The Ayers history in Massachusetts and before

Ammi Ayers Swasey's father was Nathaniel Ayers and his father was Capt. John Ayres who died in 1675. They are on my father's mother's family tree...early New Englanders...the Ada Swasey Rogers Family Tree.

Ammi's grandfather was John Ayres, Captain, who was killed in King Phillips war, by Indians.  Also he was part of colonial settlers who started a town of Brooksfield, MA, with someone having purchased it (formerly Quaboag) from the Indians.  However there were some Indians who disagreed and attacked the settlers, killing 7 men who barricaded themselves in Ayres Tavern.

But on one sheet of paper, the marriage records of New England prior to 1700, there are 10 John Ayers, or Ayres, or Ayer listed.  Only one has a death date of 1675, and he is listed as John Ayer (-1675) married to Susanna Symonds (1617-1653) c. 1644 or ca. 1642.

I look at his children, so I can determine that he's my ancestor for sure!

Several family trees show John Ayers dying in 1694, and looking at this list, there are 2 marriages listed for that "John Ayers, (-1694+) 1/wf Sarah Williams (-1662) on 5 May 1646, Haverhill MA."  And 4 lines down is the same "John (-1694+) 2/wf Mary Woodham in 1663 also Haverhill."  But though there are ancestry trees by other members that have the John Ayers who died in 1675 at the Tavern, killed by Indians, they are having him marry Sarah, but not Mary Woodham, and they all have him dying in yet another town.

So I'm leaning toward the original information.

OK, on October 28th, 1717.

"A Petition of Thomas Ayres, Joseph Ayres, Mark Ayres, Natt'll Ayers, & Edward Ayres, Sons & Heirs of John Ayres heretofore of Quaboag alias Brookfield, Dec'd Intestate, Shewing that in or about the Year 1669, the Petitioners Father with others bought & purchased of the Indian..."

I don't have the original, and the copy I read is cut off there. 

So this John Ayres, killed in Brookfield did have a son Nathaniel, who was also named as a blacksmith from the source I'm reading.

John Ayers' (b. 1623 or 25, d. 1675) wife was finally determined to be Susanna Symonds (b. either 1617 or 1623, d.1682 or 83). The different dates do get confusing, and Ancestry usually lists only one set, but with alternates available.

Susanna Symonds Ayers was the source of a document about her husband and her children. 
It is mentioned in an earlier genealogical document from 2003.  I'll include it because it does seem to quote an original source.  Talking about her husband John Ayers, she is mentioned only as "his widow."

"His widow presented an inventory of his estate, now recorded at Salem, on which she wrote, "I have seven sons and one daughter." Although the births of these children are not all recorded, I think to arrange them chronologically.

  i John2
 ii Samuel2
iii Thomas2
 iv Joseph2
v Edward2 b. 12 Feb. 1658.      
 vi Mark2 b. 14 Dec. 1661.        
       (all recorded at Ipswich)
 vii Nathaniel 2 b. 6 July, 1664.   
 viii Susanna 2 b.? ; m. (???) Day."

I don't know what the numeral "2" represents after their names.  

Susanna Symonds' parents were Mark Symonds (1584-1659) and Joanna (maybe Edgar) (1588-1666).  Joanna was born in Essex County, England, probably in the town called Birch.

Here's a nice replica of old town architecture from another Essex town, Wedens Ambo.  This name means there were two nearby towns called Wedens, and they combined into this new name.

Wedens Ambo, Essex, England

Joanna (Edgar?) Symonds (1588-1666) is the earliest matriarch I've found on this line of ancestors.

Her death is listed in Ipswich MA in 1666, on April 29...in the following record.  The scribe for this entry has wonderfully legible handwriting.