Noyes, Nicholas (~1615 - 1701) - male b. ABT 1614/15 in Cholderton, Wiltshire, England d. 23 NOV 1701 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts
father: Noyes, William (~1568 - 1616)
mother: Parker, Anne (~1576 - 1658) Nicholas Noyes was born in Cholderton, co. Wilts, about 1614. In 1674 he gave his age as about 60 [Ipswich Deeds, 4:187). He married about 1641 Mary Cutting of Newbury who died before 1700. He died in Newbury on November 23, 1701.

_What was evidently a family group of six, having decided to go to New England, took the Oath of Allegiance - John Woodbridge, George Brown, Nicholas Noyes, and Richard Brown - on March 24, 1633/34, Thomas Parker and James Noyes on March 26, 1634 - and all embarked on the "Mary and John" at Southampton, reaching Nantasket (now Hull) near Boston sometime in May 1634 and removed to Agwam (Ipswich) where they remained during the following winter. The Rev. Parker and friends remained in Ipswich until the following spring when they applied to the General Court for liberty to settle on the Quascacunquen in an area known as Wessacucon. May 6, 1635, the following orders were passed by the General Court:

Wessacucon is allowed by the court to be a plantation & it is refered to Mr. Humfry, Mr. Endicott, Capt. Turner and Capt. Trask or any three of them, to sett out the bounds of Ipswich & Wessacucon or so much thereof as they can & the name of the said plantation in changed & hereafter to be called Neweberry._

Most of the passengers who came to New England in the ship "Mary & John" were induced to remove to Newbury early in the year 1635. Tradition asserts that they came by water from Ipswich and landed on the north shore of the Quascacunquen (now Parker) river, about two or three hundred rods below the bridge that connects the "Lower Green" with the "Great Neck" and the town of Rowley. A monument marks the spot where the settlers disembarked in May or June, 1635. Tradition states that young Nicholas was the first person to leap ashore when their boat anchored in the Quascacumquen (now the Parker) River. (John J. Currier, "History of Newbury" p.312; Sarah Anna Emery "Reminiscences of a Nonagenarian" p.112) They joined 23 men and their families who formed a cattle-breeding company and were among the first settlers at Newbury where their children were born. Newbury's first minister was Thomas Parker, a cousin.

Rev. Nicholas Noyes, in his account of his uncle, Rev. James Noyes, told of the coming of Mr. Parker, Mr. Noyes and his younger brother Nicholas Noyes, a single man, adding "between which three was more than ordinary endearment of affection, which was broken but by death."

Nicholas took the Freeman's Oath in Cambridge on May 17, 1637 when he and eight others walked from Newbury to Cambridge to vote for Gov. Winthrop. On April 21, 1638, he was one of five men fined 2s. 6d. apiece for absence from Newbury town meeting after due warning. The meeting was called to order at eight o'clock in the morning! Two of the men (not Nicholas) had their fines remitted, having sufficient excuses.

It must have been very soon after this that Noyes sailed on a voyage to England, possibly to settle family affairs and to report on conditions in Massachusetts Bay. He returned to New England on the "Jonathan" which sailed from London, probably soon after April 12, 1639, and "came to Anchor in Boston Harbor." Also on the "Jonathan" were Anthony Somerby of Newbury and Mr. Peter Noyes of Sudbury, who, having come over on the "Confidence" in 1638, aged 47, and found New England to his liking, had gone back to his home in Penton, near Andover, co. Hants, to fetch his family. Peter was doubtless a kinsman of Nicholas. [Register, 32:411]

When it was proposed to remove the inhabitants of Newbury from their first settlement on the Parker river to a new site nearer the Merrimac, Nicholas Noyes was a freeholder and a deputy "for the managing of those things that concern the ordering of the New Town" on December 7, 1642.

In 1650 Nicholas and four other men were before the court for saying that "the elders would transgress for a morsel of bread." He lost no prestige thereby for on September 30, 1651, at Ipswich he was sworn clerk of the Newbury market. In 1652 many were brought before the court for not observing the Sumptuary laws of 1651. The records say "Nicholas Noyes' wife, Hugh March's wife, and William Chandler's wife were each presented for wearing a silk hood and scarf; but were discharged on proof that their husbands were worth £200 each. John Hutchins' wife was also discharged upon testifying that she was brought up above the ordinary rank."

The town voted on November 29, 1652, that a school house be built and that £20 a year be appropriated for the schoolmaster, and Mr. Woodman, Richard Kent, jun., Lieut. Pike and Nicholas Noyes were named the committee to carry it out.

Thomas Noyes of Sudbury, son of Peter Noyes, had apparently settled in Newbury, but returned to live in Sudbury before 1656 when he appointed his friend Mr. Nicholas Noyes, gentleman, and Robert Long, both of Newbury, his attorneys to let his house and lands.

Nicholas was appointed Commissioner to End Small Causes, or local justice, in 1657 and 1658. His most important service, however, was as deputy to the General Court in 1660 and in 1678 when on September 19 he was chosen by the town "to serve at the next session of the Court until it be ended," a special session having been called for October 2 at which the oath of allegiance to King Charles II was submitted and signed by the deputies; he served also 28 May 1679, 19 May 1680, and 4 Jan 1680-84.

In the long and bitter controversy between Rev. Mr. Parker and Edward Woodman, Nicholas was one of Parker's chief supporters. He was chosen deacon of the First Parish of Newbury on March 20, 1683/4.

Sometime before his death his son Nicholas, the Salem parson, wrote of him as "through the mercy of God yet living, and hath of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren above one hundred."

In deed 15:41 at Salem he conveyed the property to grandson Nicholas, son of his son John April 19, 1698. Deed 27:8 Salem 1 Apr 1673 is an agreement between parents Nicholas and Mary and their son Cutting.

The homestead of Nicholas Noyes was owned and occupied in 1885 by the heirs of Nathaniel Little.

spouse: Cutting, Mary (1622 - 1701)
- m. 17 MAY 1637 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts
----------child: Noyes, Mary (1641 - 1721)
----------child: Noyes, Hannah (1643 - 1705)
----------child: Noyes, John (1646 - 1692)
----------child: Noyes, Nicholas (1647 - 1717)
----------child: Noyes, Cutting (1649 - 1734)
----------child: Noyes, Sarah (1651 - 1652)
----------child: Noyes, Sarah (1653 -

1714)

----------child: Noyes, Timothy (1655 - 1718)
----------child: Noyes, James B. (1657 -

1723)

----------child: Noyes, Abigail (1659 - 1747)
----------child: Noyes, Rachel (1661 - 1720)
----------child: Noyes, Thomas (1663 - <1695)
----------child: Noyes, Rebecca (1665 - 1683)
----------child: Noyes, ? (~1667 - )