Samuel Ryder/Rider (1688 to 1718) and His Wife Ann Eldredge of Plymouth, Massachusetts

Samuel Ryder (commonly spelled Rider but I use Ryder for consistency) was born 26 July 1688 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, one of the twelve children of Samuel Ryder by his second wife Lydia Tilden. [Plymouth VR 1:210] I wrote about his parents here. He is often called Junior in records. Samuel is my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

On 17 February 1713/14 “Samuell Rider Jr” married “Ann Eldreg” at Yarmouth. [Yarmouth VR 1:139 & Plymouth VR 1:90] Ann Eldredge was born in April 1691 at Yarmouth on Cape Cod, the daughter of Samuel and Keziah (Taylor) Eldredge. In records sometimes Ann is spelled Anne or Anna and her last name is seen as Eldreden and more commonly Eldredge or Eldred. 

Ann and Samuel had three children born Plymouth, births recorded Plymouth VR 1:11:

1. Keziah Ryder born 1 March 1713/14; marriage intentions to William Swift of Sandwich published Plymouth 30 March 1733 [Plymouth VR 1:161]; died Sandwich on Cape Cod 23 March 1735/6 at age 22 [Sandwich VRs in Mayflower Descendant 29:27]
2. Ezekiel Ryder born 22 May 1715; married Margaret Churchill 20 February 1736/7 [Plymouth VR 1:100]
3. Samuel Ryder born 29 Jan 1716/17

I descend from Keziah whom I wrote about here.

Samuel’s inventory indicates that he was literate as he owned a Bible, he served in the militia as he owned a gun and sword, he farmed his land as he owned livestock, and he perhaps traded goods as feathers listed were a valuable commodity. 

On 7 April 1714 Samuel and his brother Benjamin were deeded all but one parcel of their father Samuel Ryder’s land, which they were to divide equally. It included the Manomet Ponds homestead where Samuel Jr. was to live. [Plymouth Co. Deeds, 11:51]

Samuel was just 29 when he died before, and likely close to, 17 July 1718, when his widow Anne was appointed administratrix of his estate, a document she signed. Samuel died intestate, so it would seem his death was fairly sudden if there was not time to write a will. His probate file is Plymouth County Probate case no. 17392. It is possible he is buried at White Horse Cemetery in Manomet, which was established in 1717 and where his mother Lydia is buried, but without a surviving headstone. Oddly the cemetery is town-owned, but there is no public access to it, so I have not visited to see if there are indications of many unmarked graves. 

An inventory of the estate Samuel Rider was taken 5 August 1718 by Thomas Clarke Jr and Josiah Morton. It totaled £89 9 shillings and included: 

• Wearing clothes
• Bible, province bills 
• Gun and sword
• Bed & bedding, table linen 
• Pewter, brass skillet, warming pan, plate, pot, kettle, fireslice, tongs, trammel, wood dishes, earthenware, glass bottles
• Tables, chairs, chests 
• Cart, wheels, plow chain, yoke, scythe, sickle, hoe, small tools, tubs, pails, barrel, feathers, meal bags, baskets 
• Cord of wood in the woods
• One mare, one colt, one yoke of oxen, one heifer, one steer, three yearling cattle

It wasn’t until 6 March 1718[/19] that Anne Rider, administratrix of the Estate of Samuel Rider late of Plymouth decd, made oath to the inventory. 

On that same date Anne presented an account of the estate. Debts due from the estate included a least four family members:

To Mr Watson 2 10 8

to Mr. Thomas 1 19 8

to Mrs. Barns 0 9 0

Ebenezer Donham 0 8 0

Joseph Rider 2 15 6 [brother]

Kenelm Winslow 3 0 0

John Foster 2 12 0

to his mother Rider 3 0 0 [Lydia Tilden Ryder]

Wm Swift 0 10 0 

Eliezer Morton 0 5 0

Josiah Rider 2 0 0 [brother]

Benja Rider 12 10  [brother]

Due to the Estate:

Hannah Bartlett 0 3 10

Thoms. Harlow - 3 -

Benja Bartlett 0 8 0

John Gibbs 0 4 10

Joseph Silvester 0 13 6

Josiah Morton 0 8 3

At the Plymouth Court of Common Pleas in June 1720, there was a case involving Samuel and Ann’s children. Benjamin Rider vs. “Keziah Rider, Ezekiel Rider, Samuel Rider, minor children of Samuel Rider Jr deceased, and grandchildren of Samuel Rider Sr deceased,” regarding partition…lands granted to plaintiff and his brother Samuel Rider Jr lying in Common between the Plaintiff and the defendants. [Lainhart]

On 13 April 1744 Samuel Rider’s real estate was settled on son Ezekiel, that latter paying certain amounts to his brother Samuel and to Ann and Keziah, minor children of William Swift of Sandwich, the heirs of his sister Keziah, deceased. [Plymouth County Deeds 9:309] 

On 19 April 1744 Ezekiel sold to Benjamin Rider [Ezekiel’s uncle] land at Manomet Ponds “Said granted Premises is the Same that was laid out to ye heirs of my hon’d father Saml Rider deceasd as their Part of the Homestead wheron my Grandfather in his Life time dwelt.” [Plymouth Colony Deeds 36:179] 

“Anna Rider” married, second, James Clark. Their intentions were published in Plymouth on 21 April 1722 [Plymouth VR p 143] and they married 8 June 1722 [Plymouth VR 140].  John was the son of James and Abigail (Lothrop) Clark. 

Ann and James had three children, recorded Plymouth VR 1:77, as “children of James Clark son of James Clark & Ann his wife:”

1. James born 9 April 1723; died 6 February 1815 
2. Ann born 4 August 1724 
3. Abigail born 15 December 1727

Ann died after 23 June 1748 when her husband James Clark mentions her in his will. His will was proved 2 April 1750. He also mentions children James, Anna and Abigail. [Probate Records 1749-1752, vol 12-12C, State Archives, Boston]

Sources: 

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

Ann Smith Lainhart, The Mayflower Descendant, “Genealogical Gleanings from Plymouth County Court Records,” 51:1:14

Amos Otis, Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, No. 47, "The Yarmouth Families of Eldredge," 1914

George Knott ca 1600-1648 and His Wife Martha of England and Sandwich, Massachusetts

George Knott was born in England about 1600, a rough estimate, and migrated to New England before 1637. He was one of the founders of Sandwich, then in Plymouth Colony and now in Barnstable County on Cape Cod. His is my 11th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

By about 1628 George married Martha whose maiden name is not recorded. They had two children, birth order uncertain:

1. Martha Knott born say 1630 in England; married Thomas Tobey 18 November 1650 at Sandwich [Sandwich VR 1:5 and Sandwich Town Records 1:221]
2. Samuel Knott born say 1633 in England; died after March 1710 when he is mentioned in Thomas Tobey’s will

I descend from Martha whom I wrote about here.

On 3 April 1637, it was agreed by the Court that those “tenn men of Saugust, viz Edmond Freeman, Henry Feake, Thomas Dexter, Edward Dillingham, William Wood, John Carman, Richard Chadwell, William Almey, Thomas Tupper, & George Knott shall have liberty to view a place to sitt downe & have sufficient lands for three score famylies, upon the condicons appounded to them by the Govnor and Mr. Winslowe.”  [Records of New Plymouth Colony, hereafter PCR, 1:57] I am uncertain how long he was at Saugus (later Lynn) before going to Sandwich. Some of the “Ten Men” were from Sandwich, Kent, so that would be a place to look for George’s birth but I have not yet done so.

The August 1643 list of men able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony includes Georg Knott of Sandwich. [PCR 7:193 ] His will and inventory give a few clues about George’s life: he was a farmer, his household perhaps produced yarn, fabric and clothing, he was literate as he owned a Bible and other “small books,” and weaponry indicates he served in the militia.

List of the men of Sandwich who have taken the oath of fidelity includes Georg Knott, but no year given. Other lists by town are are dated 1657 and 1644; George was already deceased by 1657 so would likely be 1644. [PCR 7:184]

A fire at the Barnstable Courthouse destroyed many land records. However at the 16 April 1640 Court, the names and persons to whom the dividend of meadow land at Sandwich between Moonoonenuscusett [later Scusset] and Shawme was made to about 60 men including “Georg Knott” who received 4 acres. [PCR 1:149] The approximate location of his homestead and land is also known based on a 1667 land survey: Widow Knott lived on Water Street, next door to her daughter Martha and son-in-law Thomas Tobey. [Lovell] The house currently on the property where the Tobey’s lived is now known as the Deacon Eldred house and was featured on the HGTV show Houses with History.

Map created by RA Lovell

Unlike many of the other Sandwich founders, George was not overly involved in public service. I have only found these references:

• At 7 March 1642/3 Court, Georg Knott was chosen constable at Sandwich [PCR 2:53)
• At 2 June 1646, Georg Knott was chosen juror for the grand inquest [PCR 2:102]
• His inventory included a musket, sword and bandolier, indicating he was a member of the town’s militia

On 20 September 1647 , “Gorg Knott” was one of six Sandwich men who approved Thomas Dexter the younger [he was a miller] having land lying near his marsh. [PCR 12:210]

George died at Sandwich on May 1 or 2 1648—he was buried on May 3. “Gorg Knot was buried the third of May” 1648 “p me William Wood.” [Sandwich VRs 1:4 citing PCR 8:6] He was about 55 years old. 

George’s will is dated about the first of  May 1648. He left bequests to his wife,  son Samuel and daughter Martha. His bequest to daughter Martha was contingent on “if she Maries and lives in Sandwich.”  He also left his leather suit to Thomas Dunham “in case he Maries my daughter.”  He mentions livestock to be given to his wife, Samuel and Martha; house, meadow and other land to his wife; house and meadow to son Samuel after his mother’s death; half the above mentioned meadow to daughter Martha if she marries and lives in Sandwich; land at Scusset to his wife. 

His “well beloved wife” Martha is named executrix with William Leveridge and William Newland as overseers. Mr William Leveridg was deposed to this will before Thomas Prence [no date shown].  [Plymouth Colony Wills 1:82] 

It was a nuncupative will, meaning it was an dictated orally because death was imminent. Not surprisingly it appears he did not sign his will by hand or mark as there is no indication of either in the document. He must have been very sick. I find the handwriting of the will and inventory very challenging to decipher.

The inventory of the estate of Gorg Knot was taken 1 June 1648 by Edward Dillingham and William Newland. It does not contain real estate and totals £69 10s. Some items include wearing apparel, cash, livestock, wheat, rye, Indian corn, oatmeal, malt, pewter items, Bible and other small books, musket, bandolier, & sword, yarn, and various fabric. 

Martha Knot “the older” was deposed to this inventory before the court held at New Plymouth the 7th of month 1648 [likely June since inventory was taken 1 June]

In a plot twist, daughter Martha did not marry Thomas Dunham. On 4 October 1648 “the Court have ordered, concerning Thomas Dunham, that hee abstaine from coming atte or sending unto Martha Knote of Sandwidge from this prsent day untell the first Tusday of Desember next, untell the Court can better deserne the treuth of his pretended contracte with the sd Martha Knot, unles the Governer, uppon clearing of thinges, shall give him leave.” [PCR 2:136] They did not marry and two years later she married Thomas Tobey with whom she had seven children. 

After George’s death Martha did not remarry and lived as a widowed head of household in Sandwich. In 1650 there were 60 families in Sandwich and only four households functioned with women at the head: Bridget Bodfish, Katherine Briggs, Martha Knott, Joan Swift. [Lovell] I descend from Katherine and Joan as well.

It appears Martha was a Quaker: “Widdow Knott” was one of 12 Sandwich citizens brought to court on 7 October 1651 on the charge of ‘not frequenting the publick worship of God, contrarye to order made the 6th of June 1651.” The law read the abusers would be fined ten shillings or publicly whipped for each offense. [PCR 2:173]

Widow Martha Knott of Sandwich  wrote her will 27 October 1673 which she signed by her mark. [Mayflower Descendant 25:89] It was exhibited to Plymouth court on 5 March 1673/4 under oath of Mr Richard Bourne. Bequests were as follows:

To “my son Samuell Knott…my bed and beding all that I have onely excepting my green Rugg” also “my little iron, pott, my Skillett and a Tray”

To “my daughter Martha Tobey the wife of Thomas Tobey 4 Cattle: viz 1 Cow 1 heiffer 1 yearling and vantage and one Calfe; and all the rest of my Goods with my Clothes or whatever else I have.”

“I appoint Thomas Tobey my son in law executor.”

The witnesses were Richard Bourne, William Newland and John Newland.

The inventory of “Widdow Knot of Sandwidg” was taken 1 January 1673/4 by Richard Bourne and John Smith and was presented 5 March 1673/4 on the oath of Thomas Tobey. 

I am unclear what became of Samuel Knott. I have read he never married which was highly unusual for the time. He is mentioned in his mother’s October 1673 will, but it is his brother-in-law Thomas Tobey who is named executor. In Thomas Tobey’s 24 March 1709/10 will [Barnstable PR 1:230] he adds a contingency to the bequest to his sons Samuel and Gershom Tobey, that “they or their heirs executors or administrators do keep maintain yr uncle Samll Knot During ye time of his naturall Life both with food drink Lodging & apparill and to allow him a decent buriel after his Death.” At this point Samuel was perhaps in his mid 70s. Perhaps Samuel had some sort of disability as even men in their 70s typically supported themselves. I find it quite endearing the way families took care of their own. 

Sources:

RA Lovell, Sandwich: A Cape Cod Town, 1984

Justin Winsor (communicated by), NEHGS Register, “Abstracts of Earliest Wills in Probate Office, Plymouth,” 4:284

Mrs. John E. Barclay, The American Genealogist, “Notes on the Dunham Family of Plymouth,” 30:149

George Bowman editor, The Mayflower Descendant, “Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories,” 25:89

Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, eds., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, in New England, 12 vols. (New York: AMS Press, 1968)

Caroline Lewis Kardell & Russell A. Lovell Jr, Vital Records of Sandwich Massachusetts to 1885, NEHGS, 1996

John Vincent (ca 1603 to after December 1663) of England and Plymouth/Duxbury & Sandwich, Massachusetts

John Vincent was born about 1603 in England, but I have not discovered his origins. His birth year is an approximation based on his having a child born about 1628. His name is also spelled Vinson in records. He was a man of significant social rank as he is referred to as “Mr” in records. He is my 10th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

John probably married in England but I have not found his wife’s name, although some researchers identify her as Hannah. He is not the John Vincent who was with the Pilgrims at Leiden, Holland, husband of Sarah Allerton (sister of Mayflower passenger Isaac.) That John Vincent was considerably older and died before 4 November 1611 when his widow Sarah married Degory Priest at Leiden. [The Mayflower Descendant, hereafter MD, 22:15]

John is sometimes incorrectly referred to as one of the Ten Men of Saugus, the group that founded the town of Sandwich on Cape Cod. He was, however, one of the first fourteen settlers there. [Lovell] 

John Vincent was a member of Rev. William Leveridge’s congregation who were in Plymouth or Duxbury by 1637 and soon settled at Sandwich. Others in the group were Bourne, Slawson, Burgess, Bassett, Armitage, Skiff, and Butler. [Lovell] That he owned land in Duxbury is confirmed by a 3 July 1637 court record in which ten acres granted to Thomas Burges at Ducksborrow, bounded on the north side by the lands of Mr. John Vincent. [PCR 1:63-4] I do not know whether John ever lived on this land.

There was a court case in Dorchester, Dorset, England, with an answer dated 12 October 1634, in which Rev. John White of Dorchester answers to a bill against him and his associates in a New England adventure from 1623 to 1628, to recover the value of salt seized at Cape Anne by the agents of the adventurers. White provided a lengthy list of his associates which included John Vincent of London, but I am not certain it is the same John.[Gardner]

Mr. John Vincent was on a list of freeman of Plymouth Colony on 7 March 1636/7 [Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, hereafter PCR, 1:53] He was admitted and sworn a freeman on 2 October 1637 [PCR 1:67] and on the October 1654 list of Freemen of Sandwich. [PCR 3:68]  He is on the 1643 list of Sandwich men able to bear arms in New Plymouth.  [NEHGR 4:258] 

John Vincent was deeply involved in serving the town of Sandwich, clearly he was a man respected by his peers:

• Mr. John Vincent was chosen the first constable of Sandwich on 6 March 1637/8, to serve for a year and a quarter. [PCR 1:80] 
• On 5 March 1638/9 Division of planting land in Yarmouth to be made by committee and that Josuah Pratt of Plymouth and Mr. John Vincent of Sandwich shall view the land there and make a report to the Court. [PCR 1:117]
• In June 1639 John Vincent and Richard Bourne, another of my ancestors, were the first men of the town to be chosen as Deputies to the General Court at Plymouth, a position of status. [PCR 1:126] He also was chosen in 1649 [PCR 1:144], 1650 [PCR 1:154], 1651 [PCR 2:168], 1655 [PCR 3:79], 1659 [PCR 3:162], 1661 [PCR 3:214]. At 10 June 1662 court Mr. John Vincent of Sandwich was fined 40 shillings for not appearing at last court last June to serve as deputy. [PCR 4:23] 
• He served on juries including Grand Inquest 7 March 1636/7 [PCR 1:54]; jury on 7 December 1641 that heard cases about debt, assault and trespass [PCR 7:28]; Grand Inquest 3 June 1657 [PCR 3:115].
• On 26 February 1647 there was a court case about land a committee that included John Vincent buying land from Edmond Freeman on behalf of the town of Sandwich; also part of 20 August 1651 court. [PCR 12:211]
• He was one of a group of six of the leading townspeople, which excluded any of the 10 original settlers, was set up 26 February 1647/8 with the purpose to “agitate things betwixt the Committees and the town.” [Lovell]
• At 7 January 1650/1 meeting, a five pound levy to complete Mr. Leveridge’s house was passed. Agreed that the levy shall be made by those four men which were chosen to make the ten pound levy above mentioned, Mr. Vincent, William Newland, Thomas Tupper, Robert Bodfish. [Lovell]
• At 21 November 1651 meeting, ordered by the town that these five men, Mr. Vincent, Thomas Tupper, William Newland, Richard Bourne, and James Skiff being chosen by the town shall make a levy of six pounds for the payment of the Clerk and the Committees. [Lovell]
• On 20 August 1651 “John Vincent, Willam Newland, Anthony Wright, Robert Botfish, and Richard Bourne, being deputed by the town of Sandwidge in the behalf of the said town” to settle accounts with Edmond Freeman, reimbursed him for “the sum of seventeen pounds in the consideration of the purchase of the lands from the Indians from three different sources, the last of these being “4 pounds…paid by Mrs. Joane Swift.” [PCR 12:211-12]
• The first property survey in town, completed in 1667, was an arduous task since a total of 242 lots were later described, and even that surviving record is incomplete. The committee selected consisted of the familiar leaders, Edmund Freeman, John Vincent, Edward Dillingham, Richard Bourne, Thomas Burgess, William Newland and Richard Chadwell. [Lovell]

It is challenging to determine exactly where John lived in Sandwich as many deeds were lost in a Barnstable Courthouse fire. 

• At the 20 March 1636/7 Court, Mr. Vincent assigned “hey ground betweene Moyses Symons feild & the lande lately given to Edmond Chaundler, towarde that wch is appoynted to Mr Collyer.” [PCR 1:57]
• On 7 January 1638/9 Thomas Weybourne was granted ten acres of land formerly used by Mr John Vincent and lying to the house he hath bought of the said Mr. Vincent. [PCR 1:109]
• In a 16 April 1640 division of meadow land at Sandwich, John Vincent received 7 acres. [PCR 1:149-50]
• In a 1654 land division the freemen of Sandwich, Mr. John Vincent, Thomas Burgess, Thomas Tupper, Richard Bourne, and James Skiffe desired some parcels of land by Marshpee Pond, 10 acres of meadow, 100 acres of land by Santuit Pond, a neck of land by Cotuit River to keep cattle, meadow at the place called Mannamuch Bay. [Lovell]

In a 1 May 1670 deed, John Ffeake of Wighton in Norfolk England, sold house, land, tenements, pastures, meadows, uplands at Sandwich belonging to his late father George Ffeake, that did sometimes belong to George’s brother Henry Ffeake, to Robert Harper of Sandwich, that were late in the possession of John Vincent. [Plymouth Colony Deeds 1671-1673, 3:2:111]

John also witnessed a will and settled an estate.

• John Vincent witnessed will of George Allen, the elder of Sandwich, whose inventory was taken 22 September 1648. [NEHGR 4:284]
• In the 12 October 1662 will of Joan Swift named John Vincent and Benjamin Hammond [his son-in-law] overseers of her will.  [PCPR 2:2:16]

John Vincent’s children, likely born in England:

1. Mary born about 1628; possibly married Benjamin Hammond 8 November 1648 [published Sandwich VR  p 4—groom’s name is too worn to read as is the year but footnote states she perhaps married Benjamin Hammond]; died 5 August 1705 [Rochester VR 2:388] 
2. Sarah Vincent born about 1633; married William Dexter in July 1663 at Barnstable [Barnstable VR in MD 4:223] and removed to Rochester; died after 9 May 1694 [MD 23:64]
3. Henry Vincent born about 1635; married Mary Matthews 15 December 1657 [Sandwich VR in MD 14:166]; removed to Yarmouth

I descend from Sarah whom I wrote about here.. The children’s birth records are not found, but they clearly belong to John Vincent given the rarity of the surname in Plymouth Colony. In reading Plymouth Colony records for this time period, almost all mentions of the Vincent surname are of John. The exceptions are one record of a William that may be an error for John and John’s son Henry. 

Some researchers assign him a daughter Elizabeth who married Thomas Dexter, but I am unclear what proof there is of this.

John Vincent died after 1 December 1663, the date of a court case about his having been one of the men who laid out a way through the land of Richard Chadwell; it is not written to indicate he had passed away. [PCR 4:48] It seems he died before 1667 when he is not included in a Sandwich land survey. [Lovell] 

Sources:

R.A. Lovell, Jr., Sandwich A Cape Cod Town, 1984

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700, 3:1572

Henry Howland Crapo, Certain Comeoverers, 1912

Lura F. Alexander Fallas,  Genealogy, Descendants of William and Dorcas Fallass of Boston, Massachusetts, 1929

Mary Elizabeth Sinnott, Annals of the Sinnott, Rogers, Coffin, Corlies, Reeves, Bodine and Allied Families, 1905

Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, eds., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, in New England, 12 vols. (New York: AMS Press, 1968)

Joseph Gardner Bartlett (communicated by), NEHGS Register, “Genealogical Research in England,” 61:280