The family of Samuel Eddy 1608-1687

 Samuel Eddy, the immigrant, came to Plymouth in 1630 with his brother John, but likely not with his wife Elizabeth, who may or may not have been a Savory prior to her marriage.  Samuel and John were children of Rev. John and Mary Fosten Eddy(e), and had been raised mostly in Cranbrook, Kent, England.  Samuel and Elizabeth were Puritans and likely Separatists, also, given that they went to Plymouth and not further north.  With Samuel arriving in 1630 and the first child not being born until 1637, he may have married here, or he may have returned to England to bring a wife back to New England. 

I have seen anywhere from 5 to 9 children listed as being the children of Samuel and Elizabeth. Part of the confusion may be that Samuel's brother John, plus another John Eddy of Taunton, used many of the same names for their children.  I am listing 5 children here, which may not be a complete list, Tese birthdates range from 1637 to 1645.

John was the first born son.  He married Alice Brotherton, the daughter of Thomas and Ellen Brotherton.  Their children were Alice, Sarah, Hepzibah, Amy, Hannah, Beulah, and Abigail.  This family lived at Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard.  

Zachariah was born in 1639 at Plymouth.  He first married Alice Paddock, the daughter of Robert and Mary Holmes Paddock.  They had eight children together, and lived in Swansea, Massachusetts.  The children are Zachariah, Samuel, Elizabeth, Ebenezer, Caleb, Joshua, Obadiah, and Alice.  His wife Alice died prior to September 1692, when Zachariah married Abigail Montgomery, the widow Smith.  There are no known children from this marriage.  I will write more of this family in my next post.

Caleb was born in 1643 and died in 1713, still in Swansea.  He married Elizabeth Bullock, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Ingraham Bullock.  Their children are Samuel, Elizabeth, Hannah, Zachariah, and Mary.  This is another Swansea family.

Obadiah was the last born son, in 1645.  He married Bennett Ellis, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Freeman Ellis.  Their children are John, Hazadiah, Benjamin, Mary, Samuel, Jabez, Joel, Bennet, Elizabeth, Hannah, and Zachariah.   This family stayed in Plymouth.

Elizabeth was their only daughter, born in 1649.  She married Jonathan Lombard, the son of Joshua and Abigail Linnell Lombard.  Their children were Alice, Ebenezer, Abigail, Samuel, Hannah, and Beulah.  This family lived primarily in Swansea, Massachusetts.

There are two time periods here of four years when no children were born to Samuel and Elizabeth.  It is possible that there were unsuccessful pregnancies or that infants died at a very young age during each of these times.  I've seen Hannah suggested as a child of theirs but I can find no documentation for that name.  

If this list is accurate and complete, Samuel and Elizabeth had 37 grandchildren.  The Eddy name was well known in the area for many generations, and we can be grateful for their lives.