Note: No death or burial record has been found for Samuel. One family account states that he was buried in a cemetery 1/2 acre in size on his farm where the remains of his house were visible into the 19th century. While there isn't certainty that this cemetery is the same as the one in which he was buried, it is highly likely. In 1697 he conveyed his land and house to his son John. While his son appears to have built his own house, he kept his father's land, and when John died, he most likely was buried in the existing cemetery on his land, which is where his father was buried. Since John has an existing grave marker in this cemetery, it is assumed that this is where Samuel is buried as well. The birth date above comes from the family genealogy published by Nelson B. Eldred in the 1990s; the death year is an approximation based on Samuel being alive in 1697, but dead by 1699.
Samuel Eldred was the son of Thomas Eldred and Anna Watson of Ipswich, England. There is no hard evidence that the Samuel Eldred born in Ipswich is the same as the one who came to New England. However, the circumstantial evidence is significant (as laid out by Nelson B. Eldred in at least two of his books), and no genealogist has refuted this claim.
Samuel married at Saint Mary-at-Kay's Parish in Ipswich, England Elizabeth MILLER, b. Needham Market, Norfolk, England 1622, d. Kingstowne, Rhode Island 1711, the daughter of Daniel Miller. In the 1640 will of his father, Samuel was given the great sea-chest that belonged to his grandfather, William Eldred of Bury. The chest had come from William's father, Thomas Eldred, "the one who sailed around the world." Samuel was a shoemaker, but he also farmed rented lands. Samuel and his new bride must have immigrated almost immediately to New England, because his name appears on the roster of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston in 1641, though he appears to have been living in neighboring Cambridge, Mass. He was titled Sergeant Eldred on 18 Oct 1659 when ordered to pay Edward Lane of Boston for two years rent of a farm and stock at Rumney Marsh (now Chelsea, Mass.). This appears to be the last record of him in the Boston area, so it was about 1660 that he moved with his family to the settlement of Wickford in the Narragansett country of Rhode Island.
Samuel is of record in Kingstowne on 4 May 1668, when he and 18 others of Wickford signed a letter to the general court at Hartford, desiring the protection of their government. At the time, Kingstowne was in disputed country west of the Narragansett Bay, and the colonies of both Connecticut and Rhode Island claimed the land. On 22 June 1670 Eldred took the constable's oath at Wickford under the appointment of Connecticut. He was soon imprisoned by the Rhode Island authorities for calling a jury on behalf of Connecticut, in the murder trial of Thomas Flounders who reputedly murdered Walter House. On 13 July 1670 he wrote a lengthy letter to Thomas Stanton at Stonington concerning a jury for the trial, signing his name "Samwill Eldredge." Eldred had been carried to Newport, based on a 21 July 1670 letter from Connecticut to Rhode Island authorities. On 8 October 1674 he was granted a monetary award in the amount of "20 nobles" for his service and suffering for the Connecticut colony.
After King Philips War had erupted, Eldred and one or more of his sons were involved in some military activity when on 13 Dec 1675 "The Edridges and some other brisk hands" met at Richard Smith's garrison house just prior to the Swamp Fight. Capt Benjamin Church said they were on a night mission, and captured 18 Indians.
On 7 March 1676 the council at Hartford voted that Eldred and John Sweet "have liberty to transport ten bushels of Indian corn apiece, for their distressed families." The conflict between Connecticut and Rhode Island concerning jurisdiction over the Narragansett lands was taking its toll on the local settlers there, so on 29 July 1679 Eldred and 41 others petitioned the King to "put an end to these differences about the government thereof, which hath been so fatal to the prosperity of the place, animosities still arising in people's minds, as they stand affected to this or that government." Ultimately, jurisdiction was given to Rhode Island. On 6 Sep 1687 Eldred was taxed 3s 4 1/2 d, a fairly small amount. He was last known to be alive on 13 April 1697 when he deeded to his son John a house and 160 acres, "with a right on the other side of Pequot Path." He was apparently dead by 12 Feb 1699, but I haven't seen evidence of this. Children, first four born in Cambridge, Mass.:
* Elizabeth, b. 26 Oct 1642; nothing more
* Samuel, b. 26 Oct 1644, d. c. 1720, m. say 1675 Martha KNOWLES, b. say 1651, d. 1728, the daughter of Henry Knowles of Warwick, RI. Martha was named in the will of her brother, Henry Knowles, proved (S. Kingstown?) 13 July 1726. Martha's will, dated 24 Jan 1726, was proved 14 Oct 1728. In it, she was called widow of Samuel Eldridge of North Kingstown, and named daughters Penelope, wife of Ephraim Gardner, Margaret, wife of James Congdon, and Mary Browning. Witnesses were D. Everitt, Stukly Stafford and Elizabeth Stafford. Only the three named daughters are known of their children, with Margaret being born in 1683. (RIGR July 1983, p 83)
* Mary, b. 15 June 1646; one record says she died 9 May 1712 in Kingstowne; another says she married Rouse HELM. However, others believe that she was the wife of Benoni GARDNER, son of George Gardiner and Herodias Long, of Newport and Kingstowne (See NK Cem book, Lot 112, Note at end). The evidence that she was the wife of Benoni Gardner is that she named a daughter Bridget, and her brother Thomas named a daughter Bridget, which is a very uncommon name, so lends credence to a family connection. However, there may be even more compelling evidence that her husband was Rouse Helm; overseers of Helm's 1711 will were Thomas Eldred and John Eldred, both brothers of Mary. Also, Mary Helm named her oldest son Samuel; Samuel was the father of Mary Eldred.
* Thomas, b. 8 Sep 1648, d. 1726, m. Susanna COLE, daughter of John Cole and Susanna Hutchinson
* James, b. say 1655, was dead by 1687
* John, b. Boston (now Chelsea, Mass.) Aug 1659, d. N. Kingstown, RI 17 Sep 1724, aged 65 years and one month, m. say 1685 Margaret HOLDEN, b. Jan 1663, d. 1740, the daughter of Randall Holden and Frances Dungan. He was titled Ensign in 1692, and later called Captain. John was very active in civic affairs, holding the offices of Treasurer, Moderator, and town council member, along with being an Assistant most years from 1699 to 1716. In 1724, widow Margaret Edlred was given administration of her husband's estate, with inventory valued at a little more than 177 pounds. At that time, an agreement was made between Margaret and her six sons and three daughters. In 1740, the administration of Margaret's estate was given to her son James Eldred. John Eldred was a veteran of the Indian Wars (likely King Phillips War), according to his grave stone found in this cemetery, which is now a part of the large Elm Grove Cemetery in N. Kingstown, RI.
* Daniel, surname spelled Eldredge, b. Wickford in the Narragansett country (later N. Kingstown, RI) c. 1663, d. N. Kingstown 18 Aug 1726, m. c. 1687 Mary _______, b. say 1665, living in 1726. One account gives her maiden name as Phillips. Daniel moved from Kingstowne to Stonington, Conn., but later moved back to N. Kingstown, RI where he died. He was titled Captain in 1702, presumably in Kingstowne. He was living in Stonington on 6 April 1707 when his wife and five children were baptized. His will was proved 14 Aug 1726 (according to Austin's GDRI), naming wife Mary, three sons, and five daughters. Note that the death date for Daniel comes from Arnold's transcription of the St. Paul's Church records in his Vital Record of Rhode Island (it might be a death date or it could be a burial date), while the date his will was proved comes from Austin's Gen. Dict. RI. Obviously, there is a conflict between the two dates. Daniel and Mary had a total of ten children, born 1688 to 1712. Daniel has an extant grave marker in the Reynolds Lot, RI Hist Cem, NK #131.
Note: No death or burial record has been found for Samuel. One family account states that he was buried in a cemetery 1/2 acre in size on his farm where the remains of his house were visible into the 19th century. While there isn't certainty that this cemetery is the same as the one in which he was buried, it is highly likely. In 1697 he conveyed his land and house to his son John. While his son appears to have built his own house, he kept his father's land, and when John died, he most likely was buried in the existing cemetery on his land, which is where his father was buried. Since John has an existing grave marker in this cemetery, it is assumed that this is where Samuel is buried as well. The birth date above comes from the family genealogy published by Nelson B. Eldred in the 1990s; the death year is an approximation based on Samuel being alive in 1697, but dead by 1699.
Samuel Eldred was the son of Thomas Eldred and Anna Watson of Ipswich, England. There is no hard evidence that the Samuel Eldred born in Ipswich is the same as the one who came to New England. However, the circumstantial evidence is significant (as laid out by Nelson B. Eldred in at least two of his books), and no genealogist has refuted this claim.
Samuel married at Saint Mary-at-Kay's Parish in Ipswich, England Elizabeth MILLER, b. Needham Market, Norfolk, England 1622, d. Kingstowne, Rhode Island 1711, the daughter of Daniel Miller. In the 1640 will of his father, Samuel was given the great sea-chest that belonged to his grandfather, William Eldred of Bury. The chest had come from William's father, Thomas Eldred, "the one who sailed around the world." Samuel was a shoemaker, but he also farmed rented lands. Samuel and his new bride must have immigrated almost immediately to New England, because his name appears on the roster of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston in 1641, though he appears to have been living in neighboring Cambridge, Mass. He was titled Sergeant Eldred on 18 Oct 1659 when ordered to pay Edward Lane of Boston for two years rent of a farm and stock at Rumney Marsh (now Chelsea, Mass.). This appears to be the last record of him in the Boston area, so it was about 1660 that he moved with his family to the settlement of Wickford in the Narragansett country of Rhode Island.
Samuel is of record in Kingstowne on 4 May 1668, when he and 18 others of Wickford signed a letter to the general court at Hartford, desiring the protection of their government. At the time, Kingstowne was in disputed country west of the Narragansett Bay, and the colonies of both Connecticut and Rhode Island claimed the land. On 22 June 1670 Eldred took the constable's oath at Wickford under the appointment of Connecticut. He was soon imprisoned by the Rhode Island authorities for calling a jury on behalf of Connecticut, in the murder trial of Thomas Flounders who reputedly murdered Walter House. On 13 July 1670 he wrote a lengthy letter to Thomas Stanton at Stonington concerning a jury for the trial, signing his name "Samwill Eldredge." Eldred had been carried to Newport, based on a 21 July 1670 letter from Connecticut to Rhode Island authorities. On 8 October 1674 he was granted a monetary award in the amount of "20 nobles" for his service and suffering for the Connecticut colony.
After King Philips War had erupted, Eldred and one or more of his sons were involved in some military activity when on 13 Dec 1675 "The Edridges and some other brisk hands" met at Richard Smith's garrison house just prior to the Swamp Fight. Capt Benjamin Church said they were on a night mission, and captured 18 Indians.
On 7 March 1676 the council at Hartford voted that Eldred and John Sweet "have liberty to transport ten bushels of Indian corn apiece, for their distressed families." The conflict between Connecticut and Rhode Island concerning jurisdiction over the Narragansett lands was taking its toll on the local settlers there, so on 29 July 1679 Eldred and 41 others petitioned the King to "put an end to these differences about the government thereof, which hath been so fatal to the prosperity of the place, animosities still arising in people's minds, as they stand affected to this or that government." Ultimately, jurisdiction was given to Rhode Island. On 6 Sep 1687 Eldred was taxed 3s 4 1/2 d, a fairly small amount. He was last known to be alive on 13 April 1697 when he deeded to his son John a house and 160 acres, "with a right on the other side of Pequot Path." He was apparently dead by 12 Feb 1699, but I haven't seen evidence of this. Children, first four born in Cambridge, Mass.:
* Elizabeth, b. 26 Oct 1642; nothing more
* Samuel, b. 26 Oct 1644, d. c. 1720, m. say 1675 Martha KNOWLES, b. say 1651, d. 1728, the daughter of Henry Knowles of Warwick, RI. Martha was named in the will of her brother, Henry Knowles, proved (S. Kingstown?) 13 July 1726. Martha's will, dated 24 Jan 1726, was proved 14 Oct 1728. In it, she was called widow of Samuel Eldridge of North Kingstown, and named daughters Penelope, wife of Ephraim Gardner, Margaret, wife of James Congdon, and Mary Browning. Witnesses were D. Everitt, Stukly Stafford and Elizabeth Stafford. Only the three named daughters are known of their children, with Margaret being born in 1683. (RIGR July 1983, p 83)
* Mary, b. 15 June 1646; one record says she died 9 May 1712 in Kingstowne; another says she married Rouse HELM. However, others believe that she was the wife of Benoni GARDNER, son of George Gardiner and Herodias Long, of Newport and Kingstowne (See NK Cem book, Lot 112, Note at end). The evidence that she was the wife of Benoni Gardner is that she named a daughter Bridget, and her brother Thomas named a daughter Bridget, which is a very uncommon name, so lends credence to a family connection. However, there may be even more compelling evidence that her husband was Rouse Helm; overseers of Helm's 1711 will were Thomas Eldred and John Eldred, both brothers of Mary. Also, Mary Helm named her oldest son Samuel; Samuel was the father of Mary Eldred.
* Thomas, b. 8 Sep 1648, d. 1726, m. Susanna COLE, daughter of John Cole and Susanna Hutchinson
* James, b. say 1655, was dead by 1687
* John, b. Boston (now Chelsea, Mass.) Aug 1659, d. N. Kingstown, RI 17 Sep 1724, aged 65 years and one month, m. say 1685 Margaret HOLDEN, b. Jan 1663, d. 1740, the daughter of Randall Holden and Frances Dungan. He was titled Ensign in 1692, and later called Captain. John was very active in civic affairs, holding the offices of Treasurer, Moderator, and town council member, along with being an Assistant most years from 1699 to 1716. In 1724, widow Margaret Edlred was given administration of her husband's estate, with inventory valued at a little more than 177 pounds. At that time, an agreement was made between Margaret and her six sons and three daughters. In 1740, the administration of Margaret's estate was given to her son James Eldred. John Eldred was a veteran of the Indian Wars (likely King Phillips War), according to his grave stone found in this cemetery, which is now a part of the large Elm Grove Cemetery in N. Kingstown, RI.
* Daniel, surname spelled Eldredge, b. Wickford in the Narragansett country (later N. Kingstown, RI) c. 1663, d. N. Kingstown 18 Aug 1726, m. c. 1687 Mary _______, b. say 1665, living in 1726. One account gives her maiden name as Phillips. Daniel moved from Kingstowne to Stonington, Conn., but later moved back to N. Kingstown, RI where he died. He was titled Captain in 1702, presumably in Kingstowne. He was living in Stonington on 6 April 1707 when his wife and five children were baptized. His will was proved 14 Aug 1726 (according to Austin's GDRI), naming wife Mary, three sons, and five daughters. Note that the death date for Daniel comes from Arnold's transcription of the St. Paul's Church records in his Vital Record of Rhode Island (it might be a death date or it could be a burial date), while the date his will was proved comes from Austin's Gen. Dict. RI. Obviously, there is a conflict between the two dates. Daniel and Mary had a total of ten children, born 1688 to 1712. Daniel has an extant grave marker in the Reynolds Lot, RI Hist Cem, NK #131.
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