Samuel Eaton

BIRTH:  About late 1619 or early 1620.
FIRST MARRIAGE:  Elizabeth, sometime about 1646.
SECOND MARRIAGE: Martha Billington, 10 January 1660/1, Plymouth.
CHILDREN (by Elizabeth):  Two daughters (names unknown).
CHILDREN (by Martha):  Sarah, Samuel, Mercy, and Bethiah.
DEATH:  Not too long before 29 October 1684.

Samuel Eaton was born probably in late 1619 or early 1620. He came on the Mayflower with his parents Francis and Sarah, and was referred to as a "sucking child." His mother died shortly after arrival, during the first winter at Plymouth. His father died in 1633, when he was just about 13 years old. A few years later, at the age of 16 (in 1636), he was apprenticed to John Cooke for the period of 7 years. John Cooke had come on the Mayflower in 1620 as a 13-year old boy.

Around 1646 or sometime shortly before, he had married a woman named Elizabeth and was residing in Duxbury. Surprisingly little is known about this family: the identity of his wife Elizabeth has not been established; and they had two children, both of whose names are unknown. Elizabeth died at some time unknown, but obviously before his 10 January 1660/1 marriage to Martha Billington.

Martha was the daughter of Francis Billington, who had come on the Mayflower as a 14-year old boy. Together they had four children: Sarah, Samuel, Mercy, and Bethiah. Sometime during the 1660s he moved his family from Duxbury to Middleboro. Samuel's probate estate inventory was taken on 29 October 1684 at Middleboro. His wife Martha survived him, and died sometime after 1704, probably in Connecticut.