Ref:

(1) Wiltshire Visitation Pedigrees, 1623- Harleian Society, London, 1954- pp.57-8; Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry- 18th Edition, Burke's Peerage Ltd., London, 1965- p. 246

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 5

2I GALFRIDUS (HUMPHREY 1)

Issue-

Ref:

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 5

3I. GALFREOUS EYRE (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2)

From the Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623: Galfridus le Eyre de Bromham 15: E: 2 (1322).

Issue-

Ref:

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 5

4I. JOHN (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3)

b.c.1365 Bromhall, Wiltshire
m.c.1385 ELIZABETH CROOKE- b.c.1365 Erchefonte, Wiltshire, d. of John Crooke of Erchefonte

John had his home at Wedhampton, in the parish of Urchfont. He recovered seisen of his lands in Urchfont by the name of John Le Eyr in the reign of Edward III.

Issue-

Ref:

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- pp. 5-6

5I. SIMON (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4)

b.c.1415
bur. St. Mary Woolnoth, Lombard St., London
will 8 Dec. 1457-11 Nov. 1458 Wedhampton, Wilts

Simon bore the arms: Argent, a boar rampant, azure, lined and collared or.

"The draper, Sir Simon Eyre, Mayor of London, leaves a total of 7,000 marks to his family: 2,000 to his only child, Thomas; 1,000 to his grandson, Robert; 2,000 to his grandson, Thomas; and 2,000 to his graddaughter, Jane. In each case the amount is to be paid half in woolen cloth "as it cost at ye first cate" and half in debtors." In a second, fragmentary codicil, dated 16 Sept. 1458, also kept at Somerset House, Simon apparently tried to remedy this unequal distribution by giving each of the grandchildren 1,000 marks and leaving the rest to his son Thomas. (1) It is interesting to note that Simon did not mention Thomas' oldest son William. Perhaps he had provided for him previously?

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Notes and Queries- Jan. 1954, p. 15- Another Look at Simon Eyre's Will

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 6

6I. THOMAS (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5)

b.c.1445
d. before 1500 Wedhampton, Wilts

Issue-

Ref:

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290

7I. WILLIAM (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5, THOMAS 6)

b.c.1465 Wedhampton, Wilts
m. JULIANNA COCKERELL (bur. Priory Church of the Canons of St. Augustine, Christchurch, Hants)

Issue-

Ref:

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 6

8I. JOHN (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5, THOMAS 6, WILLIAM 7)

b.c.1495 Wedhampton, Wiltshire
m.1. Margaret, d. of John Button of Alton, Wilts
2. JANE CUSSE (b.c.1485 Broughton Giffard, Wiltshire) d. of John Cusse of Broughton Giffard

Issue- first two children by Margaret, last four by Jane

Ref:

A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- p. 14
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -290
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- pp. 6-7

9I. ROBERT (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5, THOMAS 6, WILLIAM 7, JOHN 8)

b.c.1515 Wedhampton, Wiltshire
m. JOAN ______ (m.1. George Turney)
d. 1559 New Sarum, Wiltshire

Robert settled in Salisbury as a merchant and purchased the lands and tenements in Castle Street of Sir Henry Long. He was MP for Salisbury in 1557 and was Mayor of Salisbury in 1559.(1)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- pp. 4, 13
NEHGR- Vol. 10, p. 256
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -291
A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 7

10I. THOMAS (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5, THOMAS 6, WILLIAM 7, JOHN 8, ROBERT 9)

b.c.1545
m. 16 Apr. 1577 St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wilts ELIZABETH ROGERS, d. of John Rogers (b.c.1545 Poole, Dorset, bur. 24 Dec. 1612 Salisbury, Wiltshire)
bur. 10 Sept. 1628 St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire
IPM 2 Oct. 1629

Thomas was Mayor of Salisbury in 1587. He held lands in Wimborne, Dorset and purchased the Manor of Chilhampton and South Newton, Wilts. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Rogers of Poole, Dorset and descended from the family of Brainston, Dorset.(1) Thomas' monument is in the church of St. Thomas in Salisbury.(2)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) A History of the Wiltshire Family of Eyre- Mary Elizabeth Frances Richardson Eyre, Mitchell & Hughes, London, 1897- pp. 5, 13
(2) Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry- Burke's Peerage Ltd., London, 1939- pp. 727-9
(3) A Short Account of the Family of Eyre of Eyrecourt and Eyre of Eyrevill in the County of Galway- Rev. Allen Stewart Hartigan- p. 8: "Giles Eyre, the second son, was the founder of the Brickworth and Irish branches of the family. He was born in 1572, and was High Sheriff for Wilts in 1640. He was a very strong supporter of the Parliamentarian Party, and suffered on account of his opinions. He himself and three of his sons were members of the council of Oliver Cromwell, and two of them, John and Edward Eyre, accompanied the Cromwellian, General Ludlow, to Ireland,a nd founded there, the family of the Irish Eyres. Giles Eyre built the Mansion House of Brickworth, in the parish of Whiteparish. Close by the west door of Whiteparish Church is a tablet to his memory, with this inscription:-- "Buried here Gyles Eyre Esq. adn Jane his wife. A man much oppressed by public power for his laudable opposition to the measures taken in the reigns of James and Charles I. "In the year 1640 (for then well-known Court reasons), he was . . . was afterwrds plundered at Brickworth by the King's soldiers of �2,000 value, and imprisoned for refusing to pay the sum of �400, illegally demanded of him by two instruments under the Privy Seal, bearing date at Oxford, 14th Feb. 1643. He was baptized 1572, died Jan., 1655, having issue seven sons (three of whom were likewise members of Parliament), and four daughters." Over the vestry of Whtieparish church hangs an Esquire's helmet, surmounted by leg coup�e, the Eyre crest. The time in which Giles Eyre lived were very troublesome ones, and split up families into two parties. We find that the senior branch of the family, the Eyres of Chalfield, were strong loyalists, and fought for the King. The opinions of Giles made him very obnoxious to many of his neighbors, amongst whom the ancient and courtly family of St. Barbe, of Cowsfield Loveries, in Whiteparish. Edward St. Barbe, by his will, proved in 1643, left his property to his son Edward on condition that he would not intermarry with the daughter of Giles Eyre, Esq., of Brickworth. This condition was observed by Edward St. Barbe, but the Fates in the course of time had their revenge, as in the 19th century, Charles St. Barbe married Mary Foster, dr. of the Rev. Thomas Foster, of Ryhall, Rutland, who was descended through the Eyres of Ashley from Thomas Eyre, the father of Giles Eyre. Giles Eyre m. 1603, Jane Snelgrove, dr. and heiress of Ambrose Snelgrove, of Redlynch, and left issue."

NEHGR- Vol.10, p.253, 256
The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623- Harleian Library, London, 1954- pp.57ff
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland- John Burke, Esq. -291
A Genealogical Account of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire- Sir Bernard Burke- p. 193

11II. JOHN (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5, THOMAS 6, WILLIAM 7, JOHN 8, ROBERT 9, THOMAS 10)

m. HANNAH _____ (d. 8 Oct. 1688 Haverhill, MA)
d. 31 Mar. 1657 Haverhill
will 12 Mar- 6 Oct. 1657

The earliest identification found of the wife of John Ayer as Hannah Evered was a newspaper genealogy column known as "The Boston Transcript." According to that source Hannah was listed in the will of John Evered alias Webb, therefore she must be his sister. Hannah was still alive when the will was probated, she was not mentioned and did not inherit anything. John Evered alias Webb did mention his cousins as the children of John Ayer and not as the children of his sister Hannah which would be very unusual if indeed she was his sister.

John came to America in 1637 from Norwich, Norfolk. He was a proprietor in Salisbury in 1640. He received land in Salisbury in the first division in 1640 and again in 1643. He sold his house, land, and commonage to John Stevens in 1645 when he moved to Haverhill. Here he built a house which together with his land was valued at �160.This house was continously occupied by his descendants through sixth generations. He was one of thirty two landowners in Haverhill. He was fined in Feb 1647 for not attending the town meeting. He served on the Grand Jury in Apr and Oct 1649 and in Apr 1652. He was made a Freeman in Mar 1654. As he signed his own name in certain court proceedings, he was a man of some education. When he was made a Freeman, the list had an evaluation of man�s property, John Ayers valuation was �160 and was he 2nd highest on the list.

His will, 12 Mar 1657, was very extensive and comprehensive where he mentions his wife and all of his children.

"Estate of John Eyers, Sr. of Haverhill.
The last will and Testament of John Eyers ye Elder of Haverhill made ye twelfe of March one thousand six hundred fifty six: fifty seaven: ist ffirst I giue vnto my Sonne John Eyers my dwelling house and house Lott, butt my wyfe to haue the [my] house and Archyard & the psture of English grass by the barne, and the leantoo att the South end of ye barne and to haue livertie in ye Same Nue barne to lay in such hay or corne as shee shall haue occasion to make vse of duering the tyme of hir Naturall life and att hir death to returne to my Sonne Jno Eyers, and duering the tyme of my wiues life my Sonne is to haue the vse of my house Lott and barne, and to pay vnto my wife tenn shillings an acre for every acre of broken vpp land in this my house Lott, and after the end of my wyues life when this falls into my Sonne John Eyers hand then hee shal pay as followes, fiue pound the first yeare after my wyfes death to my Sonne Nathaniell . . .and that young Sowe, whose eare hangs downe and all my flaggy meadow I giue to my Sonne Peter the other halfe of my decond division of meadow & vpland, & two Oxe comons with all privilidges belonging to two Oxe commons and three acres of land in ye upper playne which hee hath allreadie in his possession: I giue my third division of land which is agreed on by the town to bee lay'd out, I giue vnto my Sonne John Eyers & Peter Eyers to bee equally divided beweene them. . . I giue to my wife my best Cowe, and to my daughter Hannah my second best cowe, & my other Cowe and three yeare old heifer to my daughters rebecka & Mary: And all my other goods and Cattell and Swine and house hold stuff vndisposed of I giue vnto my wyfe Hanah Eyers whom I make my Sold Executrix and whom I appoint to discharge all my debts & to take care for my buriall: [No signature.] Proved in Hampton Court 6:8:1657 by Henry Palmer

The inventory amounted to �248/5/6.

John Ayer's Inventory

fower cows, two steers, and a calf..................................................................................... 20.00.00
twenty swine and fower pigs............................................................................................. 18.00.00
fower oxen ....................................................................................................................... 25.00.00
one plough, two pair plough irons, one harrow, one yolke and chayne, and a rope cart ..... 4.00.00
two howes, two axes, two shovels, one spade, two wedges, two betell rings, two
sickels and a reap hook hangers in the chimneys, tongs and pot hooks ............................. 13.00.00
two pots, three kettles, one skillet, and frying pan.............................................................. 3.03.00
in pewter........................................................................................................................... 1.00.00
three flocks, beds, and bed clothes ................................................................................... 18.00.00
12 yards of cotton cloth and cotton wool and hemp and flax............................................ 4.00.00
two wheels, three chests, and a cupbboard....................................................................... 1.03.00
wooden stuff belonging to the house ................................................................................ 1.16.00
two muskets and all that belong to y' ................................................................................ 2.10.00
in books ............................................................................................................................ 0.15.00
in flesh meat...................................................................................................................... 0.15.00
about forie bushells of corne .............................................................................................. 7.00.00
his waring apparill ............................................................................................................... 8.00.00
about six or seven acres of graine in and uppon the ground.............................................. 9.00.00
the dwelling house and barne and land broken and unbroken with all appurtaneences..... 120.00.00
forks, rakes, and other small implements about the house and barne.................................. 1.00.00
in debt owing to him .......................................................................................................... 1.00.00
between two or three bushels of sale and so mayle............................................................. 0.10.00
TOTAL 248.05.00 pounds

The will was attessted by Hanry Palmer, the father of the wife of John's son Robert, and a fairly equitable division was made among the chidlren of the real estate, which comprised two dwellings and a number of out-laying parcels of land. His wife was given the homestead during her life, and the major portion of his cattle and personal property. The homestead at the death o the widow was to go to the testator's son, John, chareable with certain case payments to his broather and sister. In the above inventory no mention is made of a second house and house lot, which, by the will, was given to his son, Nathaniel, 'When his apprenticeship is out with his master French.' During Hannah Ayer's widowhood she appears to have been active in affairs, purchased and sold lands, and previous to 1675 built a new house 'on the commons.'

Hannah survived John and died "aged� in Haverhill on 8 Oct 1688. In fact, she became �unreasonable with age� and in 1674 and years following was �dissatisfied� with the way he sons were providing for her.

Issue-

Ref:

New England Heritage of Rousmaniere, Ayer, Farwell and Bourne Families- Rosalie Fellows Bailey, NY, 1960
"Essex Antiquarian"- Vol.4
"The Lamson Family of Jonesport, Maine"- p.378
"Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury"- pp.36-9

12II. ROBERT (HUMPHREY 1, GALFRIDUS 2, GALFREOUS 3, JOHN 4, SIMON 5, THOMAS 6, WILLIAM 7, JOHN 8, ROBERT 9, THOMAS 10, JOHN 11)

b.c.1625
m. 27 Feb. 1650/1 Haverhil, MA, ELIZABETH PALMER (d. 24 Apr. 1705 Haverhill)
probate Mar. 1717 Haverhill

Robert was a yoeman farmer in Haverhill and took the Freeman�s oath 8 Oct 1667. In the same month he was made a corporal in the Haverhill military company and was later a sargeant. He recieved land in the second ands fifth divisions of �plough-land�. He was a Selectman in 1685 and was one of a committee of three who were appointed to see about settling Rev. Benjamin Rolfe, the second minister in Haverhill. Robert Ayers died between May 1716 and Mar 1717 at the age of ninety two. There was no formal will or inventory however, there are many dispositions concerning him giving land and goods to his children and in 1708 he gave the �remainder of his estate� to his grandson, James Ayers, with the stipulation that Robert, retain the use of the property for life.

Issue- All children b. Haverhill, MA

Ref:

Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury- pp.36-9, 871

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