In a 1781 deposition, Anna Dyer, age 86, identified her father as Daniel Small and her grandfather as Francis Small. The deposition also mentions other sons of Francis. Unfortunately the deposition does not mention the name of Anna’s husband but it is assumed this Anna Dyer was the wife of Henry Dyer.[1]
"The only witness of record, called to support the claims of the heirs of Daniel Small before these Commissioners, was Mrs. Anna Dyer, of Cape Elizabeth, daughter to Daniel and granddaughter to Francis Small, who testified in August, 1781."[2]
Note:
Info source: Henry Dyer Moore III (384 French St., Bangor, Penobscot, Me 04401-3961) in Dec. 1994 issue of The Dyer Connection.
aged 86 in Aug. 1781.
!BIRTH-DEATH: GAZETTE OF MAINE; 1790-1806; publ by Benjamin Titcomb of Portland; Maine Hist. Soc.; Article printed 17 Mar 1794 describes "Anner Dyer", age 99 years, upwards of 300 children to five generations.
!DEATH: INDEX OF OBITUARIES IN MASSACHUSETTS CENTINEL AND COLUMBIAN CENTINEL; 1784-1840; Comp. by Am. Antiquarian Soc; 1961, G.K. Hall Co.;NOTE: Reported in Col. Cent. Apr 16, 1794 was Anna Dyer, age 99, Cape Elizabeth.
She owned the Covenant at Truro Church, Feb. 13, 1725-26; admitted, May 17, 1730. From her much quoted deposition, acknowledged at Cape Elizabeth, August 27, 1781, in which she gives her age as "about Eighty Six Years" -- thus indicating her birth in 1695 -- it is safe to assume her to be the eldest child of Daniel Small. The longevity inherited from her grandfather, Francis Small, which enabled her at this advanced age, with mind and memory unimpaired, to appear before the Commissioners on Eastern Claims with a clear statement. (Small Gen., p.156)
Anna Dyer lived to a great age. Her valuable deposition concerning the interest of her father, Daniel3 Small, of Truro, in the "Ossipee Tract," is well known to all students of Maine history. This deposition, made on Aug. 27, 1781, when she was eighty-six years of age, proves that she then retained her faculties to a remarkable degree. She signed her name with a mark, yet that was common among women of her generation. The date of death of "Miss Anna Dyer" is not known; in 1794, it was stated in Court that she "was dead."(+)
Sources
↑ “The Ossippee Township, Deposition of Anna Dyer,” in ‘’NEHGR,’’ 35:366-367
Abbreviation: Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire
Note: Source Media Type: Book
Master Listing Source: Y
Source: S2300 Abbreviation: Pedigree Resource File - LDS Title: Pedigree Resource File - LDS Subsequent Source Citation Format: Pedigree Resource File - LDS BIBL Pedigree Resource File - LDS TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE Pedigree Resource File - LDS FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE Pedigree Resource File - LDS FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE Pedigree Resource File - LDS
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Anna by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Anna:
Along with other note: This Findagrave helps show how one Anna Small Dyer was his mother (1695-1794) while, confusingly enough, another Anna Small Dyer (1746-1800) was his wife. The wiki profile currently has the Annas switched generationally.
Are there any sources that show her married to James Dyer? I have only seen her married to Henry Dyer. Additionally, the age difference with James makes him a generation younger than her. How would you feel about removing James as her spouse?
UPDATE: MA Vital Records shows James Dyer (currently shown as her husband), as actually being the son of Henry and Anna Dyer, with James' birthdate shown in WikiTree. Would you please remove him as her spouse, and add him as her child instead? Here is a source: Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, Truro V1, page 30
See https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=69605249
UPDATE: MA Vital Records shows James Dyer (currently shown as her husband), as actually being the son of Henry and Anna Dyer, with James' birthdate shown in WikiTree. Would you please remove him as her spouse, and add him as her child instead? Here is a source: Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, Truro V1, page 30