The Eaton
Families Association
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Inside This
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1 2 |
We're Off . . .! The FitzAlans and Eatons |
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6 |
Heraldry |
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7 |
Research Tips |
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8 |
Biography: Wm. Hadley Eaton |
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Six Degrees of Separation |
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We're Off and Almost Ready to be On-line!
I am writing this on June 5th,
hopefully for inclusion in our June newsletter. As I write, my excitement is
mounting. This is because, by June 30th, we should launch our Eaton Families
Association web site - without a doubt the single most important benefit of
Membership (aside from the relationships the Association enables us to form).
The URL will be
eatongenealogy.com or eatonfamilies.com. Either may be used.
It's been a long time coming, but it will be worth the wait. We Eatons and
related family members have developed a truly first-class site in terms of
worthwhile content, and truly one that we intend to be the best
genealogy-related site available on the World Wide Web. Our work, going
forward, will be focused on refinement and, more importantly, on expanding the
site-based archives to include the collected material of numerous members as
well as original source documents.
The site was developed by Barbara Fitzsenry, our (acting) vice president and
web editor, with invaluable support and assistance from many Executive
Committee members; the technical expertise of Keith Berry of the Nova Scotia
Eatons; Bill Baldwin, a Seattle computer technology pro and web host; and Steve
Glorit, Barbara's co-webmaster. A special acknowledgment as well to Joe Cochoit,
our (acting) vice president/archivist, whose valuable gedcom file we will be
using to start our database. That we will shortly reach this milestone with
comparatively little investment considering the broad features and
functionality of the site is a remarkable achievement, and we owe a debt of
gratitude to Barbara and to everyone who assisted her. None of this would be
possible, however, without all of the dedicated Eaton family members who have
provided moral encouragement and remained patient and faithful to our endeavors
over the many months. Thanks as well to all who have provided essays, stories
and articles about your Eaton ancestors and who will continue to give of their
time, effort and material. You truly demonstrate the meaning of "Family."
When completed, " . . . including progressive redesigns to improve the
look," says Barbara, our web site will clearly be superior to many of the
amateur sites that dot the web. Our small, but prudent investment, coupled with
major technology woes, slowed the process to be sure, but I think Members will
agree that the wait, though painful, has been worth it. The outcome will be
wonderful and will grow.
Why will our site be special?
One: Our family newsletter, The "New" Etonian,
published monthly, will be a major part of our web site with plans to be
electronically e-mailed to major libraries throughout the country.
Two: The Archives, overseen by Joe
Cochoit. Many of us are already providing hand-typed vital records to Joe for
archiving, so they will be searchable. For example, if you want to find information
on Nicholas Eaton of Shropshire, all you have to do is type in the keywords,
click on "search," and presto, everything that has been entered about
the various Nicholas Eatons will appear on screen.
Three: A private (for Members only) chat room where we can let
our hair down and discuss any family matters without being "audited"
by everyone else on the web.
Four: A linked bulletin board. Although we have elected *not* to
reinvent the wheel by providing our own bulletin board, we have decided to
provide a direct link to the Eaton discussion forum at genealogy.com, a
bulletin board which most of us currently use and rely upon. Our link will take
us directly from our site to the genforum.genealogy.com site where we can post
to our hearts' content, returning to our own Association site at will by
presetting our web address in advance to "Favorites."
Five: A master database of over 20,000 names based on Joe
Cochoit's gedcom file, a carefully documented work accumulated over many years.
You can comment on this work on the genforum link, or contribute to the file
yourself by writing to Joe at cochoit@aol.com.
Six: Searchable articles, biographies, research tips on Eaton
people and places.
Seven: A web site that will continue to grow and expand as we
consider the needs of Members. We can only be limited by the extent of our
imaginations and our willingness to provide the best always for family.
And, soon, you can get rid of me, if you like, because our much-delayed annual
meeting, with a real election of officers, can finally be held online in our
own chat room! (We will need to set a new date for the Annual Meeting because
it sure didn¹t happen in March as planned.)
You can make recommendations, contribute material or otherwise comment on the
site by writing to Barbara at b.fitzsenry@attbi.com
You can write to me about any Association matter at eaton.noble@cshore.com
I'm excited; I hope you are too. I'm grateful (for all that has been
accomplished); I hope you are too. I'm filled with love for my family --
closely or distantly related; I hope you are too. I'm embarking on an adventure
across new frontiers; I hope you too are ready and that, together, we can make
progress never before possible.
Rick Eaton
(Acting) President
Guilford, Connecticut, USA
Of the Dedham and Dover Eatons
P.S: I'm thinking about a family
reunion in 2005. I hope you are too...and I hope someone will volunteer to be
taking this initiative on as chairperson. If you're the one, please write to me
at eaton.noble@cshore.com. It is
time to start exploring and planning now.
The FitzAlans and Eatons in
The County Palatine of Cheshire, England
By Alan Garner, Eaton Hall, Blackden, Cheshire
ARGUMENT:
It starts, since we must start somewhere, fairly arbitrarily
in the township of Wimbolds Trafford in the Hundred of Roelau, in Domesday, now
the modern Hundred of Eddisbury, Cheshire. At an early period, this township
became annexed to the estates of the FitzAlans, Earls of Sussex. (It is not
possible, under English law, to be the Earl of anything but a County. Cheshire
is peculiar, in that it is, properly, "The County Palatine of
Chester.") The FitzAlans held the
township in right of their court at Dunham, under whom the Bruyns of Bruen
Stapleford held the manorial estate of Wymbolds Trafford in the reign of Henry
III. IPQ [Inquisition post mortem] 35 Edward III [1362]: Roger de Bruyn holds
jointly with his wife, Lucia, a fourth part of the lordship of
Wymbaldestroghford from Richard, Earl of Sussex, by military service.
Dunham
on the Hill. The FitzAlans, connected by marriage
to the Earls of Chester, appear to have been the first grantees of this manor.
Dunham now became head of an extensive local seigniory, comprising the manors
of Alvanley, Helsby, Mickle, Trafford, Wimbolds Trafford, Hoole and Hapsford.
John FitzAlan, between 1208 and 1226, confirms an alienation of Alvanley to
Philip de Orreby, as capital lord in right of Dunham, John had earlier assigned
to his mother, Matildis de Verdun, "domina de Arundel," all his
rights in the manor of Troghford, as a dower, but she gave them back to him.
John died in 1226 or 1229. He was the son of William FitzAlan, Baron of
"Clun and Oswaldestre," and married Isabel, sister and heir of Hugh
de Albini (d.1243), whose elder brother, William (d.1235), married Mabel,
daughter of Hugh, Earl of Chester John's line descends as follows: John (b.14
Sept. 1245, d.20 March 1272), married Isabel, daughter of Roger Mortimer, who
survived him and married secondly Ranulph de Arderne, and died at Marham, 1282
John left issue Richard FitzAlan, (b.2 Feb. 1265, d.1301) Richard's sister,
Alianor, married successively Sir Richard de Arundel and Henry, Lord Percy. By
his wife, Alisia, daughter of the Marquis of Saluzzo, Richard FitzAlan had:
Edmund FitzAlan, Earl of Sussex, who was taken prisoner at Shrewsbury (by means
of Roger, Lord Mortimer), and was beheaded at Hereford, or possibly Bristol. 20
Edward II [1327]. Richard FitzAlan, son of Edmund, subsequently recovered his
estates and was restored in blood by Edward III. This Richard granted in trust
to Thomas Yonge, escheator of Cheshire, the manors of Hoole, Mickle Trafford,
and Dunham, 29 Edward III. [1345] Richard's son, Richard, Earl of Sussex, was
born 1347/8, and was beheaded for treason 21 September 1397 His son, Thomas, Earl
of Sussex, died without issue, at Agincourt, 13 October 1415, and was buried at
Arundel. He held in demesne, as of fee tail, Stony Dunham and Mykull Troghford
from the King as Earl of Chester, by military service. The line continued,
through male cousins, but does not concern this present account, except to add
as an aside that the Talbots later acquired a good part of the estates of
FitzAlan above.
The other townships mentioned at the start are all similarly intertwined feudally, but what they add to the drive of the story must wait. The exception is Alvanley. The Earls of Chester removed the Domesday Saxon holder of Alvanley, Leuric, and took the place briefly into their own hands; but by the time of King John the FitzAlans were lords of Alvanley. Philip Orreby the Elder, afterwards Justice of Chester, bought the entire vill from the FitzAlans between 1208 and 1226, and John FitzAlan confirmed the sale to him by charter. The witnesses were: Lord Hugh, Abbot of Chester; Warin de Vernon; William de Venables. Philip de Orreby, son of the above Philip, married Leuca, daughter and sole heiress of Roger de Montalt, and of his wife, Cicely, the daughter and eventual coheiress of William, Earl of Sussex. Philip had one child, a daughter, who married Walkelin de Arderne, son of Sir John de Arderne of Aldford. By this match with Orreby, the Grosvenor MSS. authenticate this connection with the Orrebies (leading through coheiresses to the blood of the Earls of Sussex and Chester, and the Dukes of Normandy. All that needs to be recorded here is that the Ardernes had always been powerful, and remained so for centuries hereafter -- and that, the IPM of Sir John de Arderne of Alford and Alvanley, record that he married 23 Edward III [1350], as second wife, Joan, or Jane, daughter and coheir of Sir Richard de Stokeport, Baron Stokeport, and widow of Sir Nicholas de Eton. She bore: 1. Sir Nicholas de Eton, who died without issue (4 Edward III [1331]); 2. Robert de Eton, living, married to Isabel (14 Edward III [1341]); 3. John de Eton (all died without issue); 4. Richard de Eton, whose only child died in infancy; 5. Cecily de Eton, who married John de Arderne but was divorced by him (he died without issue), and she married Sir Edward Warren of Poynton. All the preceding has been a prologue to Pulford.
Pulford, in Domesday, was divided between the secular canons of St. Werbugh [Chester Cathedral-to-be] and Hugh FitzOsborne. Within a generation or two, Hugh's portion had itself been divided between the Ormesbees (who are said by some authorities to be the same family as Orreby, but spelt differently. [In the end it doesn't matter, unless your hobby is counting angels on the heads of pins.]); and they are the same family as the Pulfords.
The Pulfords were the blood descendants of Hugh FitzOsborne,
who was himself the son of Osberne FitzTezzon, who was the direct ancestor of
the Boydells. The estates of Ormesbee/Orreby and Pulford were united by a grant
of Ralph de Ormesbee, 28/9 Henry III [1245], to Robert de Pulford, of the
castle of Pulford, and all the lands within and without the vill of Pulford,
for his homage and service. (Grosvenor
MSS, XXI, 5, p.102.)
Brother, and/or cousin, of this Robert was Hamo(n) de
Pulford, the ancestor of the Etons of Eton. Hamo was followed by three
successive Roberts [this may be where the missing Robert (De Eyton) is hiding],
the last of whom was father of John de Pulford, in whom the male line failed,
but was carried on by a cadet line who had retained the name of Orreby, not Ormesbee
and had quietly been getting on with begetting. This produced a confusion that
must be mentioned but is too tortuous to unravel here. In 1190 and in 1210,
Richard, son of Richard de Pulford, was a grantee of Orreby lands; and in the
reign of Richard I, or possibly John, Herbert de Orreby granted land to Richard
de Pulford and his wife Sibil; then, in 1261, Fulk de Orreby granted land to
"Sybil de Pulford widow". The logic, though tortuous, leads to the
conclusion that the one Richard was identical with the other. To the point:
Richard-the-son was the direct ancestor of the Eton Pulfords, by marriage to
the heiress of the original Etons of Eton.
That is so complex that it should be stated more simply.
However, simplicity does not do away with accuracy. A family tree would have a
main trunk as follows: Richard de Pulford, alias de Orreby has a son, Richard,
who marries Sybil, daughter of William, son of William de Eton, and heiress of
her brother William de Eton. Their son is Hamo(n) de Pulford, whose son is
Richard de Pulford, ancestor of the Etons of Eton. And it is here that heraldry
is clearer than language. And so to Eaton . . .
The main candidate for the first mention of this place name
is in "Codex Diplomaticus", vol. vi, pp.253; which describes how
Leofric, duke of Mercia [husband of Godiva], in 1043 granted by charter to the
monks of Coventry: "Eton iuxta aquam quae dicitur Dee in Cestriae
provincia": "Eton next to the water that is called Dee in the county
of Chester."
In Domesday, Eaton is held by Ilbert; but not for long,
since, by implication, the Pulfords were soon in the saddle. The implication
lies in a Pulford's grant of land in Eaton within three generations; and in
order to be able to give land away you must first possess it; which, in this
case, would mean not long after Domesday. Eaton came to the Pulfords through
grants by the Pichot and Rullos families, who were the immediate male
descendants of Domesday Ilbert.
The potential for further confusion in Eaton lies in the
strong implication that there was, quite normally, a family called Eaton living
there who were in no way related to the main Eaton power that became
established through Pulford. The convergence of Pulford/Eaton is best done by a
family tree.
William de Eton, lord of Eton (and called son of William)
fails immediately in the male line, and his daughter, Sybil de Eton, living a
widow 1261, had married Richard de Pulford, alias de Orreby, who was the son of
Richard de Pulford, alias de Orreby, known 1190, alive 1210 and 1220. From
them: Hamon de Pulford, lord of Eton, living 1217 and 1286. From him: Richard
de Pulford, alias de Eton, lord of Eton. From him: Richard de Pulford alias de
Eton, living 1300. From him: Richard de Eton, lord of Eton, with whom the name
of Pulford stopped. And so on, until the present wealthiest individual in
Britain, the Duke of Westminster. (And
he earns every penny.)
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
The family known as Eaton is ancient and well attested.
However, it would be confusing to think in modern terms that the
first-mentioned Eaton is the earliest. We have to remember that we are dealing
with a feudal society of extraordinary complexity. To take a name could be an
act of fealty, an act of opportunism, an act of prudence. Here is where
heraldry reigns, because the laws of heraldry are stringent, and are explicit
in their visual detail and imagery. It is noted in the Grosvenor MSS. that the
Etons, Pulford and Boydells bore the same coats of arms, with their heraldic
"differences," but all
are variations of the cross patonce: the square cross with
trefoil ends to the arms. It is said that the three families did this to show
their lineage direct. This has survived most categorically in the Boydell line,
simply because of the happy chance of history. The cross patonce belongs to
Osbert FitzHugh, to his father Hugh FitzOsberne, to his father Osberne
FitzTezzon, who came from Normandy in 1066. There is one objection here, which
has to be accepted, but can then be set aside, with reservations.
The objection is that the earliest known example of a
heraldic device dates from 1128, in France. So it is, strictly, not possible to
say that the Cheshire Anglo-Norman families are, at the time we know them to
have been active, connected on the evidence of their shared heraldic coats.
However, the date of 1128 can't have sprung out of nothing. The device is a
fully developed piece of heraldry; and so it is fair to argue that heraldic
coats were in use in Cheshire at the time of Domesday (1086), although no
heraldic decoration is to be seen on The Bayeux Tapestry, which was embroidered
by English women. We should look at the list of townships involving the
heraldic "kin" on the map. Something then becomes plain. The
townships are strategically placed for the defense of the Cheshire boundary
between England and Wales. And the toughest man held the hottest seat in
Cheshire. I don't want to say much about this until you have responded to the
names I slung at you, other than that I think the resolution of your being
self-styled "stuck" in Shropshire may lie here. The Baron of Malpas,
Robert FitzHugh in 1086, held Malpas. Although it is not stated in Domesday,
the Grosvenor MSS record him as holding Eaton, too, before the Orreby/Pulfords
were in charge. This is not the conflict that it may seem. Robert had plenty to
chew on without taking rents from Eaton. A plausible reason for his having a
finger in the pie is that he could call on men to help him look after his
estates in Cheshire and Shropshire. His coat of arms was a cross patonce, at
its plainest, which is always a sign of seniority. The various cadet lines had
to "difference" themselves. Big Daddy had no need. My "best
fit" working hypothesis at the moment is that there was a knitted family
of nobles who had every reason to look after each other, both at home and in
battle. They were an élite, with whom nobody messed. They had castles at
Malpas, Doddleston, Alford and Pulford. On the ground, it all makes military
sense. But what can an Eaton get from all this apart from indigestion? Quite a
lot, I'd say.
On the present evidence, and the evidence that is coming
together, any Cheshire or Shropshire Eaton, who can produce documentary proof
of origin in that area, must be a direct descendent of that gang of frontier
Viking thugs. I find it immaterial, and futile, to go chasing after any given
scrap of royalty. Whether an Eaton should be a Pulford, an Orreby, a Boydell or
a FitzAlan is nit picking of the most blinkered kind, which prevents the wider,
more wonderful landscape from unfolding. I shall, no doubt, change my mind when
the next bit of vellum appears and undoes my world. But, until then, I don't
think that better can, or should, be done. It is one enormous story that any
Eaton should embrace with joy. I do, and I merely live in one of their halls.
Editor’s
Note (Rick Eaton):
Alan Garner, a former Oxford scholar, lives at Eaton Hall, near
Goostrey, in Cheshire, UK. He was born in Cheshire in 1934. Goostrey is near
Alderly Edge, the setting for most of his mythological fantasies, most popular
in the U.K. and, unfortunately, not as well known in the U.S. Because of his
intense interest in the people, history and lore of the setting for his works
(Cheshire), including his own modernized, 15th century home, Alan has taken an
interest in the Eatons and has been generous in sharing information and
offering guidance to us. He is a close friend of our Association’s (acting)
president, Rick Eaton, who requested and received permission to reprint the
above essay. Rick indicates that, again with permission, he intends to post
other informative information and comment provided by Alan as our web site progresses. Garner does not believe the Stockport Eatons
referenced in this essay are actually Eatons and has successfully presented
that position against some assertions to the contrary. His research, including
inspection of an original deed, suggests to him that the writing of the name
Stone was mistaken as Eaton and, possibly, since the latter name was of
considerable importance in Cheshire, the Warwickshire Stone elected to keep the
misnomer. Also, he looked at the question from the perspective of heraldry
found that his conclusion was supported by armorial bearings.
The following novels to his credit, including his first, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen. Others
are: The Moon of Gomrath (1963), Elidor (1965), The Owl Service (1967), Red
Shift (1973) and The Stone Quartet (1988).
Other work includes a collection of stories, A Bag of Moonshine (1986) and works of short fiction, Feel Free (1967) and The Edge of the Ceiling (1978). Working
with archaeologists in his home country, Alan is conducting a dig on the
grounds of his Blackden property, with evidence to date suggesting a
documentable history dating to the Iron Age.
P.S.: As a tribute to the contributions made by Alan Garner, not only for this essay, but also for his support of all our association's genealogical endeavors, I would like to pass on the following letter sent recently to Mr. Garner:
"Dear
Alan:
On behalf of the Eaton Family Association and as a result of receiving word
from Don Eaton of his receipt of a unanimous vote approving a motion to this
effect, I am delighted to announce to you that you have been elected a
non-voting Honorary Member of the Eaton Families Association.
No other person has been accorded this honor and I seriously doubt that any
other will achieve such status in the near future.
While this award is clearly in recognition of your benevolent interest in and
support of Eaton Families genealogical study, the motion recommending the award
gave no reason for it; that is, the reasons were so obvious and compelling, and
underlying regard for you so high, that no explanation was needed.
I might add that the good character, clear vision and sensibilities of the
Eaton peoples is evidenced by the unanimous vote.
It is important to note that your name will be listed among Charter (founding)
Members (which membership will no longer be available after June 30) on the
Association web site,
indicating also your honorary status.
You will otherwise be entitled to all benefits and privileges of Membership,
including unobstructed access to the web site and its archived material,
receipt of the newsletter and use of the chat room and bulletin board features.
The web site will be launched on June 30. The URL will be
eatongenealogy.com; also eatonfamilies.com. Either may be used.
We have been enhanced by your generosity and now, and in the future, we may be
proud to have you with us as an honored member of our family circle.
Rick Eaton"
(Acting)
President
Eaton Families Association
Heraldry
The
fascinating art of heraldry, with its special rules and methods, its system of
symbols denoting prominent families and institutions, and its display of pageantry,
has intrigued people for centuries. Evidence of it exists throughout Europe on
everything from stained glass to pub signs.
Shield: The colors and charges are a part of the blazon. Shield shapes vary according to the geographical origin as well as the time period.
Mantle: This is said to represent the clothe that hung from the wreath and protected the back of the head and neck, even though it may often be depicted more like the leaves of a plant.
Supporters: Two animals, birds or persons appearing on either side of shield
Crest: The crest is whatever appears above the helm. (Note that there is not always a crest for every coat of arms.)
Helm: The helmet varies with the bearer's rank or the century.
Wreath: The wreath usually consists of the primary color and metal.
Colors:
Heraldic
Modern
Meaning
Purpure
Purple
Justice, Sovereignty, Regal
Gules
Red
Warrior, Martyr, Military Strength
Azure
Blue
Strength, Loyalty
Vert
Green
Hope, Loyalty in Love
Sanguine
Maroon
Victorious, Patient in Battle
Tawny
Orange
Worthwhile Ambition
Sable
Black
Constancy, Grief
Metals:
Or
Gold
Noble, the Sun. Originally only princes could wear it.
Argent
Silver
Sincerity, Peace, the Moon
Shapes and Styles of Shields:
Name
Description
Represents
Chief
a bar across the top of the shield
Dominion, authority, wisdom, achievement in battle
Pale
a center column on the shield - top to bottom
Military strength, fortitude
Bend
a column from a top corner to opposite bottom corner
A Knights scarf - signifies Defense
Fess
a center column - left to right
Signifies the Military Belt - represents Honor
Chevron
a column shaped like ^
Roof of a house - signifies Protection, faithful service
Cross
self explanatory, top to bottom, left to right
Christian, one who had served in the Crusades
Saltire
an x-shaped cross going corner to corner
St. Andrew's cross, signifying Resolution
Pile
A "V" shape on the front
Wood used in bridge building - signifies construction, building
Canton
a small square located in the upper corner
A flag 'added' to the arms, and may contain a charge granted by a Sovereign
Bordure
a border around the shield
Honor, as used to differentiate between family members
Research Tips
When you are researching information about your ancestors,
you may or may not keep notes on what you find as you go along. Of course, this
takes a little more time and attention to detail, but have you ever come across
some previous research you now realize is vital to your family’s history, but
couldn’t remember where it came from? How can you retrace your steps? Or has
someone, who swore he had the latest and greatest, ever given you information
but had no idea from whence it came?
How can you trust this information and how can you verify it?
To some this may not be of any great concern, but to most
serious genealogists, sourcing is the best way to validate the information we
find. No matter how casual you are about studying your family’s history, referencing
the proof for each fact you find may later prove invaluable to you. Good
documentation will also serve as a reminder of what sources you have already
reviewed so you do not duplicate your efforts.
Sourcing also ties the genealogy community together; we are
then able to rely on another’s work whether it is a year later or whether
several centuries have past. It is especially important when sharing family
information or history as it provides a level of confidence in the accuracy of
the information. It also provides the means with which to determine the best
source if there is a difference of opinion. Of course, if you decide to publish
your findings, proper documentation is crucial. Most hereditary societies such
as the Daughters/Sons of the American Revolution require such proof and will
ask you to provide source information according to their guidelines. Sourcing
will provide the measure of worth given to your findings, especially if that
information is new or unusual.
Sourcing can be as simple or as complex as you choose to
make it. There are many good references available on the ways and means to cite
your resources. If you plan to publish your work formally, it would be best to
use one of these as a guideline or to follow the recommendations of the
National Genealogical Society which are:
·
record the source for each item of
information you collect;
·
test every hypothesis or theory against
credible evidence, and reject those that are not supported by the evidence;
·
seek original records, or reproduced images
of them when there is reasonable assurance they have not been altered, as the
basis for your research conclusions;
·
use compilations, communications and
published works, whether paper or electronic, primarily for their value as
guides to locating the original records;
·
state something as a fact only when it
is supported by convincing evidence, and identify the evidence when
communicating the fact to others;
·
limit with words like
"probable" or "possible" any statement that is based on
less than convincing evidence, and state the reasons for concluding that it is
probable or possible;
·
avoid misleading other researchers by
either intentionally or carelessly distributing or publishing inaccurate
information;
·
state carefully and honestly the
results of your own research, and acknowledge all use of other researchers’
work;
·
recognize the collegial nature of
genealogical research by making your work available to others through
publication, or by placing copies in appropriate libraries or repositories, and
by welcoming critical comment;
·
consider with an open mind any new
evidence or the comments of others on your work and the conclusions you have
reached.
If you are sharing the information more informally, then
you must at least provide enough information so that any other person can find
and follow your source. This usually includes:
·
Author
·
Title
·
Publisher's name and location
·
Publication date
·
Location of the source and identifying
information (e.g., the library where you found a book and its call number)
·
Specific information for the piece of
data you found (page number, line number)
Some of this information, however, may not always be
available. For example, for census information, record the roll and page number
of the microfilm or make a copy of the particular record. Another problem is
the electronic source such as the World Wide Web, CD-ROMs, and e-mail. A good
reference for this type of citation is Elizabeth Shown Mills’ new book Evidence – Citation & Analysis for the
Family Historian. This book includes citation fundamentals and an analysis
of source material with examples of types and media.
Sourcing and documentation are definitely extra work, but
they are the backbone of genealogy. Take your time to prove your information
and give all your hard work the value it deserves by leaving a proper and
well-documented legacy for those who follow.
For more information on citing genealogical resources, read
RootsWeb’s Creating Worthwhile Genealogies or
John Wylie’s "How to Cite Sources"
Biography:
William Hadley Eaton
William
H. Eaton was born in Woodstock, Connecticut on February 23, 1764, son of
Nathaniel and Sarah Eaton. He descended from the line of John Eaton and Abigail
Damont of Dedham, Massachusetts. He was grandson of Nathaniel Eaton and Esther
Perry. His father, a schoolmaster and farmer, moved his family to Mansfield,
Massachusetts in 1774, and in 1780, at the age of 16, William enlisted in the
American army.
He is listed in the registry of the D.A.R. as having served during the
Revolution: "William: b. 2-23-1764 CT d. 6-1-1811 MA m. Eliza (Sykes)
Danielson Pvt. CT." He was promoted to sergeant and was mustered out in
1783. He graduated Dartmouth in 1790 and served as clerk of the Massachusetts
House of Delegates where he remained until 1797. During this time, American
shipping was almost defenseless against various privateers and, as part of the
remedy, William was appointed U.S. consul to Tunis by President Adams in 1797
to uphold the rights of the United States in the matters of tribute money and
to secure immunity from the piratical Tunisians. He returned to the United
States in 1803 and was appointed U.S. naval agent to the Barbary States by
President Jefferson. He accompanied the naval fleet to the Mediterranean in
1804, and upon arriving at Tripoli, found that pasha Hamet had been deposed by
his brother, Jussuf Caramalli, and had fled to safety in Egypt. William
obtained the sanction of the U.S. government and the cooperation of the U.S.
navy and undertook a mission to reinstate Hamet. Eaton gathered a mixed force
of about 500 men and marched 600 miles across the Libyan Desert to Derne and
then to Bomba, where the Argus and the Hornet were in wait under Commodore
Isaac Hull. On April 27, 1805, they opened fire upon the fortifications of the
town, drove the Tripolitans from their guns, and the land forces under Eaton
won the day. Commodore Hull then raised the U.S. flag over the captured
fortifications and turned the guns on the town. During this assault Eaton was
severely wounded, but the town was occupied by his forces and continued
skirmishes with the enemy for several weeks. He then prepared to fall upon
Tripoli by a rapid march, when he received news of a negotiation of peace made
by U.S. Consul-General Lear with the reigning bey. Hamet retired to Syracuse,
and his brother retained the custody of Hamet's wife and children. The action
of Consul-General Lear was characterized by Eaton as treachery to his
government and a betrayal of her interests. On his return to the United States
Consul Eaton was well received by the people and President Jefferson mentioned
him honorably in his message to congress. He had attained the rank of Brigadier
General for his efforts, but Congress refused him compensation for his
pecuniary losses or such recognition of his services as he deemed his action
warranted. The state of Massachusetts, however, granted him 10,000 acres of
land and the King of Denmark presented him with a gold box for securing the
release of the Danish captives. NOTE: The line in the marine anthem,
"...to the shores of Tripoli" commemorates General William Hadley
Eaton's ill-fated exploits there.
William married Elizabeth Sykes, widow of General Timothy Danielson. William
and Elizabeth had 6 children. His son, Nathaniel Eaton, born August 30, 1804,
graduated from the U. S. military academy in 1827, but left the army in 1837,
and was port warden of St. Louis, Maine from 1850 till 1877. Nathaniel died in
Alton, Illinois on March 29, 1883.
Aaron Burr endeavored to enlist General Eaton in his scheme of a southwestern
empire and, later during Burr's trial in Richmond, Va., Eaton became a
principal witness against him. He afterward represented Brimfield in the
Massachusetts legislature and died in Brimfield on June 1, 1811. William Eaton
was the subject of a Whittier poem and was the namesake of the town of Eaton,
New York. For more information on William Eaton, see Life of General Eaton
by Festus Foster (Brookfield, 1813), and a memoir by President Cornelius C.
Felton in Sparks' American Biographies.
William's first cousin, Amos, was born in Chatham, New York on May 17, 1776,
son of Capt. Abel and Azuba (Hurd) Eaton; grandson of Nathaniel and Esther
(Perry) Eaton; and great-grandson of Thomas and Lydia (Gay) Eaton. Not to be
outdone by his cousin, William, 2 years his senior, Amos delivered a July 4th
oration in Chatham when fourteen years old, was a skillful land surveyor and
was advanced in natural philosophy. He graduated from Williams College in 1799
and established himself as a lawyer in Catskill, New York in 1802. He left his
law practice and was appointed surveyor and agent for the Livingstons in the
management of their estates in Columbia and Duchess Counties, New York along
the Hudson River which gave him leisure for study. He became advanced in
botany, chemistry and mineralogy, and in 1810 delivered a popular course of
lectures on botany at Catskill. He soon became noted as a botanist and began
lecturing on the natural sciences at Williams College in 1817. In 1820 he was
elected professor of natural history at the medical College in Vermont. He was
married first in 1803 to Sally, daughter of Eleazer and Tryphena (Beebe) Cady
and sister of Judge Daniel Cady; second on October 20, 1816 to Anne, daughter
of Lewis and Lydia (Woodin) Bradley and third on August 5, 1827, to Alice,
daughter of Benjamin and Alice (Smith) Johnson. He had two sons, Amos Beebe and
Daniel Cady. Amos was author of numerous works, including an Index to the
Geology of the Northern States (Albany, 1818); Geological and Agricultural
Survey of the District Adjoining the Erie Canal (1824); The
Philosophical Instructor (1824); Manual of the Botany of North
America, the first popular textbook on that science published in the
United States (1833); and a Treatise on Engineering and Surveying (New
York). He died in Troy, New York on May 6, 1842.
His son, Amos Beebe Eaton was born in Catskill, New York on May 12, 1806 and
married Elizabeth Seldon. He graduated from the U. S. Military Academy in 1826
and took part in the Seminole and the Mexican wars. He was brevetted major
after the battle of Buena Vista for "gallant and meritorious
conduct."
Amos was recalled from retirement to military service during the Civil War and
was made Brevet Major General of the Commissary, responsible for all wartime
purchasing. He was one of Lincoln's pallbearers and accompanied the President's
casket on the memorial rail trip around the country. Following the war, General
Eaton headed the "old soldiers home," which was located not far from
the White House in Washington, D.C. His interest in Botany continued throughout
his military service and he sent numerous botanical samples to his father in
New Haven.
In 1874, he general retired after forty-five years of dedicated service. He
traveled throughout Europe with his wife and finally came home to New Haven,
Connecticut where he died on February 21, 1877. He is buried in a substantial
tomb, not far from his son, Daniel's plot, in the historic Grove Street
Cemetery, which abuts the Yale Campus.
Amos Beebe's nephew, also named Daniel Cady Eaton, was born in Johnstown,
Fulton County, New York, June 16, 1837, son of Daniel Cady Eaton (born 1804)
and Harriett Eliza Cady. He was educated at Gattingen Gymnasium, Yale, where he
graduated in 1860, and the University of Berlin. He married Alice Young. He was
professor of the history of art in Yale from 1869 till 1876 and is the author
of a HandBook of Greek and Roman Sculpture (Boston, 3d ed., 1886) and
numerous pamphlets on art and education, including one on Yale College in 1883.
Amos Beebe's son, Daniel Cady Eaton, was born at Fort Gratiot, Michigan on
September 12, 1834, graduated from Yale in 1857, and studied botany at Harvard.
He was greatly influenced by his grandfather, Amos Eaton, and by his father's
interest in natural history. He served with the army commissary in New York
City during the Civil War (1860--64). He received the degree of S.B. from
Harvard and that of M. A. from Yale in 1860, becoming a professor of botany at
Yale in 1864. A specialist in ferns (and later in mosses), he performed much
fieldwork, wrote botanical definitions for Webster's International Dictionary).
He is the author of a part of Chapman's Flora of the Southern States
(1860) relating to ferns, and the corresponding part of Gray's Manual
(5th ed., 1867). He authored the classic The Ferns of North America
(Boston, 1879-80) and numerous other scientific papers. Daniel Cady Eaton was
one of the first members of the Eaton Association and left an unpublished work
on Eaton genealogy. He died in New Haven, Connecticut on June 29, 1895. Daniel
Cady Eaton is the great-grandfather of our current President Rick Eaton, who I
hope will have further stories to relate.
NOTE: Excerpts taken from the Edited Appletons Encyclopedia,
Copyright © 2001 Virtualology(TM); The Twentieth Century Biographical
Dictionary of Notable Americans, Volume 3, p. 382; Warner, Ezra J. Generals
in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State
University Press, 1964; and Rick Eaton's memory banks.
Six Degrees of Separation
by Barbara Lee Fitzsenry
Oxford
University researchers now claim the most ancient genealogy in history. Around
the turn of the century, an abundance of artifacts of late-glacial age were
discovered by the late R.C. Gough in the entrance to a cave bearing his name in
Somerset, England. During Christmas 1903, while excavating at Cheddar Gorge, an
almost complete 9,000 year-old skeleton of a 5'11" 23 year-old caveman
(“Cheddar Man”) was recovered with Upper Paleolithic artifacts in one side
chamber of Gough’s Cave. In 1997, DNA
sequencing linked the Cheddar Man with a living person, Adrian Target, a 43
year-old male who currently lives near the cave, tracing his lineage through
his female ancestors. The male side of Adrian's line is thought to have been
from the Target family of Bourbonnais in France, and may originally have been
Norman.
Ironically, the Goughs and the Eatons have been linked
together for centuries, and according to our President, Rick Eaton, continued
so during the time of the early New Haven Colony where it was said that
Theophilus Eaton gave sanctuary to several Goughs. Perhaps Rick would be so kind as to dig up the facts – I
unfortunately have not uncovered the specifics in my multitudes of paper files,
but I know it’s in there. Gough or Goch meaning "the red" in this
case probably came from Eleanor, the red-haired daughter and heiress of
Catherine, one of the daughters of Llewellyn, the last Prince of Wales. The
first Goughs are believed to have been located in Radnorshire near the border
between England and Wales. The Gough’s manor house at Marsh, not far from
Montgomery, Wales, dates back to 1086 and, in 1431, was held by John Gough, son
of John ap Griffith and Joan's daughter Eleanor. John ap Griffith's lineage includes Angarhad, daughter of Iwan ap
Rhys Wynn, only son and heir of Rhys Wynn of Melai in Llanfair Talhaiarn
derived through Grono y Penwyn from Marchudd, Lord of Abergelley. The Wynns
were a family descended from Bleddyn ap Cynfyn through Sir John ap Ellis Eyton of Ruabon, Denbighshire who married Genwhyfar,
daughter of Margaret of the Bodidris family who was heiress of Plas-yn-Yale and
Ellis ap Griffith. (Source: Yale,
Rodney Horace, Yale Genealogy and History
of Wales, 1908, p. 78) From this line also descended Lloyds and Yales, which brings us
back again to Theophilus Eaton and his wife, Anne Lloyd Yale.
One
of the first records of a Gough as a comrade of our early Eytons was Sir
Matthew Gough (1386-1450), or as he was also known, Mathau Goch. Sir Matthew was one of the most prominent of
his family during the late Middle Ages and was knighted during the French wars.
He was said to be the son of Owain Goch, the Bailiff of the Manor of Hanmer in
the Dee Valley, where an early Eyton family lived and prospered. According to R.A. Griffiths in The Reign of King Henry VI, Ernest Benn
Ltd., London (1981), on 27 July 1447, Henry VI resolved to cede the territory
of Maine to Charles VII. "Next day two captains, Matthew Gough and Fulk
Eyton, were appointed the king's commissioners to receive the towns and
fortresses of Maine from the marquess of Dorset.... he duly authorised Gough
and Eyton to use force if necessary to carry out the instructions." This Fulk Eyton was the brother of Nicholas
Eyton, husband of Catherine Talbot who died in 1454. Fulk's will was proved 12
December 1454 by Richard Eiton & Isabella Englefield and speaks of his
brothers, Nicholas and Roger (the Vicar of Wellington) and Richard (Priest and
Warden of the College of Tonge).
Although
I have taken liberties with the time element, it once again reiterates the
theory that everyone in the world is connected to everyone else through a path
of six people or fewer. This is but one
of the many elements that makes history so fascinating, and just look where we
started – with a 9,000 year-old skeleton.
Our Eyton/Eaton family is certainly part of an amazing history, and we
have only begun to scratch the surface.
We are always looking for similar family stories, biographies,
historical escapades, dedications, achievements, milestones, family news,
poetry and humorous anecdotes. Any and all material which YOU
would like to submit for publication in the newsletter should be sent c/o this
Web Editor, Barbara Lee Fitzsenry,
email information to me
or upload your article directly onto our Eaton site http://www.eatongenealogy.com. .
See
you next month, but until then, my very best to you and yours!
Barbara Lee Fitzsenry
Descended
from William Eaton (1764 Virginia)