Richard Arey Sr

 

AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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Richard Arey Sr.
  see FAMILY TREE
Married: Abt.  1643

 

   
Died: 19 Nov 1669 at Sea    
     

WIFE

Unknown

CHILDREN

1. Richard Arey
    b. Abt. 1650

2. John Arey

Richard Arey, Sr.
by Susan Brooke
Feb 2023

According to The Genealogies of Mayflower Families, Richard Arey, Sr. was in a lawsuit in Salisbury, MA as early as 1646. Named as Richard "Aerie" he received a land grant in New London, MA in 1651 but did not build on it. (1)  He was a mariner and may have left his wife and children back in England for a short time. But by 1652 he was probably living in Edgartown where he was granted a house lot with 8 acres which he sold in 1653, named as Richard Arey. (2)
Richard Crouch, the brother of Elizabeth Crouch, named his sister "Elizabeth Ayres" as wife of Richard Ayres of New England, in his will of 27 Oct 1660.  And, Richard "Ayre" of Wappingwall, cordwinder, married Elizabeth Crouch of Lower Shadwell in Stepney, Middlesex, England on 17 Aug 1643 at St Dunstan Church in Stepney. (3) "In the 16th century the riverside hamlets of Stepney became London's 'Sailortown' and St Dunstan's became known as the church of the High Seas.  It was here that seafarers gathered for blessings of their voyages." (4)  However, in the marriage record, Richard Ayre was named as "cordwinder." 
There are some other baptisms, marriages and burials in the church records that refer to a Richard Ayre. (5)  But there is no record a baptism of a Richard or John, the two known children of Richard Arey Sr.  Also, a Richard "Ayre" of Whitechapel married Elizabeth Hughs in Stepney in 1655.  He was 50 years old at that time and his wife a widow aged 40. (5)
The wife of Richard Arey Sr. was known as "Goodwife Arey" in Edgarstown and was still alive in 1665.  Her given named was never mentioned.   Elizabeth "Eyres" wife of Richard "Eyres" of Shadwell was buried in Saint Dunhan, Stepney, Middlesex, England in 1662.  She was clearly not the wife of Richard Arey, Sr. who was living in Edgartown in 1665.  Also, she was probably not the Elizabeth Crouch married to Richard Ayre since her brother named her as of New England in 1660.  There seem to be more than one man named Richard Ayre attending the church in St. Dunstan, Stepney, England in the 17th century.  And, there could have been other men in New England named Richard Ayre.
Richard Arey, Sr. drowned at sea 19 Nov 1669. (6)  The inventory of his estate showed property appraised at £128. 13s. 7d., of which £40 was given as the value of his house and land." (1)

Sources

(1) Genealogies of Mayflowers Families, Vol 1 pages 74-78  by Gary Boyd Robert, 1985

"Richard Arey, mariner, arrived in New England some time before 1646, when he is found at Salisbury, and, with Samuel Streeter, was drowned 19 Nov. 1669, when they were travelling from Martha's Vineyard either to Nantucket or to the mainland.  He married Elizabeth _______, who was probably Elizabeth Crouch, sister of Richard Crouch of the parish of St., Giles without Cripplegate, London, England, who in his will, dated 27 Oct. 1660 and proved 29 Nov. 1660, bequeathed to his brother William Crouch, beyond seas in New England, 12d;, if the same be demanded in twelve months and so to "my sister Elizabeth Ayre," wife of Richard Ayre, described in like terms as living in New England, 12d.  (Prerogative Court of Canterbury (Somerset House, London), Nabbs. 206.)"

"Richard Arey, had a "house lot of 8 acres granted to him, situated, according to the town records (vol 1, pp. 124, 125), 'Between Mr. Burchards and Thomas Daggertts,'" --"He sold this lot, however, in 1653 --- and bought a lot farther north, the second from Pease's Point. (Dukes County Deeds, vol 1, p. 319: Edgartown Records, vol. 1. p. 2)"  -- "About this time (1662) he purchased -- a second lot situated on Tower Hill, north of the cemetery.  --'Ten acres of Land which is my house Lott Bounded by the Sea on the East, the Common on the West, John Peases on the North, etc.' " 

"Soon after this he was drowned.  The inventory of his estate showed property appraised at £128. 13s. 7d., of which £40 was given as the value of his house and land."

"Children: John and Richard Arey.  Richard Arey (Richard 1), of Edgartown, died there 14 Feb. 1688, according to the entry in the diary of Rev. William Homes.  He married, about 1676, Sarah Marchant, daughter of Lieut. John Marchant.  She married secondly, 16 Nov 1696, Thomas Harlock.  (Cf. Banks, History of Martha's Vineyard, vol 1, pg 496.)
Children:
Jean (Joan or Jeon),  m. at Edgartown, 17 Jun 1696, Benjamin Pease, son of David Pease.
Children: Thankful, Bethia, Benjamin, John, Malatiah." 

Mayflower Families Mayflower Families Mayflower Families Mayflower Families   Mayflower Families

(2) Dukes Co, MA Deeds BK 1 page 319 
FHL film 911711  image 191

selling land in Edgartown in 1653

Dukes Co Deed Vol 1 page 319

(3) Marriages of St Dunstan, Stepney, England
17 Aug 1643

"Richard Ayer of Wappingwall cordwinder to Elizabeth Crouch of Lower Shadwell"
Google Book, The Marriage Register of St Dunstan's, Stepney in the county of Middlesex. 1640-1636

Original Record on Family Search

Marriage Record

map

(4) "In the 16th century the riverside hamlets of Stepney became London's 'Sailortown' and St Dunstan's became known as the church of the High Seas.  It was here that seafarers gathered for blessings of their voyages."

Saint Dunstant

(5) Church records of St. Dunstan

 

Possible connections to Richard Arey, Sr. Unlikely events at St Dunstan with similar names

Marriages of St Dunstan, Stepney, England
17 Aug 1643

"Richard Ayer of Wappingwall cordwinder to Elizabeth Crouch of Lower Shadwell"
Google Book, The Marriage Register of St Dunstan's, Stepney in the county of Middlesex. 1640-1636

 

Marriage of Richard Ayre to Elizabeth Hughs
Saint Dunstan and All Saints Church, Stepney, Middlesex, England
9 Dec 1655
Richard Ayre of Whitechapel Parish, Globor,  aged 50 and Elizabeth Hughs wid. and aged 40 yea

Marriage to Elizabeth Hughs
Burial of Margarett Ayres  image 405
St. Dunstan, Stepney, Middlesex, England
23 Jul 1649
Margaret daughter of Richard Ayres of Ratciffe highway, marr & Elizabeth
Baptism of Thomas Ayre
christening St Mary Whitechapel, Stepney, Middlesex, England
19 Nov 1656
Parents: Richard Ayre and Elizabeth
Baptism of Rebecca Ayres  image 606
christening Saint Dunstan and All Saints Church, Stepney, Middlesex, England
25 Nov 1649
Rebecca daughter of Richard Ayres of Ratcliffs high way marynor & Elizabeth
Burial of Elizabeth Eyres image 573
St Dunstan, Stepney, Middlesex, England
29 Sep 1662
Elizabeth wife of Richard Eyres of Shadwell Marrinor
Burial of Anne Eyres image 615
Stepney, Middlesex, England
8 Nov 1664
Anne Daughter of Richard Eyres of old grabell lane Cordwinder & Elizabeth

Burial of Richard Aires
Stepney, Middlesex, England
24 Apr 1669
Richard Aires of Shadwll, Taylor,

 

(6) Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850 on Ancestry.com

Nantucket

Richard (Airy), 19th, 11 mo. 1669  P.R. 63

P.R. 63   --- private record, from a copy of a manuscript kept by Hon. Isaac Coffin, Judge of Probate, in the possession of the Nantucket Atheneum