Search billions of records on Ancestry.com

 
Paternal
Lineage: Phebe5, Samuel4, Edward3, Samuel2, William1
  DYER, 1609-aft.1780 Related Families:  Barret | Hutchinson | Sayles | Greene | Niles | Arnold
Migration: Lincolnshire, ENG>Boston, MA>Newport, RI>Kingston, RI>West Greenwich, RI



        (1) William Dyer baptized 19 September 1609 in Kirkby Lathrope, Lincolnshire, England, and died about 1676 in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island. He married first on 27 October 1633 in St. Martin in the Fields, London, Middlesex Co., England, Mary Barret, speculated to have been born around 1610 in London, England.  In early life, William was an apprentice.  "Walter Blackborne, London Milliner" by Johan Winsser, says:

        "About Midsummer's Day (June 24) 1624 Blackborne contracted fourteen year old William Dyer as an apprentice. Dyer, the son of an affluent Lincolnshire yeoman, was the future husband of Mary (Barrett) Dyer, the Quaker martyr. How the Dyer family came to select Blackborne is not certain, but it may have been through the Hutchinsons of Alford, Lincolnshire, or through the Carres of Sleaford, Lincolnshire, both families with known long standing associations with the Dyers and with close relatives in London. It may also be that the Dyers of Lincolnshire knew of Blackborne through one or more of the many Dyer families living in London, to whom they may have been related. In any case, William Dyer must have labored on a trial basis for the first year, because it was not until 20 August 1625 that his nine year indenture was enrolled with the Fishmongers, and it was made retroactive to the previous summer. In assuming responsibility for an apprentice, Blackborne obligated himself to serve as a surrogate father, teaching young Dyer his trade, providing him with bed, food, clothing, and behavioral supervision, and maintaining him in the religious life of the parish. In return, Dyer agreed to serve his master faithfully for the set term of years, to forgo marriage during his apprenticeship, to keep his master's secrets, and to adhere to strict behavorial standards both in his master's house and abroad in the town.  On 10 February 1632, William Dyer signed a lease to rent "The Globe" in the New Exchange, formerly occupied by Blackborne, for a term of two and a quarter years.  About a year later 1632/33 William Dyer also assumed the lease for Blackborne's tenement on Mr. Greene's Lane."
        By the autumn of 1635 William Dyer had set sail for Boston and soon was prospering in his new home. He was one of fourteen owners of a wharf in Boston. Captain William and Mary joined the First church there in December 1635. Captain Dyre was disfranchised for "seditious writing" on 15 November 1637, removed to Rhode Island, and was one of the signers of the compact of government for that province on 7 March 1638.  He was secretary the same year, general recorder, 1648; attorney-general, 1650-53; member of the general court, 1661-62, 1664-66; general solicitor, 1665-66, and 1668, and secretary to the council, 1669. He was commissioned commander-in-chief upon the sea in 1653, and headed an expedition fitted out in Rhode Island against the Dutch.
        "The Story of Jane Hawkins" (published in NEHGR Vol 114 p208) tells of Jane Hawkins who was banished from Boston for "practicing Medicine" to live in the woods. While at Portsmouth, as a midwife, she, with Anne Hutchinson, had assisted at the birth of the so-called "monster" of Mary Dyer.  Mary Dyer, was a student of Anne Hutchinson's teachings.  Gov. John Winthrop had the body exhumed and shown to the public, claiming it as concrete evidence that Anne Hutchinson was doing the work of the Devil and anyone ought to take warning from this judgment from God set against one of her devoted followers. William and Mary's son, Samuel, would eventually marry Anne Hutchinson, grandaughter of Mrs. Hutchinson through her son Edward.  He used the birth to build his case that ultimately lead to Anne's exile.  Later, Anne had a similar birth (which would be diagnosed today as a hydatidiform mole birth), which Winthrop again used to justify his case -- and to celebrate her death massacre by Indians years later.  The story, which follows, is recorded in Gov. John Winthrop's Journal entitled History of New England 1630-1649 and thus is written from his own biased perspective.
 
 

The Monster-Child of Mary Dyer

       March 30 1638

       The wife of one William Dyer, a milliner in the New Exchange, a very proper and fair woman, and both of them notoriously infected with Mrs. Hutchinson’s errors, and very censorious and troublesome, (she being of a very proud spirit, and much addicted to revelations,) had been delivered of [a] child some few months before, October 17, and the child buried, (being stillborn,) and viewed of none but Mrs. Hutchinson and the midwife, one Hawkins’s wife, a rank familist also; and another woman had a glimpse of it, who, not being able to keep counsel, as the other two did, some rumor began to spread, that the child was a monster.  One of the elders, hearing of it, asked Mrs. Hutchinson, when she was ready to depart; whereupon she told him how it was, and said she meant to have it chronicled, but excused her concealing of it till then, (by advice, as she said, of Mr. Cotton,) which coming to the governor’s knowledge, he called another of the magistrates and that elder, and sent for the midwife, and examined her about it.  At first she confessed only, that the head was defective and misplaced, but being told that Mrs. Hutchinson had revealed all, and that he intended to have it taken up and viewed, she made this report of it, viz.:  It was a woman child, stillborn, about two months before the just time, having life a few hours before;  it came hiplings till she turned it;  it was of ordinary bigness;  it had a face, but no head, and the ears stood upon the shoulders and were like an ape’s; it had no forehead, but over the eyes four horns, hard and sharp; two of them were above one inch long, the other two shorter;  the eyes standing out, and the mouth also;  the nose hooked upward;  all over the breast and back full of sharp pricks and scales, like a thornback;  the navel and all the belly, with the distinction of the sex, were where the back should be, and the back and hips before, where the belly should have been; behind, between the shoulders, it had two mouths, and in each of them a piece of red flesh sticking out; it had arms and legs as other children;  but, instead of toes, it had on each foot three claws, like a young fowl, with sharp talons.
       The governor speaking with Mr. Cotton about it, he told him the reason why he advised them to conceal it;  1. Because he saw a providence of God in it, that the rest of the women, which were coming and going in their time of travail, should be absent.  2. He considered, that, if it had been his own case, he should have desired to have had it concealed.  3. He had known other monstrous births, which had been concealed, and that he thought God might intend only the instruction of the parents, and such other to whom it was known, etc.  The like apology he made for himself in public, which was well accepted.
       2 April 1638
        The governor, with the advice of some other of the magistrates and of the elders of Boston, caused the said monster to be taken up, and though it were much corrupted, yet most of those things were to be seen, as the horns and claws, and scales, etc.  When it died in the mother’s body, (which was about two hours before the birth,) the bed whereon the mother lay did shake, and withal there was such a noisome savor, as most of the women were taken with extreme vomiting and purging, as they were forced to depart; and others of them their children were taken with convulsions, (which they never had before nor after,) and so were sent for home, so as by these occasions it came to be concealed.
        Another thing observable, was the discovery of it, which was just when Mrs. Hutchinson was cast out of the church.  For Mrs. Dyer going forth with her, a stranger asked, what young woman it was.  The others answered, it was the woman which had the monster; which gave the first occasion to some that heard to speak of it.  The midwife, presently after this discovery, went out of the jursidiction;  and indeed it was time for her to be gone, for it was known, that she used to give young women oil of mandrakes and other stuff to cause conception; and she grew suspicion to be a witch, for it was credibly reported, that, when she gave any medications, (for she practised physic,) she would ask the party, if she did believe, she could help her, etc.
        Another observable passage was, that the father of this monster, coming home at this very time, was, the next Lord’s day, by an unexpected providence, questioned in the church for divers monstrous errors, as for denying all inherent righteousness, etc., which he maintained, and was for the same admonished.

      Mary was the only woman to suffer capital punishment in all the oppression of the Society of Friends the world over. She accompanied her husband on his mission to England with Roger Williams and Dr. John Clarke to obtain the revocation of Governor Coddington's power in Rhode Island and while there became a convert to Quakerism and a preacher in the society. On arriving in Boston in 1657 she was imprisoned and on the petition of her husband was permitted to go with him to Rhode Island, but never to return to Massachusetts. She returned, however, and with William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson was tried and convicted for "their rebellion, sedition and presumptuous obtruding upon us notwithstanding their being sentenced to banishment on payne of death, as underminers of the government." Robinson and Stevenson were executed by hanging while Mary was forced to watch, and the executioners went so far as to bind Mary's wrists behind her back, tie her skirt around her ankles, blindfold her using a handkerchief donated by her own pastor, and slip the noose around her neck, but through the surprise petition of her son, Mayor William Dyre, she was reprieved on the same conditions as before, but in May 1660, sheagain appeared on the public streets of Boston, and was brought before the court on 31 May and condemned to death. She was executed 1 June 1660.  Today, her statue (at right) is one of four guarding the Massachusetts State House in Boston.
        Sometime after Mary was executed and early 1662, William married in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Catherine, and they had one daughter.

Children of William Dyer and Mary Barrett:

  1. William, born and died on 24 October 1634 in London, Middlesex Co., England, buried on 27 October 1634 in St Martin's in the Fields Parish
  2. Samuel, mentioned below
  3. Mary, born about 1639 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died after 26 January 1678/1679 in Delaware.
  4. Maj. William, born about 1642, died 1688 in Sussex Co., Pennsylvania (now Delaware).
  5. Mahershallalhashbaz or "Maher" for short, born 1643 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died before 1670; married Martha Pearce about 1665 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island, where they resided.  Martha's family lived on Prudence Island about 1665.  They apparently had no children.  On 22 March 1661 he signed certain articles relative to Misquamicut (Westerly) lands.  On 7 July 1670, his father in a deed to son Henry mentioned a part of a farm "where my son Maher's tobacco house stood."
  6. Henry, born about 1647 in Rhode Island, died February 1689/1690 in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island
  7. Charles, born about 1650 in Rhode Island, died 15 May 1709 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island
Child of William and Catherine Dyer:
  1. Elizabeth, born about 1662 in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island

 
 

        (2)  Samuel Dyer was baptized 20 December 1635 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, and died about 1678 in Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island.  He married about 1660 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, Anne Hutchinson, of royal descent.  She was the grandaughter of Anne (Marbury) Hutchinson who was banished from Boston for her religious activities.
        On 22 March 1661, Samuel signed certain articles relative to Misquamicut (Westerly) lands along with his brother Mahershallalhashbaz.  He was Conservator of the Peace at Kingstown on 21 May 1669.  On 20 May 1671, he took the oath of allegiance to Rhode Island.  After his death, Samuel's estate was taxed 15s 6d in 1680.
        Anne Hutchinson later married Daniel Vernon.  She had recived a legacy of lands in Narragansett from will of her father in 1676.  On 18 October 1687, she confirmed a deed of her son Samuel Dyer.  In 1717, her will was proved:

"Widow Ann Vernon, of Newport. Ex. son Samuel Vernon. To son Samuel Dyer 5s. To sons Elisha, Henry and Barrett Dyer L30 each. To son Samuel Vernon L45. To daughter Catherine Vernon L65. To sons Henry and Barrett Dyer and Samuel Vernon, all rents due me from Edward Dyer of Kings Town, being due from 1710, Nov 20 at L6 per annum, and all hereafter found due which should have been for my yearly support and maintenance."
Anne is buried in Newport, Rhode Island, in the Vernon family lot with second husband Daniel, daughter Anne Clark, and son Edward Vernon.

Children of Samuel Dyer and Anne Hutchinson:

  1. William, born 7 March 1662/1663 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 22 July 1738.
  2. Samuel, born about 1665, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 15 July 1724 in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island
  3. Nathaniel, born between 1667and 1668 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died  2 October 1738 in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island
  4. Edward, mentioned below
  5. Elisha, born about 1672 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died before 1755 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., Rhode Island
  6. Anne, born about 1674 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died after 1717 in Newport, Newport Co., Rhode Island.
  7. Henry, born about 1676 inBoston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died 1742 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts
  8. Barrett, born about 1678 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, died  7 December 1753 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts

 
 

        (3)  Edward Dyer, a carpenter, was born about 1670 in Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island, and died 1760 in North Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island.  He married before 28 September 1698 in North Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island, Mary Sayles Greene.
        On 9 February 1691, Edward and his brother Elisha were complained of by Daniel Vernon, of Kingstown, for taking possession of his farm at Aquidneset, forcing open the door of the cellar, etc., "they both being non residents."
On 22 September 1689, Edward and wife Mary signed an obligation at Newport, binding themselves in sum of L200, to stand by arbitration of Thomas Olney and Weston Clarke, regarding a house and lot in Warwick for which an action had been commenced by Edward Dyer for his wife, daughter of William Greene, deceased, against said Samuel Greene, to whom the bond was given.  On 17 March 1690, he and wife Mary gave a receipt to her uncle Samuel Greene, for L15, and also L10, already had, according to the award.

Children:

  1. Edward, born about 6 January 1700/1701, died 13 March 1788
  2. Mary, born 1702 in Scituate, Providence Co., Rhode Island, died 1 December 1740.
  3. Samuel, mentioned below
  4. William, born about 1705, died 19 March 1788
  5. Phebe, born 1708

 
 

        (4)  Samuel Dyer, born 1703 in Providence, Providence Co., Rhode Island, died 5 April 1760 in West Greenwich, Kent Co., Rhode Island.  He married 24 February 1725/1726 in East Greenwich, Kent Co., Rhode Island, Tabitha Niles.
        Samuel made his will on 5 March 1760 (probated 5 April 1760) and it mentions that both his parents were still living, but it does not name them. It lists sons Edward, George and Nathaniel, daughters Mary Wall (eldest), Susannah Dyre, Sarah Dyre, Phebe Dyre, under 18 & Ann Dyre under 18, 2 grandchildren Sarah Dyre and Nathaniel Dyre.

Children:

  1. George, born 26 December 1736 in West Greenwich, Kent Co., Rhode Island, died 8 January 1817 in Clarendon, Rutland Co., Vermont
  2. Edward
  3. Nathaniel; married 9 March 1755 in East Greenwich, Kent Co., Rhode Island, Sarah Sheffield
  4. Mary; married Mr. ? Wall according to her father's will
  5. Susanna
  6. Sarah
  7. Phebe; married Caleb Arnold
  8. Anna; married 15 Mar 1772 in East Greenwich, Kent Co., Rhode Island, Eleazar Arnold
  9. Barret; married in 1769 Mary Greene

 
Return to the LEGENDS Menu
Last updated 16 January 2000