Nicholas Byram I ^24,33

  General Notes:

"Nicholas Byram I, according to family tradition, was son of an English gentleman of the county of Kent, who removed to Ireland about the time this son was born. -- His father sent him at the age of 16 to visit his friends in England in charge of a man who betrayed his trust, robbed him of his money, and sent him to the West Indies, where he was sold to service to pay his passage, and after his term expired he made his way to New England and settled at Weymouth.

In 1660 he bought three proprietary or original purchase rights in Bridgewater viz.: Moses Simmons', Philip Delano's, and George Soule's, and settled here soon after." ³²

  Research Notes:

Nicholas(1) BYRAM was born before 1618 in prob England. This is a placekeeper date: If he was "of Weymouth, 1638," the assumption is that he had at least attained his majority and was perhaps 20 or 21 at least. He was living in 1638 in Weymouth, MA.^{(487) <fowsrc.htm>} He was living in 1668 in BRIDGEWATER, BRISTOL, MA.^{(488) <fowsrc.htm>} He died in 1688 in Bridgewater Ma.^{(489) <fowsrc.htm>} Nicolas Biram Senior left this world for a better The thirteenth of Aprill: 1688 [Bridgewater VR]


[NICHOLAS BYRAM]
[I:16] 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]
[p. 19] "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 abovesd Susana Byram"
Murky Waters!

The mention of a Susannah in his will is confusing, for several sources say he married Martha Shaw, who is mentioned in her father's will. Was he married a second time to a Susannah? To compound the confusion, Torrey p. 130 says he married 1st Grace Shaw? and 2nd Susannah Shaw! Further, as will be noted below, she (Martha) is said to have died in 1698, nearly ten years after his death.

If Abigail Byram is a correct child for these two, she could not have been born much less than 1638 to have married in 1656 to Whitman, and there is a vital record to support the marriage. Martha was only about 6 years old in 1638. Grace. however. would be about 16-18, and thus a possible mother for Abigail. Did she die in the same year as, or at the birth of Abigail?

Nor do we know when Grace died, nor how many, if any, of his children were by this marriage. Susanna is not the child of of Abraham, or at least is not mentioned in his will or in English Parish records. The relationship with Abraham is close, as Nicholas is witness to his will in 1638, at which time Grace is not mentioned among his four living children. Only John, Joseph, Mary and Martha are included by mention. Nicholas is later involved with the death papers of Joseph Shaw.


NEHGR 46:185: (Notes & Queries, Corrections and Additions to Savage's Genealogical Dictionary) Nicholas Byram, bought John Glover house and land 5th 8mo, 1647. Savage says he was a physician. He held all the town offices. In 1660 he bought proprietary rights in Bridgwater, and removed there in 1662. He was councilor of war in Plymouth Colony, and was a man of much influence. On the old Bridgwater records I found the following, written so as to fill the whole page, "Nicholas Byram Senior, left this world for a better April 13th 1688. His widow Martha died 1698. She was a daughter of Abraham1 Shaw of Dedham. They had five children who have a multitude of descendants."
http://www.mayflowerfamilies.com/cooke/d7.htm#P1529

Nicholas married Susanna Shaw, daughter of Abraham Shaw and Elizabeth Bridget Best, Est 1635 in Weymouth, MA.³² (Susanna Shaw was born in 1617 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England ³³ and died in 1700 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, USA ^32,33.)