Vermont Northeast Kingdom Genealogy Query - Message Board AYERS I am investigating a possible relative who may have been a descendant of Samuel and Hezekiah Ayer, who were the first two heads of the Ayer Homestead at Goss Hollow, near St J. Hezekiah's son, John Ayer(s), b. 1796, was my 3g-grandfather. I have a family Bible that lists the names and birth dates of his 8 known children. Mary (Polly), b. 1822; Abial b. 1824, George b. 1826; Julia Ann, b. 1828; Luman b. 1832; Martha, b. 1833; Peter, b. 1835, and Lorenzo D. b. 1839. The first seven of these children were born in Caledonia County, after that (sometime around 1835-1839) the entire family relocated to Erie County, NY. However, there are no records for their births (nor for their father, John) in the online versions of Vermont Vital Records. Additionally, there are no other records for them in Vermont that I have been able to find as of yet. However, on the preceding page of the Bible there is one additional entry, written in a different handwriting, and using a different color ink. That is the person I am researching at this time. The handwritten text says: [Illegible] Ayer born December 17, 1817 The illegible word appears to resemble "Admiral." For some time, I did not expect to find out anything about this person, because I did not think that Admiral Ayer could have been his (or her) actual name. However, a few investigations revealed to me that the given name Admiral, while uncommon, was occasionally used in the 18th/19th centuries. The 1830 census in VT, and the 1840 census in NY, show this family with a male of the appropriate age range, along with the other 8 children, so if this was indeed an older child, he apparently did leave VT with the rest of the family in the 1830's. The early records in western NY are mostly lost, or they never existed at all, so there is little to learn by searching there. My searches for anyone named "Admiral Ayer," or any Ayer born in VT on 12/17/1817, have not uncovered anything yet. If anyone could suggest a place to look for information on this person, I would be very grateful. Thanks, Michael Ayers show email address