Category Archives: Sayward

Sayward, Stover

James Sayward & Deborah Stover of Gloucester, MA

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James and Deborah (Stover) Sayward have a special place in my heart. The Sayward family was a line I found very early in my trek to learn about my ancestors. I have already been reading the New England Historic & Genealogical Society’s publication, The Register, and I had found an article about gravestone transcriptions in the old Gloucester First Parish Burial Ground. In the summer of 1981, Dave and I took a trip back east to visit family and visit a few cemeteries along the way.

High on my list was the old Gloucester cemetery because I knew that James and Deborah were buried there AND they had died in 1737 and 1734, respectively. I wanted to visit their graves and see those stones for myself.

We found the cemetery after asking for directions from the locals and had to drive through someone’s backyard past the laundry on the clothesline to reach it!

The cemetery was very overgrown with weeds and was fairly large, meandering up a hill under some trees. Dave was not keen to spend much of his very first New England visit tromping around an old cemetery looking for gravestones that might not exist anymore or be legible after two centuries. I, however, was determined to find them and just knew that they would still be there. It took about 45 minutes, but after we made our way up the hillside, we found James and Deborah laying side by side.

Dave took photos, but back then, he only had slides made, so I don’t have the images to share, but the cemetery has been cleaned up and the gravestones of both Elder James Sayward and Deborah, his wife, are in great condition and posted on Find-A-Grave.

James Sayward was the youngest child of Henry Sayward and Mary Peasley, born c1667 in York, Maine. Deborah Stover was the daughter of Sylvester Stover and Elizabeth Norton, also born c1667, based on the age on her gravestone, probably also in York, Maine. They married about 1693, again, probably in Maine. Deborah predeceased James by several years, passing away on 13 July 1734. James married (2) Mary Wharf Davis, widow of Ebenezer Davis, 30 January 1735, in Gloucester. Elder James Sayward died on 13 February 1736/37.

Although James and Deborah were both natives of York County, Maine, they removed to Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts before the birth of their first child.

Children, all born in Gloucester:

1. Deborah, baptized before 1703, per Gloucester Vital Records; died after her father’s will was written; married James Stevens, 13 July 1717, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
2. James, born 15 November 1697; died 26 November 1697, both at Gloucester.
3. James, born 18 August 1699; died 30 November 1734, York, York, Maine; unmarried.
4. Samuel, born 21 April 1701; died before 29 March 1762 when probate of his estate began in Essex County, Massachusetts; married Lucy Norwood, 7 April 1729, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
5. Elizabeth, baptized before 1703, per Gloucester Vital Records; married Elias Weare, 22 December 1722, York, York, Maine
6. Henry, born 19 February 1704; died after his father’s will was written; married Abigail Sargent, 20 January 1730, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
7. Mary, born 14 January 1705/06; married Moses Bradstreet, 16 January 1731, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
8. Joseph, born 1 March 1707/08; died after 3 April 1779, probably Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married Sarah Giddings, 20 January 1730, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts
9. Hannah, born 31 July 1713; married Captain John Sanders, 23 January 1734/35, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. John Sanders died 17 January 1742/43 “in his 30th year” in Gloucester. Hannah served as administratrix of his estate and was appointed guardian to their three children, John, Abigail and Mary Sanders. Hannah was still living on 4 June 1750, but no death record has been found for her:


Essex County, MA Probate File #24739

James Sayward left a will:


The Sayward Family
Source: FamilySearch

Elder James Sayward left a healthy estate valued at almost £1700. Although he named his children in his will, he did not include married surnames of his daughters. Son Henry received land in Yarmouth, Maine and it appears he left Gloucester to live there. No death date has been found for him.

This ends my Sayward series of posts, as James’s son, Joseph, is my line. Joseph married Sarah Giddings and I covered this family back when I wrote about my Giddings line.

My line of descent from Henry Sayward:

  1. Henry Sayward & Mary Peasley
  2. James Sayward & Deborah Stover
  3. Joseph Sayward & Sarah Giddings
  4. Samuel Tarbox & Deborah Sayward
  5. William Tarbox & Judith Haskell
  6. George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
  7. Calvin Segee Adams & Nellie F. Tarbox
  8. Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stuart
  9. Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
  10. George Michael Sabo & Doris Priscilla Adams
  11. Linda Anne Sabo Stufflebean – me!

Peasley, Sayward

Henry Sayward & Mary Peasley of NH, ME & MA, 1600s

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Lately, I have been spending time reviewing many of my early New England lines, but lines in which I lose the immigrant surname fairly soon because my descent continues through a female line.

Henry Sayward’s birth year is unknown, but likely by 1620,as he appears in the Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire records by 1641, considering building a mill there:


The Sayward Family by Charles A. Sayward
Source: Internet Archive Digital Books

I’ve seen online statements of his ancestral town in England. However, I haven’t been able to verify that information in any scholarly work, so I am not going to repeat it here.

However, his wife, Mary Peasley, was born c1633, probably in England, but her father’s origins are also unknown. If Henry Sayward had a wife previous to Mary, no record of her has ever been found, so he seems to have married a little later in life than typical for his times.

Henry Sayward and Mary Peasley, who was of Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, married by 1655, when their first child was born.

Henry lived at Hampton – Strawberry Banke – until 1658, when he begins to appear in the records of York County, Maine. Part of the reason that Henry moved a couple of times might be because he was a carpenter and millwright and found the opportunity for making money greater in newly settled areas.

Edmund Sayward, who had land in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts by 1635 was Henry’s brother. His origins have not been identified, either, but he was born c1614 or earlier, given that he owned real estate in 1635. Edmund had only one known child, Samuel, who settled in York, Maine. No further record of Edmund Sayward is found after 1639 in Ipswich.

A 1675 letter from John Knowlton to Samuel included a request to give his respects to Samuel’s uncle and aunt. Samuel was one of the appraisers of Henry Sayward’s estate on 28 June 1680. Henry likely died in the winter of 1679 in York County, Maine, where he had lived for a number of years. Mary died before 26 December 1689 at York County, Maine.

The Sayward Family by Charles A. Sayward
Source: Internet Archive Digital Books

Children:

1. Joseph, born 16 November 1655, Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire; no further record.
2. John, born c1657; died before 26 December 1689, probably York County, Maine; married Mary Rishworth, c1681, probably in York County, Maine
3. Jonathan, born c1659; died c1685, probably York County, Maine; married Mary Austin, c1684. She married (2) Lewis Bane/Bean, May 1686, York County, Maine.
4. Hannah, born c1661; married Captain Abraham Preble, 13 May 1685, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts. Abraham Preble was born in 1642, so Hannah may be an earlier born child of Henry.
5. Mary, born c1663, probably York County, Maine; married (2) Robert Young, c1684 and (2) Mr. Bray, probably Nathaniel Bray.
6. James, born c1667, probably York County, Maine; died 11 February 1736/37, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; married Deborah Stover, c1691, probably York County, Maine
7. Sarah, died by 14 July 1694, when probate of her estate began with her brother James as administrator. She was “of Haverhill” and appears not to have married.

The Sayward Family by Charles A. Sayward
Source: Internet Archive Digital Books

My line of descent from Henry Sayward and Mary Peasley continues through their youngest child, James, who married Mary Stover.

Sayward, Tarbox

Samuel Tarbox & Deborah Sayward of Gloucester, MA & New Gloucester, ME

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Samuel Tarbox and Deborah Sayward were either adventurous souls or else Massachusetts was getting too crowded for them, as they were the first of this branch of the family to head north to live in Maine (still Massachusetts at that time.)

Samuel Tarbox was baptized on 23 May 1731 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts and was the son of Joseph Tarbox and Susanna Stevens. Deborah Sayward was also born in Gloucester, baptized on 10 April 1737, the daughter of Joseph Sayward and Sarah Giddings.

Samuel Tarbox married Deborah Sayward on 19 June 1755 in Gloucester, where they lived for several years. On 21 September 1761, Samuel Tarbox of Gloucester purchased land from William Stevens of Gloucester in Cumberland County, Maine (DB 4:461). The family likely moved to Maine in the spring of 1762. (Cumberland County, ME Deed Book 4:461-462, William Stevens to Samuel Tarbox, both of Gloucester, MA, Source: FamilySearch)

Children:

1. Deborah, born 25 July 1756, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; died after 1810; married Joseph Woodbury, 15 August 1778, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine. Joseph (aged 45+) appears in the 1800 census with a female over 45 and several younger people. He isn’t found after that time.
2. Samuel, born 5 August 1758, Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts; died after 23 November 1801 when they sold land with other Stinchfield heirs in Cumberland County, Maine. (DB43:456-457); married Rebecca Stinchfield, reportedly 26 April 1785, Cumberland County, Maine
3. Susannah, born c1761, probably New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; married William Royal, reportedly 15 November 1783, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine. The death record of their son, William, born in 1788, gave his birth as Pejepscot. Susannah was head of household in 1800, living in New Gloucester, but not found after that time. William apparently died before that census.
4. Sarah, born 28 October 1763, probably New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; died 13 April 1863, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; married John Maxwell Morgan, reportedly 19 April 1787, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine. Sarah’s original gravestone still stands in Lower Corner Cemetery and gives her age as 99 years, 7 months and 16 days.
5. Mary, born 2 May 1766, probably New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; died 19 January 1813, Norway, Oxford, Maine; married John Pike, reportedly 7 January 1786, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine. both are buried in Pikes Hill Cemetery in Oxford County, Maine. Their original gravestones are still legible.
6. Abigail, born c1768, probably New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; married William Nash, 26 April 1790. However, they are not in the 1790 Maine census, but they are living in Norway, Cumberland, Maine in 1800. William hasn’t been found after that time.
7. Rebecca, born c1773, probably New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; married John Frank, 19 January 1794, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine. In 1800, they lived in Falmouth, Cumberland, Maine.
8. Deliverance, born c1776, probably New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; no further record.
9. William, born 21 March 1779, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; died 22 May 1860, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine; married Judith Haskell, 25 November 1802, New Gloucester, Cumberland, Maine

My line of descent continues through William and Judith (Haskell) Tarbox, but this family and later generations have already been discussed in my Haskell posts.

Here is my complete line of descent:

  1. John Tarbox & widow Andrews
  2. Samuel Tarbox & Experience Look
  3. Joseph Tarbox & Susannah Stevens
  4. Samuel Tarbox & Deborah Sayward
  5. William Tarbox & Judith Haskell
  6. George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
  7. Nellie F. Tarbox & Calvin Segee Adams
  8. Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stuart
  9. Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
  10. Doris Priscilla Adams & George Michael Sabo
  11. Linda Anne Sabo Stufflebean – me!