Sarah (Ayer) Shaw (1698 - abt. 1769)

Born 1 Apr 1698 in Stonington, Connecticut

Ancestors

Wife of James Miner — married 4 May 1721 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Colony

Died about 1769 at about age 70 in Stonington, Connecticut

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Biography

Sarah was born on April 1st, 1698 to John Ayer. ^[1]

She married James Minor on May 4, 1721 in Stonington, Connecticut.^[2][3] There is some concern that the specific James Minor (Miner) that she married can not be determined, however, in the will of James Minor, dated 2 June 1726 and presented to court on 18 June 1726, the following family members are mentioned:^[4]

Wife- Sarah Minor

Sons- James, Charles and Daniel

Daughters- Abigail, Freelove and Ann

Nephew- Thomas Minor of Stonington

James is also shown in "The Groton Avery Clan" to have married Sarah Ayers.^[5]

In "The Lyon's Whelps : descendants of Thomas Miner, 1608-1900," it mentions that Sarah and James had the following children:^[3]

• Sarah, baptized on 31 Dec 1727
• Eunice, baptized on 31 Dec 1727

This, however, is unlikely because they are not mentioned in the will. They are likely the children of James, son of Sarah's husband James and his first wife Abigail Eldredge.

It is unlikely that there were any children of James and Sarah.

Research Note

This Sarah could possibly be the one that married Thomas Shaw on January 4th, 1748/9 in Stonington.^[6] No children are recorded for the couple. There is a probate record for a Sarah Shaw, in 1769, in which a Samuel Miner posted bond for the probate along with Henry Jones.

Sarah had a brother-in-law Samuel and her step-son James, husband of Sarah Breed, had a daughter Eunice who married Henry Jones. This is most likely the reason that Eunice (as well as Sarah who was baptized on the same day) are listed as daughters to this Sarah in "The Lyon's Whelps : descendants of Thomas Miner, 1608-1900."'^[3]

The main obstacle in the marriage of this Sarah to Thomas Shaw is what happened in the years after James died and before the second marriage? It is highly unusual, but not impossible, for such a lengthy space between marriages. Could it be that she had simply waited for all her step-children to be grown, married and having their own families before thinking about herself and the possibility of another marriage? We may never know for sure.

Sources

1. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (7 January 2020), Sarah Ayer, 1698.
2. ↑ Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Miner, John A., "The Lyon's Whelps : descendants of Thomas Miner, 1608-1900," University Press, Winchester, Mass: 1970.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data:Connecticut County, District and Probate Courts. Citing: Probate Records, Vol C-D, 1725-1742.
5. ↑ Avery, Elroy McKendree and Avery, Catharine Hitchcock, "The Groton Avery Clan, Volume 1," Cleveland: 1902. Page 80.
6. ↑ Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928.

• Ayer / Ayers / Aiers listings in Haverhill, MA and Stonington, CT Town Records and Church Records - See Transcriptions at Ayer Listings in Vital Records

• "Powers Banks Ancestry, Traced In All Lines To The Remotest Date Obtainable," by William Howard Powers, Published by J. L. Powers (1921) - see pages 171 - 173 [1] - this source lists a daughter "Martha" as baptized on 27 Mar 1697, whereas some other sources list this child as "Sarah" born about 1 Apr 1697.