Byram, William H.

Notes:

He was of Kent, ENG
Source:John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1988

Family/Spouse: (Byram), Mary. Mary was born in in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

__________________________________________________________________________ __________
NICHOLAS BYRAM

Nicholas Byram of Bridgewater made his will 13 January, 1687. Bequests were as follows:

"I Ratifie unto my brother John Shaw of weymouth my whole Interest in the North adition which was granted by the Court to Bridwater Town & on lot of Meadow in a Place Called Poor meadow Joyning to the Meadow of William Brett . which he hath Possesed severall yeares" "to Each of my Children what land I formerly Gave unto them." "the Rest of my Estate .... I give [p. 17] give unto .... wife Susana" "I leave my aforesd wife Susana sole Executrix" The witnesses were Samuel Allen, Sr., William Brett and John Whitman.

The executrix presented the will at the court held 13 June, 1688, and it was probated on the testimony of Samuel Allen, Sr., and William Brett.
__________________________________________________________________________ __________
NICHOLAS BYRAM'S INVENTORY
"The Inventory of Nicholas Byram of Bridgwater who deseaced the thirteenth day of Aprill 1688" was taken by "his wife Susana byram" who signed by a mark.

It was witnessed by Samuel Allen, Sr., and William Brett. "Susana Byram the wife of Nicholas Byram deceased" made oath to the inventory 16 June, 1688, before John Willis, Sr. "by Dedemus Potestatem Directed to the abovesd John Willice from the Inferiour Court of Comon Pleas held at Plimouth" 13 June, 1688, "the said John Willis was Impowered to adminester the oath abovesd to the above sd Susana Byram"
__________________________________________________________________________ __________

Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620-1691

Part Two: Topical Narratives
Chapter 13: Everyday Life and Manners:

As time went on, Plymouth Colony resolved some old problems and acquired new ones. The court could not satisfy all complaints. Though people were frequently punished for slander, in 1677 when Captain
Goulding, David Lake, and Thomas Lake complained that they were meeting with opposition and threatening speeches from neighbors to disturb them in their peaceful enjoyment of lands granted them by the court, the court said it would maintain their title to the lands, "but as for words, they must beare with them when they meet with them." In 1670 the court ordered that profits from fishing with nets at Cape Cod would go to provide a free school for the training of youth in literature for the good and benefit of posterity, and in 1678 it gave £5 from fishing profits to the schoolmaster at Rehoboth, and it
expressed an intention to have a grammar school in each town of the colony. People complained of high taxes, and some towns were using tax methods that the court found odd. In 1668, at the complaint of Mr.
Nicholas Byram that Bridgewater was overtaxing people with dormant lands and undertaking those who used the town's common lands, the court told the town to find some more equitable way. In 1670 the
court, in answer to the complaint of land owners at Rehoboth, ordered the town not to tax them more than thirty shillings for a £40 rating.

Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620-1691
Part Three: Biographical Sketches
Biographical Sketches
Smith, Ralph
... Moses Simonson arrived on the Fortune in 1621. Though not on the 1633 freeman list, he became a freeman no later than 7 March 1636/37 (PCR 1:53). He was in Leiden with the Separatists, and Winslow called him a member of the Dutch Church who could speak English and who took communion with the Separatist Church (Hypocrisie Unmasked, p. 63). He also went by the name Moses Simons, and on 13 December 1660 Moses Simons of Duxbury and his wife Sarah sold his right of lands in Bridgewater to Nicholas Byram (MD 34:85). He dated his will 17 June 1689, calling himself "aged and full of decay," and his inventory was taken 10 September 1691 (MD 31:60). He mentioned his sons Aaron and John; and his daughters Mary, wife of Joseph Alden; Elizabeth, wife of Richard Dwelly; and Sarah, wife of James Nash. He also had a son Moses, Jr. of Scituate, who predeceased him (Ply. Colony PR 3:2:62-63).
__________________________________________________________________________ __________
Byrams in America, John Arnold Byram, 1988, pages 1-2

The exact reason or event which brought Nicholas to America will probably never be know. Aaron G. Byram, who documented the first Byram family genealogy, "The Byram Pamphlet" drew upon the writing of the family legend as written by the Honorable Nathan Mitchell in his "History of Bridgewater". Aaron wrote"Nicholas Byram was the son of an English gentleman who removed about the time of the birth of his son to Ireland. At sixteen his father sent him to visit his friends in England, in charge of a man who betrayed his trust, robbed him of his money, and sent him to "West Indies" (probably the island of Barbados) where he was sold to pay his passage. After his time of servitude expired, by the help of a few pieces of gold, said to have been sewd into one of his garments by his mother, he took passage to New England and married Susanna Shaw of Weymouth." Mark Bennett Byron III in his book "THE BYRAM CHRONICLE" writes: "The author does not question Nicholas' going to Weymouth MA or his
marriage to Susanna Shaw but believes that he has uncovered the record of his early arrival in America whether he came directly from England or via Barbados. In either event he landed in Virginia with Thomas Edghill and received 50 acres of land. Possibly the religious climate of Massachusetts Colony was more to his liking than that of Virginia where the established church was firmly entrenched. For this reason Nicholas probably traded his 50 acres of land in Virginia for passage to the MA colony.,"

He also states that the Virginia Colony have a land grant showing that on 23 Oct. 1637 - Thomas Edghill received 100 acres, Isle of Wight County. Upon a creed running SW of maine creek in the Pagan Baye,
adjoining next to John Walker's devdt. Westward toward the head of Vaster's Neck. 50 acres due to his personal adv. and 50 acres of 1 servant called Nicholas Byram."

Then in Northcumberland County Records, on 5 Feb. 1651 - John Hawkin's will gives land to Abraham Byram and a yearling to Abraham's son, Thomas. "From the above, it would seem that a Nicholas and
Abraham were about the same age, possibly brothers and probably the grand children of Nicholas Byrom, the Cheshire Barrister.

Mark also gives a statement that Helen Byrom Griggs said. "Father also said that there was a tradition in the family tha the young son of some early Byrom has been kidnapped by a sailor's press gang and had been taken to Barbados from wence he never returned but suggested his origin his origin in kent might have been mistaken for Kenion where the Byroms were established."

Nicholas may have taken the ketch "Increase" which sailed from Barbados to Boston but was damaged in a storm and arrived in Peqout (New London) Conn. From there he must have gone to MA. Nicholas settled in Weymouth, MA.

He was made a freeman by the Court, May 2, 1638. The term freeman was sort of an Aristocracy in New England. By 1670 there were only 1,100 Freemen out of a population of 25,000. They were voting members of their colony. A Freeman was required to have a certain amount of land of an income equivalent to the income received from that amount of land. He had the title "Mister", and could wear costly garments with ornaments of silver, gold, or lace threads.

In 1662 Nicholas purchased of Moses Simmons, Phillip Delano and of George Soule 3 shares, or the original purchase rights, of a tract of land which became Bridgewater. This amounted to seven square miles. He was the second settler. The purchase of "Duxbury Plantation" (Bridgewater) was made on March 23, 1640 by Miles Standish, Samuel Nash and Constant Southworth acting as commissioners appointed to make this purchase.

It would be interesting to learn where Nicholas acquired the cash for such a purchase. It is possible that the sale of this home in Weymouth, MA provided means to purchase the undeveloped land to the west. This trend, to move west to gain cheaper land continued for many generations and helped distribute the Byram family throughout America. Nicholas took an active part in the government of Bridgewater. He was elected a member of the grand inquest under Thomas Prince in 1664. He was appointed by the Court as one of the selectman of Bridgewater in 1666. He was appointed, with Samuel Edson and John Willis, Councillor of War with the Military Officers of the town in 1667 and he held other civil posititions.
__________________________________________________________________________ __________

Nicholas married Shaw, Susanna in 1635 in Massachusetts, USA. Susanna (daughter of Shaw, Abraham and Best, Elizabeth Bridget) was born about 25 May 1617 in Northowram, Halifax, Yorkshire, Eng; died about 1698 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Keith, Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Weymouth, Suffolk, Ma

Deliverance married Porter, Rev John on 9 Apr 1660 in Weymouth, Suffolk, Ma. John was born in in Weymouth, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 25 Aug 1717 in Weymouth, Suffolk, Ma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1988
Thoams and Abigail (Byram) Whitman went from Weymouth to Bridgewater,
MA and lived on a farm known as "Whitman's Neck."

Abigail married Whitman, Thomas on 22 Nov 1656. Thomas (son of Whitman, Dea. John and Whitman, Mary) was born in 1629 in England; died in 1712 in E Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

MD 3:143 Vital Records of Bridgewater
The birth of the children of Nicholas & Mary Byram
1 Bithia Byram was born October the 27th Anno Dom 1678
2 Margret Byram was born February ye 26 Anno Dom 1681
3 Mehetabel Byram was born Septemr 28 Anno Dom 1683
Bithia Byram & Margret Byram both Decd Nov 20th 1685
4 Their fourth child was a son born January 18. 1685 and dyed March
the ninteenth 1686
5 Nicholas Byram was born March ye 11th Anno Dom 1687
6 Mary Byram was born March the 10th Anno Dom 1690
7 Ebenezer Byram was born October ye 1st Anno Dom 1692
8 Josiah Byram was born May ye 3d Anno Dom 1698
9 Joseph Byram was born January 18th Anno Dom 1701
[p. 30] Ebenezer Biram was born October 1st 1692
A Ninth Child born to Nicolas Biram heare in the Towne of Bridgwater A
son whose Name is Joseph biram born the: 18: day of Jenuary: 1701:
[p. 53] The mariag of Nickolas Byrum Junior hear in the Towne of
Bridgwater was sollemnized the twentieth Of September 1676
And the Birth of the first Borne of nickolas Birum Junior being a
Daughter whose name is Bethia was on the 27 of october 1678
The second Child borne to hime whose name is Margeret Was brought
forth Into the world the twenty sixt of february 1680
The third Child borne to him whose name is mehetabel was brought
forthe into the world the tewnty eights of september: 1683:
The Vital Records of Bridgewater, MA 145
bethiah biram and margreat biram boath desassed The: 20: of November:
1685
The fourth Child borne which was a sonne Jennery: 18 1685 and decassed
in march: 19 : 1686
The fivft chide borne whose Name is Nicolas: the Eleventh of march:
1687:
The sixt Child born whose Name is Mary: the: 10th: march: 1690
A Seventh childe borne to Nicolas biram whose Name is Susana: borne
the: 15: of Jenuary: 1694/5
The Eight Child borne to Nicolas biram a son whos Name is Josiah
brought forth into the wold: may: 3 : 1698
Nicolas Biram Senior left this world for a better The thirteenth of
Aprill: 1688
-------------------------------------------------------
Byrams in America, John Arnold Byram, 1988, page 2,3.
Both Nicholas and Mary were "first named members" of the Third Church
of Christ in East Bridgewater and were burried there.
Nicholas Jr. went iwth his parrents to Bridgewater in 1662. He was
known as Captain Nicholas Byram and took an active part in the defense
of the settlement. He also held many postitions of trust in the town
government. Judge N. Mitchell wrote "Nicholas Byram Jr. was mad a
freeman of Bridgewater, MA, by the Court of Plymouth May 29, 1670."
About the Indian fighting Mitchell wrote: "On Monday morning, May 21,
1676, a company of twenty-one men (including Nicholas Byram Jr.) went
out supposing to meet Captain Church and his men, but they cam upon
the enemy (Indians) and fought with them, and took seventeen of them
alive, alos much plunder, and they all returned and not one of them
fell by the enemy, and received no help from Captain Church." "There
was also naother skirmish with the enemy in the south part of the
town, July 31, 1676, when some of King Phillip's special friends were
killed, among others his uncle, who fell by his side. John Adams and
Nicholas Byram Jr. are said to have distinguished themselves on this
occasion."
Nicholas refused to take shelter in the blockhouse, but occupied his
own house, which was some distance from the fort, during the time of
the King Philip's War.

Nicholas married Edson, Mary on 20 Sep 1676 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of Edson, Deacon Samuel and Bickley, Susanna) was born in 1647; died in Sep 1727 in E Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Byram, Ebenezer, Bridgewater. Private, Capt. Robert Orr's co. of
Minute-men, Col. John Bailey's regt., which marched on the alarm of
April 19, 1775; service, 11 days; also, Capt. James Allen's co., Col.
John Bailey's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 1,
1775; service, 3 mos. 1 week, 1 day; also, Capt. James Allen's co.,
Gen. John Thomas's regt.; company return dated Roxbury, Oct. 6, 1775.
Source:Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution
(17 Vols.),Volume 2,page 982

Birth:
Weymouth, Suffolk, Ma

Notes:

GEN: !John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1988

Experience married Willis, II John in 1671 in New England, USA. John (son of Willis, I Dea John and Hodgkins, Elizabeth) was born in 1635 in MA; died in 1712 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Susannah married Edson, Samuel Jr. in 1678. Samuel (son of Edson, Deacon Samuel and Bickley, Susanna) was born in 1645 in Salem, Essex County Massachusetts; died on 10 Apr 1717 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

GEN: !John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1988

Family/Spouse: Leach, Jr Samuel. Samuel was born in in Weymouth, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, USA; died in 1729. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Naomi married Snow, William in Dec 1686 in prob. Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA. William (son of Snow, William and Browne, Rebekah) was born about 1662 in prob. Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA; died before 7 Nov 1726 in prob. Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Nicholas and Anne lived in Braintree, MA.

Nicholas married Snell, Anne on 3 Aug 1708 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Anne (daughter of Snell, Thomas and Harris, Martha) was born on 24 Feb 1685 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; was christened on 24 Feb 1685 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ebenezer married Hayward, Hannah on 9 Dec 1714. Hannah was born on 6 Mar 1694; died on 11 Jan 1761. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joseph married Perkins, Martha in 1724 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

GEN: !FGS from Archives of Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT

Buried:
Old Graveyeard

John married Brett, Mary in 1698 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of Brett, I Elihu and hannah, Ann Turner) was born in 1678 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died on 14 Jan 1756 in W Bridgewater, Plymouth Co., MA; was buried in West Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

GEN: Aurie Willis Morrison, SOME WILLIS FAMILIES OF NEW ENGLAND: 1973

Mary married Randall, Israel on 21 Jan 1701. Israel was born about 1676; died on 24 Mar 1753 in Easton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

GEN: !John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1088 GEN: BUR:South Street
Cemetery

Samuel married Brett, Margaret in Mar 1704 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Margaret (daughter of Brett, I Elihu and hannah, Ann Turner) was born about 1679 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died on 6 Oct 1763 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Source:John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1988

Family/Spouse: Hudson, William. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

GEN: !Aurie Willis Morrison, SOME WILLIS FAMILIES OF NEW ENGLAND; 1973

Susanna married Hayward, John Jr. in 1699. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married Packard, Samuel on 24 May 1705 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Source:John Arnold Byram, BYRAMS IN AMERICA: 1988 PARENTS:Dea Samuel
Edson and Susanna Orcutt

Samuel married Deane, Mary on 1 Jan 1707 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of Deane, Benjamin and Wiliams, Sarah) was born on 15 Jun 1687 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA; died on 5 Feb 1770. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]