ZACHARIAH EDDY

• Death Notes
  • Name: Zachariah EDDY
    
    Birth: 1639 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA
    Death: 4 Sep 1718 in Swansea, Bristol, MA
    Burial: Swansea, Bristol, MA
    
    
    

• General Notes
  •  Zachariah EDDY was born in 1639 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He died on 4 Sep 1718 in Swansea, MA. Zachariah was bound out at the age of 7 years to Mr. John Browne ofRehobeth. The latter was a man of importance in Plymouth, being theGovernor's Assistant from 1636 to 1655. He was one of the originalsettlers and proprietors of Taunton. When he died, he left Zachariah 50acres of land.
    
    He initially settled in Middleboro and remained there for 8 years. Hishouse stood near what was later known as Eddy's furnace, just south ofthe present Eddyville.
    
    He later moved to Swansea (1669) as one of the first purchasers and ownedconsiderable land (see "The Eddy Family in America" for a description ofthe various pieces of land). In these earliest times Swansea comprisedthe land which lay between the two upper forks of Narragansett Bay.There are five main necks or peninsulas extending southward. The mosteastern one (now Somerset) is between the Taunton River and Lees River(formerly called Mattapoisett River). This neck is called ShawomettNeck. The next peninsula lies between Lees River and Coles River. Thisis called Mattapoisett Neck (now called Gardiners Neck and SouthSwansea). The third peninsula is divided into two sections by theKickemuit 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 KingPhilip. Between the Warren and the Barrington Rivers was New Meadow Neck(now called Hampden Meadows). The westernmost neck, between theBarrington and the Providence Rivers, was called Wannamoisett Neck. TheShawomett lands comprised not only the Shawomett Neck, but probablyextended north to the present Dighton line. Zachariah deeded a portionof his lands near Swansea village as "a burying place for and to thefamilies of said Eddys and for such of their neighbors as they shallchoose to admit of forever..." The cemetary lies on a hilltop,overlooking a cove of salt water, just south of the main road through thevillage. Zachariah's parents are probably buried there, as are many ofhis descendants.
    
    He and Caleb were among the first members of the First Baptist Church inSwansea headed by Rev. John Myles, who had been warned out of Rehobeth.
    
    During King Philip's War (1675), he apparently moved to Plymouth untilSwansea was safe again. Zachariah EDDY and Alice PADDOCK were married on 7 May 1663 in Plymouth, MA.148