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See also
James GYLES's other family: with Elizabeth UNKNOWN (1642-1699)

Family of James GYLES and Bridgett LAVES?

Husband: James GYLES (1632?-1690)
Wife: Bridgett LAVES? ( -bef1660)
Children: Mathew GYLES (bef1663-bef1712)
Marriage 1656 St Andrew Church, Plymouth, Devon, England

Husband: James GYLES

      picture    
      James GYLES, "1606_UnionFlag"    
 
Name: James GYLES 1,2,3
Sex: Male
Father: Richard GILES (1588-1631?)
Mother: Marian MASON ( - )
Birth Apr 1632 (app) St. Mary Bredin, Canterbury, Kent, England 4
Baptism 5 Apr 1632 (age 0) St. Mary Bredin, Canterbury, Kent, England 5
Residence (1) bef 1668 (age 35-36) Selling, Faversham, Kent, England 6
Arrival 9 Nov 1668 (age 36) landed in Boston on the ship "Peter" from Feversham in Kent, England
Military Major in NJ Militia
Immigration 9 Nov 1668 (age 36) to Boston, Massachusetts from London, England aboard the ship "Peter" 7
Residence (2) 30 Nov 1668 (age 36) Braintree, Massachusetts
Residence (3) 17 May 1669 (age 37) Merrimeeting Bay on Kennebec River, Maine
Residence (4) 14 Oct 1669 (age 37) Whidby on Kennebec River, Maine
Residence (5) 31 Oct 1671 (age 39) Topsham, Maine
Residence (6) 16 Apr 1672 (age 39-40) Topsham, Maine
Residence (7) 6 Apr 1682 (age 49-50) Bound Brook, Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA
Death 1690 (age 57-58) Bound Brook, Somerset, New Jersey, USA 2

Additional Information

Residence (5) James Thomas' house
Bought from Indians house and land on northside of Muddy River near James Thomas and Thomas Gyles,
Residence (6) north side of Muddy River

Wife: Bridgett LAVES?

Name: Bridgett LAVES?
Sex: Female
Father: -
Mother: -
Birth England
Death bef 1660 England

Child 1: Mathew GYLES

Name: Mathew GYLES
Sex: Male
Spouse 1: Phoebe HENDRICKS (1660-1722)
Spouse 2: Katherine UNKNOWN (1672-bef1696)
Birth (1) bef 1663 England 2
Birth (2) 1668 2
Birth (3) bef 1675
Death (1) bef 5 May 1712 (age 48-49) Somerset, New Jersey, USA 2
Death (2) Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA 2

Note on Husband: James GYLES (1) - shared note

James Giles (Gyles) landed in Boston 11-9-1668 on the ship "Peter" from Feversham in Kent, England. He went from Boston to Braintree, MS, then MA, then Southold, Long Island, NY and finally settled in Bound Brook, Piscataway, NJ.

 

---------------------------------------------------------

New Jersey Wills, Vol. 1670-1730. Part 1, Page 184

Page: 560

Name: James Gyles

Date: 17 Jun 1688

Location: Piscataway

will of. Wife, Elizabeth; son Matthew. Daughters--Eliza Olden, Anne Gyles, Mary Booth. Real and personal estate. Executors--the wife and son (-in-law?) William Olden, with Edward Slater as overseer. Witnesses--Edward Slater, William Sharpe. Proved 3d Tuesday of March, 1690.

 

1690, July 25. Administration on estate of Major James Gyles of Raraton River, granted to Mathew Gyles, the executors having refused to act.

 

E. J. D., Lib. D, pp. 201, 203.

 

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from Giles Family Genealogy Forum

http://genforum.genealogy.com/giles/

Posted by: Judith Stevens (ID *****3096) Date: May 29, 2004 at 12:13:59

In Reply to: Giles from Bound Brook, NJ by Philip Stromer

 

Philip, I have a copy of an 1846 letter written by James Glover about his ancestors. I will quote the first half page where it relates to the Giles and Bound Brook of your inquiry on the Genealogy.com Forum. Entries in RED are my guesses

 

Early History of Glover Family

"James Giles and his wife Elizabeth arrived in Boston from England in November 1668. They had four daughters who married one to Benjamin Clarke (Ann), one to Joseph Worth (Sarah) and one Elizabeth to William Olden who came to America from England about the year, 1680."

 

"William purchased a farm at Boundbrook Somerset County in this State (writter lived in NJ) near where James Giles his father in law lived. He afterwards purchased a tract of land in connection with his brother in law Benjamin Clark at Stony Brook"

 

Since the letter states that James and Elizabeth had four daughters I though that our Giles branch stopped with the four girls and went on thru their married names. Then a while back I found a copy of both a deed and wills as follows;

 

New Jersey Wills, Vol. 1670-1730. Part 1, Page 184

Major James Giles

Date: 07 Jun 1688

Location: Piscataway, NJ

will of. Wife Elizabeth. Children--Mathew, El.izabeth Olden, Mary Booth (fourth daughter and not mentioned in my Glover letter) . Land in Kinniebeck River, house and farm in Piscataway. Personal property. Executors--the wife and son (in-law) William Olden with Edward Slater as overseer. Witnesses---Edward Slater and William Tharp. Proved third Tuesday of Mar 1690-1

 

Source: Calendar of New Jersey Wills 1670-1760

Page: 198

Name: James Major Gyles

Date: 17 Jun 1688

Location: Piscataway

will of.

N. J. Archives, XXI., p. 177

24 Jul 1690 Resignation of William Olden of Raraton River as executor of the last will of.

Middlesex Wills

25 Jul 1690 Bond of his son Mathew Gyles of the same place, planter, as administrator of the estate. Benjamin Hull of Piscataway fellow bondsman.

 

Documentation: New Jersey Colonial Documents, Ser. 1, V. 21 (LDS Fiche

#6051369), p. 204.

"1693, April 12. Deed. Matthew Giles of Piscatuay as administrator of the estate of Major James Giles of the same place, to John Peterson Melot of Perth Amboy, blacksmith, for all the real property of said James Giles in Piscatway, 180 acres, as per patent of January 6, 1681; and 100 a. there, N. Matthew Giles, S. Benjamin Clerk,(probably Clarke) E. unappropriated land. (Side patent of April 25, 1688, Liber B, p. 375, supra.)"

 

All three sources give a son Matthew who was never mentioned in my James Glover letter. An oversite, a grudge, old age and bad memory? Who knows? Now I am seeking his decendants to follow out the Giles line. I think Matthew might have married a Katherine and then a Phebe and had four children, Anne, James, Matthew and Henry. Then I am at a stand still about 1750 or 1760. Do you Bound Brook Giles connect to any of this? I also think that Matthew son James married Abigail Hull Mundy.

 

Would love to share information if we connect.

 

Judy Stevens

RBSJudy@aol.com

 

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from Clanedar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760

Page: 198

Name: James Major Gyles

Date: 17 Jun 1688

Location: Piscataway

will of.

 

N. J. Archives, XXI., p. 177

24 Jul 1690 Resignation of William Olden of Raraton River as executor of the last will of.

Middlesex Wills

25 Jul 1690 Bond of his son Mathew Gyles of the same place, planter, as administrator of the estate. Benjamin Hull of Piscataway fellow bondsman.

 

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from http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=*v01t3861&id=I307

James Giles, Major and Captain of the TRAIN BAND (company of militia trainees) began his military career on Dec. 3, 1683. Records of the Adj. General's Office, Trenton, New Jersey.

 

Became JUSTICE OF THE PEACE,November 2, 1682,Records of the Governor, and Council of East New Jersey, 1683-1703, being held 20th day of March Anno Dom 1682-3 P.33 "C of Commissions" P.5. Secretary of State, N. J., "travelouge"or Journal kept by Major James Giles and owned by his descendent, Gov. Charles S. Olden of New Jersey, "Colonial and Provencial History and Genealogy of First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge"

 

Major James Giles was great grandfather of Joseph Hewes (Hughes) member of the 1st and 2nd Continental Congresses and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. "Genealogy of First Settlers of the Plantation of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey, 1664-1714, a period of Fifty Years" by Eugene Monette, B.A., L.L.D. PP 718-719 etc. Vol. V is dedicated to "James Giles, the Magnificent" and six others, named "Choice Spirits of the Early Days". "Genealogy of the Hewes Family" by Putnam includes Major James Giles and his daughter, Sarah Giles Worth.

 

This information was taken from an application for membership in the Daughters of the American Colonists. National number 22313, dated March 29, 1971.

 

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From Wft vol 11 # 3448 :

His gun was at one time in the possession of Senator Olden of Princeton,NJ.

Lived at Bound Brook,NJ ; previosly lived in Boston,MA.

For the Giles' journey to America and the sufferings of his brother Thomas, see the "Giles Memorial" published in Boston by John Adams Vinton in 1864.

Note on Husband: James GYLES (2) - shared note

James Gyles account of his family's immigration to America as reprinted in The Giles Memorial:

 

"A true account of our travels from Old England to New England in the year 1668, with the several transactions and removes in America.

 

"August 22nd 1668. We took our journey from the Park to Feversham, and so to London, where we staid some days, till the ship was ready, and then fell to the Downs, where we staid two days for a wind; and the 5th of September, the wind being fair, we hoisted sail and proceeded on our voyage, but the third day after, met with a contrary wind and a storm, which forced us into Cowes in the Island of Wight; where we staid two days, and then proceeded on our voyage.1

 

"November the 9th we arrived at Boston in New England, having been nine weeks and two days at sea; and winter coming on so fast, as we could not look out for a place to settle, and being unwilling to winter in the town, after three weeks stay, and having refreshed ourselves after our long voyage at sea, November the 30th we went to Braintree, where we hired a house until Spring, in which time I took a voyage eastward to look out for a place to settle.2

 

"Winter being over, the 3rd day of May 1669, we went from Braintree to Boston to get a passage eastward. May 10th we hoisted sail from Boston, and proceeded on our voyage eastward. May 17th we arrived at Merrymathing in Kennebec River, and not liking that house, the 14th of October, we removed from thence to Whidby, a house on the same river, and having lived there two years I bought a tract of land of the Indians, and having bought a house upon the same, October 31st 1671, we removed from Whidby to go into our own house; but Muddy river being frozen over, we were fain to go into James Thomas' house.3

 

"April 16, 1672, we removed thence into our own house at Muddy river, and having lived there three years and four months, the Indian war began in New England about June 1675, and in August the Indians rose at the Eastward and forced us to forsake our house and go to Samuel York's house to garrison, where we staid about a month, but the Indians growing too strong for us, killed our cattle and swine, plundered our houses; and having killed several people in Casco bay, several of our men grew faint-hearted and left us, so as we had but nine men left to garrison, and too weak to withstand so great a power of Indians if they should set upon us. About the middle of September, we were forced to forsake our garrison and go down to Rowseck house to the main garrison, where we staid about six weeks, in which time we had some skirmishes with the Indians as we were gathering our corn at Muddy river, and having killed several, the rest ran away, and came no more to trouble us all the winter.4

 

"About the latter end of Novemeber, the winter setting in so violent, and the house being so full of people, as we could not endure there any longer, five families of us joining together went to Sylvenus Davis house on the westward side of the river, where we staid all the winter. Towards spring, the Indians sent down to make peace with the inhabitants; upon which we gave them a meeting at Pemaquid, and there concluded a peace with them, which continued until they had an opportunity to break it in August after. [The peace was made] about the beginning of April 1676. 5

 

"All being at peace and quiet, I went down the river to Mr. Weaswell's house which stood empty, and there i planted some Indian corn and other things, intending in the fall to go up again to our own house at Muddy river, with the rest of our neighbors, if the peace had continued with the Indians; but the Providence of ALMIGHTY GOD had otherwise ordered it, for about the middle of summer, Phillip being killed, and most of the chief sachems being killed and driven out of the Narraganset country, such as were left alive came away Eastward to join with these Indians, who were glad of an opportunity to play the rogue; and the ninth of August 1676, early in the morning, when no Englishman thought of any war, they came down to Rouseck, and took it, and killed and took away about fifty people, and burnt down the house all other buildings about, killing and destroying all that came in their way; so as we were forced to fly for ouyr lives in a canoe and leave all ever we had, and glad that we could save our lives. 6

 

"We and the rest of Kennebec neighbors, whom God had preserved from the cruelty of the Indians, got to Damoras Cove, a fishing island about two miles from the main land, where we met the people of shipsent, pemaquid, and all other places thereabout, who fled thither to save their lives. We staid there a week, in which time we made several attempts into the river to see if we could get off any thing that was left behind; but all in vain, for the Indians lay in ambush and beat us off; so as we could get nothing from the main land but blows, and saw all our houses burnt and our cattle killed, and everything ruined and destroyed, and no help like to come to us from the bay; and we being about three hundred souls on a little island, and no meat, drink, or any thing else to relieve us, and being in a poor condition, we thought good to call a council to consult what course to take for relief; and first to consider what vessels and boats there were in the harbour, and finding there was enough to carry all the people away, the 16th day of August at night we set sail and left not one man, woman, or child behind; some for Piscataway, Salem, Boston, and other towns in the bay, according as they had friends and relations.

 

"August 18, I arrived at Boston, where we found good friends and relief, and there we satid about seven weeks; but the town being very full of people, and winter coming on, and no hope of returning again to our former habitation, we thought it ime to look out for some other place of settlement; and consulting with several friends what course to take, I met with one at last that advised me to go westward, and also gave me a letter of commendation to richard Brown of the town of southold on Long island in the providence of new York; and looking out for passage. I met with a sloop belonging to the same town, with whom i bargained for a passage.

 

"October 11, 1676, we set sail from Boston, and 26th of same month we arrived at the town of Southold at the house of Richard Brown, who received us kindly, and took us into his own house, and provided for us like a father, until we were able to shift for ourselves; the rest of the neighbours being very helpful unto us, with whom we staid one year; in which time I bought a lot of land lying about fourteen miles westward from the place; and being from Richard brown's to Mattetock, a house that was empty and about two miles from my lot, where we staid about one year.

 

"November 1678, we removed to Thomas Mape's house, which was very near my lot of land, intending to build a house upon it as soon as i possibly could; but after some improvements made upon it, I found the land very poor and barren, and no meadow to be got for my cattle, and having lived there almost a year and a half, I began to dislike the place. In the mean time, Sir Edmund Andross, then governor of new York, sent for me to come to him at the fall of the year to york, where we arrived the 17th day, and were kindly received by Sir Edmund Andross, who provided a place for us for the present. May 22nd we went from York to the Governor's house on Staten Island, where we staid four months. September 7, we removed to Mr. Witt's house, to look after his land, until Sir Edmund could get a lot of land laid out for me; but he being called home for England so suddenly that I coulld not get a good lot of land as I did expect, for I did not think it worth building a house upon it, and therefore I sold it to Captain Palmer of Staten Island, who carried me over to New jersey to see if I could meet with a better lot of land; and meeting with a lot to my mind that was to be sold, lying upon Rariton river, I got Captain palmer to buy it for me, which he did.

 

"October 14th 1681, we removed from Staten island to Benjamin Hull's house in Piscataway, where we staid all the winter, until our own house was ready. April 6th 1682, we removed into our own house at the Bound Brook upon Rariton River in Piscataway in the East Province of New Jersey. JAMES GYLES."

Sources

1Yates Publishing, "U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900" (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004;). Text From Source: Online publication - Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Original data - This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived from an array of materials including pedigree charts, family history articles, querie.
www.ancestry.com.
2Ancestry.com, "One World Tree (sm)" (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., n.d.;). Text From Source: Online publication - Ancestry.com. OneWorldTree [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc.
www.ancestry.com.
3John Adams Vinton, "The Giles Memorial" (Name: 1864 Boston, Massachusetts;). pp. 101-102.
h.
4"England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975" (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9841&enc=1). http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-g& gsfn=James&gsln=GYles&msbdy=1629&msbpn__ftp=Challock%2c+Kent%2c+England&msbpn=16 67425&msbpn_PInfo=8-|0|0|3257|3251|0|0|0|5270|1667425|0|&cpxt=0&catBucket=rsp&ui dh=9h2&cp=0&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=90763516&db=FS1EnglandBirthsandChristenings&ind iv=1&ml_rpos=6.
www.ancestry.com.
5Ibid. http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-g& gsfn=James&gsln=GYles&msbdy=1629&msbpn__ftp=Challock%2c+Kent%2c+England&msbpn=16 67425&msbpn_PInfo=8-|0|0|3257|3251|0|0|0|5270|1667425|0|&cpxt=0&catBucket=rsp&ui dh=9h2&cp=0&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=90763516&db=FS1EnglandBirthsandChristenings&ind iv=1&ml_rpos=6.
Text From Source: Name: James Gyles
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 5 Apr 1632
Baptism Place: Canterbury, Kent, England
Father: Richard Gyles
FHL Film Number: 1751625
Reference ID: item 2
6William H. Ireland, "History of Kent". vol 2, p. 549.
Text From Source: The Gyles's were also anciently residents here, and owners of land in Sheldwich, as early as the period of Richard II.
http://books.google.com/books?id=ARkuUMRZxq8C.
7John Adams Vinton, "The Giles Memorial" (Name: 1864 Boston, Massachusetts;). pp. 113-117.
Text From Source: "A true account of our travels from Old England to New England in the year 1668, with the several transactions and removes in America.

"August 22nd 1668. We took our journey from the Park to Feversham, and so to London, where we staid some days, till the ship was ready, and then fell to the Downs, where we staid two days for a wind; and the 5th of September, the wind being fair, we hoisted sail and proceeded on our voyage, but the third day after, met with a contrary wind and a storm, which forced us into Cowes in the Island of Wight; where we staid two days, and then proceeded on our voyage.1

"November the 9th we arrived at Boston in New England, having been nine weeks and two days at sea; and winter coming on so fast, as we could not look out for a place to settle, and being unwilling to winter in the town, after three weeks stay, and having refreshed ourselves after our long voyage at sea, November the 30th we went to Braintree, where we hired a house until Spring, in which time I took a voyage eastward to look out for a place to settle.2

"Winter being over, the 3rd day of May 1669, we went from Braintree to Boston to get a passage eastward. May 10th we hoisted sail from Boston, and proceeded on our voyage eastward. May 17th we arrived at Merrymathing in Kennebec River, and not liking that house, the 14th of October, we removed from thence to Whidby, a house on the same river, and having lived there two years I bought a tract of land of the Indians, and having bought a house upon the same, October 31st 1671, we removed from Whidby to go into our own house; but Muddy river being frozen over, we were fain to go into James Thomas' house.3

"April 16, 1672, we removed thence into our own house at Muddy river, and having lived there three years and four months, the Indian war began in New England about June 1675, and in August the Indians rose at the Eastward and forced us to forsake our house and go to Samuel York's house to garrison, where we staid about a month, but the Indians growing too strong for us, killed our cattle and swine, plundered our houses; and having killed several people in Casco bay, several of our men grew faint-hearted and left us, so as we had but nine men left to garrison, and too weak to withstand so great a power of Indians if they should set upon us. About the middle of September, we were forced to forsake our garrison and go down to Rowseck house to the main garrison, where we staid about six weeks, in which time we had some skirmishes with the Indians as we were gathering our corn at Muddy river, and having killed several, the rest ran away, and came no more to trouble us all the winter.4

"About the latter end of Novemeber, the winter setting in so violent, and the house being so full of people, as we could not endure there any longer, five families of us joining together went to Sylvenus Davis house on the westward side of the river, where we staid all the winter. Towards spring, the Indians sent down to make peace with the inhabitants; upon which we gave them a meeting at Pemaquid, and there concluded a peace with them, which continued until they had an opportunity to break it in August after. [The peace was made] about the beginning of April 1676. 5

"All being at peace and quiet, I went down the river to Mr. Weaswell's house which stood empty, and there i planted some Indian corn and other things, intending in the fall to go up again to our own house at Muddy river, with the rest of our neighbors, if the peace had continued with the Indians; but the Providence of ALMIGHTY GOD had otherwise ordered it, for about the middle of summer, Phillip being killed, and most of the chief sachems being killed and driven out of the Narraganset country, such as were left alive came away Eastward to join with these Indians, who were glad of an opportunity to play the rogue; and the ninth of August 1676, early in the morning, when no Englishman thought of any war, they came down to Rouseck, and took it, and killed and took away about fifty people, and burnt down the house all other buildings about, killing and destroying all that came in their way; so as we were forced to fly for ouyr lives in a canoe and leave all ever we had, and glad that we could save our lives. 6

"We and the rest of Kennebec neighbors, whom God had preserved from the cruelty of the Indians, got to Damoras Cove, a fishing island about two miles from the main land, where we met the people of shipsent, pemaquid, and all other places thereabout, who fled thither to save their lives. We staid there a week, in which time we made several attempts into the river to see if we could get off any thing that was left behind; but all in vain, for the Indians lay in ambush and beat us off; so as we could get nothing from the main land but blows, and saw all our houses burnt and our cattle killed, and everything ruined and destroyed, and no help like to come to us from the bay; and we being about three hundred souls on a little island, and no meat, drink, or any thing else to relieve us, and being in a poor condition, we thought good to call a council to consult what course to take for relief; and first to consider what vessels and boats there were in the harbour, and finding there was enough to carry all the people away, the 16th day of August at night we set sail and left not one man, woman, or child behind; some for Piscataway, Salem, Boston, and other towns in the bay, according as they had friends and relations.

"August 18, I arrived at Boston, where we found good friends and relief, and there we satid about seven weeks; but the town being very full of people, and winter coming on, and no hope of returning again to our former habitation, we thought it ime to look out for some other place of settlement; and consulting with several friends what course to take, I met with one at last that advised me to go westward, and also gave me a letter of commendation to richard Brown of the town of southold on Long island in the providence of new York; and looking out for passage. I met with a sloop belonging to the same town, with whom i bargained for a passage.

"October 11, 1676, we set sail from Boston, and 26th of same month we arrived at the town of Southold at the house of Richard Brown, who received us kindly, and took us into his own house, and provided for us like a father, until we were able to shift for ourselves; the rest of the neighbours being very helpful unto us, with whom we staid one year; in which time I bought a lot of land lying about fourteen miles westward from the place; and being from Richard brown's to Mattetock, a house that was empty and about two miles from my lot, where we staid about one year.

"November 1678, we removed to Thomas Mape's house, which was very near my lot of land, intending to build a house upon it as soon as i possibly could; but after some improvements made upon it, I found the land very poor and barren, and no meadow to be got for my cattle, and having lived there almost a year and a half, I began to dislike the place. In the mean time, Sir Edmund Andross, then governor of new York, sent for me to come to him at the fall of the year to york, where we arrived the 17th day, and were kindly received by Sir Edmund Andross, who provided a place for us for the present. May 22nd we went from York to the Governor's house on Staten Island, where we staid four months. September 7, we removed to Mr. Witt's house, to look after his land, until Sir Edmund could get a lot of land laid out for me; but he being called home for England so suddenly that I coulld not get a good lot of land as I did expect, for I did not think it worth building a house upon it, and therefore I sold it to Captain Palmer of Staten Island, who carried me over to New jersey to see if I could meet with a better lot of land; and meeting with a lot to my mind that was to be sold, lying upon Rariton river, I got Captain palmer to buy it for me, which he did.

"October 14th 1681, we removed from Staten island to Benjamin Hull's house in Piscataway, where we staid all the winter, until our own house was ready. April 6th 1682, we removed into our own house at the Bound Brook upon Rariton River in Piscataway in the East Province of New Jersey. JAMES GYLES."






1 - " May 10"> we hoisted sail from Boston, and proceeded on our voyage eastward." It is certainly a remarkable coincidence that Thomas Watkins's deed to Thomas Gyles is dated May 8, 1669, two days before "we hoisted sail." It seems to indicate a connection between the movements of James Gyles and of Thomas Gyles. It is also worthy of remark, that while VVatkins, in the. deed, gives his own residence

"now living on the westerly side of Caneback river," no residence is assigned to
Thomas Gyles ; and the reason was, he had just arrived from Old England.
" VVhidby " is the same as Wlnssouth from Merrymeeting Bay two miles into the land. Thomas Stevens, an
Indian trader, who married the widow of Thomas Watkins not long before 1674,
lived on Stevens river, two miles above the turnpike bridge, on the road from Brunswick
to Bath, and very near Whisgeag. Thomas Purchas lived in the same vicinity,
six miles below the Falls in Brunswick. He came there in 1625, and his house
was plundered by the Indians, Sej)t. 5, 1675. [Williamson's History of Maine, pp.
33, 47, 266, 520.
Thomas Gyles's land had Muddy River on the north, and .Merrymeeting Bay on
the south and east. James Thomas's land lay on the north side of Muddy River.
James Gyles landed. May 17, 1669, on the south side of Merrymeeting Bay. Oct.
14, following, he removed to AVhisgcag, on the same side. Two years after, he
bought land on the noitli side of Muddy River, in Topsham, very near to the land of
Thomas Gyles, but spent the winter of 1671-2 in James Tliomas's house, near by.
Muddy River is an arm of the sea, (so to speak,) collateral with Merrymeeting
Bay, and uniting with that bay on the northern side of the latter. At the point of
confluence is an elevated headland, where Thomas Gyles built his house. James
Gyles lived in the near vicinity, and from this circumstance, as well as from their
arrival at or near the same time, and coming both' of them from Kent in England,
there arises a strong presumption that they were brothers.

* The Indian War, commonly known as "Philip's war," commenced in the Colony
of Plymoutli, June 24, 1675, in the killing of ten or twelve persons at Swanzey,
as they were returning from meeting. " In August, the Indians rose at the Eastward,"
says James Gyles. This may be true, for all summer long they had bci u
exhibiting uncommon insolence towards the settlers. But the first act of war, committed
by them in Maine, so far as I can find, was their hostile visit to the house of
Thomas Purchas, on Stevens's River, in what is now Brunswick, some three or four
miles from the abode of James Gyles. They killed a calf of his and several sheep,
and robbed the house, but offered no personal violence to the inmates. About a
week afterwards, viz., on Sept. 12, in Falmouth, they killed Thomas Wakely, an
old man, his wife, his son John and his wife, and three children of the latter couple,
in all seven persons; and burned the house. These were the "several jiersons
killed in Casco Bay," the first persons in Maine slain in that war, at the news of
which several of the garrison in York's house became " faint-hearted." Tlie scene
of massacre was 25 or 30 miles distant.
Samuel York was a son of Richard York of Dover, N. H. He had two brothers,
Benjamin and John. Benjamin York was 23 years of age in 1678. He has descendants
in Lee, Durham, &c. One of his descendants is Jasper Hazen York,
M. D., of South Boston. Samuel York Uvcd on the north side of Merrynieeting
Bay, in the present townshi]) of Topshain. His land fronted on that Bay, and was
a short distance southwest of Thomas and James Gyles. Samuel York, after l)eindriven away by the Indians, settled in Gloucester, and died there in 1718. He has
deseendants now living in Gloucester and Kockport.
Capt. Thomas Lake and Capt. Thomas Clark, merchants of Boston, and efficient
mililary olticers also, owned Arrowsie Island in tiie Kennebec or Sagadahock River,
and had erected upon it a trading house and a strong fortification, called by James
Gyles "the main garrison." Capt. Silvanus Davis, who then resided on the mainland
on the west side of the river, was their general agent. There were about fifty
dwelling-houses on this island previous to this war. [Williamson, Vol. I., pp. 53, 526.
* Capt. Silvanus Davis, as already stated, lived on the west side of Sagadahock
River, we suppose in the present town of Fhipsburg. He afterwards lived in Falmouth.
He was a man of note, and his name is often mentioned in those early times.
The peace, or rather truce, made at Femaquid, was effected mainly by the efforts
of Abraham Sliurte, the e.xcoUent magistrate of that place, who had resided there
fifty years, and was now about 76 years old. It is supposed that iie died in 1680.
The Indians, as well as whites, had great confidence in his wisdom and integrity.
Some time in the spring or summer of 1676, tlie Indians having exhausted their
powder and shot, wished to procure a supply from the English for their next winter
hunt, as they said. The refusal of the English to sell them these dangerous commodities,
was one prime cause of the rupture in August, 1676. Another cause was
that which is stated in the Narrative of James Gyles, viz., the advent among the Indians
of Maine of some of king Fiiilip's adherents. Several of them came before
Philip's death, which took place Aug. 12, 1676. They were intensely hostile to the
English.
J Williamson, in his History of Maine, and Drake, in his History of Boston, represent
the destruction of Arrowsie as having occurred Aug. 14, 1676. On the day
before, Aug. 13, Williamson says, quoting from Hubbard, the Indians had killed
Richard Hammond, Samuel Sniith, and Joshua Grant, in Woolwich, and taken sixteen
ca[)tives. They landed the night following, in great silence, on Arrowsie Island,
approached the fort, and waited till the sentinel retired from his post, early oa
the morning of the 14th, when they rushed in at the gate, taking the garrison completely
by surprise. Captains Lake and Davis, and others, roused from sleep, and
finding resistance vain, fled by a back passage, and leaping into a canoe, endeavored
to reach another island. The savages pursued them, and just as the fugitives were
stepping on shore. Lake was slain by a musket shot, and Davis severely wounded.
Capt. Lake was an enterprising and excellent man. He was an ancestor of General
Lake, who gained distinction in the Crimean War.
James Gyles was in Capt. Lake's fort, but made his escape, with perhaps ten or
twelve others, by fleeing to the other end of the island, where they found canoes,
and escaped with their lives. The ruin of the flourishing plantation of Arrowsic
was complete. It was a large and beautiful establishment; there was a mansion
house, block-house, mills, dwelling-houses, and out-buildings, fifty or more in number,
which had been erected at the cost of several thousand pounds. But all were
in a few hours reduced to a heap of smouldering ruins. [Williamson's Maine, Vol.
I., pp. 53, 536.
"The statement that Arrowsic was taken and buint on the 14th of August, 1676,
rests on the authority of Francis Card, a man wlio lived on Kennebec River, and
was taken, with his family, by the Indians, the same day that Richard Hammond
was killed at Woolwich. In other respects his statement corresponds with that of
Gyles. He was carried to Penobscot, made his escape, came to Boston, where he
made a statement of Indian ravages, which is copied by Hubbard in his Narrative
of the Indian Wars.
But James Gyles's recollection of the matter is as likel)' to be correct as that of
Card ; he was an eye witness and a sufl'erer in the whole transaction ; and on the
whole we prefer his statement. Card says the whole number of Indians who committed
these devastations did not exceed eighty, for he counted them.

* The Damariscove Islands, to one of which the narrator escaped, are six in
number, small in size, lying in the ocean, nine miles west of Pemaquid Point, two
or three miles southwest of Damariscotta River, and a mile or two southeast of
Boothbay. They were inhabited by fishermen. If we may judge from the apportionment
of taxes in 1674, there was more property here than at Pemaquid ; Damariscove
being assessed five pounds and Pemaquid only two. Seventeen fisiiing
boats were owned here.
The settlers at Sheepscot, Pemaquid, &c., having notice of the massacre and destruction
of Woolwich and Arrowsic, waited not for the savage foe, hut went on board
their fishing vessels, and fled to Damariscove. Callicott, Wiswell, and others were
also there, from the western side of the Kennebec. 2s'o help was to be expected
from " the Bay," i. e. from Boston.

* Thomas Gyles, on his return from England, this same year, "began a settlement
on Long Island," says the Narrative of his son, John Gyles. Here is another
point of conact hetween Thomas and James Gyles. Southold is near the eastern
end of the Island. It was settled from New England.
The war was not brought to a close in Maine till July, 1677. About 300 of the
settlers in Maine lost their lives in it, out of a population of about 6000.
h.

 

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