David Ayers (1744 - 1835)

David Ayers was born January 8, 1744 in Basking Ridge, Somerset County,  New Jersey, the son of Moses Ayers and wife Jane Chambers.  He came to Lower Mount Bethel as a young man.   He had been married to Elizabeth, who died in 1777 after the birth and death of their son William.  They are buried in the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

About this time David came to Lower Mt. Bethel, Northampton County, Pennsylvania and was a member of the Hunter Martin Settlement and sometime after that married Elizabeth McDowell.

His service in the Revolutionary War is noted in the Pennsylvania Archives 5^th Series, Vol. 8, pages 384, 385 and 607.   He served as a private 8^th class in the  5^th Battalion, 7^th  company, under  Capt. Hugh Gaston, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, 1780.  The DAR lists him as Ancestor #: A004071.

http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/archive.asp

Records show that he owned land in  the vicinity of  Richmond, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, extending from Richmond to Gruvertown.  He built a large house and mill  which was of great use to the settlers in the area.

Shull says, “the vigorous personality of the man and his unflinching integrity, gave him great influence.  He was looked to for the soundness  of his judgment and his strong practical sense, and for a great many years was the justice of the peace in the township.  He was a stanch Presbyterian and a large contributor to the beginning of the local church…”

He had two sons, David and Moses, of whom David pushed on into the new country of Ohio, and Moses stayed on the homestead.  Moses married Mary Britain and had a daughter Jane, who married Henry Rasley.  Their daughter Sarah Rasley married William McEwen and were the great grandparents of my mother, Lois McEwen Hughes.

David Ayers is buried in the Scotch-Irish Cemetery, Martins Creek, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  This cemetery is associated with the people who were a part of the Huter Martin Settlement of Lower Mount Bethel, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

The tombstones were inscribed

    Ayers, David Esq.   d. 1-25-1835,  91y

    Ayers, Elizabeth,  wife of David Ayers,  d. 2-13-1815,  78y

Researching David Ayers provided  an interesting tidbit when  I realized that  his descent from Thomas Eyre (1549 - 1629)  made my parents 10^th  cousins.  Oh Yeah, that is bound to happen when you start climbing the family tree. 

My mother descends from John Ayers whose descendants, migrated out of Massachusetts and into New Jersey, finally crossing the Delaware River and arriving in the Hunter Martin Settlement in Lower Mount Bethel, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania. This is David's line.

My father descends from Robert Eyer, John’s brother.   Catherine Eyer, Robert’s daughter, married Charles Chauncey. Chauncey descendants migrated across Massachusetts, into New York and finally into Bradford County, Pennsylvania.  

It is a long story so I will  attach a page showing the line of descent from Thomas Eyre, making my parents 10th cousins. 

  

Sources:

• The Early Germans of New Jersey: Their History, Churches, and Genealogies, Theodore Frelinghuysen Chambers, Dover Printing Company, 1895, page 244,  online ebook.

• Miller, Ketchledge, Martin, Thompson, Brittain, Ayres, Raub Genealogies, Shull, Horatio Gates, Easton, Pa. : The author, 1929.

                       Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

I welcome your comments. Please consider joining this BLOG as a follower or member.

Copyright

This page  © 2013, Cynthia H. Smith


                              Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

Eyre / Ayers lines of descent, making my parents 10th cousins

First Generation 

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1. Thomas Eyre. Born in 1549 in New Sarum, Wiltshire, England. Thomas died in St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, on 10 Sep 1629; he was 80.

Thomas married Elizabeth Rogers, daughter of John Rodgers & Mrs. (Rodgers), in St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Born abt 1549 in Dorsetshire, England. Elizabeth died in St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, on 24 Dec 1612; she was 63.

There may have been other children,  but these two  are the ones I am interested in.  

2 i. Robert (1569-1638)

3 ii. John (<1582-1657)

Second Generation 

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2. Robert Eyre. Born in 1569 in St Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Robert died in St Thomas, Sarum, Wiltshire, England, on 8 Aug 1638; he was 69.

Robert married Ann Still, daughter of Rev. John Still & Lady Jane Horner. Born on 19 Aug 1576 in Bath, Somersetshire, England.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

4 i. Catherine (1602-1667)

3. John Ayers. Born bef 2 Sep 1582 in St. Thomas, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. John died in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts, on 31 Mar 1657; he was 74.

abt 1620 when John was 37, he married Hannah Evered (Webb), daughter of John Evered (Webb) & Mary (Evered Webb), in England. Born abt 1598 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Hannah died in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts, on 8 Oct 1688; she was 90.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

5 i. Obiadiah (1635-1694)

Third Generation 

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4. Catherine Eyre. Born in 1602 in England. Catherine died in Massachusetts on 24 Nov 1667; she was 65.

On 17 Mar 1630 when Catherine was 28, she married Rev. Charles Chauncey in England. Born on 5 Nov 1592 in England. Charles died in Massachusetts on 19 Feb 1671; he was 78.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

6 i. Rev. Israel (1644-1703)

5. Obiadiah Ayers. Born on 1 Oct 1635 in Salisbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Obiadiah died in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ, on 14 Nov 1694; he was 59.

On 19 Mar 1660 when Obiadiah was 24, he married Hannah Pike, daughter of John Pike Capt. & Mary Turvell, in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Born on 26 Apr 1643 in Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Hannah died in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ, on 31 May 1689; she was 46.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

7 i. John (1662-1732)

Fourth Generation 

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6. Rev. Israel Chauncey. Born in 1644 in Scituate, Mass. Israel died in Stratford, Conn., in 1703; he was 59.

On 8 Jan 1666/1667 when Israel was 22, he first married Mary Nichols, daughter of Isaac Nichols & Margery Washbourne, in New Haven, Connecticut. Born on 2 Feb 1648 in Stratford, Conn. Mary died bef 1684; she was 35.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

8 i. Rev. Isaac (1670-1745)

7. John Ayers. Born on 2 May 1662 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts. John died in Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., NJ, on 4 Oct 1732; he was 70.

On 24 Feb 1690 when John was 27, he married Mary Walker, daughter of Francis Walker & Elizabeth Soule, in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts. Born abt 1662 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. Mary died in Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., NJ, on 24 Oct 1739; she was 77.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

9 i. Moses (1706-1750)

Fifth Generation 

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8. Rev. Isaac Chauncey. Born on 5 Oct 1670 in Stratford, Conn. Isaac died in Hadley, Mass, on 2 May 1745; he was 74.

In 1697 when Isaac was 26, he married Sarah Blackleach, daughter of Richard Blackleach & Abigail Hobson. Born in 1681 in Connecticut. Sarah died in Hadley, Mass., on 29 Jun 1720; she was 39.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

10 i. Charles (1712-1785)

9. Moses Ayers. Born on 3 Jan 1706 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. Moses died in Somerset Co., NJ, on 4 Dec 1750; he was 44.

On 2 Nov 1739 when Moses was 33, he married Jane Chambers, daughter of John Chambers & Eleanor (Chambers), in Somerset Co., NJ. Born abt 1706 in New England, USA. Jane died bef 29 Jul 1759; she was 53.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

11 i. David (1744-1835)

Sixth Generation 

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10. Charles Chauncey. Born on 28 Jun 1712 in Hadley, Mass. Charles died in Shaker Colony At New Lebanon, NY, in Nov 1785; he was 73.

On 29 Jan 1740 when Charles was 27, he first married Sarah Ingram, daughter of Nathaniel Ingram & Hester/Esther Smith, in Hadley, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Born on 2 Oct 1714 in Hadley, Massachusetts. Sarah died in Hadley, Massachusetts, in Apr 1744; she was 29.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

12 i. Israel (1744-1785)

Charles second married Mary Gaylord.

11. David Ayers. Born on 8 Jan 1744 in Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., NJ. David died in Scotch-Irish Presb. LMB. Twp., Northampton Co. PA, on 25 Jan 1835; he was 91.

bef 1770 when David was 25, he married Elizabeth McDowell, daughter of Ephraim McDowell & Margaret Adams, in Northampton Co, .PA. Born in 1736. Elizabeth died in Scotch-Irish Presb. LMB. Twp., Northampton Co. PA, on 13 Feb 1815; she was 79.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

13 ii. Moses (1773-1854)

Seventh Generation 

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12. Israel Chauncey. Born in Apr 1744 in Hadley, Mass. Israel died in Shaker Colony At New Lebanon, NY, on 15 Oct 1785; he was 41.

On 16 Feb 1763 when Israel was 18, he married Elizabeth Petty  Or  Huckabone, daughter of Petty, in Sunderland, Massachusetts. Born on 19 Nov 1744 in Westminster, Worcester Co., Mass. Elizabeth died in Shaker Colony At New Lebanon, NY, on 1 Sep 1826; she was 81.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

14 vii. Russell R.G.E. (1774-1859)

13. Moses Ayers. Born on 14 May 1773 in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co. PA. Moses died in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co. PA, on 8 Jun 1854; he was 81.

Moses married Mary Brittian, daughter of Nathaniel Brittian & Jean Simonton. Born on 16 Apr 1776 in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp., Northampton Co, .PA. Mary died in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp., Northampton Co, .PA, on 7 Jun 1840; she was 64.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

15 i. Jane (1801-1875)

Eighth Generation 

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14. Russell R.G.E. Chauncey. Born on 7 Dec 1774 in Canaan,  New York. Russell R.G.E. died in Spencer Cem., Maryland, Columbia Co., NY, on 16 Jun 1859; he was 84.

On 23 Sep 1802 when Russell R.G.E. was 27, he married Mable Porter, daughter of John Chipman Porter & Mehitable Flower, in Ashfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. Born on 26 Sep 1779 in Ashfield, Mass. Mable died in Maryland, Columbia Co., NY, on 9 May 1864; she was 84.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

16 i. Sarah Angeline (1820-1921)

15. Jane Ayers. Born on 5 Jul 1801 in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co. PA. Jane died in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co. PA, on 10 Sep 1875; she was 74.

On 20 Jan 1824 when Jane was 22, she married Henry Rasley II, son of John Henry (Rosli) Rasley I & Anna Elizabeth Schmell, in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co. PA. Born on 21 Sep 1795 in Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co., PA. Henry died in Lower Mt. Bethel Twp. Northampton Co. PA, on 25 Aug 1877; he was 81.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

17 i. Sarah (1829-1919)

Ninth Generation 

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16. Sarah Angeline Chauncey. Born on 24 Apr 1820 in Ghent, Columbia Co., NY. Sarah Angeline died in Southport, Chemung Co., NY, on 21 May 1921; she was 101.

On 2 Mar 1850 when Sarah Angeline was 29, she married Hosea Phillip Scott, son of Jonathan Scott & Sarah Merritt, in East Troy, Bradford Co., PA. Born on 7 Aug 1820 in Troy, Bradford Co., PA. Hosea Phillip died in Armenia,  Bradford Co., PA, on 3 Nov 1899; he was 79.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

18 iii. Helen Florence (1860-1930)

17. Sarah Rasley. Born on 24 Jan 1829 in Richmond, PA. Sarah died in Richmond, PA, on 12 Jan 1919; she was 89.

On 11 Dec 1852 when Sarah was 23, she married William McEwen, son of John McEwen & Anna Houck, in Richmond, PA. Born on 9 Jul 1832 in Northampton Co., PA  Mt. Bethel. William died in Richmond, PA, on 21 Apr 1902; he was 69.

They had one child:

19 i. Henry (1856-1946)

Tenth Generation 

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18. Helen Florence Scott. Born on 5 Nov 1860 in Armenia Mt., Tioga Co., PA. Helen Florence died in Columbia, Bradford Co., PA, on 13 Aug 1930; she was 69.

On 3 Dec 1883 when Helen Florence was 23, she married Charles Shafer Estep, son of James Estep & Elizabeth Pritchard. Born on 2 Feb 1865 in Bloomsburg PA. Charles Shafer died in Bradford  Co., PA, on 9 Feb 1943; he was 78.

There may have been other children: They had the following child:

20 x. Zilpha  Imo Marie (1902-1978)

19. Henry McEwen. Born on 14 May 1856 in Richmond, PA. Henry died in Richmond, PA, on 19 Aug 1946; he was 90.

On 25 Dec 1878 when Henry was 22, he married Clara Matilda Illick, daughter of Samuel Christopher Illick & Henrietta Kressler, in Richmond, PA. Born on 15 Sep 1859 in Richmond, PA. Clara Matilda died in Richmond, PA, on 20 Feb 1942; she was 82.

 They had the following child:

21 ii. Wm. "Homer" (1895-1977)

Eleventh Generation 

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20. Zilpha  Imo Marie Estep. Born on 23 Jul 1902 in E. Troy , PA. Zilpha  Imo Marie died in Canton, PA, on 15 Aug 1978; she was 76.

On 20 Dec 1920 when Zilpha  Imo Marie was 18, she married Richard Lyle Hughes Sr., son of Simeon Hughes & Fannie B. Westlake, in Williamsport, PA. Born on 23 Jun 1900 in Tioga Co., PA. Richard Lyle died in Tioga Co., PA, on 23 Dec 1973; he was 73.

They had the following children:

22 i. Rev. Richard Lyle Jr. (1921-2002) - my dad

ii. Nina "Loreen" (1923 -1999)

iii. Nina Marie (1924 - 1926)

21. Wm. "Homer" McEwen. Born on 10 Oct 1895 in Richmond, PA. Wm. "Homer" died in Richmond, PA, on 21 Oct 1977; he was 82.

On 5 Aug 1920 when Wm. "Homer" was 24, he married Sarah "Eliza" Long, daughter of Rev. Howard Herbert Long & Ella May Heffner, in Red Lion, PA. Born on 24 Mar 1899 in Spring City, PA. Sarah "Eliza" died in Columbus, OH, on 9 May 1987; she was 88.

They had the following children:

23 i. Lois Marie  - my mom

ii. Homer Henry 

iii. Wm. Howard

Twelfth Generation 

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My parents,  Dick and Lois 

22. Rev. Richard Lyle Hughes Jr.   married  23.  Lois Marie McEwen on 5 Jun 1943 in Richmond, Pennsylvania.

They had the following children:

i. Stephen Earl 

ii. Sharon Elizabeth 

iii. Cynthia Marie -   That's me.

iv. Deborah Ann 

v. Richard Lyle III (1958-2001)

   I welcome your comments. Please consider joining this BLOG as a follower or member.

Copyright

This page  © 2013, Cynthia H. Smith


Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

Frederick Seiler (1748 - 1826)

I hate to hear someone tell me “but the name is spelled wrong” when they are doing genealogy research.  I say if it sounds or looks anything like the surname you are looking for,  examine it for a connection to the surname you are researching. And remember, German naming customs often gave children the same first name, but the child was known by their middle name.  

Frederick’s name can be found with many different spellings.  I have found Seiler, Seler, Sehler, Sailer, and Saylor, just to name a few.  Seems like every record I find shows a different way to spell the name.  But really, I think it is because the person who had to transcribe those various old records which were all handwritten in German and in the old German script was just doing the best job they could.  Deciphering that old script was a challenge indeed.  We can be happy that someone did make the attempt to read and transcribe those old records!

Frederick was 30 years old and a married man with children when he and his brother Daniel signed the Oath of Allegiance on May 30, 1778, in which they renounced the authority of King George the III. Frederick lived in the vicinity of Hecktown in Lower Nazareth Township. He must have become a man of considerable means as we learn he owned 145 acres in 1788 and by the time he died in 1826, he was able to leave each of his children a farm. 

The Michael Shoemaker Book provides  some good information about Frederick.

   

“Frederick, son of Lieutenant Colonel Johan Peter and Anna Margaret (Maurer) Seiler, served as a private in Captain George Nolf's company, Northampton  County Militia, in the Revolution, and was a member of the company June 5, 1780.  This company was organized in Middle Bethlehem Township, where Frederick Seiler  lived.  The name of his wife was Dorothy.  In 1780 he was assessed in Bethlehem at £360, and his Federal assessment in 1788 was 17 shillings and 9 pence on 145 acres of land, 3 horses, and 2 horned cattle.” 

Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Vol. VIII

Frederick's obituary appeared in the Friday, June 30, 1826, edition of the "Easton Centinel" newspaper; "Died on Sunday last in Bethlehem Twp., Mr. Frederick Sailer, age 82. Buried Tuesday following in graveyard near Dryland Church. Rev. Mr. Kemmerer delivered sermon".

Not much more is learned about his wife Dorothea from her obituary  dated  December 24,  1830.  It too appeared in the "Easton Centinel" newspaper of Easton, Pennsylvania.  All we read is: she died "in the 81st year of her age".  Well, that does help us figure her birth year as 1749.  I haven't found her parents yet... another challenge.

Frederick Seiler was the son of Dr. Peter Seiler.  Records show that he was born in 1748 and died June 25, 1826.  He and his wife, Maria Dorothea, are buried in the Dryland Church Yard Cemetery.  This cemetery is located behind the Trinity Lutheran Church near Hecktown in Lower Nazareth township, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania.   There are no grave markers to be found here.  At some point in time it was decided by the good people to erect a monument to all persons buried here and  turn the burial grounds into yard.  Well, at least there is a written record.

Frederick's will was  probated  October 6, 1826 in Northampton County.   He provided for his wife and left his  estate, to his ten surviving children.  The Michael Shoemaker Book gives detailed information about the children of Frederick and Dorothea Seiler.

“His will, in which, following the example of his father, he gave a farm to each of his eleven children, was made April 1, 1818, and was probated at Easton, Pa., Oct. 6, 1826. It names his wife, Dorothy, and the following children:

1, Peter, born Jan. 15, 1770, died March 16, 1809, married to Margaret, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Jacob and Elizabeth (Arndt) Schumacher;

2, Adam, married to Anna Maria, born July 20, 1782, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Jacob and Elizabeth (Arndt) Schumacher;

3, Abraham, born Dec. 11, 1781, died Nov. 23, 1842, married April 2, 1809, to Eve Arner (or Avaur) ;

4, Frederick, Jr., married to Susannah;

5, Isaac, married to Margaret;

6, Jacob, born March 7, 1793, baptised April 23, 1793, was married to Mary;

8, Sarah, married to George  Dech;

9, Elizabeth, married to Peter Kocher, June 21, 1807;

10, Catharine, married to Henry Buss; 
11, Margaret, married May 7, 1815, to Peter Hess.

Abraham Seiler and Frederick Seiler, Jr., of Bethlehem Township, Pa., were named executors.”

Elizabeth Seiler, daughter of Frederick and Dorothea, was  born August 13, 1779.  She was confirmed at Dryland Union Church, Hecktown, Pennsylvania, on March 27, 1796 at the age of 16 where she is listed as Elizabeth Seler, daughter of Frederick Seler.    She married Peter Kocher on June 21, 1807.  They became the parents of three daughters, Julianna and twins Dorothea and Elizabeth.   Dorothea  Kocher married Michael Engler and they became the parents of Camelia who married  Edmund Smith. Edmund and Camelia  were Ron's great, great grandparents.

Sources:

• International Textbook Press, Williams T. Blair, https://openlibrary.org/books/OL24832080M/The_Michael_Shoemaker_book.

• Newspaper Extracts, 1799-1851, Northampton Co. Genealogy and Historical Society, Easton Pa. 

                Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.I welcome your comments.                       
                                 Please consider joining this BLOG as a follower or member.

Copyright

This page  © 2013, Cynthia H. Smith


Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com