Elijah Ayer (1727 - 1799)

Born 30 Apr 1727 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Content (Werden) Ayer — married Nov 1746 in Norwich Connecticut

Husband of Abigail (Merrill) Ayer — married 21 Mar 1752 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 13 Nov 1799 at age 72 in Sackville, Westmorland, New Brunswick

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carroll Woods [send private message]

Biography

Elijah Ayer served with Nova Scotia during the American Revolution.

Elijah Ayer is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A004078.

Elijah Ayer is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 105900
Rank: Captain

Elijah Sr. was born on 30 April 1727 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut. His parents are Joseph Ayer and Dorothy ^[1]

Around 1761, Elijah sold his property on Portipaug Hill, Norwich CT and removed to New Brunswick.^[2] He was part of the planter migration from New England.

The land records of Norwich, Conn. show that the father of Elijah Ayer, Sr. of Norwich and Sackville, was Joseph Ayer of Norwich whose father was also Joseph Ayer. This last Joseph early bought land on Portipaug Hill & Norwich, and removed there from Haverhill, Mass. He had two sons, Joseph and Timothy, one of whom, Joseph deeded land at Portipaug to Elijah Ayer, calling him "my son." Here Elijah lived until he sold out and went to N.B. The Haverhill family of Ayers is descended from John Ayer, who was in this country as early as 1640. His descendants are from numerous places in northern Massachusetts. The Norwich, Conn., branch still has representatives bearing the name of Ayer living at Portipaug. Their homes are situated at the foot of "Ayer's Mountain," the highest elevation in that vicinity. The Wood family of Norwich had their early homes in the same neighborhood.^[3]

Caught up in the Eddy Rebellion during the Revolutionary War Elijah, Sr. was forced to move from New Brunswick to Washington County, Maine. He was a signatory to a petition to George Washington 8 Feb 1776.^[4] It is worth reading:

PETITION OF ELIJAH AYER^[5]

To his Excellency John Hancock Esqr Governor & Commander in Chief in & over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Petition of Elijah Ayer Senior Humbly Sheweth

That in the Year 1776 Col. Jonathan Eddy with a party of Men from this State made an attack on the Enemys Garrison of Fort Cumberland in the Province of Nova Scotia most of the inhabitants of which County took up arms & join'd said Eddy among the Rest was your Petitioner, some time After the enemy Receiving a Large Reinforcement said Eddy was obliged to leave the Countr & a great Number of the Inhabitants who had been most Active and whos lives were in danger was Compell'd to do the same, & abandon their Family, & Estates to the Mercy of an Enraged Enemy --

Your Petitioner among the Rest Abandoned his Estate & a Large family leaving only one Son to take care & provide for them the other came with him & resided in this State ever since.--

A few Weeks since the Sone whom your Petitioner left to provide for his family was taken on his Passage from Cumberland to St John River by a Privateer & bro't into this Port, by which your Petitioners Family is left Destitute of any person to provide and take care of them & unless he could be permitted to Return will Inevitably Suffer,

Therefore your Petitioner Humbly Implores your Excellency to take his distressed Case into your Serious Consideration & be pleased to permit his son (Mariner Ayer) to Return to Cumberland via Penobscott on Parole, and he will engage a Prisoner of Equal Rank shall be returned in his stead, which will Relieve his helpless & Distressed Family, and your Petitioner as in Duty Bound will ever pray --

Elijah Ayer Sr.

Boston, Dec 6, 1782

In Council Decb 7th 1782 ---

Advised that John Hopkins Esqr Commissary of Prisoners be directed to permit Mariner Ayer, lately captured on his Passage from Cumberland to St Johns River and bro't into this Port, to take Passag on Board the first Cartel that shall sail from hence to Penobscot & said Commissary be further directed to see that said Ayre is exchange (sic)

Attest John Avery Secy

Elijah received land near Machias, ME, for loyalty to the American Cause.^[6]

In the 1790 US census, Elijah Ayer was recorded as living in an area which became Dennysville, Maine. In 1792 he returned to the Sackville area. ^[7] He passed away there in 1799^[8][9] and his body was buried in Four Corners Burying Ground, Sackville, Westmorland, New Brunswick, Canada.

Family

Elijah married (1) Content Werden in Nov 1746 in Norwich, New London Co., CT. Content died on 15 Jul 1749 in Norwich, New London Co., CT.

They had one child:

1. Sarah Ayer, born on 2 Jul 1748 in Norwich, New London, CT. She died on 13 Dec 1752 in Norwich, New London, CT.

Elijah later married (2) Abigail Merrill on 21 Mar 1752 in Norwich, New London Co., CT. Abigail was born about 1730 and was christened on 25 Jun 1732 in Haverhill, Essex, MA. She died about 1820 in Sackville, Westmorland, NB. They had the following children:

1. Elijah Ayer was born on 27 Apr 1753 and died on 12 Apr 1837.
2. Nehemiah Ayer was born on 22 Dec 1755 and died on 3 Oct 1842.
3. Sarah Ayer was born on 9 Oct 1758 and died after 1826.
4. Mariner Ayer was born in 1761 and died on 10 Mar 1785.
5. Obediah Ayer was born in 1763 and died on 9 Dec 1856.
6. Thomas Ayer was born in 1767 and died on 24 May 1829.

Will

From the Probate records of Westmorland County, New Brunswick, at the time of transcription in Dorchester, Westmorland County, NB. Now held in Fredericton.

KNOW ALL MEN by these presents that we Thomas Ayer and Stephen Millidge Esq. of Sackville and John Wheldon of Dorchester are firmly held and bound unto Amos Botsford Esquire Surrogate Judge of Probate in and for the County of Westmorland in the sum of Three hundred pounds lawful money of New Brunswick to be paid to the said Amos Botsford his certain Attorney Executors Administrators or Successor in Office, to which payment well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves our heirs Executors and administrators jointly and severally firmly by these Presents. Sealed with our Seal dated the twenty first day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and in the fortieth year of his Majesty's Reign.

THE CONDITION of the above obligation is such that if the above bounden Thomas Ayer Administrator of all and singular the goods chattels estate and credits of Elijah Ayer late of Sackville did do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the goods chattels estate and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come into the hands and possession of the said Administrator or into the hands and possession of any other person or persons for him and the same so made, do exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Registry of the Court of Probate for said County on or before the twenty first day of June next, and the same estate goods chattels and credits of the said deceased at the time of his death or which at any time after shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of the said administrator or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him do well and truly administer according to law and further do make or cause to be made a just and true account of the said administration on or before the twenty first day of March next and all the rest residue and remainder of the said estate goods chattels and credits which shall be found remaining upon the said administration account the same being first examined and allowed by the Judge of Probate for the time being of the said court, do deliver distribute and pay unto such person or persons respectively as the said Judge by his sentence and decree pursuant to the tone? intent and meaning of an Act of this Province entitled an Act relating to Wills Legacies Executors and Administrators and for settlement and distribution of the Estates of intestates shall limit and appoint then this obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue.

Signed Sealed and delivered

Thos ayer

in presence of

Jacob Powell

John Wheldon

Steph Millidge

On cover: Inventory Estate of Elijah Ayer Senr. filed 26t May 1800.

Inventory or the Real and personal Estate of the late Elijah Ayer, Senr. of Sackville in the County of Westmorland New Brunswick this --- 10th day of April 1800 by Josiah Tingly Willm. Lawranc and Thos. Easterbrook upon oath.

VIZ - 1 yoak oxon....... L14.0.0

5 Cows @ 100/..... 25.0.0

1 do...@60/....... 3.0.0

1 Red Mair........ 10.0.0

1 white do........ 5.0.0

1 Coth?........... 2.0.0

12 Sheep........... 8.0.0 -- 67.0.0

Wareing)

Apparil ) 1 Brown Coat...... 2.0.0

1 Blue do & Vet... 0.10.0

1 white Vest...... 0.10.0

2 pr. Hose........ 0.5.0

2 white shirts ... 0.7.6 -- 4.2.6

House )

Furniture) 2 tables.......... 0.15.0

1 chest........... 0.7.6

1 foot wheel...... 0.12.6

1 old Feather Bed. 0.10.0

1 Platter & 4 plates 0.5.0

2 Iron Kettels.... 1.0.0

1 Hetchel......... 0.7.6

1 old Plowshear... 0.7.6

1 large Bibel..... 0.15.0 -- 5.0.0

Real Estate

a 4 acre lot...... 8.0.0

a 21 do lot near). 63.0.0

Sunkin Island)

5 acres on West).. 20.0.0

Marsh dyked)

10-1/2 acres outside 2.12.6

a wood lot 180 acres 25.0.0 -- 118.12.6

L194.15.0

Admr. sworn to Inventory

26th May. --

This may Certify that the within Named Josiah Tingly Wm. Lawranc and Thos. Easterbrook were duly sworn to appraise the with Estate to the best of their Judgement -- before me --

J. Burnham ) J. Peace

Sources

1. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7WY-38N : 11 February 2018), Elijah Ayer, 30 Apr 1727; citing ; FHL microfilm unknown.
2. ↑ Norwich CT land records
3. ↑ Wood Genealogy
4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20181211042719/http://newscotland1398.ca/hist/nshistory04.html
5. ↑ Collections of the Maine Historical Society, v. 20, p. 136-7
6. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 24 Oct 2023), "Record of Elijah Ayer Sr", Ancestor # A004078.
7. ↑ Information from Doug Ayer
8. ↑ Entered by Carroll Woods, Sep 18, 2012
9. ↑ Death from tombstone, age 73 years, Tantramar Cemetery, Sackville NB. Inscriptions in old cemetery at Sackville NB: "Sacred to the memory of Elijah Ayer, a native of Norwich, Conn., who d. Nov. 13, 1799, in his 73rd year." "Nehemiah Ayer, d. Oct. 3, 1842 in the 88th year of his age." "Obadiah Ayer, d. Dec. 9, 1856, in the 93rd year." "Thomas Ayer, d. May 24, 1829, aged 62 years."

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 08 June 2021, 21:15), entry for Elijah Ayer Senior (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L7G8-RMG ); contributed by various users.
• https://archive.org/stream/woodfamilysackvi00kibb#page/26/mode/2up/search/elijah+ayer
• Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 08 November 2019), memorial page for Elijah Ayer (30 Apr 1727–13 Nov 1799), Find A Grave: Memorial #134267022, citing Four Corners Burying Ground, Upper Sackville, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada ; Maintained by Brian Muller (contributor 47838916) .
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walkersj/rogers.html
• http://home.earthlink.net/~dougayer/ayer/pafg07.htm#445
• https://web.archive.org/web/20181211042719/http://newscotland1398.ca/hist/nshistory04.html