Benjamin Nye

From the book, New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Volume IV Benjamin, son of Thomas Nye, was born May 4, 1620, at Bidlenden, county Kent, England. He came in the ship "Abigail" to Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1635, and settled in 1637, in Sandwich. He was on the list of those able to bear arms in 1643. In 1654 he was one of a number to contribute towards building a mill, and in 1656 contributed for building the meeting house. He took the oath of fidelity in 1657, and held many important positions in public affairs. He was supervisor of highways in 1655; on the grand jury, 1658, and at other times; constable, 1661 and 1673; collector of taxes, 1674. He received in 1669 twelve acres of land from the town, because he built the mill at the little pond, and was granted other land afterwards. The town voted August 8, 1675, to give permission to Benjamin Nye to build a fulling mill on Spring Hill river. It is said that the ruins of the old saw mill are still extant, at Spring Hill, just west of East Sandwich. He married, in Sandwich, October 19, 1640, Katherine, daughter of Rev. Thomas Tupper, who came over on the same ship. Children: Mary, married, June 1, 1670, Jacob Burgess; John, died 1722; Ebenezer; Jonathan; Mercy, April 4, 1652; Caleb; Nathan; Benjamin, killed by Indians at battle of Rehoboth, in King Philip's war, March 26, 1676. Thomas (2),  father of Benjamin Nye, son of Thomas (1) Nye, was a haberdasher of Bidlenden, county Kent. He married, June 10, 1619, Agnes Nye, aged thirty-nine, widow of Henry Nye. July 4, 1637, he granted to his youngest son Thomas land in Bidlenden, and stated in the deed, "my oldest son Benjamin having gone to New England". Children: Benjamin, mentioned below; Thomas, September 16, 1623, married Margaret Webster, and left descendants in Bidlenden. Thomas, (1) father of Thomas (2), grandfather of Benjamin, son of Ralph Nye, married, September 9, 1583, at St. Andrew, Hubbard, Katherine Poulsden, of London, daughter of Mr. Poulsden, of Horley, county Surrey. He sold to his wife's brother, William Poulsden, a tenement builded with a croft adjoining, containing sixteen and a half acres in Bidlenden, county Kent. For this he received an annuity of four shillings arising from said lands. Children: Henry, graduate at Oxford, 1611, and in 1615 vicar of Cobham, Surrey, rector of Clapham, Sussex, in 1630; Philip, graduate of Oxford, 1619, rector of St. Michael's, Cornhill and Acton, Middlesex, a celebrated preacher in Cromwell's time.