Samuel Eaton (abt. 1620 - bef. 1684)

Born about 1620 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Eaton — married before 10 Mar 1646 in Plymouth Colony [uncertain]

Husband of Martha (Billington) Crossman — married 10 Jan 1661 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony

Descendants

Died before 29 Oct 1684 before about age 64 in Middleboro, Plymouth Colony

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Biography

Samuel Eaton,^[1] son of Francis and Sarah (Unknown) Eaton, born about 1620, was an infant, a suckling child, as a passenger on the Mayflower.^[1][2]

His mother died the winter of 1621.^[2] He was cared for by Elinor Billington, who is described as "plain but kind hearted", after his mother died, ^[3] and until the time of his father's second marriage, about 1622, to Dorothy.^[4][5] Francis married a third time, about 1626, to Christian Penn and he died in Nov 1633.^[5]

13 Aug 1636, Samuel Eaton, son of Fr. Eaton, late of Plymouth, deceased, with the consent of Christian, his mother-in-law, [ie. step-mother] bound himself apprentice to John Cooke, the younger, for seven years beginning Oct 1636. At the end of the term, John was to give him one suit of clothing, besides two others, one for ordinary wear and one for the Sabbath, also 12 bushels of indian corn, a 12 month old heifer and use of the spring. ^{[6] [7]}

10 March 1646, Samuel Eaton, of Duxborough, sold land to Love Brewster that had belonged to his father, Francis. His first wife Elizabeth ____ acknowledged the deed. ^{[1] [8]}

2 March 1651/2 Samuel Eaton was sentenced to sit in the stocks for pilfering and stealing.^[9]

5 Oct 1652 Samuel Eaton, age 32 years or thereabouts deposed and Rachel Ramsden mentioned that she heard Goodwife Eaton say that Samuel and Christopher Winter had been together Monday last. ^{[1] [9]}

Samuel Eaton became a freeman, a voting member, of Plymouth Colony 1 June 1663.^[1][10]

Later that same year, 17 Aug 1663, Samuel Eaton of Duxbury, sold all his lands and housing in Duxbury, to Josiah Standish. Samuel and Martha signed by mark.^[1][11]

In 1670, Samuel was included in the list of Freeman residing in "Middleberry."^[1][12]

Samuel died before the inventory of his estate in Middlebery was presented on 29 Oct 1684. It was valued at £37 11s, less about £8 in debts. The estate settlement indicated the eldest was to "have the house and Land that was granted to Eaton by the Towne of Middlberry after his mother's decease; the daughter provided for by her Gradnfather and to have ten shillings at marriage or when she is of age the which first happens; and the Children of the first wife to have the sum of twenty shillings apiece & such of them as are dead the sume be payed among their children; and the two youngest Children each to have their p^rte att age or Marriage ... ; and the widdow to have the remaindr for her releiffe."^[1][13][14]

After Samuel's death, 4 Oct 1694, Martha Crossman, daughter of Francis Billington, quitclaimed land given, by her father, to her then husband Samuel Eaton and herself, and after their decease to their daughter Sarah now wife of Philip Bumpas. Phillip Bumpas would later, 9 June 1704, transfer all his estate, personal and real in Plainfield, Connecticut to his Mother (in law) Martha Crossman.^[1]

Samuel married:^[1][15]

1. ELIZABETH UNKNOWN, they had two children.^[1]
   1. Unknown daughter b. bef. 1651
   2. Unknown daughter b. after March 1651
2. MARTHA BILLINGTON (his stepsister), m. 10 Jan 1660 in Plymouth,^[16] children:^[1]
   1. SARAH b. bef. 3 Jan. 1663/4
   2. SAMUEL b. ca. 1664 (aft. 3 Jan. 1663/4)
   3. MERCY b. ca. 1665
   4. BETHIAH b. ca. 1668

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Van Antwerp, Lee Douglas and Robert S. Wakefield, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations : Volume 9, Francis Eaton, (Plymouth:GSMD, 1996), Vol. 9, p. 3, 5, 6 #2
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation. Originally "Of Plymouth Plantation". Boston: Little, Brown and company, 1856. pp 449, p. 454
3. ↑ The Women of the Mayflower and Women of Plymouth Colony (pdf download) by Noyes, Ethel J. R. C. (Ethel Jane Russell Chesebrough). Memorial Press, Plymouth, Mass, 1921. p127, 135
   Note: Nothing found about the author or evidence of citations. The Forward is written by Anne Rogers Minor, President General, Daughters of the American Revolution.
4. ↑ Thompson, Neil D., "The Origin and Parentage of Francis Eaton of the Mayflower. in The American Genealogist. (July/October, 1997): pages 301-304. AmericanAncestors.org Link
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Anderson, Robert Charles, "Francis Eaton," featured name The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, (Volumes I-III, Page 608) (Online database accessed 28 January 2016: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010)
6. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England Court Orders Vol. I 1633-1640. (Boston: Press of William White, 1855) p. 43
7. ↑ *Stratton, Eugene Aubrey. Plymouth Colony: Its History & People. 1620-1691. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 1986. Page 182.
8. ↑ Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England; printed by order of the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by New Plymouth Colony, by Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff and David Pulsifer Vol. 12 Deeds, &c. Vol. 1 1620-1651 & Book of Indian Records for their lands. pp 144, 145
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England; printed by order of the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by New Plymouth Colony, by Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff and David Pulsifer. Vol. 3 Court Orders 1651-1661 p. 4 p. 18
10. ↑ Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England; printed by order of the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by New Plymouth Colony, by Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff and David Pulsifer. Vol. 4 Court Orders 1661-1668 p. 4
11. ↑ Ethridge, George (ed.) Copy of the old records of the town of Duxbury, Mas. From 1642 to 1770. Made in the year 1892 (Plymouth, Avery & Doten, Book and Job Printers, 1893) p. 22
12. ↑ Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England; printed by order of the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by New Plymouth Colony, by Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff and David Pulsifer. Vol. 5 Court Orders 1668-1678 p. 279
13. ↑ The Inventory of Samuel Eaton (Francis) and the Settlement of his Estate. The Mayflower Descendant 2: 172 Link at AmericanAncestors ($) link at Hathi (free)
14. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-V387 : 16 March 2023), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 579 of 616; State Archives, Boston.
15. ↑ “Francis Eaton” at Mayflower.AmericanAncestors.org website. (NEHGS, accessed 6/14/2019, free).
16. ↑ *Roser, Susan E. Mayflower Marriages: From the Files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1990) p. 162 Accessed at Ancestry ($) Text: "Samuel Eaton and Martha Billington, 10 Jan 1660 (PCR 8:22)"

• Mayflower History Web Site, http://mayflowerhistory.com/eaton-samuel/
• Bradford, William, 1590-1657. Of Plimoth Plantation: manuscript, 1630-1650. State Library of Massachusetts "List of Mayflower Passengers." In Bradford's Hand.

Mayflower Project Checklist Completed

Acknowledgements

• Tom Elliott, Toby Rockwell. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Toby and others.