Gayer Genealogy











THE GAYER LINE




GAYER LINE - FIRST GENERATION

EDWARD GAYER

Born: Unkn
Died: Unkn

Parents: Unkn

Married: Unkn

Children:

1. Reginald Gayer (See below)




GAYER LINE - SECOND GENERATION

REGINALD GAYER

Born: Abt 1497 in Liskeard, England
Died: Unkn

Parents: Edward Gayer - Unkn Mother

Married: Alice Courtenay. She b. abt. 1499 Lanrake, Cornwall, England

Children:

1. John Gayer (See Below)




GAYER LINE - THIRD GENERATION

JOHN GAYER

Born: Abt. 1520 in Liskeard, England
Died: 1593 in Cornwall, Eng.

Parents: Reginald Gayer - Alice Courtenay

Married: Unknown

Children:

1. Stephen Gayer (See Below)




GAYER LINE - FOURTH GENERATION

STEPHEN GAYER

Born: Abt. 1540 in Devon England
Died: Unkn

Parents: John Gayer - Unknown Mother

Married: Jane Trembrace. She b. abt. 1540 of Devon Eng.

Children:

1. Thomas Gayer (See Below)




GAYER LINE - FIFTH GENERATION

THOMAS GAYER

Born: 1564 of Devon, England
Died: Unknown

Parents: Stephen Gayer - Jane Trembrace

Married: Sibell Treffrey. She b. abt 1565 of Devon

Children:

1. John Gayer (See Below)




GAYER LINE SIXTH GENERATION

JOHN GAYER

Born: Abt 1590 Devon, England
Died: Unknown

Parents: Thomas Gayer -Sibell Treffrey

Married: Margaret Trelawny

Children:

1. Humphrey Gayer (See Below)




GAYER LINE - SEVENTH GENERATION

HUMPHREY GAYER

Born: 1615 in Plymouth, Devon, Eng.
Died: Probably in England

Married: Jane Sparks. His widow, Jane, was living in Plymouth England in 1694.

Children:

1. WILLIAM GAYER

2. Jane Gayer m. _____ Lee

3. Joan Gayer m. Thomas Hooper

4. (Male) Gayer, father of Elizabeth Gayer

5. Sir John Gayer m. 1st ____ Harper, and 2nd Mary _____.




GAYER LINE - EIGHTH GENERATION

WILLIAM GAYER

Born: probably Devonshire, Eng.
Died: at Nantucket MA on 23d 7m 1710

Parents: Humphrey Gayer - Jane Sparks

Married 1st: Dorcas Starbuck on 17 Oct 1672 at Nantucket, dau of Elder Edward Starbuck by his wife Katherine Reynolds of Wales. She d. 8m 1696

Married 2nd: a widow named Mary Guard, of Boston or its vicinity, and as she had a daughter named Christian Cundy, it is probable she had been married twice previous to her marriage to Mr. Gayer. She is said to have died when on a visit to Boston, in warm weather.

Source: Submitted by William Folger, Esq. of Nantucket, corresponding Member of he New England Historic Gene. Society, and I obtained copies from "New England Historic & Gene. Register" pg 297.

William Gayer, Esq. came to this country from Devonshire, England. He was an early settler of Nantucket; probably had been a ship carpenter; was a farmer and a Justice of the Peace. I find by he records in the office of our Secretary of State, that Capt. John Gardner and Mr. William Gayer were representatives to the General Court from Nantucket on the 8th of June, 1692, being the first representatives from that Island aftger its transfer from the colony of New York to the Province of Mass. bay. William Gayer Esq. was one of five Judges appointed by he governor of Mass., in 1704, to try an Indian on Nantucket, named Sabo, for the crime of murder.

He lived in a double house, one and one-half stories in height, on Church Street, in Nantucket, occupied long since my first remembrance by descendants of his daughter, Damaris Coffin. This house for a long time was considered the oldest on the island, and I think was strengthened with oak knees, like a ship, and very firmly. It passed into the hands of strangers about 1839 or 1840, and was taken down to give place to a modern dwelling house. A bureau, with a sort of bookcase or cupboard on top, which was made in Oliver Cromwell's time and brought over by William Gayer, probably in Charles the Second's reign, belonged to my grandmother (Wm Folger Esq. speaking) a granddaughter of William Gayer, Esq. It was made in part of English Oak, colored a dark red, and ornamented with turned pieces of maple, painted black, and nailed on; and the top part, or cupboard, was in part supported by two maple urns, or short pillars, painted black. It was altogether a unique but useful piece of furniture. After the death of both my grandparents, it was placed in the cabinet of curiosities of the Nantucket Atheneum, but was burned up in the great fire of 1846, when that building, with its fine collection of books, south-sea shells, war weapons, etc. was destroyed.

William Gayer was called Mr. in the old records, and was a very respectable man.

The children of William Gayer and Dorcas Starbuck were:

1. DAMARIS GAYER b 1673, (see below)

2. DORCAS GAYER b. 1675 (see below)

3. William Gayer b. 3 Jun 1677, wed in England, his cousin, Elizabeth Gayer. The Christain name of her father, I never learned. William Gayer Jr. died in England the latter part of 1712, or early part of 1713. He had become quite wealthy; was in early life a seaman; at a later period with his uncle Sir John Gayer in India, in the service of the East India Company; then had gone to England, the birthplace of his father, married, and probably settled down with a prospect of years of comfort before him, till seized by the malady which ended his days in the thirty-fifth year of his age. With the death of William Jr., he name of the Nantucket branch of the family, as a surname, became extinct; but descendants of his two sisters, have borne the name of William Gayer and Gayer used as first and second names i.e. Gayer Starbuck, Gayer Gardner, etc.....showing with what respect the ancestral name has been held.




GAYER LINE - NINTH GENERATION

I. DAMARIS GAYER

Born: 24 Oct 1673
Died: 6d 9m 1764, age 90 yrs,10mo, surviving her husband over 43 yrs.

Parents: William Gayer - Dorcas Starbuck

Married: 17d 8m 1692 by Wm Worth, to Nathaniel Coffin, son of James Coffin and grandson to Tristram Coffin Sr.

Nathaniel was a Captain in the merchant service, and made voyages to Europe and elsewhere. He d. 20 Aug 1721 age 50yrs.

We descend through their son, Benjamin Coffin. See the Coffin line for children and descendants.



II. DORCAS GAYER

Born: 29 Aug 1675
Died: 10d 11m 1747 aged 72yrs

Parents: William Gayer - Dorcas Starbuck

Married: 6 Dec 1694 to her cousin, Jethro Starbuck, son of Nathaniel and Mary. he was born 14 Dec 1671 and d. 12 Aug 1770 aged 98yr 8m 6d.

We descend through their daughter, Sarah Starbuck. See the Starbuck line for their children and descendants.



Note: We connect with the Gayer line through both of William's daughters, Dorcas and Damaris. Re "History of Nantucket" by Starbuck, pg 802; William Gayer said to have been direct descent from King Edward I of England. NOTE: See the line of Damaris and Dorcas back to King Edward I of England at: http://www.geocities.com/mcronin111/gashank.htm



Line of Descent:

EDWARD GAYER, REGINALD GAYER, JOHN GAYER, STEPHEN GAYER, THOMAS GAYER, JOHN GAYER, HUMPHREY GAYER, WILLIAM GAYER, DAMARIS GAYER, BENJAMIN COFFIN, ABIGAIL COFFIN, MATTHEW MACY, EUNICE MACY, THOMAS MACY, JOHN MACY, LORETTA MACY, JAMES PARISHO, WAYNE PARISHO

and

EDWARD GAYER, REGINALD GAYER, JOHN GAYER, STEPHEN GAYER, THOMAS GAYER, JOHN GAYER, HUMPHREY GAYER, WILLIAM GAYER, DORCAS GAYER, SARAH STARBUCK, MATTHEW MACY MATTHEW MACY, EUNICE MACY, THOMAS MACY, JOHN MACY, LORETTA MACY, JAMES PARISHO, WAYNE PARISHO, SUSANNE PARISHO



WILL OF WILLIAM GAYER, SR. ESQ.
(From Nantucket County Rec. of Wills, Book I, pg 26)

I, William Gayer, of the Island of Nantucket, being sick, but of sound mind and memory, make this my last will. Unto my son William Gayer, one share of land on the Island of Nantucket, with all the privileges belonging (if my said son shall ever come hither again.) To my daughtger Damaris Coffin, one eighth part of a share of land on the Island of Nantucket, of that land I had of my father-in-law, Edward Starbuck. I give to my daughter, Dorcas Starbuck, one eighth part of a share of said land. My part of the Island of Miskeget to my said daughters Damaris Coffin and Dorcas Starbuck, equally to be divided between them. To my housekeeper, Patience Foot, one cow and fourty sheep with Commonage for them, as also half of the barn and try house, with half the garden, half of the land and fence about my dwelling house, half the lot and fence towards Monomoy, the horse pasture Excepted, as also the west Chamber and Garret, and half the leanto of my now dwelling house. I give to Africa, a negro, once my servant, twenty sheep and Commonage for them and for one horse, as also the East Chamber of my now dwelling house, and half the leanto, and the other half of my barn and try house, with the half of all the lands and fence about my house, and the half of the lot towards Monomoy. I will that my daughter Damaris Coffin have the use of the rest of my dwelling house, if she should come hither to live. My two daughters, Damaris Coffin and Dorcas Starbuck, Joynt Executrices, of this my last will and testament. Sept 21, 1710
William Gayer
In the presence of Richard Gardner
Eleazer Folger Jr., Eunice Gardner
Jabez Bunker, Judith Gardner
Probated 24 day Oct 1710
James Coffin, Judge of Probate

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The following is a letter from Jane Gayer, mother of William Gayer Sr. from Plymouth, England to her son, William at Nantucket.

Sonn my dearest love to you and to your wife and to my Grand children hoping that these few lines will find you in good health - as through mercy I Injoy att this present writing; I have sent you two letters by Mr. Blag of newyork; and I have sent you severall leaters by outher mean by I never Received none from you since the 1 of october 1692 bearing this date. Deare sonn I should Request you that I might heare from you - your Brother Sur. John sailed from the downs the last of may was a 12 months Agon and All his famaly with him, the month after he went away they put in for the madeara I received a letter from him out of the madaris's, since I have not heard from him for there hath not a ship com home from that place since: I did not know weather there was A new ingland name here or no before our unkols land com to me to know how to dirict a leater to you and that is consarning Cousin Jane Brfays busnes: I shall be like a fule to duball my Request to you that I might hear from you and yet I might know how to direct My letters to you for I doe fear that they doe not cum to you hand: Your Brother hooper and his wife and your sister marcy desairs to be remembered to you and yours, you nkols and Aunt lame doth the same; my kind Respects to Coson Jane Bray and her family not Eals att Present but my prayers Constantly to the Lord for your & remain your loving mother.

From Plym, this 11 June 1694
Jane Gayer
These for Mr. William Gayer Living on the Island of nantockitt, newingland.



(I also have Wills of Sir John Gayer and William Gayer Jr.)



NOTE: I also have a website named "Genealogy Graphic Sets by Tristram." Please come visit!

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