William of Nansemond Ayres

• General Notes
  • First records in America in Virginia Land Patent Records - William Eyres, 150 acres in County of Warrosquoyacke, on the Nean River, being an island called the Long Pond; due by order of the Court December 6, 1634, and due for his personal adventure and for the transportation of two persons, Robert Stanney  and John Wood.  By West, July 14 1636
    
    30 June 1635.  William HEIRES (EYRES) received 250 acres in Warrosquoiacke Co., VA (named changed in Isle of Wight Co. in 1637).
    
    Virginia Land Records, Isle of Wight County Deeds and Other Records, Page 180
    William Eyres, 250 acres in county of Warresquiaoke, on the "Maine Creek which runneth from the great river, called Warresquiaoke Creek", and on Nanemond River.  Due for the transportation of 5 persons, Francis Stefferton, John Rashe, Humphrey Broad, John Pumpfrey, Will Empson.  Granted June 30 , 1635.
    
    Other land records also indicate that he was in Virginia by 1637.
    
    Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Book 1, Part II, Page 73
    William Eyres, 250 acs. Isle of Wight Co., 1 Nov 1637, p. 491.  Beg. at a Red point that is joyning  upon a small Cr., running up from the maine Cr. which runneth from the grat river called Warwickquicke Cr. W. & by S. & backwards into the woods, S. & by E. Upon Nansamund Riv. Trans. of 5 persons.
    
    
    Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Book 1, Part II, Page 100
    William Eyres, 100 acs. in Chucatuck Riv. in the Up. Co. of New Norf., 18 Feb 1638, p. 611.  E. by N. upon land of Georg Salsburynow in his possession, S. upon his own land, &c.  Due for trans. of 2 persons.
    
    Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Book 1, Part II, Page 129
    William Eyres, 750 acs. Up. Norf. Co., May 23 1642, Page 777.  Upon an arm of the W. br. of Nansamond River, adj. John Garrett.  Trans. of 15 pers.: Francis Spreight, Thomas Birdwell, Robert Atany, Sarah Sanner(?), John Mondy, Walter Besley, John Blackburne, John Bay, William Nichols, William Fenn, Jeremiah Valayne, Edward Thownsend, John Ray, Hugh Rout, Hugh Smithwicke.
    
    William Eyres, 100 ace. Up. Norf. CO., May 22, 1642, Page 778.  Upon N. side of the W. br. of Nansamund Riv., adj. John Sculler.  Trans. of 2 pers.: Gilbert Brooke. (i name missing) Record incomplete.
    
    But, one source lists his birth place as Nasemond City, Virginia.
    
    One source has: William AYRES died 25 March 1655 Battle of Severn, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  At the Battle of the Severn on 25 March 1655, William AYRES was allegedly the Standard Bearer for the Puritans, and at the beginning of the battle the Standard was fired on, and he was killed. [John Bennett Boddie, *Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia,* (Chicago: Chicago Law Printing Company, 1938).]
    
    Notes for William Ayres
    
    1. Library of Virginia.  Land Office Patents & Grants/Northern Neck Grants & Surveys:
    GRANTEE  Eyres, William. grantee
    DATE     1 November 1637.
    NOTE     Location: Isle of Wight County.
    NOTE     Description: 150 acres upon the main river, beg.g at a red point that is joining upon a small creek.
    NOTE     Source: Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 491 (Reel 1).
    
    2. Land Office Patents & Grants/Northern Neck Grants & Surveys :
    GRANTEE  Eyres, William. grantee.
    DATE     1 November 1637.
    NOTE     Location: Isle of Wight County.
    NOTE     Description: 150 acres upon the main river. Beg.g at a creek and being an island.
    NOTE     Source: Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 491 (Reel 1).
    
    3. Land Office Patents & Grants/Northern Neck Grants & Surveys :
    GRANTEE  Eyres, William. grantee.
    DATE     22 May 1642.
    NOTE     Location: Upper Norfolk County.
    NOTE     Description: 100 acres upon the northern side of the western branch of Nansamund River.
    NOTE     Source: Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 778 (Reel 1).
    
    4.  Land Office Patents & Grants/Northern Neck Grants & Surveys :
    GRANTEE  Eyres, William. grantee
    DATE     23 May 1642.
    NOTE     Location: Upper Norfolk County.
    NOTE     Description: 750 acres upon an arm of the western branch of Nansamund River.
    NOTE     Source: Land Office Patents No. 1, 1623-1643 (v.1 & 2), p. 777 (Reel 1).
    
    5. On 29 Oct. 1651 William AYRES had 600 acres "Ayres" survyed in Anne Arundel Co., MD (Patents Q:99)
    
    6.  Information from "Chew Family" by Francis B. Culver in MARYLAND GENEALOGIES.
    
    Came to Maryland with his family before June 1652. On the 5th of October 1653, Mr. William Ayres demands land for transporting himself, Sarah his wife (then deceased), Ann Ayers his daughter, and nine servants before June 1652; and Martha his now wife, and Margaret Sammes, his servant, since June 1652 (Md. Land Office, Liber A.B.H., folio 348). On 6 June 1663, Samuel Chew assigns to Sarah Marsh any rights that remain on record "due to my father-in-law William Ayres" (ibid., Liver V, folios 338,339), and there is upon record at Portsmouth, Va., a power of attorney from "Samuel Chew, Esq., of Herrington, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and Anne his wife sole daughter and heiress of Mr William Ayres late of Nansemond County, Virginia, deceased" (Va. Mag., I.197).  (From Frederic Z. Saunders: William AYRES on 5 Oct. 1653 demanded 950 acres of 1550 assigned to him by Caprt. BRENT and Mr. Edward LLOYD, and assinged 600 acres of the 950 to MR. Richard WELLS. He then demanded the 350 left plus 1300 more for transporting himself, Sarah his deceased wife, Ann AYRES his daughter and 9 servants [named] before June 1652, and Martha his now wife and a servant [named] since June 1652 for a total of 1650 acres. He then assigned 500 of the 1650 to Tho: MARSH. (Patents ABH:347-348).
    
    7. Died 25 March 1655 in the Battle of Severn, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
    
    8. William Ayres and his daughter were Quakers.
    
    "Ancestry of Albert Gallatin and Hannah Nicholson with a list of their Descendants to the Second and Third Generation".  [Compliled from "Life of Albert Gallatin" by Henry Adams (1879), "History of Nicholson Family" by Byam Kerby Stevens (1911) and other sources -  Revised by William Plum Bacon.  New York, Press of T.A. Wright, 1916