John Ryder/Rider (ca 1663-1719) and Esther Hall (1672-before 1719) of Yarmouth, Mass.

John Ryder (also spelled Rider) was born in Yarmouth, Mass. about 1663 (based on age given in a court deposition), the son of John Ryder whose wife’s name is not known (Fremont Ryder has her as Ann ____ with no source). 

Note that CW Swift has John as the son of Zachary Ryder and married to Patience Eldredge, but I believe this is an error. There is a lot of confusion between the two John Ryder's, but descendant Richard Eldridge helped me sort it out a few years back. If anyone has further information or newer references, I’d love to hear from you.

John married Esther (or Hester) Hall about 1691, probably in Yarmouth. She was born 12 April 1672 in Yarmouth, the daughter of John Hall and Priscilla Bearse.

The births of John and Esther’s children are recorded in Yarmouth Vital Records:

yarmouth A regester of the names and Beirths of [worn] John and Heester Rider as ffolloweth

John Rider the son of John and Heester Rider was Boorn upon the : 28th : day of may : 1692 :

Samuell Rider the son of the above said John and Heester Rider was Boorn in feburary 169[worn]

Beathiah Rider the daughtur of said John and Heester Rider was boorn in may: 1697

Hester Rider was borne in aprell 1699:

Marcy Rider was borne in Jun 1701

Zurviah Rider was borne in aprell 1703:

Nathanall Rider was borne in Jun 1705

thankfull Rider : the daughter of the abovesaid John and Ester Rider she was borne the first day of aprill in the yeare : 1709 :

John: & Hester Rider had a daughtur bourn in Aprell : 1694 : Bo[worn] and the said child did dey sudingly after it was borne recorded by me John miller Clarke

I descend through Nathaniel and his wife Desire Godfrey who lived in Chatham.

John was named in Plymouth Court records, which gives his age:

The testemony of James Clarke aged 51 or there abouts testefieth and saith that when the Cunstabel Came to attach the whalle I was att my son thomas Clarks when he Came in & he warned me to goe with him to the bluber & we found two pec: a lettle distanc one from another and then we followed the Rutt of the wheles northre quarte of a mil where we found a other percell then said was two load and Robert bartlet Carried a load to his fathers house

"James Clarke made oath i Court to what is above written March 20th 1689/90: Attest Saml Sprague Clerk"

"The Testemony of John Rider aged 26 yeares or there abouts Testefieth and saith that ye Whale in Contreversy Came on shoare agains a pastur fence belonging to James and Tho: Clarke and farther saith not

"John rider abovesd made Oath in Court march 20th 1689/90 to what is above written Attest Saml Sprague Clerk"

John was named in his father’s 6 March 1702/03 will, with a bequest of 10 shillings. His older brother Ebenezer was to receive his father’s land, but the land is mentioned as abutting John Jr.’s land, so perhaps his father had deeded him land earlier.

John died intestate in Yarmouth but Barnstable County Probate has information on the administration of his estate, dated 11 February 1718/19, naming Samuel Rider (his son) and Ebenezer Rider (his brother) as administrators.

The division of John’s estate was made 7 July 1721, estimated at a value of over 416 pounds. It names his second eldest son, Samuel Ryder, as the administrator. Eldest son John Ryder was to get a double share, believed to be given to him in land during his father's lifetime.  Son Samuel was to receive land named in his inventory (dwelling house, barn, swamp and meadow land), except for the quarter part of the windmill. Remaining personal estate and the share of the windmill were divided between children: Bethyah Eldredge, Esther Smith, Mercy Ryder, Zerviah Ryder, Nathanll Ryder, Hannah Ryder, Thankfull Ryder and Martha Ryder. Each was also to receive 39 Pounds 3 shillings 4 pence.

Example of a Cape Cod Windmill: the Judah Baker mill in South Yarmouth

I have not found Esther’s death date, but she died before John as she is not mentioned in the settling of his estate but after the birth of her youngest child in 1709.

Sources Not Listed Above:

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

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

Fremont Rider, Genealogy of Rider (Ryder) Families, 1959