly, Mr Danniell Dennisonn, Christopher Batt, Samuell Winsley, John Sanders:

"It was ordered that there shall be 2 divisions of Meadow, the one nerrer, the other farther, the nerrest shall haue fower Acres to Each 100h(£), the other left to farther Consideration. "It was further ordered that vpland for planting lotts shall be divided so as he that hath vnder 50h shall haue 4 Acres, and he that hath aboue 50h to 150h shall haue 6 Acres, and all aboue shall haue 4 Acres to Euerie 100h.

"Allso, it was ordered that all lotts granted to singlemen are on Condition that they shall inhabit here before the 6 of may next, and such as haue families that they shall inhabitt here before the last of october next." "The names of those yt have lotts & proportions granted pr the Toune of Colchester in the first division;

Mr. Sam: Dudley, Mr. Willj Hooke, Mr Willj Worcester, Mr. Christopher Batt, Mr Sam: Winsley, Mr. Henry Biley, John Sanders, Mr Francis Doue, Jno Rolfe, Mr. Tho: Dummer, Mr Henry Monday, George Carr, Mr Tho. Bradbury, Jno Harrison, Mr John Hodges, Abra: Morrell, Jno Fullar, Phili.Challis, Luke Heard, Josiah Cobbet, Jarret Haddon, Anthony Colby, John Bayly Sen, John Stephens, John Seuerans, Robert Pike, Robt Ring, Richard Singleterry, Tho Macy, Tho. Hauxwell, Jno Clifford, John Eyres, Roger Eastman, Anthony Sadler, Fittz, Rowell, Widdow Browne. "This is A true copie of the originall list taken out of the old book of Reccords for Salisbury as Attests.2 "Vera copia Atest THO. BRADBURY rec.

EDWARD RAWSON Secrety" In the year's end report, dated December 25, 1650, it states that "John Ayres Sen:" was assigned land grant No. 52 of the original 71 plots of the plantations, but by this time was reporting no crops.[1]

Around 1646, Ayer and his family moved one settlement over, to the newly formed Puritan settlement of Haverhill. Haverhill, originally called Pentucket by the native Indians, was granted by the General Court on May 13, 1640, but not made official until the representatives of Passaconaway signed the purchase agreement on November 15, 1642 for 3 pounds, 10 shillings.

Later years[edit] After moving to Haverhill, John & Hannah had three more surviving children. Their issue is as follows:[2]

John Ayer Robert Ayer, b. England (1625-) Rebecca Ayer Thomas Ayer (-1686) Peter Cornet Ayer, b. England (1633-1699) Mary Ayer [3] (1634-) Obadiah Ayer Hannah Ayer, b. Haverhill (1644 - 1692) Nathaniel Ayer

References Jump up ^ Hoyt, D.W. (1897) The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury ... Genealogical Publishing Com. pg 8 (via Google Books) Jump up ^ Hoyt, D.W. (1897) The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury Genealogical Publishing Com. pg 37 (via Google Books) Jump up ^ Anderson, R.C., Reitwiesner, W.A., Roberts, G.B. (1977) "The Matrilinear Line of President Ford" The American Genealogist 53:56 _____________________________________________________________________

John Ayers Memorial Photos Flowers Edit Share Birth: Sep. 2, 1582 Salisbury Wiltshire Unitary Authority Wiltshire, England Death: Mar. 31, 1657 Haverhill Essex County Massachusetts, USA

The Story of John Ayer of Haverhill Massachusetts