John Nye

Biography

From Nye Family of America Association. Proceedings at the ... reunion (Volume 1-4) online. (page 17 of 36). link

John Nye of Westerly, R. I.

Caleb Nye, son of Benjamin' Nye, the emigrant, and Katharine Tupper, his wife, was born at Sandwich, Mass., and died there about 1704; he married Elizabeth Wood (or Atwood) daughter of John Wood (or Atwood) of Plymouth, Mass. They had six children, three daughters and three sons; of the sons, Timothy married Mary Freeman and remained in Sandwich; Ebenezer settled in Tolland, Conn., and John settled in Rhode Island, and became the progenitor of the Nyes of Rhode Island. The earliest record of him, is his marriage, on Oct. 26, 1710, to Sarah Cook of King's Towne.

On April 36, 1715, he bought 123 acres of land in Westerly, of Israel Lewis for £245, with all the housing, etc. Israel Lewis had purchased this land on Sept. 38, 1709, it being a portion of the vacant lands. John Nye sold the land, Feb. 7, 1717-18, for £262, to John Hill of Westerly, who was one of the witnesses to the first deed, and who was afterwards known as Captain Hill.

That this John Nye was the identical John Nye who married Sarah Cook is proved by the deed of sale, in which she is called "Sarah wife to the aforesaid John Nye." ....

... He died probably late in the summer of 1723, for on October seventh, of that year, administration on his estate was granted to his widow Sarah Nye. ...

It is said that the widow, Sarah Nye, married again and that the children were sent to live with relatives. ... Sarah Cook was the daughter of George Cook and Sarah Place, and granddaughter of Enoch and Sarah ( — ) Place. ... Sarah, who was not of age in 1706, married, 26 Oct. 1710, John Nye. This brings us to the children of John^ and Sarah (Cook) Nye.

In a paper written by Col. Ichabod Nye, is the following state ment. " John Nye, my grandfather, emigrated from Massachusetts and settled in Rhode Island ; he had four sons by the following names, John*, Isaac*, Caleb* and George*; he had one daughter, I know not but more. I and my sister Mercy visited them in the fall of 1776, and saw them all in the state of Rhode Island; my aunt's name was Hingham at that time, her christian name I never knew. My father, George Nye, settled in Tolland, Conn."

So the children of John and Sarah Nye were, John*, Issac*, George*, Caleb*, and a daughter. Of this daughter who married a Hingham, I have no record : The names of James and John Highams appear, 3 June 1709, on the list of the purchasers of Swamptown in South Kingston ; it may have been this family into which she married.