William Eaton (bef. 1607 - 1673)

Born before 26 Sep 1607 in Dover, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Jenkins) Eaton — married 28 Jan 1628 in Thanet, Kent, England

Descendants

Died 13 May 1673 after age 65 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message] and Teresa Langford [send private message]

William Eaton migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 102) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

William Eaton

Name

Name: William Eaton

of Reading, Massachusetts

Birth

Baptized: 26 September 1607 at the parish of St. Mary's in Dover, co. Kent, England.^[1][2][3]

(Assuming his identification as a son of Peter Eaton is correct.)

Gave his age as about 54 in March 1658.

Gave his age as about 60 in November 1667.

Gave his age as about 62 in 1669.

Notes on origins: William Eaton is usually said to be a son Peter Eaton of Dover, co. Kent. This not conclusively proven though the identification would seem likely. Ages from depositions would estimate his birth as about 1607, William son of Peter was born in September 1607. No other candidates have been found parishes around Dover, Staple or Sandwich in Kent. DNA studies have proven that William Eaton of Reading was an extremely near relative of John Eaton of Dedham who would be his first cousin.

Problem with birth record: Despite the approximate age match, there is a problem with identifying William Eaton, baptized 26 September 1607, son of Peter, as the great migration immigrant: Peter Eaton of Dover, Kent buried a son William on 27 September 1607 in the same parish ^[4] . It is hard to immagine a scenario where the two William's are not the same individual. Some researchers claim that it was an elder son, also named William, who was buried on September 27. It seems unlikely.

Immigration

On a roll or list of names dated 11 May 1637 of those who had obtained Certificates as having taken the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and who had taken passage from the Port of sandwich in the County of Kent for the American plantations:^[5]

Wm Eaton of Staple husbandman & Martha his weif. Children: John Martha and Albe. Servant: Jonas Eaton.

They are often said to have arrived in New England on the Hercules and Sandwich, however, the NEHGR article gives two reconstructed passenger lists. The first list is for the Hercules and Sandwich while the second ship is unnamed. The Eatons were on this unnamed second ship.

Marriage and Children

Married: Martha Jenkins on 28 January 1627/8 in the parish of St. John in Thanet, co. Kent, England.^[6]

Children of William Eaton and Martha Jenkin:^[6]

• Mary Eaton. bp. 28 December 1628 at St. john's in Thanet; Buried 20 July 1634 at Staple, Kent, England.
• Martha Eaton. bp. 19 September 1630 at Staple. She married 1st Richard Oldham about 1650; she married second Thomas Brown on 7 October 1656 in Cambridge. She died before 13 May 1673.
• Alba Eaton.
• William Eaton.
• John Eaton.
• Daniel Eaton.
• Mary Eaton.

Death and Will

Died: 13 May 1673 in Reading, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.^[7]

He left a will dated 26 September 1672 and proved on 11 June 1673.^[8] In it he names his wife Martha, eldest son John and his children, son Daniel and his children, daughter Mary, son-in-law Thomas Brown, and son-in-law Thomas Moore.

Sources

Footnotes and Citations:

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JW7Z-5R7 : 21 March 2020), William Eaton, 1607.
2. ↑ St. Mary's, Dover Parish Registers
3. ↑ Reed, John Eaton Report
4. ↑ "England, Kent, Canterbury Parish Registers, 1538-1986," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGNL-ZS2F : 18 April 2019), William Eaton, 27 Sep 1607; from " Kent, Canterbury Archdeaconry Parish Registers Browse, 1538-1913," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d); citing Burial, Dover St Mary the Virgin, Kent, England, United Kingdom, Citing Canterbury Cathedral Archives, England.
5. ↑ NEHGR vol. 75 p. 217-222.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} NEHGR vol. 76, p.54-75.
7. ↑ Reading VR, p. 516.
8. ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate file number 6819.

Source list:

• New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 76 no. 1 (January 1922):54-75. Genealogical Research in England: The Jenkin Family, by Eben Putnam. Books.google.com LINK

• New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 75 no. 3 (July 1921):217-222. Two early Passenger Lists, by Eben Putnam. Books.google.com LINK

• 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).

• Parish registers for St. Mary-the-Virgin Church, Dover, 1558-1951 (Family History Library film #1,836,141).

• Reading. Thomas W. Baldwin compiler. Vital Records of Reading, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Boston: NEHGS, 1912):516. Archive.org LINK

• Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871. Americanancestors.org online database of original images. Probate file number 6819.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #237024641 William Eaton. Citing Laurel Hill Cemetery, Reading, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Sandra Eaton (contributor 47680743) .

Acknowledgements

• Profile sourcing and improvement by Joe Cochoit. Please contact before making significant changes.