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Nicholas Byram Sr (abt. 1610 - 1688)

Dr. [uncertain] Nicholas Byram Sr aka Biram, Birom
Born about in Englandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married Oct 1638 in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusettsmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , and
Died at about age 78 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap
Problems/Questions Profile managers: Richard Draper private message [send private message], Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree private message [send private message], and Terri Crowell-Laney private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 12 Jul 2010
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The Puritan Great Migration.
Nicholas Byram Sr migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 54)
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Contents

Disputed Origins

Previously this profile was connected as the son of William Byram-2 and his wife Mary (Williams-2) Byram. They have been detached because there is no reputable record found that indicates this relationship.

Biography

Nicholas Byram was a Physician who lived in Weymouth from 1638 to 1662.[1]The Great Migration Directory indicates a migration year of 1637.[2]

Nicholas married Susanna Shaw about 1636. They had children, all born in Weymouth: [citation needed]

  1. Nicholas - born about 1640, he married Mary Edson in 1676
  2. Abigail Nicholas - born about 1642, she married Thomas Whitman in 1656
  3. Deliverance - born about 1644, she married John Porter in 1660
  4. Experience - born about 1646, she married John Willis
  5. Susanna - born about 1648, she married Samuel Edson
  6. Mary - born about 1650, she married Samuel Leach

He was admitted as a freeman in 1638, which at that time required him to be a member of the church and attested to be of good life by his minister.

Nicholas bought land in Weymouth. He was also a trader, and he was a principal assistant of a celebrated Indian chief in the sale of a tract of land on the coast of Maine:

"An order sent unto Bridgewater as followeth :— Gentlemen : Upon the complaint of Mr. Nicholas Birom, in the behalfe of himselfe and others of your towne that apprehend they are oppressed by your way of rateing," etc., advice as to better methods.

Nicholas Byram made his will on January 13, 1687. After he died, an inventory was taken of his possession. That inventory states the date of his death as April 13, 1688.[3]

The will was proved on June 13, 1688. He ratified to his " brother John Shaw, of Weymouth," the title to certain land at Poor meadow, he gave to each of his children the land formerly given to them, and he bequeathed the remainder of his estate to his wife, Susanna. The witnesses of his will were Samuel Allen, William Brett, and John Whitman.[4]

Timeline

5 October 1647: purchased Weymouth property of John Braybrook who had moved to Watertown.[5]

13 Dec 1660: purchase the Bridgewater properties of Philip Delano.[6]

13 Dec 1660: purchased from Moses Simmons and wife Sarah their property in Bridgewater.[7]

1668: among a group of men assigned by the Plymouth Colony court to negotiate with Indians of the Titicut purchase. Successfully purchased such land in 1672.[8]

Wrote will. Estate probated in 1688.[9]

Research Notes

A 1996 genealogy recommends skepticism of the entire tradition mentioned below, and points out that the earliest record of Nicholas is his Weymouth marriage to Susanna Shew.[10]

When Nicholas was 16, his father sent him to the West Indies where he was sold to service to pay his passage. After his time expired (7 years - as an indentured servant) he made his way to Weymouth Colony of Massachusetts Bay, New England. In 1660, he bought three original proprietary shares (or purchase rights) in the town of Bridgewater. Soon after that, he and his wife and six children moved from Weymouth to Bridgewater.[11]

The fact that he was a college trained Physician makes the entire story even more suspect.

Sources

  1. ↑ Weymouth Historical Society, Weymouth, Mass, Channing Harris Cox, George Walter Chamberlain, and Weymouth (Mass.). History of Weymouth, Massachusetts: Published by the Weymouth Historical Society, Howard H. Joy, President. Under Direction of the Town. Volume III. [Boston: Wright & Potter printing company], 1923.pg 149
  2. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson "The Great Migration Directory, Immigrants to New England 1620-1640, A Concise Compendium" New England Historic Genealogical Society 2015. p. 54.
  3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-J8CF : 16 March 2023), Probate records 1686-1702 and 1849-1867 vol 1-1F > image 16 of 490; State Archives, Boston.
  4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-J875 : 16 March 2023), Probate records 1686-1702 and 1849-1867 vol 1-1F > image 15 of 490; State Archives, Boston.
  5. ↑ Anderson, citing SLR 1:85 and Weymouth History 1:197 Free Ancestry Image
  6. ↑ Anderson, citing PCLR 3:25
  7. ↑ Anderson, citing MD 34:85 and PCLR 3:24 Free Ancestry Image
  8. ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) Vol 3:333, link for subscribers
  9. ↑ Plymouth County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)link for subscribers
  10. ↑ John Arnold Byram, Bryan's in America, second edition. Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1996
  11. ↑ Ayers, Charles. “Ancestors of Silas Ayers and Mary Byram Ayers : including the Alden, Ayers, and Byram families”. Forgotten Books. 2016 Reprint. (Pages not numbered)

See also :





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Comments: 27

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Doug Sinclair
James Savage ("A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England," vol. 2 (Boston, MA: 1860), 326) appears to be the first person to state in print that Nicholas was a physician. He doesn't say where this information came from. The same is true in Gilbert Nash's histories of Weymouth, which came after Savage. It's now an unquestioned "fact." While there is much verifiable information in Savage's work, he did make mistakes. I haven't seen any evidence contemporary with Nicholas to suggest he was a physician. If anyone knows of a contemporary source for Nicholas's occupation, please post. Without it, I think we should view the statement with extreme caution.
posted by Doug Sinclair
Byram-479 Arlene (Byram) Slobecheski
Nicholas I and Susannah did not have a son Ebenezer unless he possibly died at birth. Ebenezer Byram was born to Nicholas I and Susannah's son Nicholas II and Mary Edson. They are my 6th and 5th grandparents.
posted by Arlene (Byram) Slobecheski
Carles-4 Scott Carles
It looks like there are no reliable sources for anything concerning the currently connected son, Ebenezer Byram-3. In fact, that profile is a bit of a mess and seems to indicate his birth as 1642 and his marriage as 1635. Byram-3 should probably be detached from this Nicholas and merged with Ebenezer Byram-59 who is the grandson of this Nicholas.
posted by Scott Carles
Hill-11959 S (Hill) Willson
I could find no death records in Massachusetts before 1690 for anyone with the last name of Byram (and different variations of spelling) except Nicholas Byram. Is there any reliable source you can add to the profile?
posted on Byram-559 (merged) by S (Hill) Willson
Wahlberg-1 Terri (Wahlberg) Crowell-Laney
In record familysearch: source: 3244496990 recording death of son Joseph in 1647 I found Bass Byram as a child of Abigail Keith Byram born 1605 in England. She had Abigail 1637, Josiah 1645-1646, Joseph 1646-1647, Deliverance 1648, and Bass 1651. Abigail, Josiah, Joseph all match the dates in the records for Nicholas & Susan. Especially because Nicholas & Susan were not married until 1638, it is possible Abigail born in 1637 was actually Abigail Keith Byram's child with Unknown Byram (probably a brother of Nicholas).
posted by Terri (Wahlberg) Crowell-Laney
Alan Pendleton
Good point. FamilySearch had "Miss Keith" as a wife of Nicholas at the same time he was married to Abigail Shaw. Needless to say, I disconnected her.
posted by Alan Pendleton
Alan Pendleton
One more thing, Bass Byram is not listed in any records and appears to come from unsourced family trees. Can someone with privileges please detach him? Thank you.
posted by Alan Pendleton
Aldrich-908 Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Profile Managers and Trusted List: Comments below are excellent indication that the parents on this profile were not his. A notation by another volunteer in the biography indicate the same. I am therefore moving forward to detach them.

Comments?

Cheryl Skordahl PGM Leader

posted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Alan Pendleton
The entire legend of him being the son of William Byram and Mary Williams seems to be far fetched and nothing more than family lore. I suggest detaching him from both parents.
posted by Alan Pendleton
Aldrich-908 Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Thank you Alan, we appreciate your insight as a PGM volunteer genealogist.

Will you please post further insight into where you are finding the far fetched "information." Ancestry trees? etc. I'm assuming you have been researching in all the right places...  :-) including anything on American Ancestors? Family Search records? Have you found any reliable sources that indicate the parent/son relationship?

Cheryl PGM Leader

posted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Alan Pendleton
Thanks Cheryl, I have been searching and searching and have found nothing. Obviously, he must have come from money as he was a Physician. However, no connection to any particular family can be found. As you can see from the profile, I am not the only person who is of this opinion.
posted by Alan Pendleton
Aldrich-908 Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
moving forward with notes on the detached non-parents.

Disputed origins, PPP on this profile.

Thanks for your work here, Alan.

posted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Aldrich-908 Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
done......................................  :)
posted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Bethards-22 Dennis Bethards
Has any proof been found as to "where" Nicholas trained/schooled to become a physician and if he came from "money" why did he not show as a headright to a track of land upon entry?
posted by Dennis Bethards
Watts-8451 Raymond Watts PhD
Hi Dennis, those are good questions. In some colonies, the land proprietors awarded land to immigrants, but this was not usual in early Massachusetts. Looking through the sources, I do not see any that derive directly from England, although the reliable American sources have substantial background in English records. This is a case where fresh searching in England, particularly in places where medical training occurred, might pin things down. I have done a bit with English parish records (baptism, marriage, burial) but have no experience with medical training records. Let's hope that another wikitreer will read our notes!
posted by Raymond Watts PhD
Theodore Thornton
I can't .....but Ann Byram 1749/1826 - who was the 2nd wife of Daniel Tichenor- has a pedigree attached to her that shows her descending from William the Conquerer thru the marriage of her father Ebenezer Byram to Alibail/Abigail Alden whose line goes up to King Edward Longshanks. Thus I assume the Byram name had some standing. Furthermore Daniel Tichenor is the great grandson of Martin Tichenor. These Tichenors were the founding party of Newark (leaving New Haven Colony) and were very influential land owners in Morris, Nj.
posted by Theodore Thornton
Wahlberg-1 Terri (Wahlberg) Crowell-Laney
Byram-11 and Byram-515 appear to represent the same person because: I'm quite certain this is a duplicate. Byram had several wives and in entering another spouse, I duplicated this man.
posted on Byram-515 (merged) by Terri (Wahlberg) Crowell-Laney
B-404 Anne B
Although these two men may be the same, I am concerned about Grace Shaw. I don't think that Grace Shaw could have married Nicholas Byram, since Susan survived him. There are certainly no sources here that say so. Have you got Grace and Susan confused?
posted on Byram-515 (merged) by Anne B
Byram-479 Arlene (Byram) Slobecheski
There is a Byram library collection located in the Mendham Public Library, Mendham, NJ.

I received the Byron Chronicles file from Gerry "Scalphunter" Byram on FB. He has done extensive research on the Byram-Byrom-Birom-Byron-Burun Family. This is the link to his page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/51809636150/?multi_permalinks=10159719123431151%2C10159715837681151%2C10159711977956151%2C10159708333151151%2C10159705219411151&notif_id=1579359323725618&notif_t=group_activity

posted by Arlene (Byram) Slobecheski
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
And what is the source of his origins here (including parents)? Arlene, you made reference to possible brothers. None are linked to here. Please explain.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Byram-479 Arlene (Byram) Slobecheski
Nicholas Byram I did not have a son named Bass. He was not born in Ireland. The story of his kidnapping is most likely just a legend. It is quite likely that he came as an indentured servant to someone along with his possible 2 brothers or cousins into Virginia. You can find more info in The Byron Chronicles by Mark Burnett Byron. These dates are not correct. He couldn't have married Susannah Shaw in 1635 Mass. if he arrived there in 1638.
posted by Arlene (Byram) Slobecheski
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Arlene, where can we find the Byram Chronicles? A 1996 genealogy concurs that the origins story is likely false and says the first record of Nicholas is his Weymouth marriage to Susannah, but I can't find that record. Any help you can provide is appreciated.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Madison-125 Bobbie (Madison) Hall
Torrey gives this marriage, citing Weymouth 149, 611, 753; Reg. 5:396, 40:273; Bridgewater 127, 290; Pilgrim Notes 4:109; Leach 1:12; Lincoln 30; (and more at: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/i/21174/268/426879661) He also mentions a 1st wife Grace [Shaw?]
posted by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
edited by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Thanks, Bobby; of interest is that the first two works cited by Torrey (Weymouth [History, not VR] 149, 611, 753; Reg. 5:396) do not provide any information about Nicholas Byram. I started checking the others, but ran out of time; can not find a source for the marriage date/place and Weymouth appears not to have published its vital records.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
I take it back; Weymouth VR is published. Byram says See Biram. No Nicholas.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=msu.31293001129893

posted by Jillaine Smith
Madison-125 Bobbie (Madison) Hall
I think the estimated marriage date is probably based on the will/inventory of Abraham Shaw of Dedham, whose (undated) will was witnessed by Nicholas Biram. The inventory was dated as "1638."

Suffolk County Probate Records, Vol. 1:10, Abraham Shaw's undated will; and Vol. 2:4, Inventory 1638.

posted by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
Tibbetts-150 Steven Tibbetts
Byram-323 and Byram-11 appear to represent the same person because: I've spent over 2 hours going over the huge SHAW knot and sorted it to 3 distinct families. These 2 are the same person married to the same shaw woman..
posted by Steven Tibbetts

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