Peter Joseph Eastman

Peter Eastman

b. 20 January 1685/86, d. 29 September 1769, #25123 Pop-up Pedigree

Father Joseph Eastman b. 8 January 1650/51, d. 4 April 1692 Mother Mary Tilton b. 8 February 1642/43

Birth 20 Jan 1685/86 Peter was born on 20 January 1685/86 at Hadley, Hampshire county, Massachusetts.1,2

1692 His father died in 1692. Mother remarried. The "Genealogical Dictionary of New England" by Savage says that he went to New Jersey with mother and step father. The "Genealogy of Hadley" says that he married Mehitable Roots and THEN sent to Whipasung, NJ. or Whipanung. He did live in Suffield, CT after marriage, (Suffield was then part of Massachusetts) as five of his children were born there.3,4,5

Hadley, Massachusetts and Deerfield are very close together as you can see on this map. 1702

It does not seem likely that Peter was in Deerfield Massachusetts at the time that Deerfield was burned by the Indians in Feb 1702, but his brother Joseph WAS there and was taken to Canada by the French and Indians. His future wife, Mehitable Root may have been there. She was born in Deerfield.

           Deerfield Museum      Map of Deerfield

Marriage 28 November 1708 Peter Eastman, 22 years old, married Mehitable Root, who was 20 years old, daughter of Hezekiah Root and Mehitable Frary, 28 November 1708 in Deerfield, Franklin county, Massachusetts. "The History of Deerfield" gives date as 29 Nov 1708 as does "Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury". The "Genealogy of Hadley" gives 28 Nov 1708.6,7,8,1,9,5

Note They may have had 12 children, tho' we only have the names of 10.2,10

1715 "Rix" claims that Peter moved to New Jersey between the birth of Hezekah and Benjamin. Some sources say that Hezekah was born in NJ. No records of the children's birth were found by "Rix".2

14 October 1727 A Peter Eastman was the administrator of the estate of Samuel Jones of Hanover town, Hunterdon county, NJ. Adm. bond accepted 14 Oct 1727.12 Could be this Peter.

1730 After 1730 and likely after April of 1730, Peter returned to Connecticut and located in New Fairfield, as the proprietor's records of Cornwall show that he bought land there in 1738 and he was called "of New Fairfield."2 Cornwall is in Litchfield county, Connecticut.

29 April 1730 In the Inventory of the Estate of John Blancard of Elizabethtown, Essex, NJ recorded on 29 April 1730, a Peter Eastman is owned money, by bond.12

1739 In 1739 Peter sold the land in Cornwall, Litchfield county, Connecticut, "all right and titles". The History of the town of Cornwall says he "built the first house there and the first meeting of the proprietors was held at his house." These records also say that though this meeting was appointed to be at his house it was changed to another man's home.2 The above map shows the counties of the State of Connecticut. Litchfield and Fairfield are in the far west, next to New York State.

research 1740 Where did they live after they sold the land in Cornwall in 1739? Likely in New Fairfield, as the farm there became the property of son Joseph.

Death 29 Sept 1769 Peter died on 29 September 1769 at age 83. Rix could find no record of his death, but it is probable he died soon after he leased his last and only farm to his beloved son, Joseph.2,7,13 Several of his grandchildren, children of son Joseph, were married in New Fairfield, Connecticut. He is NOT listed on any cemetery readings that are available as of May of 2007.

Family Mehitable Root b. 24 May 1688 Children 1. Peter Eastman b. 3 Sep 1709, d. 4 Sep 1709

 	2. 	Mary Eastman b. 21 Mar 1709/10, d. 31 Mar 1710

 	3. 	Peter Eastman+ b. 16 Jun 1712, d. 1766

 	4. 	William Eastman b. 14 Aug 1714, d. Dec 1714

 	5. 	Hezekiah Eastman b. 10 Feb 1715/16

 	6. 	Azariah Eastman+ b. 1718

 	7. 	Benjamin Eastman+ b. Jan 1718/19, d. 1 Apr 1814

 	8. 	Joseph Eastman+ b. Sep 1724, d. 15 Dec 1802

 	9. 	Ann Eastman b. 1733, d. 28 Aug 181914

 	10. 	Mehitable Eastman b. 1738, d. c 183714 There may have been one child named TILDEN or Tildon.  No documentation. 		

Citations

  1. Download, Eleanor Howell <e-mail address> Ancestry.com Feb 2002.

  2. [S9108] Guy S. Rix, Rix.

  3. [S9302] Savage, Genealogical Dictionary of New England.

  4. [S9671] "Duplicated sheets from The Genealogies of Hadley. One sheet of Eastmans.".

  5. [S9275] Genealogy of Hadley Families.

  6. [S9107] Sheldon, History of Deerfield.

  7. Compiled by George Eastman. Eastman site 21 April 1998 until Sept 1998., 21 April 1998, via eMail. No hard copy.

  8. Download, http://www.gendex.com/users/geastman/eastman/d0024/g0000011.html#I0....

  9. [S9144] SalisburyFamilies.

 10. [S9188] "Pages, from ALMA KELLY, in South Wayne, Wis. No documentation.".

 11. [S9182] "Map of Deerfield, MA; Current map but gives lines of old town as it was in 1704.".

 12. [S9334] "Notes from "New Jersey Calendar of Wills" Not necessarily all that relate to family lines.".

 13. [S9098] Eastman Lebrecht, "Rix extractions by E. Lebrecht".

 14. [S9964] Mary Emily Eastman, PeterEastmanRecords, p 1.

Shortly after they were married, Peter and Mehitable moved to Suffield, Massachusetts (now part of the State of Connecticut). Here they had the following children; Peter, Mary, Peter, William, and Hezekiah, who was born February 5, 1715. Of these five children, the second Peter and Hezekiah were the only ones who survived infancy.

Walter G. Ashworth