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- Zachariah Eddy b. 1639 (Court Orders, Plymouth, [Written] 2. 1. 151); d. Sept. 4, 1718, leaving a will; m. (1) May 7, 1663, Alice Paddock (East Bridgewater, V.R., also Plymouth Records, p. 28). She was b. Mar. 7, 1640; d. Sept. 24, 1692; dau. of Robert Paddock, (or Padduck) and his wife Mary . . . He m. (2) Abigail Smith, widow of Dermit Smith (alias Jeremiah, for which Dermit was a common nickname). She d. Sept. 13, 1720 leaving a will, dated Jan. 2, 1720.
Zachariah was bound out at the age of seven years to Mr. John Browne of Rehoboth. This Mr. John Browne was a man of importance in Plymouth, being the Governor's Assistant from 1636-1655. He was one of the original settlers and proprietors of Taunton and also of Rehoboth. A large tract of land called Wannamoisett was granted to him for his services to the government of Plymouth (Hist. of Taunton, p. 32). Mr. John Browne died in 1662, but in a deed dated Dec. 29, 1661, he left to "Zacariah Eedey now resident in my family" 1/3 of 150 acres in Narragansett betwixt Quidnisset and trading house of Richard Smith (Plymouth Col. Deeds, p. 103).
On Jan. 4, 1661, "Zachariah bought of Thomas Savery a piece of land lying near Whetstones Vineyard in the Major's Purchase bounded on or near where Eddy lives" (Plymouth Co. Deeds, 3, 81).
On March 24, 1662 he received from his father Samuel, land near "Namassakeet" (Plymouth Col. Records, p. 116), and later
"The court has granted to Zacary Eedey a smale gusset of land lying betwixt his land and the brook, fromhis house below the path to Namasskett unto the aforesaid brooke unto a bridg or way neare unto a path that turns out of the old way unto Wm. Nelson's house, the sd. parcell of land so bounded as aforesaid, is granted unto the said Zacary Eedey . . . etc. on condition that the said Zacary Eedey doe continue a bridge neare his house in the place where it is needed for horse and cart, for the use of the countrey, for the full tearme of twenty years from the date hereof. June 7, 1665." (Court Orders, Plymouth, printed. Vol. IV, p. 95. Hist. of Middleboro, p. 41.)
From these records it appears that upon completing his apprenticeship Zachariah went to Middleboro and settled there, remaining for about eight years. His house stood on the twelve acres, granted him by the court, near what was later known as Eddy's furnace, just south of the present Eddyville. In 1666 his bounds were laid out by Ephraim Tinkham and Henry Wood (Court Orders, 4, p. 128).
In 1667 Hugh Cole, Constant Southworth, Josias Winslow, and others, all of Plymouth, purchased of King Philip all the marsh and meadow land of Mattapoysett. At this time Rev. John Myles, who had been a pastor in Wales and had been driven from his parish by the new laws of the Englis king (Act of Uniformity issued by Charles II), was in Plymouth, but his preaching did not please the church members there and Myles and his few Baptist Dissenters were sent to Rehoboth. Complaints soon drove him from there, and he was advised by the court of Plymouth to go farther south beyond the borders of Rehoboth. The Court then decided to grant to him and those of like mind the new tract recently purchased from the Indians. On Feb. 22, 1669 fifty-five men signed the articles of agreement which made this section into the new town of Swansea. Two of the signers were Zachariah Eddy and his brother Caleb. Thus Zachariah and Caleb became two of the first purchasers of Swansea and at the same time became members of the First Baptist Church in Swansea. Zachariah took an active part in the Church life. In the old Church Book, now in the vaults of the B. M. C. Durfee Trust Co. of Fall River, there is a copy of a letter sent to a church in Boston, asking that the brethren in Boston help the Swansea Church in the selection of a pastor. Both Zachariah and Caleb Eddy signed this letter.
In these earliest times Swansea comprised the land which lay between the two upper forks of Narragansett Bay, south of Rehoboth and Taunton, and extended from the Taunton River to the Providence River. 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 the Mattapoisett River). This neck was called Shawomett Neck. The next peninsula lies between Lees River and Coles River. This was called Mattapoisett Neck (now called Gardner's Neck and South Swansea). The third peninsula is divided into two sections by the Kickimuit River. It lies between Coles River and the Warren River. The whole section was called Kickimuit, while the eastern section was often called Towesett (alias sheep pasture) and the western section was called Mount 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 most western neck, between the Barrington River and the Providence River, was called Wannamoisett Neck. The Shawomett lands comprised not only the Shawomett Neck but probably extended as far north as the present Dighton line. These words of explanation will give a clearer idea of the extent and location of the purchaes of Zachariah Eddy and his sons.
Soon after the incorporation of Swansea, Zachariah Eddy was made Freeman of Swansea on May 29, 1670. The following year on May 11th, he was chosen waywarden and on June 5th, he was elected surveyor of highways. In 1675 when King Philip's War broke out it is likely that Zachariah and his family took refuge in Plymouth for a few years. While there on June 5, 1677 he was summoned by the court of Plymouth to serve on the Grand Inquest. Some time in June of this same year, 1677, those who had formerly lived in Middleboro previous to the outbreak of the war, together with some who owned property within the borders of Middleboro, sixty-eight persons in all, met and agreed to resettle the town. The list of the names of "The Proprietors of the liberties of the township of Middleberry taken at Plimouth" contains the item, - "Sachariah Edey, Samuell Edey, 1 propriation." When Samuel Eddy became a proprietor of the town of Middleboro, he thereby obtained the privilege of being a participant in all future divisions of the undivided lands belonging to the township. This right was passed on to the sons when they received from im the lands at Namassakett. When the land was sold by them the proprietor's rights went with the land.
On July 23, 1673 Zachariah Eddy's name appears as the recipient of a lot in the South Purchase, which included the present towns of Rochester, Wareham, Carver, and a part of Middleboro. Later, on May 17, 1698, when the tract of land was divided, Zachariah received lots 128 and 129. On May 14, 1675, Zachariah was one of those who received a lot in the tract known as the "16 Shilling Purchase." He received lot No. 51.
After King Philip's War, when all danger from hostile Indians was over, probably about the spring of 1678, Zacharia and his family returned to Swansea. He was established there on Oct. 21, 1679, when he purchased a piece of land from Thomas Barnes, and by this purchase obtained rights as a "second ranch man"; that is in any division of lands he would receive twice as much as a man of the "third ranch" (or third rank as it is more often written). The third rank man received one unit of a division, a second rank man, two units, a first rank man, three units.
(Bristol Co. Deeds, 1. 14.) Zachariah Edey of Swansea bought of Thomas Barnes of Newport . . . My houselott, being 12 acres and 2 acres which I had of Jonathan Bosworth joining with it . . . by ye 33rd page of ye book Land records . . . and all my rt in Common and divisions of land whatsoever may appertain to me as I was a second ranck man in Town of Swansea.
In 1681 both Zachariah and his brother Caleb were members of a jury called to view the body of William Makepeace who had been drowned. On June 7, 1681, Zachariah was propounded as Freeman by the court in Plymouth. (Court Orders, [written] Plymouth, 6. 1. 47.) There is no record of his having been admitted, but it would seem that he must have been admitted, for he was called upon to perform the duties of a Freeman. He was made constable.
This (Plymouth) court imposes and authorizes Zachariah Eddy to be constable of the ward of Showamett and to act within that ward as in every respect as an other constable might do and proper unto the proprietors of Showamett, respecting them at that place. July, 1683. (Court Orders Plymouth VI, p. 115.)
Zacharia's name appears on the records in connection with several items of minor interest. On Sept. 26, 1697, together with Hezekiah Luther he was appointed to take the inventory of Widow Bartram's estate (N.E.H.G.R., Vol. LXIII). On Apr. 5, 1710, Zachariah Eddy testified at Bristol that he was "then about 70 years of age and that a certain lot of land was laid out by Samuel Luther, Thomas Esterbrooks, and Hugh Cole, about 26 years ago in the right of John Allen."
Most of the first purchases of Zachariah Eddy in Swansey were in the Shawomet Neck probably on its western side, and bordering on the Mattapoisett River, probably along the present highway leading out of Swansea Village toward Fall River.
Zachariah Eddy of Swansey bought on Nov. 1, 1683 of David Wood of Middlebury, house carpenter
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1639 - 1718 (79 years)
