John Eddy

Biography

Pilgrim Village Families Sketch: John Eddy from Robert Charles Anderson

• Birth: John Eddy was baptized in March 1597 at Cranbrook, Kent.
• Death: He died on October 12, 1684, in Watertown.
• Ship: Handmaid, 1630

Life in England: John Eddy was the son of Reverend William and Mary (Fosten) Eddy. Immediately before emigrating, he had lived in Boxted, Essex.

Life in New England: John Eddy came to Plymouth aboard the Handmaid in 1630. By February, 1631/2, he had left Plymouth and removed to Watertown, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He joined the Watertown congregation by March 1632/3 and served as a selectman several years. He suffered bouts of mental illness but otherwise lived “very orderly” according to John Winthrop. His estate included large land holdings which were distributed among his children in his will. He was the brother of three other early colonists: Samuel Eddy of Plymouth, Abigail (Eddy) Benjamin of Cambridge and Anna (Eddy) Wines of Watertown.

Family

Family: John Eddy married (1) Amy Doggett by about 1622 and had ten children. He married (2) Joanna (_____) Meade after May 12, 1666. She died in Watertown on August 25, 1683.

Children of John and Amy Eddy:

John was baptized in Nayland, Suffolk on June 9, 1622, and buried there February 8, 1622/3.

John was baptized in Nayland on March 29, 1624, and died soon thereafter.

Mary was baptized in Nayland on March 10, 1625/6. She married Thomas Orton by 1648 and had at least three children. He died on May 19, 1687. She died on September 13, 1693.

Sarah was born about 1628. She married John Marion by 1651 and had eleven children. He died on January 27, 1705. She died in Boston on February 3, 1709/10.

Pilgrim was born in Watertown on August 25, 1634. She married (1) William Baker in Boston on April 22, 1656, and had one child. She married (2) Isaac Stedman by January 11, 1677, She married (3) Sylvester Eveleth after February 5, 1682. He died on January 4, 1688/9.

John was born in Watertown on February 16, 1636. He was still living on August 6, 1702, apparently unmarried.

Benjamin was buried in Watertown in 1639.

Samuel was born in Watertown on September 30, 1640. He married Sarah Meade in Dorchester on November 31 [sic], 1664, and had eight children. He died on November 22, 1711.

Abigail was born in Watertown on October 11, 1643.There is no further record.

Ruth was born about 1645. She married Ezekiel Gardner by 1671 and had at least one son. He died before February 9, 1703.

Biography

John Eddy, baptized in March of 1597, at Cranbrook, Kent county, England. He died at Watertown, Massachusetts on October 12, 1684 at the age of about 90 years. He first married Annie Doget (or Doggett) while still living in England sometime after May 22, 1619. Annie Doget was the daughter of John and Dorothy Doget of Groton, Suffolk county, England. After Annie died he marreid Joanna at Watertown, Massachusetts (we do not know surname but it is probably Joanna Meade, the widow of Gabriel Meade) She died at Watertown, Aug. 25, 1683, aged 80 years.

The following Article is from the 1930 book Eddy Family in America:

It is known that John Eddy of Watertown had a daughter Mary who was born before he came to New England. After he came he had a son born here, whom he named John; so it would seem probable that the second John, born in England, died young. (NOTE. This supposition cannot be considered absolutely true, because at this time in England it occurred frequently that there were brothers of the same name. This was true in the family of Arnie Doget's father. John Doget had a brother called William the Elder, and a younger brother who was called William the Younger. So it is possible that John Eddy of Watertown had two sons by the name of John.) The Parish Registers of Boxted from 1617-1662 are lost. It seems very likely that the birth of Sarah, daughter of John, and perhaps the marriage of John to Arnie Doget were recorded there, and also other matters pertaining to the family.

In the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth (1558-1600), a desire for a simpler form of religious worship grew and spread among some of the Protestants in England. These dissenters were called Puritans. They increased rapidly in numbers among the best element of the middle class, especially in the counties of Essex and Suffolk. During the reigns of James I and Charles I, the persecution of these Puritans became so severe that a great emigration to the shores of New England began in 1630 and lasted until 1643. Over 25,000 came in those thirteen years and of these probably about 15,000 were from Suffolk and Essex Counties. This great emigration started under the leadership of John Winthrop of Groton, in the spring of 1630. Previous to June of that year fourteen emigrant ships had sailed from England. Among the passengers on these vessels were the new governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, the deputy-governor and many of the assistants, and others who were to aid in the civil affairs of the new settlement. John Doggett, a cousin of Amy (Doggett) Eddy was among the number.

On Aug. 10, 1630 the vessel "Handmaid" left the port of London for New England with John Grant, Master, and with sixty passengers. Among these were John Eddy and his wife Amy and at least two of their children, Mary and Sarah, and also John's brother, Samuel Eddy.

After twelve weeks at sea the vessel reached Plymouth harbor in Massachusetts, on Oct. 29, 1630 with her masts "spent," so severe had been the weather.

The following two extracts from the Journal of John Winthrop, Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, are the sources from which this information is obtained:

   "October 29, 1630. The Handmaid arrived at Plimouth, having been twelve weeks at sea, and spent all her masts, and of twenty-eight cows she lost ten. She had about sixty passengers, who came all well: John Grant, master, Mr. Goffe wrote to me, that his shipping this year had utterly undone him. She brought out twenty-eight heifers, but brought but seventeen alive." "November 11, 1630. The master came to Boston with Capt. Standish and two gentlemen passengers, who came to plant here, but having no testimony, we would not receive them."

NOTE. Although neither John nor Samuel Eddy are named here, it has been handed down by tradition that they were the two gentlemen passengers. This tradition has been accepted without question by genealogists and others.

The Winthrops, Doggetts, and Eddys were known to each other in England, for John Winthrop had married for his second wife Thomasine Clopton of Groton; Thomas Doggett, a cousin of Amy, had married her sister Margery Clopton of Groton; and John Eddy had married Amy Doggett of Groton. This is doubtless the reason why John and Samuel Eddy within two weeks of landing at Plymouth left for the Bay Colony. They wished to settle near their friends and acquaintances. At this time there was an agreement between the two colonies that a man must carry letters of dismissal from one colony before he could be received as an inhabitant by the other. John and Samuel did not carry those letters with them and so were obliged to return to Plymouth with John Grant and Gant. Standish.

Sometime previous to Feb. 26, 1631/32 John Eddy procured the necessary letters of dismissal and was received into the Bay Colony. He joined the settlement at Watertown, which was rapidly growing to be the largest in New England. A letter which Governor Bradford of Plymouth wrote to Governor Winthrop, regarding the dismissal of several men from the colony is found in the Chamberlain Collection at the Boston Public Library. (See Eddy Family Bulletin No. 1, p. 3, for the whole letter.) The letter closes with these words:

   "Now ther are diverce goone from hence, to dwell and inhabite with you, as Clement Brigges, John Hill, John Eddy, daniell ray, &c. the which if either you, or they desire their dismissions: we shall be redy to give them: hopeing you will doe the like: in the like cases, though we have heard something otherwise. This with our prayers to ye Lord for your prosperity, as our owne, and our harty salutations unto you all we rest your assured loving friends. William Bradford Gover: Myles Standish Tho: Prence: Plym: feb. 6, 1631." 

(NOTE. This date would be Feb. 1632 in the present reckoning.)

In the three or four years following the settlement of Watertown, the population was greatly increased by families from the counties of Suffolk and Essex in England, the section from which John Eddy had come. Here in Watertown there soon settled the families of two of his sisters, Abigail, who had married John Benjamin, and Anna, who had married Barnabas Wines (Windes). According to the Journal of Winthrop, John Eddy in 1633, soon after his arrival at Watertown, had a temporary attack of insanity.

He wrote, as follows:

   "One John Edye, a godly man of Watertown congregation: fell distracted and getting out one evening, could not be found, but eight days after, he came again of himself. He had kept his strength and colour yet had eaten nothing (as must needs be conceived) all that time. He recovered his understanding again in good measure, and lived orderly but would now and then, be a little distempered." 

(See The History of New England by John Winthrop with notes by James Savage, 1853, in which Savage throws some doubt upon the accuracy of this statement of Winthrop's.)

Savage states that the item was entered in a space preceded and followed by a blank space; that the place for the name of the person thus affected by insanity was evidently left blank for some time and then the name was added in a different ink. He also states that the wording of the last sentences shows that a part of the statement (at least) was written at a much later date than 1633, and so suggests by these remarks that the date and accuracy of all the statements might be questioned. So it is possible that it was the son John Edye who was insane and that his illness occurred at a later date.

If it was John Eddy, Sen., who was ill, his attack could have been only temporary for in the next year John Eddy, having previously joined the church at Watertown, was made Freeman in the fall of 1634, and immediately took his place among the most influential men in the growing town. The very first item on the first page of the Watertown records is as follows:

   "Agreed by the consent of the Freemen, that there shall be three persons chosen for the ordering of the civil affaires: one of them to serve as Town Clerk, and shall keep the records and acts of the Town; the three chosen are William Jennison, Brian Pembleton, John Eddie."

Thus John Eddy of Watertown, by the vote of his fellow citizens, was one of three men, whom they deemed worthy to receive the highest honor that the town could then bestow. He was also the one chosen to act as the Town Clerk. The first pages of the town's books were written by him and his signature is found on several. The next year the group of "governing" men was increased from three to eleven and in this year, 1636, and the following year, John Eddy was again called upon to serve on the board and to act as Town Clerk. In 1670 he was elected to this position again and it is recorded that on Jan. 17, 1670 the meeting of the Selectmen was held at John Eddy's, Senr. At various times he was called upon to serve somewhat in the capacity of the modern truant officer or school committeeman. The following are extracts from the town records.

   "Ordered that John Edy Senr shall goe to John Fisk his house and to George Lorance and Willyam preist houseis to inquir a bought their Children wither they be lerned to read the english tong and in case they be defecttiue to warne in the said John George and Willyam to the next meeting oft the selectmen." [1 p 102]

"Also, John Edy Beni and Isaak Sternes wear a pinted to speak with Willyam knop abough the Education of his Daughter and to make return how they find it as to her education and also keept under restraint and Gouerment." 1670. "January 3, 1670. It was further a greed that the selectmen should goe through the town in their ceurall quarters to make tryall whether Children and servent be educated in Learneing to read the Enlish tongue and in the Knowlidge of the capitall Lawes accordeing to the Law of the Country also that they be educated in sum orthodox Catacise."
In 1645 John Eddy was appointed one of the two executors of the will of John Benjamin, his brother-in-law, whose estate on the banks of the Charles River was one of the largest in Watertown.

For over thirty years he was a member of the military company. When finally he was sixty-two years old and getting infirm he petitioned the court to be excused and understood that his petition had been granted. But much to his surprise he was one day summoned to training and found that he could be excused only by paying a fine. Thereupon he wrote the letter found in the Eddy Family Association Bulletin No. 3 on p. 32, in which he begs the authorities to give him youthful strength and vigor, if they expect the service of a young man.

Bond, in his Watertown History, states that on December 15, 1673 John Eddy "then 77 years of age asked to be excused from military training." If Bond's dates are correct, John Eddy must have been summoned a second time, when too old to serve. When John Eddy first settled in Watertown he came into possession of a Homesta11 of forty acres, which was situated on the north side of Mill St. (now Mt. Auburn St.). As time went on he received several grants and purchased several other pieces of property, so that he became a large landholder.

   "On Feb. 28, 1636 A grant of the Plowlands at Beverbroke Planes, Devided & Lotted out by the Freemen to all the Townsmen then inhabiting being 106 in number. Allowing one acre for a person, & likewise for cattle valued at 20 lb ye head, beginning next to the small lotts beyond the ware & bounded with the great lotts on the North side, & Charles River on the South devided by a cartway in the middest, the first iott to begin next to the River, the second on the north side of the Cartway, & so to be laid out successively untill all the lotts be ended. Granted to John Eddy Lot No. 12 Nine acres."

The Dividents mentioned in the following were four in number and comprised the land to the north of the "in lieu of township lands," which were to the north of the Oldham farms. They extended west from the western boundary of the present town of Waltham.

   "On July 25, 1636 a grant of the Great Dividents lotted out by the Freemen to all the townsmen then inhabiting being 120 in number, the land being divided into foure Divisions (Squadrons), every Division being 16o rods in breadth, beginning next to the Small Lotts and bounded with the Cambridge Line on the Northside, & the Plowland on the South, to be laid out successively one after another (all the Meddowes & Cartwaies only being excepted) for them to inclose or fedd in common." "In the Fourth Division Lott 10 John Eddy Fifty Acres." "June 26, 1637 A grant of the Remote or Westpine Meaddows devided & Lotted out by the Freemen to all the Townesmen then inhabiting being 113 in number allowing one acre for a person & likewise for cattle valued at 20 lb the head beginning next to Plaine Meddow & so to go on until] the Lotts be ended." "Granted to John Eddie Lott 44 Nine acres." "1642 3 mo 10 da. Ordered that all the Townes Men that had not Farmes laid out to formerly shall take them by Ten in a Division & to cast lotts for the seuerall Divisions allowing 13 Acres of Upland to every Head of Persons & cattle. John Eddy One Hundred twenty three acres. 

During the first fifteen years three inventories of the Watertown estates were taken. The first contains both grants and possessions, the second is of grants only, and the third of possessions only.

In the first inventory John Eddie was the owner of 1. An Homestall of forty Acres more or less bounded the South with Mill street the Southeast with Edward How the East with the highway the North west with Martin Underwood the West with Edward How & John Wincoll. 2. Foure Acres of Meddow more or les bounded the Southwest with the high way the Northeast with Richard Woodward & the Northwest with Richard Woodward & Edmond Blois. 3. Fifty Acres of upland being a great Divident in the 4 Division & the 10 lott, granted to him. 4. Twenty five Acres of upland being a great Divident in the 3 Division & the 11 lott 5. Nineteen Acres & halfe beyond the further Plaine & the 27 Lott granted to him, 6. Twelve Acres of Meddow in the remote Meddowes being the 43 & 44 Lotts. 7. A Farme of One Hundred & twenty three Acres vpland in the 8 Division granted to him.

Second Inventory 1644. John Eddie. 1. An Homestall of Sixteen Acres by estimation bounded the South with the Highway the South west with his owne the East with the highway the North west with Martin Underwood the West with Edward How & John Wincoll. 2. Two acres of Meddow by estimation & one Acre of Upland bounded the South west with the Highway the Noerthwest with Richard Woodward & Edmund Blois granted to him. 3. Fifty acres of upland by estimation being a great divident in the Fourth Division & the Tenth Lott granted to him. 4. Nineteen acres and halfe by estimation of Upland beyond the further Plaine & the twenty seven lott granted to him. 5. Nine acres of Remote Meddow by estimation & the Forty foure Lott granted to him. 6. Six acres of upland by estimation bounded the North & east with Edward How & the South with Martin Underwoood granted to him. 7. Two acres & one Rood of Marsh by estimation bounded the East with the River the West with the Bank Granted to him. 8. One acre & halfe of Meddow by estimation lying neere the litle Plaine by the Highway side granted to him. 9. Seven Acres of Plowland by estimation in the hither Plaine bounded the South with the River the North with the Highway the East with John Tomson & the West with Benjamin Crispe granted to him. 10. One acre & halfe of Meddow by estimation in Wards Meddow Bounded the North east with the highway the South east with Edward Garfield & Thomas Arnold Granted to him.

Third Inventory. John Eddye, 1. An Homestall of Twenty Acres by estimation bounded The South with Edward How the Northwest with his owne land the East with the Highway in his Possession. 2. Three acres of remote meddow by estimation & the forty third Lott in his possession. 3. Twenty Five Acres of Upland by estimation being a great Divident in the third Division & the Eleventh lott in his possession.

John Eddy appears in the Land Registry several times (Middlesex Co.):

   "I John Edy of Watertown have sould to John Knight one piece of meadow conteyning three acres and a half more or lesse, bounded on Sudbury path south, Isack Mixture's land on another side. By me John Eddy acknowledged the first (2) mo. 1651 before Increase Nowell. Also I John Eddy have sould the said John Knight one acre of meadow and a half more or lesse, bounded with Richard Beaches and the house that was Joseph Knights. By me John Eddy. Ack. 2.2 1651 before Increase Nowell" (Book 1, 23). "I John Edy of Watertown, yeoman, sell to T. Strayte lands in Watertown in a place commonly called land in lieu of Township, containing by estimate, 19 A. bounded westerly by Sudbury Road, southerly by Thomas Underwood, northwesterly by John Woodward and easterly by the highway. Dated Nov. 17, 1678. Signed by John Eddy sen'r and witnessed by Nathan Fiske." Ack. 9-18-1678. "John Edy of Watertown husbandman to T. Smith . one parcel of upland in Watertown about 30 acres and is part of a great divident in the 4th Division bounded east with John Thayers north with Cambridge land, west with Joseph Smith, south with Thomas Hastings." His wife Joanna signed the Deed. John signed with the spelling "Eddie." Israel Mead and Samuel Eddy were the witnesses. (Book 7, 260.) "I John Eddy for £13 and four score Acres of farm land sell two parcels of the Great Divident of Watertown; one parcel containing 25 acres in the third Squadron bounded with Hastings on the West; east with Anthony Perses and the other 20 acres, east on Philip Shattuck, west on John Whitney; south on John Dix and Cambridge line."

John Eddie and Joanna Eddie both signed and John Eddy and Samuel Eddy both witnessed the deed.

John Eddy's will was made about seven years before his death. A verbatim copy is here given. Middlesex Probate Records File #6825.

   "I John Eddie of Watertewne senr in the countie of middlesexe doe declare this to be my last Will and testament in manner and form as followeth I being at this present throw gods goodnes in sound memory and understanding though in bodily weakness I returne my Spirit unto god who gave it and my bodie to the earth from whence it came; and for my outward estate which god hath lent 'nee: my will is that my son Samuell Eddie should Inhabit my homestall being by estemation forty acres more or less with my dwelling house and barne and all the appertenances thereunto belonging: with seven acres of meadow and upland lieing right over against the Widdow Barnards house: provided that my sonn Samuell aforesaid does pay unto my sonn John Eddie thirty pounds in or as mony: the said thirty pounds to be paid five pounds to be paid the next yeere after my Death and so five pounds a yeere successively untell the said thirty pounds be fully paid: and whereas my son-in-laws John Miriam and Thomas Orton had a writeing of mee sometime in Aprill or may last wherein I did Ingage to my said sons in law to keepe them harmless or secure them or to that effect; if they the said John Meriam and Thomas Ortan would pay fore pounds which was for my son John aforesaid aboute the time of his being mariade: now if the said four pounds should be required of my executor then my will is that it should be part of the thirty pounds above said and so accounted to bee: Further I doe give and bequesth unto my son Samuell aforesaid: a lott of twelve acres of upland he it more or less lieing and being on the top of stonie brooke hill: which I did exchange with Thomas Smith the elder: which he hath promised mee in writeing to see it butted and bounded to mee or my successors: I give and bequeath unto my foure Daughters Marie Orton Sarah Miriam Pilgrim Steadman Ruth Gardner: a hundred acres of upland belt more or less beeing a farme tieing neer up-land called nonesuch and so lieing all along a farme belonging to the widdow Barnard: the said farme of a hundrid acres to be equally divided between my foure daughters aforesaid: furthermore I do give and bequeath unto my two sons aforesaid Samuell and John Eddie all my cattle and moveables within doors and without allso my wearing apparill linin and woollin to be equally devided betweene them two. Save only: whatever debts shall be owing unto mee from any after by Decease it shall fall into the hands of my Son Samuel] aforesaid as his peculiar estate: as for my Deare and well beloved wife I have a writeing under my hand and witness to it with the parteculars therein mentioned: what she shall injoy after my Death. Allso I doe give and bequesth unto my son John aforesaid fourscore and five acres of land being land called by the name of farme land be the same more or less in which fourscore and five acres thare is fore or five acres of meadow: which said land I exchanged with Philip Shattock and one of his brethren: for five and twenty acres of land that lieth betwee (-) that lot that was som time old father Perses and that lott now in the possion of Deacon Thomas Hastings: and nineteen acres more of land be it more or less that was part of my greate Devident: which two parcells of land namely the twentyfive acres and the nineteen acres aforesaid: I exchanged with Phillip Shattuck and one of his brethren as aforesaid: and they are to give mee a true title to the abovementioned forescore and five acres which is in compassed with the land of Christopher Grant Daniel Meatup and Jonathan Stimson: Further I doe nominate and appoynt my well beloved son Samuell Eddie above mentioned to be sole executor to this my last will and testament: and doe hartely request my loveing friends John Biscoe Nathan Fiske and William Bond to be overseers of this my will to the end that it may be performed according to the true intent thereof. finally I doe hereby authorize and Impower the above mentioned overseers to resolve any doubt or question that may at any time arise among any of the legateese concerned in this my will or any two of ye said overseers and if any of my legateese should not submit quietly to the judgment and determination of my overseeres or any two of them: then my will is that he or shee not so submiting should be cut off from haveing or Inioying any part of these legacies: but that it should be devided among those that doe submit as aforesaid: and it is my will my debts and funeral] charges bee before my moveables be devided be all clearid and discharged. And as a confermation to this my last will and testament I have hereunto set my hand and seale this: 11th January 1677. (Signed) John Eddie (Seal) In the presence of John Bisco John Warrin William Bond December 16: 84 Attested on oath by the witnesses. Tho: Danforth R. Endorsed: John Eddy's Will, x684 Recorded Lib. 6, fol. 2o; Vol. 6 fol. 301. Inventory, est. John (1) Eddy. Middlesex Probate; File #6825. 

The exact spot where the bodies of John and his wife Amy were buried is not known, but it is likely that they lie in the old burial plot of the town, which was set apart for the townsmen quite early in its history. The early graves there were often unmarked or marked by stones with no inscriptions.

Children: JOHN EDDY baptized at Nayland, Suffolk County, England on June 9, 1622. He was buried on February 8, 1623, at Nayland, Suffolk County, England (Church Register at Nayland.) JOHN EDDY baptized Mar. 29, 1624, at Nayland, Suffolk County, England. (Note: It is not known whether this John lived to grow up and marry or not). MARY EDDY baptized Mar. lo, 1625, at Nayland, Suffolk County, England. SARAH EDDY born in England. PILGRIM EDDY born Aug. 25, 1634, at Watertown, Massachusetts. (Watertown Records)and he died young. JOHN EDDY born February 16, 16337, at Watertown, Massachusetts. BENJAMIN EDDY buried 1639, at Watertown, Massachusetts. SAMUEL EDDY born September 30, 1640, at Watertown, Massachusetts. RUTH EDDY born probably at Watertown, Massachusetts. ABIGAIL EDDY born October 11, 1643 at Watertown, Massachusetts. She died before 1697 as she is not mentioned in her father's will.

Source: http://www.eddyfamily.com/index.php?title=John_Eddy_son_of_William

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=27160893

BIRTH FAMILY John Eddy. Born in Cranbrook, County Kent, England, to Mary (Fosten) and William Eddye*, Vicar of Cranbrook, Church of St. Dunstan. Fourth born child of eleven children (siblings): 1) Nathanaell (Nathaniel) (bapt. 1589) 2) Mary (bapt. 1591) 3) Phinias (bapt. 1593, d. bfr. 1641) 4) John (bapt. 1597) John Eddy of Watertown 5) Eleanor "Ellen" (bapt. 1599, d. 1610) 6) Abigail (bapt. 1601) 7) Anna (Anne) (bapt. 1603) 8) Elizabeth (bapt. 1606, d. aft. 1616) 9) Samuel (b. 1608, bapt. 1608, d. 1687). In genealogy records possibly referred to as "Samuel the Pilgrim". This Samuel is the father of John Eddy of Tisbury/Martha's Vineyard. 10) Zacharias (bapt. 1610, d. aft. 1616) 11) Nathaniel (bapt. 1611, d. 1611)

• See the NOTE 3 at the bottom of William Eddye's memorial for an explanation of the different spelling of the Vicar's surname.

FIRST FAMILY Married (#1) Amie Doget (or Amy, or Doggett) in England sometime after May 22, 1619. Sired ten or eleven children: ---Born in England: 1) Benjamin (bur. 1639) 2) John (bapt. 1622, d. 1622/23) 3) John(#2) (bapt. 1624, d. unkn, but thought to be in childhood) 4) Sarah (b. 1624, d. 1740) 5) Mary (bapt. 1625, d. 1683) ---Born in America: 5) Pilgrim (b. 1634, d. unkn)^ 6) Pilgrim (b. 1634, d. unkn)^ 7) John(#3) (b. 1636/37, d. unkn) 8) Samuel (b. 1640, d. 1711) 10) Abigail (b. 1643, d. bfr. 1677) 11) Ruth (b. 1645, d. unkn) ^ RE First Family: other research does not support the existence of two children named Pilgrim, and in all likelyhood there weren’t.

MIGRATION TO AMERICA On August 10, 1630 O.S.. John Eddy, his wife Amie, and daughters Mary and Sarah, set sail for America on the ship "Handmaid" from the Port of London England, along with John's younger brother Samuel (age 22), about sixty other passengers, and twenty-eight cows. After twelve rough weeks at sea, the Handmaid landed at Plymouth settlement, in the Colony of "New Plymouth" (now Massachusetts) on October 29, 1630 O.S. (see map).

On November 11, 1630 O.S., escorted by New Plymouth Colony's Military Advisor Capt. Myles Standish, John and Samuel traveled North to the town of Boston in order to establish residency in the Massachusetts Bay Colony**. Neither had the proper "dismissal papers" releasing them from the New Plymouth Colony, and after being refused entry, returned to Plymouth. Previous to February 26, 1631/32 O.S.. John obtained the proper papers and along with his family, resettled in the Bay Colony at Watertown (see map) just West of Boston.*** Genealogically speaking, John Eddy became "John Eddy of Watertown". Samuel remained in Plymouth until age 73 when he and wife Elizabeth moved West to Swansea in 1681 (see map).

• *Also known as the "Massachusetts Bay Company", for the institution that founded it.
  • *The land on which the original settlement of Watertown (originally called "Saltonstall Plantation") was built, is within the modern day city of Cambridge Massachusetts, not the modern day city of Watertown.

In 1632 one of John's younger sisters Abigail (Eddy) Benjamin and her family sailed to America on the ship "Lion" from Bristol England, and landed at Boston. John's sister Anna (Eddy) Wines (or Windes) and her family also immigrated to America at some point. Both sisters and their families settled in Watertown near John and his family.

SECOND FAMILY After the death of wife Amie (d. unkn), John married (#2) Joanna Meade (d. 1683) at Watertown MA.

PATERNAL ANCESTRAL PATH (John's father): William Eddye**, Vicar of Cranbrook, Cranbrook, County Kent, England (b. abt. 1560, d. 1616)

OTHER PEOPLE’S RESEARCH The following research is provided by Bill Boyington, creator of the original memorial:

John Eddy and wife Amy came over in 1630 to Plymouth, where he had a brother. He soon settled in Watertown and was admitted freeman in 1634; was Selectman the next three years. The homestall* was at the corner of Mount Auburn and Main Streets. It was against the law to make trips overland, and John probably went down to Plymouth in 1633 and explained his absence by pleading temporary loss of memory. (See Winthrop's Journal, I, 99.) He was again Selectman in 1670, at the age of seventy-seven he asked to be excused from training. (Great Little Watertown)

• An obsolete British word meaning "homestead"

NORTH AMERICAN EDDY’S Brothers John and Samuel, sons of William Eddye the earliest confirmed ancestor with the Eddy/Eddye surname and Eddy Family patriarch, are the North American patriarchs of the largest clan of North American Eddy's. Other large Eddy clans - those descendants related to John Eddy of Taunton MA (see map), and desendants related to John Eddy of Woodbridge NJ (of the Scotish Eddey line) are spread across the United States and Canada (see Note 2 below).

DNA tests have proven that "John Eddy of Taunton", "John Eddy of Woodbridge NJ", and "Joseph Eddy of Michigan" were not related to the family line of William Eddye.

DECIPHERING DATES Related specifically to dates in the above text, in order for any date noted as "O.S." ("Old Style"), to match our modern day "Gregorian" calendar one must add 10 days to any date between 1600-1700, and add 11 days to any date between 1700-1752. The modern day calendar was made law in 1752, thus any date after 1752 is based on our modern day calendar.

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Information provided on the pages accessed at the links below for (1) Amy Doggett Eddy, (2) Joanna Meade Eddy, and (3) Pilgrim Eddy Baker Steadman Eveleth has not been verified.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27160893/john-eddy