Jane (Unknown) Eaton (1539 - 1584)

Born 1539 in of Dover, Kent, England

Wife of William Eaton — married 1566 in Dover, Kent, England

Descendants

Died 29 Dec 1584 at about age 45 in Dover, Kent, England

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Joe Cochoit [send private message] and Billie Adams [send private message]

Biography

Biography

Name

Name: Jane Unknown ^[1]

She is not Jane Hussey. This a very old error first put in print in 1911 by Nellie Zada Rice Molyneux in his History Genealogical and Biographical of the Eaton Families. ^[2] There is absolutely no evidence to support this other than what is likely a misinterpretation of heraldry.

She cannot be the daughter of Thomas Hussey of Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, by his wife Bridget Bowes, as has been alleged, as their daughter Elizabeth became eventual heir of that family after the death of her brothers and nephew.^[3] Thomas Hussey’s eldest son and heir, John Hussey, of Honington and Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, left a long and detailed will dated 14 Aug. 1583 and proved 5 Sep. 1587 [Jane, wife of William Eaton, would have been a young widow when the will was made], proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC), 55 Spencer [FHL film #91,972]. He left his distant cousin Charles Hussey, jr., of Belton, Lincolnshire, as male heir of his estates. His sister, Elizabeth Hussey, had married Thomas Stydolf/Stydolph, of Norbury, Surrey. John’s brother George Hussey had had one son named John, but they were both clearly dead by 1583 without surviving issue. From these records, it is certain that Thomas Hussey of Caythorpe did not have a daughter Jane or she would have been part of the Hussey inheritance.

It is likely that the supposition that Jane was a Hussey at all comes from an error in heraldry. The Eatons of Dover quartered Eyton of Shropshire (or, a fret azure) with gules 2 bars ermine (Pantulf) – this was mistaken for the Hussey arms of barry of 6 ermine and gules (i.e. 3 bars of ermine).

Jane’s maiden name for now is unknown.

Birth

Born: About 1539

Date is a rough estimate based on the estimated birth of her first child in 1559.

Marriage

Married: William and Jane Eaton were married about 1558. This is a rough estimate based on the estimated birth of their first child in c1559. ^[1]

• Joyce Eaton. Born say 1559. Named as eldest daughter, and presumably eldest child based on the wills of her parents. Given that she had a sister born in 1561 and a brother born 1562-1563, 1559 is the best estimate of her birth. She married James Hugesson by 27 August 1584 when her mother made her will. She died before 26 September 1625 when James remarried.

• Susanna Eaton. Presumed child. She was bp. 6 July 1561 at St. Mary, Dover with no mention of parent names. No further records. If she was a child of William Eaton,she was dead by 1581 when he made his will.

• William Eaton. Born about 1562. He married Annys Brett. Died after 28 March 1609.

• Barbara Eaton. Born say 1564 m. by 27 Jan. 1584/5 John Allen.

• John Eaton. Born say 1566. Named in wills of mother and fathers; no further record.

• Peter Eaton. Born say 1568, died between 1623 and 1626. He married [by license] 27 January 1603/4, St. Mary the Virgin, Dover, ELIZABETH (—) PATTERSON, widow, of St. Mary, Dover. She was buried at St. Mary 8 January 1631/2.

• Nicholas Eaton. Born in 1572. Buried at St. Mary, Dover, 21 March 1636/7. He married, first, 2 November 1596, at Dover, Katherine Masters, who was dead by 1626. He married second, license date 26 July 1626, to be at St. Margaret's, Canterbury, Joan Tidderman, who was buried at St. Mary, Dover 14 June 1635, widow of John Gibbs,

Death and Will

Death: Between 27 August and 29 December 1584.

Dates her will was made and then proved.

Jane did not survive her husband long. The will of Jane Eaton, widow and executrix of the last will of William Eaton, was dated 27 August and proved 29 December 1584: ^[4]

In the name of god amen The xxvijth day of August Anno dm’ 1584 I Jane Eaton widowe Executrix of the last will and testament of William Eaton my ^ [(SUPERSCRIPT:) late husband] sicke in bodye but of good and perfect remembraunce thankes be geven to god do ordayne and make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following.

Firste I do bequeathe my soule to allmightie god my maker saviour and redemer by whome and through whome I have to have fre[e] remission of all my synnes

My bodye to be buried in the Churchyarde of Sainte James at Dover at the appointment of my executor

It[e]m I will that my executor shall distribute to the pore of that p[ar]ishe upon the day of my buryall the some of fortye shillings str’ [i.e., sterling]

It[e]m I will and bequeathe the one half of all those goods moveable and unmoveable wch I have and holde ioyntly [i.e., jointly] with my children according to the bequeathe of the sayd William Eaton my late husbande and wherof I am nowe possessed unto all my children aswell marryed as unmaryed

And my will is to the ende my children under age may be the better answered their sev[er]all portions of the sayd moveable goods that the same partly after my death be solde according to the due value therof by my executor so nere as he may

And upon the sale the mony therof coming for the p[ar]tes or porc’ons of John Peter and Nicholas my sonnes nowe under age shall rest and remayne in the handes of my said executor untill they shall come to ther sev[er]all ages of one and twentye yeres to be ymployed to ther advantage and profite at wch yeres the said porc’ions coming of these moveable goods together with the profite therof shalbe answered and payd unto them and every of them acording to my bequeathe abovesayd

And if the said John Peter or Nicholas shall decease before they or eyther of them shall accomplishe their sayd sev[er]all ages of xxj yeres Then the p[ar]te or porc’on of hym or them so deceasing shall remayne unto hym or them so deceasing shall remayne unto hym or them survyving

And if all the sayd thre[e] children shall dye before their sayd ages of xxj yeres Then I will all their p[ar]tes or portions shall remayne over unto my other children then lyving

And forasmuche as their Restethe at this instant goods in my handes for the answering satisfying and dischargyng of all the legacyes and bequeathes mentioned in the last will of my sayd late husband William Eaton my will is that my executor as he will answere the contrarye at the latter day do se[e] the same discharged in every respecte as I have undertaken by the execution therof to do

And the legacyes and bequeathes geven by the same will unto the said John Peter and Nicholas my sonnes I will my Executor retayne in his owne handes untill they come to ther ages lymited by my sayd husbands last will for the receipte therof.

It[e]m I will and bequeathe that all & all man[n]er of sylver plate Bolloye and Jewells wch I nowe have and am possessed of in my owne righte being the one half of all such silver plate Bolloye and Jewells as my late husband had at the tyme of his deathe and unto me geven and bequeathed by his sayd last will shall remayne unto all my sayd children equally betwene them to be devyded

And the partes and porc’ions therof belonging unto John Peter and Nicholas my to remayne in the handes of my executor to be answered and payd over at their ages of xxjtie yeres and in suche sorte as the mony coming of their partes and porc’ons of my moveable goods before willed and bequeathed.

It[e]m I will that all suche mony and sebtes as I nowe have shalbe in like sorte equally devyded amongest all my said children.

And to thend [i.e., the end] ^ [(SUPERSCRIPT:) that] ther be collusion used or any of my children defrauded from their due partes or porc’ons therof My will is that my executor do not intermedle with the same nor with the oppening any cheste caskett or cubbard wherin the same or any p[ar]te therof restethe but my [sic: by] the oversighte of my Overseer if he uppon sufficient notice will take come and take the oversight therof

And that the partes and porc’ons of the sayd John Peter and Nicholas shalbe delyvered by my Overseer to my said Executor presently after my decease wch partes and portions shall remayne from ether to other as their other partes and porc’ons do and shalbe payd over unto them and used and ymployed for them by my executor as their other partes and porc’be by this mysayd last will

Provided allwayes and my further will and meaning is that my executor shall have out of all my sayd goods moveable and unmoveable Silver plate Jewells and mony the som eof twentie poundes str’ [sterling] for the wch twentie poundes he shall educate and bring up Peter and Nicholas my sonnes to schole and kepe them bothe one yere or more in Fraunce for to learne the Frenche tongue & after to put them to some science or occupac’on as by my executor shalbe thoughte meete

And that my son William Eaton shall have my late husbands best gowne

And I do ordayne and make of this my last will and testament my only executor Jacques Huggenson my sonne in lawe

And for my Overseer I appoynte Robt Marshe of Dover aforesayd yeoman.

In Witnes wherof I have hereunto sett my hande and seale Dated the day and yere abovesayd.

Seale and delivered in the p[resen]ce of Robart Marshe Stephen Mathew John Goodwin ./

A marginal note indicates that her inventory totaled £100.19.3. The preamble of her inventory reads:

An Inventurie of all the goodes and Catt Chattelles of Jane Eaton Wydowe Relicte of William Eaton of Dover whiles helyved [sic] taken this xxviijth daie of Decemb’ in the xxvijth yeare of the Rayne of or Soveraign Ladye Elizabeth & c’ and appriced by Roberte Daye, and William Hutchins Appra[isers] sworne for ye Towne

Research Notes

Sources

Footnotes and citations:

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Reed, Paul C. F.S.A.G. The English Ancestry of John¹ Eaton, of Dover, Kent, and Dedham, Massachusetts. Research report commissioned by Joe Cochoit and the Eaton Family Association (2003). Available on the Eaton Family Association website (paid).
2. ↑ Molyneux, Nellie Zada Rice. History Genealogical and Biographical of the Eaton Families. (Syracuse, N.Y., 1911):273.
3. ↑ Google Groups. - soc.genealogy.medieval Thread: ‘Thomas HUSSEY& Bridget BOWES,’ response by Joe Cochoit, 3 December 2012.
4. ↑ Consistory Court of Canterbury, Registered Wills, Liber 35, f. 116.