Other Events:

• Occupation: Millwright

Other Events:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Immigrant?: Y

Notes:

JOHN, Haverhill, s. of the preced. b. in Eng. m. May 1646, Sarah, d. of John Williams. They had John, b. 18 Mar. 1648; Zechariah, 24 Oct. 1650; Nathaniel, 13 May 1655; Joseph, 16 Mar. 1659; and Sarah, 17 Jan. 1661. His w. d. 25 July 1662, and he m. 26 Mar. foll. Mary Wooddam, prob. d. of John of Ipswich, and there lib. 1679.«s3»

John married Sarah WILLIAMS on 5 May 1646 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. Sarah was born about 1628; died on 25 Jul 1662. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Also Known As: AYERS, AYRE
• Noteworthy: Survived a hurricane during the voyage to the New World
• Immigrant?: Y
• Info Unproven: Y
• Migration: 5 Apr 1635, “James”

Notes:

John Ayer, immigrant ancestor, was born in England and settled first in Salisbury, Massachusetts, as early as 1640, when he was a proprietor of that town. He sold his house and lands and removed to the adjacent town of Haverhill about 1647.
He was a proprietor in 1648-49 and bought various parcels of land. He was a town officer and leading citizen. His sons, John, Jr., Robert and Thomas, were also proprietors in 1650.
He married Hannah who died at an advanced age, October 8, 1688.
He died March 31. 1657. His will was dated March 12, 1656, and proved at Hampton, October 6, 1657. He bequeathed to his wife Hannah; sons John, Thomas, Robert, Obadiah, Peter and Nathaniel; daughters Hannah, Rebecca and Mary. John had the homestead.

Children:
i. John, resided at Haverhill and Ipswich, m1, May 5, 1646, Sarah Williams, m2, March 26, 1663, Mary Wooddam.
2. Rebecca, m, October 8, 1648, John Aslet, at Newbury.
3. Sergeant Robert, born about 1625, m, February 27, 1650, Elizabeth Palmer.
4. Thomas, resided in Haverhill; m, April 1, 1656, Elizabeth Hutchins.
5. Peter, born about 1633.
6. Mary, born 1634.
7. Obadiah, lived in Haverhill, and removed 1669 to Woodbridge, New Jersey; m, March 19, 1660-61, Hannah Pike.
8. Nathaniel, m, May 10, 1670, Tamesin Turloar at Haverhill.
9. Hannah, born December 21, 1644, m Salisbury, March 24, 1662-63, Stephen Webster.
——
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.
——
This John Ayers is not Capt John Ayres of Brookfield, who was killed by Indians.
——
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.

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.

John married Hannah MNU about 1620 in Cockfield, Durham, England. Hannah was born in 1598 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; died on 8 Oct 1688 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; was buried in Pentucket Cemetery, Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Married Name: AYER
• Immigrant?: Y
• Info Unproven: Y

Notes:

Parents unknown
Hannah was NOT the daughter or sister of John EVERED alias WEBB.

Other Events:

• Info Unproven: Y

Notes:

Alternate spellings: Aars, Aers, Ahheayrs, Ahheire, Aier, Aiere, Aiers, Air, Aires. Airs, Ares, Aries, Ayeres. Ayers, Ayhaire, Ayre, Ayres, Eaire, Eairs, Eares, Eayer, Wayr, Eayre, Eires, Eyer, Eyers, Eyre, Eyres and Heires.
——
According to Thorpe's catalog of the legendary deeds of Battle Abbey, and W. E. Lincoln's genealogy of the Lincoln family, the traditional origin of this surname took place on the battlefield at Hastings in 1066 when Duke William was flung from his horse and his helmet driven into his face. One of his followers, Truelove, saw the accident, pulled off the helmet and re-horsed him. The Duke said to him, "Thou shalt hereafter from Truelove be called Eyre (Air) because thou hast given me the air I breathe." When William inquired about him later he found him severely wounded, his leg and thigh struck off. He ordered the finest care and later awarded him lands in Derby as well as "the leg and thigh in armour, cut off, for his crest, and this honorable badge is still worn by all the Eyres in England."

Mr. Lincoln as well as other authorities also cite another possible, and more prosaic, origin, simply "the heir". The addition of the final s produces "s/o the heir". A common 13th century variation of the name was Le Heyer or Le Ayer. Other forms seen are Ayre, Aire, Eyer, Eire, and Hayers. Coat of Arms: Argent on a chevron sa 4 foils. Crest: Leg in Armour couped at thigh, and spur.
http://www.ponderroses.com/SteveJohnsonFamily/ps10/ps10_055.htm

Thomas married Elizabeth ROGERS on 16 Apr 1577 in St Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Rev John ROGERS and Elizabeth WEBB) was born about 1549 in Poole, Dorsetshire, England; died on 24 Dec 1612 in St Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Questions: Several children were born before the marriage - was there a previous marriage?
• Info Unproven: Y

Notes:

m1 George MOWERY in 1573
Children by Thomas EYRE:
15 children; 9 sons and 6 daughters. 
Sons:
1 Robert Eyre. Eldest Son. 
2 1572 Giles Eyre of Brickworth, Wiltshire. Second son. 
3 1573 Nicholas Eyre. 
4 Thomas Eyre. Fourth son. Mayor of Salisbury in 1610. 
5 1578 Christopher Eyre. Of London. 
6 1582 John Eyre. 
7 William Eyre. Youngest son. MP for Downton in 1640. 
8 Melior Eyre. 
9 Francis Eyre. 
Daughters:
1 Elizabeth Eyre. Married Giles Tooker of Maddington, Wiltshire. Eldest daughter.
2 Anne Eyre. Married John Swayne of Gunville, Dorset. 
3 Rebecca Eyre. Married John Love of Basing. 
4 Catherine Eyre. Married Thomas Hooper of Boveridge, Dorset. 
5 Eilynor Eyre. 
6 Unknown Eyre. [Possibly Jane Ayer.]