Ancestor - Francis Eaton, Mayflower Passenger
Francis Eaton, born before 11 September 1596 in Bristol, England, is my 10th Great-Grandfather. He has a relatively-important place in history as a passenger on the Mayflower, the small ship that brought the Pilgrims from England to Plymouth, British America, in 1620. He came with his wife, Sarah (ca 1600 - 1621), and his young son, Samuel (ca 1620 – bef 1684). Sadly, Sarah died early in 1621 from the harsh conditions of the first winter in the colonies. Two other marriages followed before Francis’ death in 1634.
Born to John Eaton (ca 1575 - 1595) and Dorothy (Smith) Eaton (ca 1573-aft 1603), Francis had two brothers, John (1595 – 1595) and Samuel (1600 - 1604), and two sisters, Jane (ca 1598 - 1603) and Welthian (ca 1602 - 1603). All of Francis’ siblings died in infancy in Gloucester, England. His parents also died in England.
Many of the Mayflower passengers were Pilgrims who had spent some time at Leiden, Netherlands, before embarking on the voyage to America. Francis did not appear in any Leiden records, although he was on the list of Pilgrims when the ship sailed from Plymouth, England. If he was at Leiden, the fact there are no records of his marriage to Sarah and the birth of Samuel found in records in Bristol, England, would be understandable.
After Sarah’s death, Francis married Dorothy (UNK) ca 1622. She was a maid servant of John Carver, another passenger, and died soon after. They had no children from this marriage. His third wife, whom he married late 1626 or early 1627, was Christian Penn, a widow who was aboard the Anne, a ship which arrived later. After Francis’ death in 1634, she married Francis Billington, son of John Billington, both Mayflower passengers. Francis and Christian had a daughter, Rachel (ca 1625 – aft 1651), and two sons, Benjamin (ca 1628 – bef 1671), and a disabled son (ca 1630 – living in 1651).
Francis signed the Mayflower Compact on 11 November 1620 and received four acres of land in Plymouth as a passenger, one acre each for himself, Sarah, Samuel, and his second wife, Dorothy. He was a “carpenter of Plymouth,” a valuable career in Plymouth, and was on the list of Freemen in 1633. In the same year, he died with more debts than assets in an epidemic that hit Plymouth.
Francis’ legacy continued through his children, many of whom contributed to American society through the years. The General Society of Mayflower Descendants continue to honor the Eaton name, and others who joined the original lineage through marriage.