Descendants of Nicholas Doe

The surname Doe is of Norman-French origin. There are numerous early records of Doe families located in England and Ireland. There were three Doe families in the Colonies in the mid 17^th century; but no records have been found to indicate a connected relationship. Our Doe lineage commences with Nicholas Doe who was “maybe” born in 1631 in London, England. The London place of birth is not documented but rather a tradition noted in “The Descendants of Nicholas Doe” by Elmer E. Doe published in 1918. Our Nicholas Doe made a disposition on 07 June 1682 “to be about fifty years of age”. He died in 1691, prior to 06 June 1691, at Oyster River, NH. Nicholas married, in1668 at Dover, NH, Martha Thomas who was born ca 164x. Her place of birth, parents, and ancestry are unknown. Martha died prior to her husband’s death as she is not mentioned in the administration of Nicholas’s estate; her place of death is assumed to be Oyster River, NH.

There are no known records of the early life of Nicholas Doe. He was a 1663 landowner in Sagamore Creek which is located in lower Portsmouth, NH. He witnessed the will of Thomas Walford of Portsmouth on 15 Nov. 1666. He was received as an inhabitant and taxed at Oyster Creek (now Durham, NH) from 1666 to 1672. He witnessed the will of Richard York of Dover, NH in 1672. On 14 Feb. 1668, Nicholas Doe purchased, of Thomas Mounsell, property described as follows: “his dwelling house now standing in Luberland, i.e., in Oyster Creek (Durham) north of the Lamprey river, in ye Great Bay together with 40 acres of upland granted him by the town of Dover, two acres of salt meadow and twelve acres of fresh meadow. Also six score (120) acres of upland lying by the Lamprill (Lamprey?) River, near ye mill, with all rights and privileges included etc”. This is not a small property which indicates that our Nicholas Doe had some resources. The timing of this purchase probably related to his current or upcoming marriage to Martha Thomas. On 25 May 1669 he signed a petition for a separate township of Oyster River. In 1674 Nicholas Doe brought additional land from John Goddard. Nicholas was a Grand Jury man in 1679 and 1680 at Dover, NH where he took office of Constable in 1682. As previously noted, Nicholas died in 1691 prior to 06 June 1691 at which time his son John was granted administration of his estate. For some reason the probate and inventory of his estate was not completed until 04 June 1706. His inventory amounted to 250 pounds.

The children of Nicholas and Martha Thomas Doe were all born in Oyster River (Durham), NH. There is a bit of confusion relating to the number of children. In the “History of the Town of Durham (Oyster River Plantation)” by E. Stackpole and W. Meserve reflect a child “Nicholas dsp 1706". Other sources do not reflect this child. The delay of the probate of our Nicholas, who died in 1691, until 1706 perhaps was mistaken as a probate of a second Nicholas, i.e., a child of the first Nicholas. The second confusion relates to daughters Mary versus Elizabeth. The vital records clearly reflect the birth of daughter Elizabeth on 07 Feb. 1677 but do not show the birth of daughter Mary. However, the probate records of Nicholas note that “John Doe hath a right to one halfe of the said estate and Sampson Doe, having purchased his sister Mary’s part to the said estate, hath a right to the other half part”. “The Descendants of Nicholas Doe” by Elmer E.Doe, 1918 notes that Mary and Elizabeth are one and the same person. However, the “Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire” by Noyes, Libby, and Davis reflect both daughters, i.e., Elizabeth born 07 Feb. 1673 and “died before father” versus Mary “living 1706, presumed to be the “Mary Dow” who married William Richards. The History of the Town of Durham reflects both daughters.

References: PH7:224; PH13:197-198; PH17:V2:58; PH82:131-133; FH112:1521.

Sampson Doe, the second child and second son of Nicholas and Martha Thomas Doe, was born 18 Jan.1670 at Oyster River (Durham) NH and died in 1748, will proved 29 May 1751, at Newmarket, NH. He married, first, prior to 1700 at Oyster River, Temperance (–) who was born ca 167x; her place of birth and parents are unknown. Temerance (–) died at Oyster River between Sept 1710 and Sept 1716. Sampson and Temperance had four children. i.e., Samuel born 1701, died 1767, married Abigail Wiggin; Martha born 1704, m John Frost; Nicholas born 1707, m Abigail (–), and Temperance, born 1710, died young. Sampson married, as his second wife, on 04 October 1716 at Newmarket, NH, Mary Hopley Ayers, the widow? of William Ayers of Portsmouth, NH whose will was proved 28 Sept 1716. She was born in 1687+ at Dover, NH and had her will proved 22 June 1765 in Portsmouth, NH. Following the death of Sampson Doe in 1748, Mary Hopley Ayers Doe married, as her third husband, (–) Stevens.

In accordance with the will of Nicholas Doe and the agreement between his two sons, John and Sampson, our Sampson “shall have and peaceably Enjoy the said homestead being forty six acres of Upland together with the Houses, Barns, Orchids mentioned in said inventory”. Sampson Doe was granted twenty acres by the Committee of Exeter, NH in 1725, and another eighty acres in 1738. He was a scout in Capt. James Davis’s Co. in the Indian War o f 1712, receiving one shilling per day. Another time he lived in a garrison house and had to call for fifteen more soldiers to help defend against the Indian attacks. Sampson was active in preparing the petition, 11 Nov. 1715, for establishing Oyster River as a separate parish which did take place on 04 May 1716. He was a selectman and on the Committee of the Parish in 1717. He became a founding member of the Church at its organization on 26 March 1718. Sampson was a surveyor of the highway, Lamprell river to Oyster river, 1703 thru 1705.

Lacking evidence to the contrary, it is assumed that Sampson was a farmer who was active in the development and operation of his community. In that he was much involved with preparing petitions and was a surveyor, we assume that he was a fairly literate individual.

References: PH7:224; PH13:197-198; PH17:V2:58; PH82:131-132; FH112:18, 139-143; FH283: 5, 10.

Mary Doe, the second child and first daughter of Sampson and Mary Hopley Ayers Doe, was born on 19 Sept.1620 at Oyster River(Durham) NH and died in 1768+ at Hampton Falls,NH. She married, as her first husband, prior to 1740 at Stratham, NH, Nicholas Wiggin who was born 16 June 1716 and died 20 July 1751, both at Stratham, NH. Nicholas was the son of Andrew and Abigail Follet Wiggin of Stratham,NH. Following the death of Nicholas in 1751, widow Mary Doe Wiggin married, as her second husband, on 29 Jan.1752 at Hampton Falls, Jonathan Swett who was born 17 Nov. 1712 and died 1768+, both at Hampton Falls, NH. Nicholas and Mary Doe Wiggin had six children. According to the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, Jonathan amd Mary Doe Wiggin Swett had ten children which equates to sixteen children by our Mary Doe.

References:PH13:197-198,671,751; PH16:NH:8140; PH82:132; FH112:140,142; FH283:5,10.