Person Page 8

Joshua Eddy was born on 21 February 1681 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He and Hannah Stevens were married on 3 May 1708 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died on 13 November 1768 at age 87 in Gloucester, Providence, Rhode Island.

Joshua is #84 in the Eddy Family in America, 1930.

Zachariah Eddy gave Joshua land at Mattapoisett in Swansea, to which he added. He owned a lot of land on Shawomet Neck, which he sold in 1729 and moved to RI, apparently at his brother, Zachariah's, urging.

He initially bought the Peter place, "100 acres of Wayunkheague," which land was east of the 7 mile line in RI and was his homestead, and three days later he purchased 150 acres east of the 7 mile line from Stephen Harding. This land was probably in Smithfield not far from the Glocester border. Joshua Eddy owned a lot of property in western RI (Smithfield, Gloucester, Scituate) and also in Salisbury, CT.

His life was spent cultivating his farm and raising his large family of boys. They all grew up and married. He has more descendants than any other Eddy of his generation.

See "The Eddy Family in America" p. 55ff for more about his lands.

Hannah Stevens was born on 30 April 1682 in Salisbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. Joshua Eddy and she were married on 3 May 1708 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts. She died on 22 October 1757 at age 75 in Gloucester, Rhode Island.

Jonathan Eddy was born on 20 January 1711.

Daniel Eddy was born on 7 November 1713 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died on 7 January 1793 at age 79 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island.

Nathaniel Eddy was born on 14 April 1716 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay. He died on 16 November 1750 at age 34 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts.

Hannah Eddy was born on 21 June 1718.

Zachariah Eddy was born on 23 July 1720.

Thomas Eddy was born on 14 August 1723.

James Eddy was born on 21 June 1725.

Peter Eddy was born on 4 August 1727.

William Eddy was born on 6 March 1729.

John Eddy was born on 25 December 1731.

Zachariah Eddy was born on 7 March 1639 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He and Alice Paddock were married on 7 May 1663 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.¹ He and Abigail Smith were married after 1692 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died on 4 September 1718 at age 79 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Zachariah was bound out at the age of 7 years to Mr. John Browne of Rehoboth. The latter was a man of importance in Plymouth, being the Governor's Assistant from 1636 to 1655. He was one of the original settlers and proprietors of Taunton. When he died, he left Zachariah 50 acres of land.

He initially settled in Middleboro and remained there for 8 years. His house stood near what was later known as Eddy's furnace, just south of the present Eddyville.

He later moved to Swansea (1669) as one of the first purchasers and owned considerable land (see "The Eddy Family in America" for a description of the various pieces of land). In these earliest times Swansea comprised the land which lay between the two upper forks of Narragansett Bay. There are five main necks or peninsulas extending southward. The most eastern one (now Somerset) is between the Taunton River and Lees River (formerly called Mattapoisett River). This neck is called Shawomett Neck. The next peninsula lies between Lees River and Coles River. This is called Mattapoisett Neck (now called Gardiners Neck and South Swansea). The third peninsula is divided into two sections by the Kickemuit River, while the eastern section is often called Towesett (alias sheep pasture) and the western section was called Mt. Hope Neck. The latter extended far to the south and was the great stronghold of King Philip. Between the Warren and the Barrington Rivers was New Meadow Neck (now called Hampden Meadows). The westernmost neck, between the Barrington and the Providence Rivers, was called Wannamoisett Neck. The Shawomett lands comprised not only the Shawomett Neck, but probably extended north to the present Dighton line. Zachariah deeded a portion of his lands near Swansea village as "a burying place for and to the families of said Eddys and for such of their neighbors as they shall choose to admit of forever..." The cemetary lies on a hilltop, overlooking a cove of salt water, just south of the main road through the village. Zachariah's parents are probably buried there, as are many of his descendants.

He and Caleb were among the first members of the First Baptist Church in Swansea headed by Rev. John Myles, who had been warned out of Rehoboth.

During King Philip's War (1675), he apparently moved to Plymouth until Swansea was safe again.

Alice Paddock was born on 7 March 1640 in Killany, Louth, Ireland. Zachariah Eddy and she were married on 7 May 1663 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.¹ She died on 24 September 1692 at age 52.

Alice Paddock was born on 7 March 1640.

Zachariah Eddy was born on 10 April 1664. He and Mercy Mary Baker were married on 13 February 1683 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He died on 12 April 1737 at age 73.