Jonathan Nye (born 1649) and Patience Burgess (born about 1662) of Sandwich, Massachusetts

Jonathan Nye was born 20 November 1649 at Sandwich on Cape Cod, the son of Benjamin and Katherine (Tupper) Nye. [Sandwich Vital Records, p 4] I wrote about Benjamin and Katherine here.

Jonathan married, first, say 1680, Hannah (——). They had four, or perhaps five, children [two youngest recorded Sandwich Vital Records, p. 67 and first two mentioned in father’s will): 

1. Jabez born say 1682; married Ruth Bonum 31 May 1711; resided in Plymouth where he died in 1745

2. Sarah born say 1684; married John Bodfish 24 May 1704 

3. Joanna born 16 Jan 1686/87; was living in 1744 when she is called “Jonah” in father’s will

4. Ichabod born May 1689; married Elizabeth Bonum 16 Feb 1709/10; lived at Middleborough and then Rochester, Massachusetts; died 28 July 1735

Hannah died probably not long after Ichabod’s birth. 

Jonathan married, second, Patience Burgess, about 1690 at Sandwich. Patience was born Yarmouth about 1662, the daughter of John and Mary (Worden) Burgess. I wrote about John and Mary here. Patience and Jonathan had nine children recorded Sandwich with perhaps a tenth, Mary [Sandwich Vital Records, p. 67]:

5. Jonathan born Nov 1691, married Deborah Blackwell and Remember (Crocker?); moved to Hardwick in Worcester County where he died about 1770

6. Patience born November 1693; married Lt. Benjamin Freeman; died 8 Aug 1767 at Sandwich 

7. Joseph born 16 Nov 1695; married Mary Bodfish; died 21 March 1749/50 at Sandwich

8. Benjamin born 16 Oct 1697; married Lydia Freeman and Rachel (Foster?); died 13 June 1790 at Sandwich 

9. Thomas born August 1699; married Deborah Peckham

10. Abigail, twin born 2 Sept 1702; married Jonathan Hathaway 15 June 1721; died 30 Dec 1776 at Dartmouth

11. Isaac, twin born 2 Sept 1702; married Sarah Freeman; lived in Plympton

12. David, twin born 1 July 1706; married Elizabeth Briggs; lived in Rochester and Douglas Mass.; died 17 April 1796 at Douglas [haven’t found primary source for his death date/location]

13. Zerviah, twin born 1 July 1706; married Ebenezer Burgess; died 13 Nov 1787 at Wareham 

14. Mary who married John Fuller; not sure if her mother is Patience or Hannah or where she falls in the birth order; her birth is not recorded but she is mentioned in her father’s will

The appropriately named Patience certainly would have been a busy woman raising as many as 14 children, including two successive sets of twins!

Patience and Jonathan are my 8th great-grandparents. I descend from their son David who became a tavern keeper in Douglas, Worcester County, Massachusetts. 

Jonathan received the Old County Road house, grist mill and fulling mill from his father Benjamin Nye who was an early Sandwich settler. The property operates as a museum and is owned by the Nye Family Association of America. I visited in the summer of 2024 and the house has been beautifully restored. 

Nye family homestead

A later mill that was moved to the Nye property

Jonathan and his brothers Caleb and Benjamin all lived near one another on Old County Road. 

Jonathan Nye took the oath of fidelity on 4 July 1678. Perhaps his work kept him too busy to be officially involved in town affairs, but millers typically knew everyone’s business! He served on a grand jury in 1681 and as Selectman in 1698. 

Patience’s father John “Burg” wrote his will on 14 August 1700 with a codicil dated 19 Feb 1700/01. He mentions that his five daughters would receive his moveable estate after the decease of their mother, but the only daughter mentioned by name is Martha as she is unmarried and he wants her to be able to continue to live at home until she is married. The codicil orders that anything that is left of his estate after his wife’s decease or remarriage would be split evenly amongst his five daughters. 

Patience’s mother, the widow Mary Burgess, died intestate and administration of her estate was granted to her son Jacob on 11 May 1724. In the 10 July 1727 final disposition, Jacob noted that all legacies had been distributed except to his sisters Patience Nye and her heirs and Mary Ellis. [MD 53:2, Summer 2005] I wonder why Jacob was unable to reach Patience—she was living and it seems unlikely she was living out of the area unless temporarily staying with one of her sons in Worcester County.

On 7 August 1724 Jonathan deeded property to his son Joseph which consisted of the house, corn mill, fulling mill, pond and stream, six acres of upland and swampy ground, and half his lot of 10 acres of marsh in Barnstable, half upland lying southerly from the mill pond,  two small lots from the last division in Sandwich, and other land at Sandwich. It mentions land he already gave to son Benjamin Nye and land he bought from his son Jonathan. In return for the gift, Joseph was to take care of Jonathan and Patience. 

The deed for land he gave to son Jonathan dated last day of February 1717/18, requires that in return for the gift of land that the younger Jonathan was to "provide & allow unto Mercy Nye my sister (who is a p(er)son infirm both in Body & Mind) a Competant & Comfortable maintenance both in sickness & health.” 

Jonathan Nye of Sandwich wrote his will on 7 July 1744. As a businessman it is not surprising he had some education—he signed deeds and his will.  

Family mentioned in his will are beloved wife Patience, three daughters Patience, Abigail and Zerviah; rest of children Mary, Sarah, Jabez, Jonah, Ichabod, Jonathan, Joseph, Benjamin, Thomas, and David. Patience and son Joseph named executors. Only child not mentioned is Isaac.

Jonathan’s will:  In the name of God, Amen, I Jonathan Nye of the Town of Sandwich in the County of Barnstable in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England being grown into years & knowing it is appointed for all men once to die and being now of perfect mind and memory blessed be God do make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament principally and first of all I give my Soul to God that gave it and touching my worldly Estate having heretofore disposed of my Real Estate there Remains only the Personal Estate to be Disposed of.

Imprimis. I will that all my Just Debts due to any person in might of Conscience be first paid.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my well Beloved wife Patience Nye the use and improvement of all my Personal Estate of what kind nature of quality whatsoever, both within doors and without for her comfort support and maintenance during the term of her natural life and what and so much of said Estate as shall be and Remain upon Expiration of her Term of Life, my will is that it be equally divided between my three daughters viz Patience Abigail and Zerviah The rest of my children viz Mary Sarah Jabez Jonah Ichabod Jonathan Joseph Benjamin Thomas and David I have already given such portions unto as I judge sufficient for them.

And lastly, I do constitute and appoint my well beloved wife Patience and my son Joseph Nye to be Executors to the my last Will and Testament. Hereby revoking and disannulling all other and former wills by me made and do ratify allow this and no other to be my last will in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the seventh day of July Anno Domino 1744

Jonathan Nye [seal]

Signed sealed pronounced and declared to be his last will and testament in presence of us

John Otis

Silvanus Bourn

Nathaniel Otis

The will of Jonathan Nye "of the Town of Sandwich' was proved 13 May 1747. The inventory taken 29 June 1750 amounted to just over 6 pounds. 

As his son Joseph and presumably his wife Patience had died, Mary Nye was executrix of Jonathan's estate. She was likely his daughter-in-law, Joseph’s widow. Inventory included bed and bolster, a rug (heavy blanket) with a coverlet, a coat and jacket, a chest, a chamber pot -- all appropriate for a man of about 97 years of age. [Barnstable County Probate, 8:206-08 and 8:371]

Jonathan died between 7 July 1744 when he wrote his will and 13 May 1747 when it was proved. 

Patience Nye died between 7 Jul 1744 when she is mentioned in her husband’s will and 29 Jun 1750 when she did not swear to her late husband’s inventory or perhaps before 13 May 1747 when she did not act as executrix of his estate. 

The Nye homestead bed chamber

Sources Not Mentioned Above:

RA Lovell, Jr., Sandwich, A Cape Cod Town, third edition published by the Sandwich Archives and Historical Center, 1996

George Hyatt and Frank Best, Benjamin Nye of Sandwich, His Ancestors and Descendants, A Genealogy of the Nye Family,, Nye Family Association of America, 1907

Tupper Family Association, communicated by, NEHGS Register, “Thomas Tupper and His Descendants,” vol 99, January 1945

Bernard Peterson, “The Nye House at Sandwich,” Cape Cod Library of Local History and Genealogy Pamphlet Series, No. 12, 1925

Ian Hilder, George R. Nye, Jonathan A. Shaw, NEGHS Register, “The Origins of Benjamin Nye: Examining the Sources,” 159:77 (January 2005)

Lucius R. Paige, History of Hardwick, Massachusetts with a Genealogical Register,1883

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700, Volume 2, pg 1107

Edna Anne Hannibal, John Briggs of Sandwich, Massachusetts and His Descendants, 1962