William Nye died Rochester Massachusetts 1841

William Nye and his wife Ruth Snow represent one family on which I have a lot more to accomplish—mostly because of confusion deciphering vital records of people with the same names and quite a bit of conflicting information.

I descend from William and Ruth’s son William who married Nancy Snow. William and Nancy’s daughter Aurilla West Nye married Josiah Benson and they are my great-great-great grandparents from Plymouth that I wrote about here.

I have at times been overwhelmed with the how far back my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’s ancestry goes in New England. I started researching his family later than that of other family and have found 11 Mayflower passengers and many more old New England families. Many of the folks were in places like Rochester and Wareham, where there seems to be a lack of records compared to other Massachusetts towns where I’ve done research.

A cousin also researching the family told me William Nye was the son of (yet another) William Nye and Abigail Pope of Sandwich and that he was born June 1765 in Sandwich, which is also stated in a 1907 Nye genealogy, but that would make him too young to be “my” William, so I'm thinking it's incorrect. 

William’s wife Ruth Snow was the daughter of David and Phebe ( _____ ) Snow and was born 25 March 1768 in Rochester. There is a David Snow that married a Phebe Stetson in Rochester in January 1776, too late to be the right David and Phebe.

The Nye family came from Sandwich and was among the early settlers in Rochester, in the Charles Neck and lower Marion areas. Originally Rochester’s large land area included the western shore of Buzzards Bay as far as Wareham and Dartmouth, and the present towns of Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester, and parts of Wareham.

Rochester Common 1909 (source Town of Rochester website)

The reason I think the 1765 birth is incorrect is that I discovered that William served in the Revolutionary War. His pension record gives valuable details of his children and some missing dates. It gives his wife as Ruth and lists his children, so it seems very accurate.

His pension claim says informant Thomas Robinson appeared before them 2 Nov 1856 a resident of New Bedford, age 28 and administrator of William’s estate. Says William was at the Battle of Bunker Hill and later at Rhode Island. He was a Private in Capt Thomas Whipple's Company and also Capt Stephen Church's company and also served under Captain Crocker. Thinks he was later an officer. Went to Boston and Cambridge, joining up around 1775 or 76. Thinks he stayed until the close of the war, at least 15 months, 11 days and was honorably discharge. Pension claim mentions his wife Ruth Nye and his surviving children at the time of the pension claim: Jonathan of Mattapoisett, Stephen of Mattapoisett, Mary Gifford of New Bedford, Rebecca Kunkeal or Konkeal of Mattapoisett, Elijah of Mattapoisett, Melintha Cushman of Middleboro, Warren of Holmes Hole, Sophia Dexter of Mattapoisett, and Lucinda Claghorn of Holmes Hole. He married Ruth Snow in February 1785. He died 22 Feb 1841 at Rochester. There was no public record of the marriage but it is recorded in the family bible, in possession of Melintha Cushman. From the bible register: William Nye m. Ruth Snow Feb 1785 by Rev Lebaron of Mattapoisett. Births: Jonathan b. 30 Nov 1785; Stephen 15 July 1788; Mary born 20 May 1790; William 23 May 1793; James 1 Nov 1795; Rebecca 12 Oct 1798; Elijah 4 Jan 1800; Malinthia 13 March 1802; Warren 1 April 1804; Sophia 12 Oct 1806; Lucinda 15 July 1808.

Last page lists deaths: 1. James Nye died July 16, 1815 2. William Nye Jr. died April 1st 1831. 3. William Nye died Feb 22 1841. 4. Ruth Nye died Dec 6 1854. Deponent Cyrus Vaughan swears he is not interested in claim. Dated 19 Nov 1858.

MA Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War lists multiple William Nyes. Possibilities to be this William, given what was mentioned in pension claim, although none match that information exactly, especially given that the Battle of Bunker Hill took place 17 June 1775. It is likely he’s the first William who served additional time or the information on his pension claim of participating in the Battle of Bunker Hill is incorrect.

Nye, William, Rochester (probably). Sergeant, Capt. Edward Hammond's Co. of Minute-men, Col. Theophilus Cotton's regt, which marched in response to the alarm of April 19, 1775; service from April 20 to April 27, 1775, 7 days.

Nye, William, Private, in a company commanded by Capt. Job Crocker, of Eastham, Col. Nathan Sparhawk's regt; entered service July 2, 1777; discharged Dec. 12, 1777; service 5 mos 17 days, at Rhode Island and sundry places in Massachusetts, including 3 days (62 miles) travel home; company raised to serve for 6 months from July 1, 1777, unless sooner discharged.

Nye, William, Private, Capt. Timothy Paige's co., Col. James Convers's regt.; enlisted Aug. 21, 1777; discharged Aug 31 1777; service, 10 days; company marched to Bennington on an alarm; also, Capt Thomas Whipple's co., Col Abijah Stearn's regt.; entered service March 30 1778; service to July 2, 1778, 3 mos 3 days, guarding troops of convention; roll sworn to in Worcester Co.; also, Capt. Joseph Richardson's Co., Col Samuel Denny's regt; enlisted Oct 19 1779; discharged Nov 23 1779, service 1 mo 12 days, at Claverack, including 7 days (140 miles) travel home; regiment raised for 3 months; roll sworn to in Worcester Co.

Ruth outlived William by many years, dying in Rochester on 6 December 1854. I have yet to find their burial locations.

If anyone finds anything I’ve written that is inaccurate or knows of something I’m missing, I would love to hear from you!

Sources:

George Hyatt Nye and Frank E. Best, A Genealogy of the Nye Family, The Nye family of America Association, 1907

Mary Hall Leonard, Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, Being a History of These Town, 1907

Rochester Vital Records to 1850

Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War