Mehitable (Barker) Eaton (abt. 1707 - aft. 1775)

Born about 1707 in Methuen, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Eaton — married 24 Dec 1730 in Methuen, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died after 1775 after about age 68 in Methuen, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Identification as Spouse of Thomas Eaton

The spouse of Thomas Eaton has been reported as Mehitable Barker, Mehitable Parker, and even Mehitable Carter which may derive from difficulty in deciphering the original town record for the family. However, the name on the marriage record seems more likely Barker than anything else (the Barker written with a lowercase “b” matching the other lowercase “b’s” on the page). The will of Lydia Barker James names her sister Mehitable Eaton of Methuen. No other Mehitable Barker has been proposed as the spouse of Thomas Eaton.^[1]

Biography

MEHITABLE BARKER, born at Andover about 1707^[2] daughter of Stephen Barker Mary Abbott and who died after 1775 when she was living at Methuen (deed).^[3] She married at Methuen on 24 December 1730,^[4] THOMAS EATON born at Haverhill on 20 February 1701 son of Job and Mary (Simons) Eaton^[5] and who was living at Methuen in 1776 (deed).^[6]

Mehitable was living in 1775 when she signed a deed with her husband Thomas for the sale of property to Oliver Emerson (a son-in-law).^[7] She was perhaps deceased by 1776 when Thomas sold without her signature property to their son Timothy (Essex Deeds, 139:11).

Mehitable Barker and Thomas Eaton were parents of nine children born at Methuen.

• Ebenezer 1731
• John 1733-1823
• Timothy 1735-1805
• Mehitable 1737-1738
• Mehitable 1739-1754
• Susanna 1740
• Hannah 1745-1840
• Lydia b 1747, d 1833, married John Moors Bailey
• Sarah 1749

Sources

1. ↑ Methuen Town Records, 1725-1804, Volume 1, p 335; FHL Film # 007009692, Image 186, Record of the family of Thomas Eaton and Mehitaball Barker. Just above on the same page is the family record for Ebenezer Barker and his wife Abigail Morse. A margin note along the entire length of the page notes the information as “page for Judith Barker’s records initial 16 page.” The Judith Barker referred to may be Judith the daughter of Ebenezer Barker and Abigail Morse.
2. ↑ Three-quarters of the page for 1707 births is eaten away leaving only dates visible (no names); Andover Births, Marriages, Deaths and Intentions, 1701-1800, FHL Film # 007009715, Image 82; Please see discussion in Abbott, "The Children of Stephen Barker of Andover and Methuen and Mary Abbott", The Essex Genealogist
3. ↑ Essex County Deeds, 138:159
4. ↑ Methuen Town Records, 1725-1804, Volume 1, p 335; FHL Film # 007009692, Image 186, Record of the family of Thomas Eaton and Mehitaball Barker; note the margin comment on the page indicating that the family information was provided from the records of Judith Barker (who was a daughter of Mehitbale's brother Ebenezer)
5. ↑ Topsfield Historical Society, Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Volume 1, p 108
6. ↑ Essex County Deeds, 139:11
7. ↑ Massachusetts Land Records, Essex County, 138:159

• Abbott, Patricia A. 2024. "The Children of Stephen Barker of Andover and Methuen and Mary Abbott." The Essex Genealogist 44 (1): 32-36.