Hello Listers My name is Walt Ayars...I have been following your exchanges of information with interest since I have a vital interest in the Baptist families of Newport area in the late 1600s. My first American ancestor was ROBERT AYARS (note spelling- he insisted on using this spelling on all his documents.) Robert is believed to have been born abt 1650 and came to RI about 1664 (tradition-not documented). He and his family are documented in the Newport area in the late 1600s and first few years of 1700s. His first wife was Katharin ____ (1643-1685, buried at Common Cem at Newport). His second wife was Esther (Hester) Bowen (?). Children by first wife: Isaac, Stgephen, Judah, John, Robert, Esther. By second wife: Ann, Caleb, Joshua. Now, the key to the Ayars and others I have seen you mention is that they were Seventh Day Baptist. The first SDB Church was at Newport- Esther Bowen Ayars and some of the children were members of this first SDB Church at Newport. Joseph Crandall (who married Deborah Burdick and Elizabeth Lewis and Hannah) was the third pastor of the SDB Church. A very close associate of my ROBERT AYARS was Stephen Mumford- Mumford was one of the founding members of the SDB. I would be happy to exchange data on this group of RI residents. I prefer to use snailmail so please give me your snailmail address when requesting printouts of RI persons. Walt Ayars, [ waltayars@aol.com ], Box 279, Summerdale, PA 17093