Samuel EDDY

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"He was a wheelwright and owned and occupied that part of his father's estate which included most of what is now known as Eddyville. His house stood by the great pear trees, long a landmark, and famous in all region for their size and fruit. It stood on a gentle knooll with a spring at its foot, the soil being fertile and easy of tilage, and well-watered.

"His home was burned to the ground about 1721, so he built another a little farther to the south of the site of the first. This is the one that is now standing in Eddyville, the oldest house existing in this line of ancestry and today it is in good preservation, cheerful and homelike." (Eddy Gen. 1881)

Melatiah was born in the fort where the inhabitants of Plymouth had taken refuge in the first year of King Philip's War. When she was an elderly woman she used to tell about the "times when the Indians were ten to one of the whites." Her parents died when she was young and she was brought up in the family of Ebenezer Tinkham, who was one of the deacons of the First Church when it was organized in 1694. Melatiah was admitted to the church on May 20, 1715. She was very religious. It is said of her that when her children were sick, she knelt down and prayed with them. She had a very frail constitution and always felt that her life would be short, but she outlived her husband, who was far more robust.

By a codicil added to his father's will on Dec. 17, 1722, Samuel was made executor. He appears on the town records when he and his brother Benjamin with others on Mar. 30, 1717 purchased of James Soule "two acres of land in the 26 Men's Purchase to be used for a Parish Burying Ground." This land is opposite the First Church and contains the graves of many of this branch of the family. Samuel was admitted to the First Church June 12, 1715. In the years between 1744 and 1748 there was a great dissension in the church at Middleboro between the "New Lights" and the "Old Lights". Samuel was one of those chosen to serve on a committee to devise some means to settle the differences.

In march 1734, Benjamin White, Samuel Eddy and Joseph Pumpus and two others petitioned the court for their "free consent to build a slitting mill on the Nemasket River on land of Moses Sturtewant." this permission was granted, but the dam was not built until later. They left "a sufficient opening for the passing of the herring up to the great ponds."

The earliest record of the First Military Co. of Middleboro, taken Jan. 19, 1710/11 has on its list, Serg Samuel eddy, and also the name of Benjamin Eddy. (Hist of Plymouth Col.)

"He was a man of uncommon strength and robust constitution, his frame being very large. Tradition has preserved remarkable proofs of his powers." (Eddy Gen. p. 208)

Samuel married Melatiah PRATT on 3 Feb 1702/3. Melatiah was born on 11 Dec 1676 in Plymouth, Massachusetts; died on 1768 or 1769 in Middleboro, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Samuel EDDY was born about 1710; died in Nov 1746 in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
2. Zachariah EDDY was born in 1712 in Middleboro, Massachusetts; died on 6 Dec 1777 in Middleboro, Massachusetts.

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It is probable that Bennett, the wife of Obadiah was Bennett Ellis dau. of John Ellis and his wife Elizabeth Freeman, dau. of Edmund Freeman. the ellis family were of Sandwich where obadiah spent his youth. Bennett Ellis was b. Feb. 27, 1649, which is four years later than Obadiah was born and she had a brother Joel Ellis. Note that Obadiah named a son Joel. Obadiah during the rest of his life had many dealings with the Ellis family and a Joel ellis witnessed the codicil to his will.

Obadiah learned the trade of a shoemaker. It is likely that he was apprenticed to someone living in Sandwich, for the fist record found suggests that he was living in Sandwich at the time that he was fifteen or sixteen years of age.....

It is probable that as soon as Obadiah married, he settled on these lands which became incorporated into the town of Middleboro. His name first appears in town affairs as a member of the Grand Inquest in 1673, and in 1679, and in 1681 he again held this position. In 1675 and 2692, he was surveyor of highways and in 1679, 1681, 1683, 1689, he was constable. In 1690 and 1694 he was one of the Selectmen of Middleboro. Among the officers of the towns in the Old Colony, none were of more importance than the selectmen. They were given large discretion and until the Revolutionary War, had almost entire management of the civil affairs. These offices were filled by the most influential and able men.

When King Philip's War broke out in 1675, Obdaiah and his family were living in Middleboro. They took refuge in the fort. When this was abandoned, they went to Plymouth. A list of men in the fort was obtained from an old Eddy Note Book " quoted from Mercy Bennett, whose grandfather was on the list and she had the information from him." (Hist. of Middleboro, p. 34) They remained in Plymouth until the trouble was over. Obadiah was one of the first to return to Middleboro. His home, like all other houses in Middleboro prior to King Philip's Was, had been built of hewn logs. This had been burned by the Indians, but nothing daunted he set out to rebuild it, not far from the site of the original house. An araticle in the eddy Genealogy of 2881 thus describes the location: "He lived in that part of Middleboro, now Halifax, near Winnetuxet River. It was hard by two appletrees in the field back of Nathan fuller's house." The hearthstone of that old house was taken fro the cellar and is now part of the foundation of one of the houses in Eddyville, built by one of his descendants.

Obadiah was admitted a Freeman June 3, 1683, but did not take the oath until 1688. In 1683 he was one of those chosen to lay out a road from Middleboro, Bridgwater, and other places toward Boston and in 1687 he was one of twelve men chosen as a jury to decide cases arising from the laying out of highways. Since all records of previous times had been burnt in King Philip's War, questions of boundaries and ownership arose.....

In 1694 the First Church of Middleboro was organized. For several generations this was one of the largest and most influential in the colony. In the founding of this Obadiah had his part and was one of its staunch upholders as long as he lived. The church still stands and has recently received extensive repairs. Every summer on "Forefather's Sunday" a great audience fills the building to commemorate the families who were its founders....

Obadiah married Bennet ELLIS about 1668. Bennet (daughter of Lieut. John ELLIS and Elizabeth FREEMAN) was born on 27 Feb 1648/9. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of John Ellis and Elizabeth Freeman (daughter of Edmund Freeman)