Lydia Dyar

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Lydia was born in Boston, MA on February 2, 1697/8 to William and Mary (Bricknell) Hough. Her father, a tallow chandler (a maker of candles, soaps, and other things from rendered animal fat), died in 1710 and left his estate to Mary and their four minor children. His eldest daughter, the married Elizabeth Pitts, had already received her share of the inheritance, though she was given a small additional bequeathment in her father's will. In the will William charged his children "to be Dutiful to their Mother, and to live in Love with one another." I find that rather sweet.

On December 19, 1717 she and Joseph Dyer of Charlestown were married by the Reverend Mr. John Webb of the New North Church in Boston. Their intentions were published on November 15, 1717. She was admitted as a full member of the church a year later on December 14, 1718.

The marriage of Lydia and Joseph was the first held for the New North Church, which had been established in 1714 with Rev. Webb as the first minister. St. Stephen's Church now occupies the site on Hanover Street where the New North Church was located. The original building was demolished long ago.

Joseph and Lydia had two children baptized at the New North Church: Joseph on February 8, 1718/19 and William on April 16, 1721. Joseph Sr. died around the time of William's birth; his exact date and manner of death are unknown. He was a mariner, and may have died at sea. Joseph Jr. lived until 1780 and became a cooper. William died in his infancy.

Lydia made her home in the North End, and made money as a seller of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. As a young widow with a child she likely did many other miscellaneous jobs as well. She did well enough to afford a house at the corner of Middle Street (Hanover Street) and Salutation Lane (which is now a block or so north of the Paul Revere statue) and keep a warehouse and shop on Ballard's Wharf near the North Battery. During the days leading up to the American Revolution Lydia was able to keep running her business and was not subjected to any of the many boycotts on foreign goods that Bostonians made, unlike several other Boston seed sellers. The former is likely because of the need for food crops, and the latter likely because of her social connections.

In reaction to the Boston Tea Party in December 1773, the British government ordered all ports in Massachusetts Bay to be closed beginning on June 1, 1774. Being a penninsula, Boston (and much of eastern Massachusetts) relied on its ports for food and commerce. The economy came to a halt. Then in reaction to the events in Concord and Lexington on April 19, 1775 British troops encamped in Boston. In May 22, 1775 Lydia fled Boston and went to live with her grandson William in Billerica, MA (the "Country" according to her gravestone).

Lydia died on July 28, 1776, a year and two months after leaving Boston. Her will, made in 1774, was proved in 1780 after her son Joseph's death. She made bequeathments to all of her grandchildren, but most especially her namesake Lydia.

Here lies ye Body of the

Widow LYDIA DYAR of Boston;

the Place of her Nativity, where

She left a good Estate & came

into ye Country May 22d, 1775; to

escape ye abuce of ye Ministeral

Troops sent by GEORGE ye 3d, to

subject North America to Slavery.

She died July 28th, 1776. Aged 80 Years.

The sweet Remembrance of the Just;

Shall flourish when they Sleep in dust.

This stone appears to have been carved by the Lamson shop.

Spelling during the 17th and 18th centuries was not standardized; "Dyar"appears as "Dyer," "Dier," among other spellings. "Hough" also shows up as "Haugh". And I have documented 24 different spellings of "Lydia" in various Massachusetts vital records (Lidia, Lidea, Lyddea, Lydya, Liddyah, Lidiar, etc.).