Samuel Ryder / Rider (1630-1715) and His Wives Sarah Bartlett and Lydia Tilden of Northampton, England, and Yarmouth & Plymouth, Massachusetts

Samuel Ryder was baptized 24 November 1630 at All Saints Church in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, son of Samuel and Ann (Gamlett) Ryder. [Rider/1] I wrote about his parents here. His first name is sometimes spelled Samuell and last name Rider. At age seven or so Samuel came to Plymouth Colony with his family. Most of his childhood was spent in Yarmouth (in area that was later Dennis) on Cape Cod, then part of Plymouth Colony. Samuel is my 10th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

All Saints Church

Samuel is called a cooper in a 1661 deed and other records.  At this time a cooper was highly valued as he made essential wooden containers for storing and transporting goods.  [MD 2:179] It seems he was illiterate as he signed documents with a mark. 

Samuel Rider married, first, Sarah Bartlett on 23 December 1656 at Plymouth. [Plymouth VR p 662] Sarah was born Plymouth about 1636, the daughter of Robert and Mary (Warren) Bartlett and granddaughter of Richard Warren of the Mayflower. 

Sarah and Samuel had three children [Hawes]:

1. Samuel born 18 November 1657 at Plymouth [Plymouth VR 1:662]; died before 1688 when another Samuel was born
2. John born about 1663; married 1st Hannah Barnes and 2nd Mary (—?— ) and had a large family; he died before 20 December 1735 when his son Samuel was granted administration of his estate [Barclay]
3. Mercy whose birth date is unknown and died after April 1714 when she is mentioned in her father’s will where he states he already has "done Competently for" her, indicating she likely was then married; no further record found

Sarah died before 14 June 1680 when Samuel married, second, Lydia Tilden at Taunton in Bristol County.  [Taunton VR 2:477] I am not sure what the connection was to Taunton, perhaps Samuel was living and working there for a time? 

Lydia was born 26 April 1658 at Marshfield, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Bourne) Tilden. [Marshfield VR 1:5] Lydia’s identity as the daughter of Thomas Tilden is shown by his will dated Marshfield, 1 February 1704/05,  in which he bequeathed "to my Daughter Lidia Rider twenty shillings over and above the Portion I have formerly given her.”  [Plymouth County Probate Case No. 20763]

Lydia and Samuel had 12 children born Plymouth [Plymouth VR 1:11-12]:

iv. Hannah born 1 June 1680; married Jeremiah Jackson 27 October 1702 [Plymouth VR 1:88]; died 29 June 1763 [Plymouth VR 1:11]

v. Sarah born 26 March 1682; married 20 November 1707 Joshua Bramhall [Plymouth VR 1:89]; died 19 November 1778 [Plymouth VR 1:11]

vi. William born 18 June 1684; he may have married Hannah Barker and moved to Newport, Rhode Island [Rider/2] 

vii. Lydia born 11 October 1686; married Elisha Cobb 4 February 1702/3 [Plymouth VR 1:88]

viii. Samuel born Plymouth 26 July 1688; married Ann Eldred[/ge] 17 February 1713 [Plymouth VR 1:90] and had three children; died at Plymouth before 17 July 1718 when his widow Anna was appointed administratrix of his estate [Plymouth County Probate Records 4:147]

ix. Elizabeth born 26 March 1690; died 11 December 1695 [Plymouth VR 1:11]

x. Joseph born “in the middle of” July 1691; married Abigail Warren, a descendant of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren, on 1 November 1722 [Plymouth VR 1:93]; had 7 children/3 died very young; he died 18 July 1737 at Plymouth [Plymouth VR 1:68]

xi. Benjamin born June 1693; married Hannah Stephens of Marshfield, intentions 29 February 1719/20 [Plymouth VR 1:176] and had a large family; died between July 1773 (date of will) and April 1775 (will proven) [probate file from Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives]

xii Mary born 10 October 1694; married Ebenezer Bartlett 3 July 1718 [Plymouth VR 1:91]

xiii. Elizabeth born 16 March 1695 [she would either be born 1694/5 and too close to Mary or 1695/6 and too close to Josiah so something is wrong with these last few birthdates]; married Solomon Sylvester 23 October 1718 [Plymouth VR 1:91] and had a large family

xiv. Josiah born “about the middle of May” 1696; married Experience Jennings 8 October 1722 [Davis]; had a large family

xv. Abigail born 29 Jan 1700[?/01]

I descend from Samuel. 

Not surprisingly genealogists assume Lydia married Samuel Junior as she was 27 years younger than Samuel who was about 70 when his youngest child was born! But the well-respected Mayflower Descendant editor George Ernest Bowman lays out evidence it was the elder Samuel who married Lydia as his second wife and had 12 children with her. [MD 11:182]

The Plymouth First Church list of members admitted in 1692 includes "Lydia (second) wife of Samuel Rider." In the original record the word "second" is enclosed in parentheses with a caret inserted between "Lydia" and “wife," all in the same ink and by the same hand as the original entry. [Bowman]

It is clear from Plymouth Colony records that Samuel followed in his father’s footsteps by being chosen as surveyor of highways and serving on juries. His appointments show he was, like his father, a trustworthy man of standing in the community. Samuel and his father are not usually identified as “Junior” and “Senior” in records, perhaps because they lived in different towns. However his father is often referred to as “Lieutenant” which helps distinguish them in records.

Samuell Ryder was admitted and sworn Freeman at the 1 June 1658 Court. [Records of New Plymouth Colony, (hereafter PCR) 3:137] Samuell Ryder was on the 29 May 1670 list of Plymouth Freemen. [PCR 5:274]

He was chosen surveyor of highways for Plymouth at 1 June 1658 and 7 June 1659. [PCR, 3:136, 3:163] 

Samuell Ryder served on the 5 March 1684/5 petit jury that included the trial of a Native American named Betty who was accused of killing her husband Great Harry with a stone. She first denied the charges and then admitted she threw a rock trying to break a bottle of alcohol but instead hit him in the head.  She was found guilty of “homicide by misadventure.” The record does not give information on her sentence. [PCR 6:154] He also served on juries in March 1679/80, July 1680, October 1683, and 5 March 1684/5. [PCR 7:220, 229, 273; 8:287]

Samuel was involved in the land transactions pertaining to the same property where he had his homestead. He lived in the Manomet section of Plymouth which is south of the downtown harbor front where the Pilgrims first settled. 

• A 21 July 1660 deed indicates “Samuell Eedey senir of the Towne of Pymouth” had already sold his Manoment Ponds land to “Samuell Ryder Junr of the Towne of Plymouth…Planter.” It was 25 acres of upland lying between a small brook on the southerly side, the pond near Thomas Clarke’s farm and at the lower end towards the sea and extending up into the woods, plus an additional acre of meadow at Little’s Meadow. [Plymouth Colony Deeds, 2:2:36]
• On 20 March 1660[/61] “Samuell Ryder Junir of the Towne of Plymouth…Cooper” sold to Robert Ransome all his land at Manomet Ponds in Plymouth near Thomas Clarke’s farm contained 25 acres and one acre of meadow, so the same land he had purchased the summer before. [Plymouth Colony Deeds, 2:2:56]
• In a 1 October 1661 deposition, Nathaniel Warren said he was asked by Samuell Ryder to go to Thomas Morton’s house about the beginning of last April to talk with Robert Ransome about land Samuell had sold him at Manomet Ponds and after some debate Ransome released the said land to Samuell Ryder again for £3 10 shillings. 
• On 15 October 1661, Willam Clarke… testified in corroboration of Nathaniel Warren.
• In a deed acknowledged 12 May 1669, Samuell Ryder paid £3 to James Clarke for a small parcel of upland at Manomet Ponds in Plymouth lying within the said Samuell Ryder’s fence next to the sea and running to Eel River. [Plym. Col. Deeds, 4: 389]
• There seems to have been a dispute as to the legitimacy of Samuel’s ownership of the Manomet Ponds land. At the 16 February 1673 Plymouth Town Meeting minutes mention land that Samuell Ryder bought of Samuell Eedey [usually spelled Eddy] at Manomet Ponds was found to be common land at the town’s disposal, but the town granted to Samuell Ryder 25 acres of land there that was already in his possession. [Plymouth Town Records, 1: 78]
• On 7 April 1714 Samuel Rider, Cooper of Plimouth, deeded land to his sons Samuel and Benjamin Rider both of Plimouth, partly for the love he bears them, all his Plimouth lands including swamp and meadow, excepting 60 acres at Morey’s Hole. Samuel was to have the dwelling house for which he should pay Benjamin £10 (£5 within fours years and the rest at the decease of Samuel Sr. and his wife Lidia). He also gave them all his cattle and husbandry tools. Samuel and Lidia were to stay in the southwesterly portion of the house during their lives, with access to the adjoining garden and orchard, the provision of ample firewood, a horse to ride upon, a cow to provide milk, to go to the mill for them, to pay any debts up to the date of the deed, and to give the couple £12 annual to be reduced to £6 to the “longest liver of us.” They are to pay their sister Lydia £3 within one year of Samuel’s death and brother Josiah £5 when he reaches age 22. If Josiah does not live to that age, then it should be equally divided by their sisters Hannah, Sarah, Lydia, Mary, Elizabeth & Abigail. The deed was signed by a mark.  Deed was acknowledged 12 October 1714 at which time Lidia also appeared and gave up her right in the premises. [Plymouth Co. Deeds, 11: 51]

In a deed acknowledged 9 September 1718, John Rider of Plymouth, yeoman, sold to John Barnes for £3 2 shillings, his share of cedar swamp in the South Meadow Cedar Swamp at Plimpton, which he bought of his father Saml Rider, deceased. [Plymouth County Deeds 14: 83]

Manomet Ponds, now the Plymouth village of Manomet, was originally home to the Wampanoag people. The English started settling in the area in the 1630s and they had to make the trek to Plymouth center every Sunday for meeting until the Second Church was organized in 1707. The area was desirable because of its access to the sea as well as multiple bodies of water including Fresh Pond and Bartlett Pond. Today Manomet is a densely-populated summer destination primarily due to the popularity of White Horse Beach. 

Map of Manomet shows the area ponds and proximity to the ocean 

“Samuel Rider,” yeoman of Plymouth, wrote his will on 7 April 1714, the same day he deeded his land to sons Samuel and Benjamin.  He mentions son William Rider; wife Lydia; daughters Hannah, Sarah, Lydia, Mary, Elizabeth & Abigail; sons John Rider, Samuel Rider, Benjamin Rider; daughter Mercy; sons Joseph Rider, Josiah Rider. Proved 23 Sept 1715. His bequests:

• "to my son William Rider .... my Sixty acre lott at or near a place Called moreys holes . having by deed conveyed all ye rest of my lands & reall Estate to my 2 sons Samll & Benjamin.”
• "unto my dear wife Lydia Rider (whom also I constitute Sole executrix ....) the whole of my moveable Estate not allready disposed of during her Naturall Life & at her decease to be distributed in such proportion as shee shall see Cause among my six daughters hannah Sarah Lydia Mary Elizabeth and Abigail.”
• "and whereas in this my last Will and Testamt I have bequeathed nothing to sundry of my children the reasons are as followeth viz: ”as To my sons John Samuel & Benjamin and my Daughter Mercy I have done Competently for them in my life time; "as To my son Joseph he went when young To his uncle who has done for him considerably; To Josiah I have ordrd him five pounds to be paid by Samuel and Benjamin and he also is going to a trade and for these reasons I think it Just Not to make any bequest to them.”

The will was signed by a mark and witnessed by Ephraim Little, Thomas Clarke juner and Josiah Morton. It was probated 23 September 1715 with all three witnesses being present.

The original letter of administration, issued 23 September 1715, to "Lidia Rider Relict widow & sole Executrix" is still in the files. [MD 11:185-6, from Plymouth County Probate Records 3:377-8]

Samuel died Plymouth 18 July 1715 at age 84, a remarkably long life at the time. "Samuel Rider Deceased July 18th 1725.” [Town Records, I: 205] "Samuell Rider Senr July 18th in ye [blank] year of his Age" [Church Records, in list of "Members Dyed" in 1715]

He is buried at Burial Hill in Plymouth. ”Mr Samuel Ryder, who decd July ye [blank] 1715 about ye 85th year of his age.” The day of his death was never cut on the stone. 

Samuel Ryder's original gravestone is now encased in cement

Lydia lived as Samuel’s widow for another 25 years. She died at Plymouth 17 September 1740 at the advanced age of 82. Lydia (Tilden) Rider was buried in the old cemetery at Manomet. “Mrs. Lydia Rider Widdow of mr Samll Rider" died 17 September 1740, "in ye 83d” year of her age. The old cemetery is now called White Horse Cemetery. 

Lydia Tilden Ryder gravestone in Manomet

Sources:

George Ernest Bowman, The Mayflower Descendant, “Samuel 2 Rider of Plymouth Had Two Wives, Sarah Bartlett and Lydia Tilden,” 11:182 (1909)

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

Rachel E. Barclay, The American Genealogist, “John 3 Rider of Plymouth, Mass.,” 36:4:193–198 (October 1960)

Richard G. Rider (no. 1), The American Genealogist, “William Rider of Plymouth: A R.I. Progenitor?,” 53:147

Richard G. Rider (no. 2), The American Genealogist, “Rider Notes: The European Generations,” 43:117-123  (1967)

Nathaniel Shurtleff, editor, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth of New England, 12 volumes, 1855

William T. Davis, Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth, 1899