James NOYES
Biography

James was born in 1608, in Cholderton, Wiltshire, England, the son of William Noyes and probably Ann Stephens. William was the rector of the diocese of Cholderton. James attended Brasenose, Oxford College, but did not graduate. He was asked to leave school and help teach at the Free School in Newbury, Berkshire, England, by his cousin Thomas Parker, which he did. He married, about 1632, Sarah, the oldest daughter of Joseph Brown of Southampton, England. In 1633, James, his wife, his brother Nicholas and Thomas Parker, among others, took the oath of allegiance, allowing them to leave for New England. They were non-conformists, unhappy with the "popish" ceremonies of the Church of England. In March 1634, they sailed on the "Mary & John", arriving in May at Boston.

In 1634, James was in Mystic, now Medford, Massachusetts, he preached there and was made freeman on September 3, 1634. He was invited to become the preacher at Watertown, but declined, instead becoming one of the first settlers of Newbury, Massachusetts, the settlement being named after the town in England where they founded the school. Noyes was granted eight acres, and built a house. He and Parker formed a church in Newbury. Parker was named pastor and Noyes was made "teacher of the church". James served in that capacity for over twenty years. He wrote a Catechism that was used in the church for many years, and was esteemed and honored in the town. Even though there was some sort of church controversy between the two cousins, Parker, who never married, lived with Noyes and his family. After a long illness, James Noyes made his will on October 17, 1656, five days before his death, and it was proved on November 26. Rev. James Noyes is buried in the First Burial Ground of the Church he helped to establish. Parker continued to live in the home, as an honored member of the family, until his death in 1677.

At a later date, Nicholas Noyes, son of James' brother Nicholas, wrote that of James' six sons and two daughters, there were 56 total children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even though one son and one daughter had since died. James' wife Sarah lived in Newbury until her death on September 13, 1691. The Noyes home, built between 1640 and 1650, was used by many generations, and the last occupant, Mary Coffin Noyes, died there in 1895. Once, when there was some remodeling to be done, it was discovered that there was a secret closet built into the massive chimney, accessible only from the cellar. It was obviously constructed to provide a safe hiding place for valuables in case of Indian raids.

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