Person:Thomas Bayes (1)

The History of Martha's Vineyard^S2 provides the following profile of Thomas Bayes:

"This sturdy yeoman was the Miles Standish of the Vineyard -- the martial leader of the little settlement of Great Harbor. He first appeared in this country in 1636, when he signed the town Covenant at Dedham, Mass., and became a selectman in 1638. At that time he was probably a bachelor, as on Dec. 26, 1639, he married Anne Baker in that town. Whether this was his first location in New England is not known, as he may have been of the party who removed from Watertown to Dedham. [There is footnote in the text here that notes Bayes "was convicted in 1643 of 'mutinos & turbulent speaches,' and bound over 'to bee of good behaviour the meane while' to next Quarter Court."]Some clue to his English home is found in the following record: --

Thomas Bayes of Dedham, carpenter, appoints Isaac Martin of Hingham his attorney to demand of the executors of ___ Wiseman of Barrow Apton in County of Norfold his grand father, deceased, the legacy due to him by will (1646).[more information on the search for this will in the footnote]

"There is a registered pedigree of a Bayes family of Yorkshire, 1600-1767, and there are scattered references to persons of the name Base, Baze, and Bayes in Norfolk County from 1572 to 1700.

"Our Thomas Bayes was born in 1615, and had just reached his majority when he emigrated....[H]e was a carpenter by trade, possibly a ship carpenter. In 1648, he resided in Boston, and from the following record it would appear that this supposition regarding his trade and relations with shipping, may be well founded:--

Thomas Bayes of Boston, carpenter, constituted Joseph Wilson of Boston his attorney to ask of all persons in Barbadoes, Christophers and any of the Carribbee Ids. Monies due him.[Aspinwall Note Book, 145, dated 11 (9) 1648].

"When Thomas Bayes removed to the Vineyard is not accurately known, but he was a proprietor at Great Harbor as early as 1652, for in that same year he was chosen hog reeve for the town. In 1655 he was made a constable, and in 1656 was chosen leader of the train band [also in 1661, 1662, 1663, and possibly longer]....In 1676 he was chosen selectman, the last office filled by him prior to his death."

Thomas Bayes' only son was Thomas Jr., who died 17 Nov. 1669 without issue. However the name Bayes has been used as a given name in many generations of his daughter's descendants.

"His will was dated Feb. 4, 1679-80 and the inventory taken May 31, following. Among the personal property of this martial leader was 'one gunne & loadeing staffe' and 'one rapier.' The total value of his estate as inventoried amounted to £214-07-06. This is a large amount for those times and is equivalent to about $5000. His will is as follow:--

[Dukes Deeds, I, 309]

I Thomas Bayes finding myself wake in boddie but sound in memorie and understanding doe make this my last will and testament as followeth; And first my will is that my wife Anne Bayes, shall have and improve all my Estate of land and moveables, whatsoever for her comfortable subsistence, during her Naturel life provided that she continue a widdow: Secondly, I will and bequeath to Hannah Bridges, my Daughter twenty pounds after the decease of my Said wife or changing her condition of widowhood:

Nextly, I will and bequeath to my two Daughters, Mary the now wife of Joseph Norton, and Anna the wife of Andrew Newcomb, to each of them fifty pounds, so to be understood, with what they have alreddy received of mee, with what was also received of the estate of their brother deceased; to be payed after the decease of my wife as aforesaid.

Nextly, I will and give to my daughter Ruth, wife of Isaak Norton five pounds to be payed within a year after my own decease, in Bibles and bringing up the children to reading and Education.

Nextly, when all these legacies shall be payed, according to this my will, if any estate be left, it shall be equally Devided among all my Daughters, and children of my daughter Abigall Deceased, and my will is that if any my said Daughters shall decease before they receive their portion herein willed, then it shall go to their children, and in defect of their issue, or the issue of any my beforesaid Daughter Abigall's children then such portion shall be equally devided among the surviveing.

Lastly my will is, and I do order and Request that my wife aforesaid, and Thomas Mayhew Junior, be whole executors and administrators to this my last will and testament: And in witness of this to be my last will and testament I the said Thomas Bayes, have hereunto Subscribed with my hand and put to my Seal, this fourteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred seaventy and nine or eighty.

Witness, Matthew Mayhew, William Weekes. Thomas Bayes, (seal).

"Nothing further is know of his wife. She was living at the date of the will, but when or where she died is not of record."^S2

1.   Pease, Harriet M, "Notes and Queries", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   Vol 53 p. 130.

   "Thomas Bayes, of Edgartown, Mass., in his will, dated Feb. 14, 1679-80, names 'my wife Ann Bayes,' 'Hannah Bridges, my daughter,' 'my two daughters Mary, the now wife of Joseph Norton, and Anna, the wife of Andrew Newcomb,' 'their brother deceased,' 'my daughter Ruth, wife of Isaack Norton,' 'the children of my daughter Abigail deceased,' 'my wife and Thomas Mayhew, Junior, executors and administrators.' Thomas Bayes married Anna Baker, Oct. 26, 1639, at Dedham. Their daughter Ruth was bron in Dedham, 2 (5) 1643. Their son Thomas was born in Boston 1 (1) 1645. Thomas Bayes came to the Vineyard before 1653. His son Thomas Bayes, Junior, died Nov. 17, 1669, unmarried."

2.   "Annals of Edgartown", in Banks, Charles Edward. The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts. (Boston: G H Dean, 1911)
   Vol 2, p 38-41.

   see text