John Ryder/Rider 1636 to January 1706 of Northampton, England, and Yarmouth, Massachusetts

John Rider was baptized 4 December 1636 at All Saints, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, the son of Samuel, maltster, and Anne Rider. His mother’s maiden name is Gamlett.  I wrote about his parents here.He is my 10th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family. His last name is seen as Rider and Ryder. 

All Saints in Northampton

John came to Massachusetts with his parents before January 1638/9. His father Samuel was almost certainly a religious dissenter, likely the reason for their migration. The family settled at Plymouth and then Yarmouth (in the area that later was Dennis) on Cape Cod. 

John married about 1663, probably at Yarmouth, a woman whose name sadly is unrecorded. 

John and his wife had at least seven children, born Yarmouth. Their order, with exception of Samuel, is as listed in John’s will [Hawes & Hollick]:

1. Ebenezer born about 1664; married Experience Hall, daughter of John and Priscilla (Bearse) Hall
2. John born about 1667; married Hester/Esther Hall, the sister of Experience 
3. Joseph born about 1670; no further record after father’s 1703 will 
4. Samuel born about 1676; died unmarried, at Yarmouth, 14 August 1702; his father John was paid £10 from his estate for caring for him during the three years he was sick and Benjamin Matthews was paid £1
5. Hannah born about 1679; married Benjamin Matthews in 1699; died 13 Jan 1751 at Yarmouth
6. Lydia born about 1682; no further record of her after her father’s 1703 will
7. Thankful born 1689; married Jehosophat Eldredge; died 13 April 1750 at Falmouth

The birth years are approximate; the Yarmouth Town Books were destroyed by fire in 1674. Given the gaps in the birth years, perhaps John and his wife had more children that died young.

I descend from John. I wrote about him here.

John Rider is called “Sr” in records, being the eldest of the name in town. [Hollick] He is mentioned as Yarmouth surveyor of highways on 5 June 1677. He was on a jury of inquest 21 Oct 1677 and on a grand jury 6 June 1682. In 1676 he was taxed towards King Philip’s War in the amount of £2 pounds, 14 shillings, 9 pence. He was among the freeman of Yarmouth in 1679 and 1684. [Stevens]

John received the planting land in the "prime field" in his father Samuel of Yarmouth’ss 20 November 1679 will. [Plymouth Colony Wills, 4:1:45]

His wife is said to have died on 23 October 1691 [Hawes], a time when there is a gap in Yarmouth records. I have not found documentation for this death date. 

“John Rider Senior of Yarmouth” wrote his will 6 March 1702/3. It was witnessed by John Thacher, Lydia Thacher, and Mary Thacher. It was proved 19 February 1705. [Barnstable County Probate Records, 2:220]

Bequests:

• Son Ebenezer all of his real estate including this home, barn and marsh at Gray’s Beach;  his orchard that lay between property of Nathaniel Bassett and son John Rider; two oxen and two cows
• Son John ten shillings
• Son Joseph five shillings, 
• Daughter Hannah four shillings
• Daughter Lydia four shillings
• Daughter Thankful 10 pounds

Ebenezer was named executor.

His inventory was taken 6 February 1706 by Peter Thacher and Joseph Hawes. It included a pair of looms, perhaps indicating his profession, and amounted to £199 13s. He owed debts of only £4 15s 3d. Debts were paid to Samuel Sturges, James Sturges, and Seth Taylor. The inventory was sworn to by Ebenezer Ryder, executor, 19 February 1705/6. [Barnstable County Probate Records 2: 221]

John Rider died 5 Jan 1705/6 at Yarmouth. [Yarmouth VR 1:131] He was 69 years old. 

Sources:

Martin E. Hollick, NEHGS Register, “The John Riders of Yarmouth, Massachusetts,” 80:128- 139 (2005)

James W. Hawes, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy, No. 98, "Ryder Genealogy,” 1912

Charles W Swift, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy, No. 66 "The Rider Family of Yarmouth," 1913

Robert Croll Stevens, Ancestry of the Children of Robert Croll Stevens and Jane Eleanor (Knauss) Stevens, Vol. II: “The Genealogy of John Christian Croll 1707-1758,” 1985