William Ayres (aft. 1609 - 1655)

Born after 1609 in Nansemond County, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Marsh) Ayres — married 1634 in Nansemond County, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died 25 Mar 1655 before age 46 in Battle of Severn, Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Richard Williams [send private message], Jane Shipley [send private message], and Steven Fortune [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Ayer Name Study.

William Ayers was originally with the colony of Puritans who were early landholders on the Isle of Wight, VA, who were under the leadership of Richard Bennett. William Ayers patented 150 acres in Isle of Wight in 1635 and 100 in Upper Norfolk in 1642.

Later after the Puritans removed to Maryland, William Ayers came to Maryland with his family before June 1652. On the 5th October 1653, "Mr. William Ayers" demands land for transporting himself, Sarah his wife (then deceased), Ann Ayers his Unknown, and nine servants"; and Martha his now wife, and Margaret Sammes, his servant, since June 1652 ^[1]

William Ayers was the standard bearer for the Puritans at the Battle of the Severn (River) against the Cavaliers 25 March 1655 and was killed with the first gunfire. On 6 June 1663, Samuel Chew assigns to Sarah Marsh any rights that remain upon "due to my father-in-law William Ayers"^[2], and there is upon at Portsmouth, VA, a power of attorney from "Samuel Chew, Esq., of Herrington, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland, and Anne his wife sole Unknown and heiress of Mr. William Ayers late of Nansemond Co., Virginia, deceased."

"On 17 February 1653 Lord Baltimore issued instructions to Governor Stone to require Puritans to take an oath of loyalty under penalty of forfeiture of the land allotted to them.3 The struggle between the two sides developed into armed conflict at the Battle of the Severn, which was the first battle fought between Anglo-Saxons in North America.

"The Cavaliers, led by Governor STONE landed in Anne Arundel County. On the morning of 25 March 1655, Captian FULLER, commander of the Puritans, pitched his colors, hoping that the sight of them might cause the enemy to parely and prevent bloodshed. The Cavaliers, however, fired upon the standard and killed the Standard Bearer, William Ayres."William Ayres ... ^[3]

Marriages

William Ayres secondly married Martha, daughter of Richard Wells.

William Ayres and second wife Martha had no children. She remarried to Anthony Salway after her first husband's death. ^[4][5]

Death

William Ayers (d. 25 Mar 1655),^[6][7] was killed at the Battle of Severn. According to Boddie (1973), "he was a color bearer for the Puritans," and died at the start of the battle.^[6][7]

Research Notes

He's not the son of:

WILLIAM OF NESTON (1584 - abt. 1663)

• William Eyre of Neston in Corsham, Wilts., s/o Sir William of Great Chalfield & Anne Baynton, married Hester Cooke. Their son William (b. c. 1618, age 5 in 1623) married Ann, d/o Charles Davers, Esq. of Baynton, Wilts. She was the wid. of John Danvers of Corsham. ... William Eyre of Neston & Ann Davers had a dau. Ann (b. c. 1639, age 12 in 1651) & son William, Esq. of Neston. (see "Eyre", in Vis. of Wilts., 1623).

WILLIAM OF BONHAM (b. abt. 1585/9 - d. Nov 1646)

• Wm Eyre (barrister-at-law) Eyre-32, s/o Thos. Eyre & Eliz. Rogers, who left his estate at Bonham to his nephew, Sir Samuel Eyre of Newhouse.

• Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666.William Eyer; Arrived 1649; Sponsors: Joseph Croshawe; Residence: Yorke, Virginia

MERGES:

• Eyre-245 Mar 8, 2012
• Eyres-26 Mar 8, 2012
• removed the 4 Harris Children: Edward, Thomas, William and Love, they are not a part of this family. They may can be merged as follows: Edward-5201 with Edward-887; Thomas-5200 with Thomas-888; William-5199 with William-886; Love-17926 with Love-5203. These have NOT been merged, waiting for your approval. Sally Stovall 18:30, 4 January 2016 (EST)

Sources

1. ↑ (Md. Land Office, Liber A.B.H., folio 348).
2. ↑ (ibid., Liber V, folios 338, 339)
3. ↑ Entered by Kathy Fetters, Dec 17, 2011
4. ↑ 7. Richard Wells will, MD Wills 1, pp. 287-290.
5. ↑ Maryland Patents, Liber Q:195-196, FHL microflm 0,013,064
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Boddie, J.B. (1973). Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, p. 54. Genealogical Publishing co. Google Books.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Brown, B. B. (1919). The Battle of Severn: Its antecedents and consequences 1651 - 1655. Maryland Historical Magazine, XIV, p. 171. Baltimore. Google Books.

See also:

• Battle of the Severn: [1]