1. 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 ???

Two lineage memberships Sons and Dtrs of the Pilgrims say b 1596 John died 31 Mar 1657/8 in Haverhill, Essex, MA, at 75 years of age.⁽²⁾ some information received from Thomas Ayer's Descendants by Rhonda R. McClure ([email protected]).

He married twice. He married she (Ayer) bef 1619. (she (Ayer) is #17054.) He married Hannah Evered (Webb) in Cockfield, Durhamshire, ENG, 1620.⁽³⁾ could be 1620; however, Rhonda McClure says 1637. 17 Oct '97 NEHGS Reg Vol 17, p 307 says had to be before 1632 as that was the birthdate of first son John, Jr.

(Hannah Evered (Webb) is #6910.)

Hannah was born 1598 in Salisbury, Wilt, ENG. some information received from Thomas Ayer's Descendants by Rhonda R. McClure ([email protected]).

Hannah was the daughter of John Webb (Evered) and Mary (Webb).

Hannah died aft 1692 in Haverhill, Essex, MA.⁽⁴⁾ Note: Perley says "his wife Hannah survived him, and died 8 Oct 1688, having remained his widow," however, she must have died aft 1692 when she, along with some of her ch, deeded land to son Robert (see NEHGS Vol. 17 pp 307-310). Some information received from Thomas Ayer's Descendants by Rhonda R. McClure ([email protected]).

He resided in Salisbury, Essex, MA by 1640.⁽⁵⁾ He resided in Haverhill, Essex, MA by 1647.⁽⁶⁾ John's will was probated 6 Oct 1657/8.⁽⁷⁾ see also NEHGS Reg Vol. VI, p 207 http://www.arches.uga.edu/~wprokasy/haverhill/descend/jayer2.htm

see Desc of John Ayer on Word document

Some information received from Thomas Ayer's Descendants by Rhonda R. McClure ([email protected]).

"Based on the dates of birth of his children, it appears that John must have been married twice, and that Hannah EVERED was the second wife."

Rhonda provides children numbered 12 through 20 as children of John Ayer and Hannah Evered. NOTE: Hard to believe one man could father 20 children......And where are the children's names and data from his unknown first wife????

Abstract from The Ayres and Ayer Families by W.H. Whitmore in NEHGS Reg (Oct 1863) Vol. 17, pp 307-310:

Having spent some time in tracing the early generations of the two distinct families of Ayres and Ayer, I desire to preserve the result. Savage in his account makes a mistake which escaped my notice until my attention was called to it by Mr. Melvin Lord. Capt. John Ayres of Ipswich and Brookfield was not the son of John Ayer of Haverhill. I have carefully examined the deeds at Salem, and have careful copies of the town records of Ipswich and Haverhill, and these show that the mistake has been made by confounding two persons of the same name. First, I will give the Descendants of John Ayer of Haverhill.

He was of Salisbury and Haverhill - and had children: John; Robert; Thomas; Peter; Obadiah; Nathaniel; Hannah; Rebecca m John Aslet 8 Oct 1648; and Mary. His will was proved 6 Oct 1657 (Reg. VI, 207) and in 1692 his widow Hannah deeds land to son Robert and was joined by ch John of Ipswich, Peter and Nathaniel of Haverhill. This shows conclusively that John Sr had a son John (not the Brookfield Capt John who was killed in 1675), who was living in 1692. The records show this also by giving his marriages and issue. ...

Abstract from Ayer Genealogy - The Desc of John Ayer of Salisbury 1640; Haverhill 1647 by Perley:

Introduction: The reader's attention is called to the fact that Mr. Perley did not have the printed vital records of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth of MA as a reference when he prepared his genealogy of the Ayer family. There has been very little compiled and printed on the descendants of John Ayer; therefore, this genealogy is of great value as a guide to researchers of the family. Much more information is now readily available in the printed and unprinted vital records, as well as in compiled genealogies of the allied families. This work was first published in The Essex Antiquarian, Vol. IV, No. 10, October 1900, Salem, MA. Parker River Researchers, P.O. Box 86, Newburyport, MA 01950, has reproduced Sidney Perley's Ayer Genealogy from this periodical for the use of those researching the Ayer family.

The surname of Ayer is also spelled in the early Essex county records as Aars, Aers, Ahheayrs, Ahheire, Aier, Aiere, Aiers, Air, Aires, Airs, Ares, Aries, Ayeres, Ayers, Ayhaire, Ayre, Ayres, Eaire, Eairs, Eares, Eayer, Eayr, Eayre, Eires, Eyer, Eyers, Eyre, Eyrs, and Heires. The ancestor of most of the name in New England and the earliest one that lived in Essex County, was: John Ayer. He is said to have come from England; and was living in Salisbury as early as 1640. He removed to Haverhill about 1647; and died there March 31, 1657. His wife Hannah survived him, and died Oct 8, 1688, having remarried his widow. Mr. Ayer devised his homestead to his son John. Children (note: numbers in parentheses are individual numbers in my database):

1. John (No. 6947) 2. Rebecca (No. 6945) prob m John Aslet in Newbury 8 Oct 1648; lived in Andover; he d 6 Jun 1671; she survived him. 3. Robert (No. 6946) 4. Thomas (No. 6941) 5. Peter (No. 6911) 6. Mary (No. 15522) b about 1634; perhaps living in Ipswich in 1668. 7. Obadiah (No. 6943) 8. Nathaniel (No. 6942) 9. Hannah (No. 6944) b 21 Dec 1644 Salisbury; m 24 Mar 1662/3 Stephen Webster.

Capt John Ayers and Hannah Evered (Webb) had the following children:

+ 2 i. Thomas² Ayer.

+ 3 ii. Nathaniel Ayer.

+ 4 iii. Obadiah Ayers.

5 iv. Rebecca Ayer (#6945).⁽⁸⁾ Rebecca died aft 6 Jun 1671.⁽⁹⁾ She married John Aslet in Newbury, Essex, MA, 8 Oct 1648.⁽¹⁰⁾ (John Aslet is #15521.) John died 6 Jun 1671.⁽¹¹⁾ He resided Andover, Suffolk, MA.⁽¹²⁾ Estate of John Aslet of Newbury Essex Probate Docket # none

The last wil & Testament of mee John Aslet upon the fifteenth day of the third moneth 1671 now being in perfect memory, blessed be the Lord. Imprimis, I giue to my wife my now dwelling house, hortyard & lands that are in improuemt, with al the hosehold goods, and cattle to haue and possesse during her natural life, & as much meadow as my sd wife shal stand in need of: It: I giue to my sonne John ye Ground behind the pond to havue at Twenty one yeers of age if he like not to liue wth his mother It: I giue to him the two yeere coult: & the bulrushy meadow & woodchock meadow: And after my wives decease my wil is that my sonne John should haue my house & all other my lands & meadows with al ye priveledges belonging to them. Further I giue to my sonne John two payre of plough irons & two chaynes the Timber chaine for one & a payre of stock bands, a payre of Boxes & Two gunns these I will him to haue when he comes at age. It. To all my daughters I giue Twenty pounds a Peece to be payd at their marriage, and what ever else to be giuen to them I shall leave to my wife. It: I make my wife Rebeccah my sole exectrix, leauing al my moovable good to her disposing, paying my debts, & bringing my body to ye ground. In witnesse hereunto I haue set my hand this fifteenth day of May 1671

John (his I A mark) Aslet Witness: Francis Dane Alexander Sessions

Proved 27:4:1671 by Allexander Sessions; and ordered that Mr. Simon Bradstreete take the oath of Frances Dane, the other witness.

Inventory of the estate of John Aslite, deceased June 12, 1671, appraised by John Frie, Richard Barker and Nathan Parker: Howsing, � 30; 4 beds & bedding, �� 30; wearing apparrell, � 10; wollen cloth, � 4; houshold linnnon, � 10; brase and Iron potts and kittle, with other small necessaries, � 6; peuter, � 2; 1 musket, 2 fowling peeces, 1 sword, � 4; yarne, � 1 10s; bacon, � 2; corne, � 5; chests and boxes, � 1; saddle, bridle and pillon, � 1 18s; 3 axes, 3 wedges, 1 saw, 18s; trammell spitt and fire pan, 14s; sithes and sickles, forkes, � 1; woole and flax, � 1 8s; warming pan, 10s; sacks, 12s; serg, � 2 10s; 8 working cattle, � 36; 6 Cows, � 24; 4 young cattle, � 8; 3 calves, � 2; horses, � 13; sheepe, � 8; swine, � 14; cart, plows, chaines and all tackling, � 10; in broke upland, � 60; orchards and pasture, � 40; corne upon the ground, � 24; meddow, � 52; Land Lying in the Common, � 65 10s; bees, � 2; debts, � 3; in desperate debts, � 6; 1 horse upon adventure to the Barbados if pay return, � 20. John Asselbee oweth in debts aboute � 8.

Allowed in court 27:4:1671 Source: Essex County Quarterly Court Files, vol 17, leaves 105. 106 Submitted by: Mariana Bean Ruggles

+ 6 v. John Ayer Jr was born 1623.

+ 7 vi. Sgt Robert Ayer was born 1625.

+ 8 vii. Cornet Peter Ayer was born 1633/5.

9 viii. Mary Ayer (#15522) was born 1634.⁽¹³⁾ Extract from Ayer Genealogy by Perley, p 5:

perhaps living in Ipswich in 1668

+ 10 ix. Hannah Ayer was born 21 Dec 1644.

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