Nathan Nye (about 1657-before 13 May 1747) and his Wife Mercy of Sandwich, Massachusetts

Nathan Nye was born about 1657 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin and Katherine (Tupper) Nye. Unfortunately Nathan rarely appears in public records, but he is shown to be a son of Benjamin by his will in which he mentions “my brother Jonathan Nye,” a proven son of Benjamin. He is my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family. I also directly descend from Nathan’s brothers Jonathan and John. I wrote about Benjamin and Katherine here and here. I wrote about Jonathan here and John here.

Benjamin Nye owned a grist mill and a fulling mill in Sandwich, so he would have been financially comfortable. Nathan was the seventh child, and fourth son, of Benjamin and Katherine, so perhaps he would have had to make his own way. I also descend from Nathan’s brothers Jonathan and John. Benjamin and Katherine’s house was on the same property as the mills and still stands at 85 Old County Road in East Sandwich.

Nye homestead on Old County Road

Nathan Nye took the oath of fidelity in 1678 and in 1702 he appears on the list of those entitled to share in the division of Sandwich lands. [Hyatt] He is on list of Sandwich freemen admitted to vote at Town Meeting in 1681 and 1701. [Deyo]

About 1686 Nathan married a woman named Mercy whose maiden name is unrecorded; marriage year is based on first child being born in 1687. Mercy was born about 1663, as she was “about 65 years” old at her death. In Marian Bowers Natale’s work on identifying Nathan’s wife, she presents a strong case for Mercy being the daughter of Ralph and Mary (Fuller) Jones.

Natale looked for females named Mercy or Marcy born 1660-1670 in Plymouth and Barnstable Counties—13 were found. She found husbands for 12 of them but neither a marriage or death record found for Mercy Jones born 14 November 1666, daughter of Ralph and Mary (Fuller) Jones. She is the correct age to be Nathan’s wife, she would have been 20 at marriage, 42 when last child born, and living in 1692 when her father included her in his will. Ralph Jones, in his 11 May 1692 will, mentions his daughters by first name only—Mercy, Mary, and Mehitable. Mercy and her sisters were likely married as each was given five pounds in money or cattle. If unmarried, Ralph probably would have made provisions such as allowing them space in his dwelling. Unfortunately there isn’t a strong familial naming pattern for either side in Nathan and Mercy’s children. 

There is a lack of deeds for Barnstable County due to the 1827 courthouse fire, but in surviving deeds the Nye, Jones, and Fuller families all lived at Scorton Neck in Sandwich.  Ralph’s will mentions land on Scorton Neck and meadow at Sandy Neck Lot abutting John Fuller’s Land that he left to son Shuball Jones.

In March 1730 Rev. Benjamin Fessenden listed heads of family in Sandwich. No. 128 Shuball Jones, No. 129, Nathan Nye, No. 130 Lemuel Nye (Nathan’s son). Nathan and Mercy Jones were neighbors! Nathan Nye’s inventory was taken by Benjamin Fuller, Matthias Smith, and John Fuller. His eldest son Lemuel describes family land at Scorton Neck he inherited from his father and also bought of his brother Nathan, Barnstable salt meadow he bought of Samuel Jones (son of Ralph), which adjoins land of John Fuller deceased. If Nathan Nye was son-in-law of Ralph Jones, it may be the latter sold or gave him land as it wasn’t acquired from his father Benjamin Nye.

Nathan Nye took the inventory of Ralph Jones’ granddaughter Mary/Marcy Jones’ estate on 4 Nov 1730. We know he is this Nathan and not his son or nephew as he used a similar mark to his codicil. 

Nathan Nye's mark

In Otis’ book on Barnstable families he noted that the Jones family frequently avoided marriage by ministers as Ralph was either a Quaker or in sympathy with them. Nathan Nye did not frequently take inventories or witness wills, but when his name is found it concerns estates with connection to Scorton Neck where the Jones and Fuller families owned considerable land.

Mercy and Nathan’s children, born to “Nathan and Mary Nye” [Sandwich VR, MD 30:65; marriages McLean]:

1. Remember born 28 Feb 1686/7; married 1) 29 Dec 1709 Nathaniel Backhouse, (Sandwich Town Records) and had eight children. Remember evidently moved to Barnstable where she married 2) 29 Sept 1733 Joseph Blish who had married first Hannah Childs.
2. Temperance born 7 April 1689; married 31 October 1712 John Daman/Damon of Scituate.
3. Thankful born 11 August 1691; married 7 Dec 1714 John Davis of Falmouth, son of John and Ruth (Goodspeed) Davis.
4. Content born 25 Sept 1693; married 1719 John Landers, son of John and Rachel (Freeman) Landers. John’s 1738 will names his wife Content and eight children.
5. Jemima born 20 February 1695. She probably died before 1741 as she is not named in her father’s will.
6. Lemuel, born 21 March 1698, probably 1697/8; marriage intention 30 April 1728 toSarah Jenkins, daughter of Thomas and Experience (Hamblen) Jenkins. 
7. Deborah born 8 April 1700; married ca 1721 James Hamblen, son of James and Ruth (Lewis) Hamblen.
8. Maria/Mariah born 2 April 1702; Hyatt states she married —- Jones and McLean suggests she married John Fuller Jr. 
9. Caleb born 28 June 1704; married 28 Oct 1731 Hannah Bodfish, daughter of Benjamin and Lydia (Crocker) Bodfish. 
10. Nathan born 28 September 1708; married Patience Percival daughter of John and Mary (Bourne) Percival on 22 Sept 1733; Hyatt states he married 2nd Sarah Percival and McLean believes only married Patience. 

I descend from Content whom I wrote about here.

Mercy Nye died 8 October 1728 and is buried Old Burying Ground, Sandwich Village:

Here lyes ye Body of Mrs. Mercy Nye

wife to Mr Nathan Nye who 

Departed This Life Octbr ye 8th 1728 

Aged About 65 years

Mercy Nye's gravestone

Nathan died between 28 November 1744 (signed codicil to his will) and 13 May 1747 (estate proven), likely close to the latter date. He was about age 90. It is probable he is buried with his wife Mercy, but no stone exists. 

Nathan Nye of Sandwich, husbandman, wrote his will 18 Sept 1741, a codicil 28 November 1744, proved 14 January 1746[/7]. 

Bequests in his will and codicil:

• Sons Lemuell Nye, Caleb Nye, and Nathan Nye to divide all of Nathan’s land at Sandwich and Barnstable, except for sheep pasture lot, according to deeds executed July “last past.” They were also to divide his clothing, money and credits after debts are paid.
• Sons Lemuell, Caleb, and Nathan to equally divide all the moving cedar fencing stuff on lands in Scorton Neck per 14 July 1741 written promise. 
• Lemuell and Caleb to receive all husbandry utensils and tools.
• Lemuell is to receive gun, sword and fry kettles and is named sole Executor.
• Because Lemuell helped and supported Nathan in his old age, the codicil leaves him all the livestock.
• Caleb to receive looms. 
• Grandson Nathan Backhouse to receive the sheep pasture lot.
• Three sons were to pay 40 shillings to daughter Remember Blish and £10 each to granddaughter Mercy Backhouse, daughter Temperance Damon, daughter Thankfull Davis, daughter Content Landers, daughter Deborah Hamblin, daughter Mariah Jones.
• Granddaughter Mercy Backhouse, daughters Temperance, Thankfull, Content, Deborah, Mariah to divide remaining indoor household stuff.

It is remarkable that out of 10 children, only Jemima predeceased her father. 

Nathan signed both documents by his mark. The will was witnessed by David Crocker, Samuell Hoxie and Mary Hoxie. Solomon Hoxie, Solomon Hoxie Jr., and David Crocker witnessed the codicil. When the will and codicil were proved,  Solomon Hoxie and Mary Wing "once Hoxie" are mentioned as being Quakers. I do not know if Nathan himself was a Quaker. 

The inventory of the estate of Nathan Nye was taken 19 May 1747 and Benjamin Fuller, Matthias Smith, and John Fuller made oath to same on 10 June 1747. It totaled more than £311 and included arms, multiple beds, 6 napkins, looms, candlesticks, spectacles, husbandry tackling, livestock, and a sheep pasture lot in a tract called Lawrence Hole valued at  £114. The inventory shows that even at his very advanced age, Nathan was living in his home, rather than in one room at a child’s house.  [Will, codicil, inventory Barnstable County Probate 8:189-93]

Sources:

Maclean McLean, The American Genealogist, “The Children of Nathan 2 Nye of Sandwich, Mass.,” 41:176 (1965)

Ian Hilder, George R. Nye, Jonathan A. Shaw, NEHGS Register, “The Origins of Benjamin 1 Nye: Examining the Sources,” Vol 158 (October 2004)

John G. Locke, communicated by, NEHGS Register, “Extracts from Rev. Benjamin Fessenden’s Manuscript,” 13:30-31

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

Marian Bowers Natale, The Mayflower Descendant, “Mercy, Wife of Nathan Nye,” 66:122 (2018)

George Hyatt, Genealogy of the Nye Family, 1907 

Simeon Deyo, History of Barnstable County Massachusetts, 1890