David Nye was born 1 July 1706 at Sandwich on Cape Cod, the son of Jonathan Nye and his second wife Patience Burgess. [Sandwich VR p 67] He was a twin with sister Zerviah. His father owned the mill founded by David’s grandfather Benjamin Nye, which was on the grounds of their home which is a house museum today.
David Nye [he is of Sandwich in intentions] married Elizabeth Briggs 25 October 1733 at Rochester in Plymouth County. [Rochester VR 2:226] Elizabeth was born Rochester 5 June 1718 to John and Ruth (Barrow) Briggs. She was also a twin with her brother Samuel.
Being the 12th or 13th oldest of the 14 children of his father Jonathan, David must have had to make his own way, so could be why he moved to Rochester. He was mentioned in his father’s 7 July 1744 will as already receiving his portion of the estate, so perhaps he was deeded land. Quite a few Sandwich citizens relocated to Rochester (originally called Sippican and part of Barnstable County), so is possible his father received a land grant there and in turn deeded it to David.
Elizabeth and David had a huge family of 14 children born Rochester, all living to adulthood:
1. Ruth born Rochester 7 November 1734 [Rochester VR 1:226]; m. Elijah Williams
2. Zerviah born Rochester 16 May 1736 [Rochester VR 1:226]; m. Reverend. E. Jones [Rochester VR 1:226]
3. David born Rochester 2 April 1738 [Rochester VR 1:223]; m. Desire Thacher daughter of Rev. Roland Thacher; he was of Wareham where he is called Gentleman; served as a Captain in the Revolutionary War
4. Jonathan born Rochester 22 March 1740 [Rochester VR 1:225]; m. Elizabeth Irish; served in the Revolutionary War
5. Ward born Rochester 13 Dec 1741 [Rochester VR 1:226]; m. 1st Mary Chase, 2nd Rachel Stone; lived in Douglas where he died 3 June 1818
6. Elizabeth born Rochester 22 Sept 1743[Rochester VR 1:224]; m. Deacon Roland Thacher son of Rev. Roland Thacher
7. John born Rochester 6 June 1745 [Rochester VR 1:225]; m. Lois West; lived in Lee, Mass., served Revolutionary War
8. Abigail born Rochester 15 March 1747 [Rochester VR 1:223]; m. Josiah Stevens; lived Wareham where Josiah owned a grist mill
9. Keziah born Rochester 20 April 1749 [Rochester VR 1:225]; m. Amiriah Holbrooke of Douglas
10. Susanna born Rochester 23 May 1752 [Rochester VR 1:226]; m. Nathan Lackey of Sutton
11. Stephen, twin, born Rochester 13 Sept 1756 [Rochester VR 1:226]; served in the Revolutionary War; died 1782 in Rhode Island
12. Deliverance, twin, born Rochester 13 September 1756 [Rochester VR 1:223]; m. George Linton of Uxbridge
13. Prince, twin, born Rochester 10 August 1759 [Rochester VR 1:226]; served in the Revolutionary War
14. Patience, twin, born Rochester 10 August 1759; m Alexander Wilson of Mendon [she’s not in Rochester vital records but her birth is from Nye Genealogy]
I descend from Jonathan. It is interesting to me that David and Elizabeth were each fraternal twins, David also had a pair of twin siblings, and they had two sets of fraternal twins themselves. I love that they named so many children after parents and siblings: Zerviah, David, Ruth, John, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Patience, Keziah. Incredibly five of their sons served in the Revolutionary War.
The Genealogy of the Nye Family states that before 1772 David and Elizabeth removed to distant Douglas in Worcester County and that David had a tavern there in 1781. I haven’t found a primary source for this, but their younger children married people from that area. Douglas was established in the 1730s and incorporated in 1746.
Elizabeth died 8 September 1777. [Nye; no location provided]
David died 17 April 1796 probably at Douglas. [Nye & Hannibal] I haven’t found this death record. Douglas vital records have plenty of Nye births and marriages but no Nye deaths recorded.
Sources:
George Hyatt and Frank Best, Benjamin Nye of Sandwich, His Ancestors and Descendants, A Genealogy of the Nye Family, Nye Family Association, 1907
Edna Anne Hannibal, John Briggs of Sandwich, Massachusetts and His Descendants, 1962
