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_John SAWYER ____|
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_Edward SAWYER _|
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| |_________________|
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|--James SAWYER
|
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| _Joseph PEASLEY _|
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|_Mary PEASLEY __|
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|_________________|
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|__|
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definitely not proven.
The Massachusetts IGI file contains no entry of his birth.
Following is from "The Sawyer Family of Elliotsville (Piscataquis Co.,
Maine), Descendants of James Sawyer of Gloucester, Mass. and Their
Kinfolk, The Drakes" 3rd ed, revised 1978-79, by Fred E. Sawyer (pp.3-4):
....."JAMES SAWYER, of Gloucester, Mass., was born about 1632, possibly
at Lincolnshire, England; died at Gloucester, Mass., 31 May 1703. He
probably married (1) Martha (possibly MANNING) and (2) SARAH BRAY, b.
1651, d. 24 Apr 1727, at Gloucester, daughter of Thomas BRAY and Mary
WILSON of Gloucester. He is said to have settled first at Ipswich Jan
1669 and was a weaver there, and later, before 1680, settled in
Gloucester.
.....We find the following account of James SAWYER in the MAINE
GENEALOGY, Vol. 4 (see also Vol. 1): "James SAWYER, youngest child of
Edward and Mary (PEASLEY) SAWYER was bom in England and came to
Mass. with his parents. He was a weaver and settled in Gloucester where
he died May 31,1703". One authority says that he is doubtless the son of
Edward of Ipswich while another having searched the records of Ipswich
was unable to verify this. Beginning with the first appearence of James
in Gloucester, his identity with the generations suceeding as herein
mentioned, does not seem to admit of doubt. About a week before his
death James made a will, 25 May 1703 which gives the names of his
children then living. The diary of a clergyman tells of meeting held at
the house of James, also of his being present at the death of a daughter
there. James SAWYER married Sarah BRAY of Gloucester, born 1651, died
24 April 1727, probably a second wife. His children named in the will
were Thomas, John, Nathaniel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Mary, Sarah, and
James." . . .
I have tried to check the foregoing statements from the MAINE GEN. Vol.
4, on the parentage of James SAWYER of Gloucester, [i.e. that he was the
son of Edward of Ipswich] from the vital records but have found little to
prove the claim. It seems evident from the records of Edward SAWYER of
Rowley, who is the ancestor of the Rowley SAWYERS thru his son John,
that James of Gloucester is not his son. At least from the will of Edward
of Rowley, 1674, mentions only oldest son John (b. 1648), son Ezekiel,
and wife (unnamed). (Widow of Edward SAWYER later named in deed as
Mary SAWYER). If the Edward SAWYER of Ipswich (Edmund 1636) in not
the same person as Edward SAWYER of Rowley than this Edward SAWYER
of Ipswich may have been the father of James of Gloucester. Possible
also that there are two Edward SAWYERS of Rowley.
.....A few authorities have suggested that James may be the son of
William of Newbury, but I can find no vital records to substantuate this
either.
.....James SAWYER was a selectman in Gloucester in 1696. He received
grants of land; six acres on the west side of the Annisquam river in
1688, and in 1690 he bought additional land in that section of the town
and established his residence there. His wife outlived him many years
and was living with her son Abraham on the family homestead, l726. The
estate was divided in 1752.
.....Children, the first three probably born in Ipswich, the others recorded
at Gloucester, include the following: (surname SAWYER):
...............i. MARY, b. 1672, d. 18 Dec 1717, Gloucester, age 45 years;
m. in Gloucester, 5 Dec1699, WILLIAM RING.
.....................Children: ( surnnme RING )
....................1. John, b. 23 May 1703, Gloucester.
....................2. William, b. 9 June 1713, Gloucester.
.......(2) ii. THOMAS, b. abt. 1674, m. 17 Feb 1689/90 Hannah MILLET.,m. (2)
Hannah FOSTER.
.......(3) iii JOHN, b.1676. m. 20 Feb 1701, Rebecca STANFORD. This John
was the ancestor of the Sawyer families of Elliotsville, Maine.
......(4) iv. NATHANIEL, b. 29 Dec. 1677, m. 4 Nov 1706, Hannah PARKER
.............v. ABRAHAM, b. 5 Nov. 1680, d. 1751 at Gloucester, unmarried.
Lived with mother on homestead for many years.
.............vi. SARAH, b.19 June 1683, d. 26 Aug. 1724 at Gloucester,
m. 1 Apr 1708 at Gloucester, JOHN MARINER.
Children born at Gloucester (surname MARINER):
...........................1. Sarah, b. 7 Jun 17089-9
m. 28 Oct 1727, David Ellwell.
...........................2. Elizabeth, b. 20 Oct. 1712, m. Samuel STAPLES.
...........................3. John, b. 21 June 1716, m. Sarah ROBERTS.
...........................4. Joseph, b. 29 Aug. 1719.,
m. 1741, Abigail HANSCOM
...........................5. Rachel, b. 19 Aug. 1724,
m. 27 Jan 1743, Samuel FOGG.
John MARINER, on 20 Nov. 1730, sold his lands at Gloucester (Fresh
Water Cove) to Michael WEBBER and removed to Falmouth Maine where he
maried Mary COBB.
......(5) vii. ISAAC, b. 14 Feb.1684, m. 19 Mar 1705/6, Martha BOND.
......(6) viii. JACOB, b. 24 Feb.1687, m. 2 Feb 1715/6, Sarah WALLIS.
[Jacob is our ancestor.]
......(7) ix. JAMES, b. 18 Nov. 1691, m. 23 Dec 1714/5, Hannah BABSON.
References: Vital records of Gloucester, Mass., History of Gloucester by
Babson; Maine Genealogy Vols. 1 & 4; Eastern Mass. Gen. Vol. 2, p. 617;
Gloucester Annuals of Sailors, Vol. 1."
In his "General Index of the Sawyer Families of New England Prior to
1900", the same author, Fred E Sawyer, in 1983, restates the same
information as in the earlier work cited above.