Eaton Family

Eaton Family History continued

I have been researching my husband's EATON family line for some years now and I am eager to make contact with anyone from that line or who is interested in it in any way. I have made an Australian connection but believe there may be an American one too.

The earliest references to our family that I have to date are in the Southgate/Edmonton area of Middlesex, just north of London. There were EATONs in this area in the early 1600s but the earliest reference I have, which is probably definitely connected to our tree, is a marriage of ROBERT  EATON and Sarah Wilkinson in 1707 at St Mary Woolchurch Haw, London. Robert was from Edmonton and they later had their children baptised in Southgate.

The EATONs on our direct line lived in Chaseside, Southgate for all of the 19th century but other members lived in Winchmore Hill and Palmers Green. The most common occupation in the family was connected with the 'transport business'. They were Carriers and Flymen and as such were probably well known in the area. JOSEPH EATON, born 1817, lived in Chaseside and was a Flyman whilst his brother JOHN WILLIAM lived in Winchmore Hill and was a Carrier. One of John William's sons and two of Joseph's  sons  initially went into the same line of work. There was still a JOHN EATON in the motor business in Southgate well into the 20th century, he was the son of another brother WILLIAM.

Another son of JOSEPH, also called JOSEPH, who was my husband's Great Grandfather, left Southgate and went to work as a groom for the Duke of Beaufort on the Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire. This branch of the family remained in the Bristol area. EDWARD, a cousin of JOSEPH, also left the area and went to work as a groom on the Estate of the Duke of Devonshire in Easthampstead.

Another of Joseph's brothers, GEORGE, left England for Australia at the end of 1847 and settled there. I have made contact with a descendant of this family. GEORGE was born in Southgate in 1809 and married Eliza Harris in Tottenham in 1831. They had several children in England before they departed.

There was another EATON family in Southgate in the 19th century who kept the Cherry Tree Public House. Henry EATON and his wife Caroline had come from Norfolk, I believe, and as far as I know were not connected to our line.

I have extracted all of the Births, Deaths and Marriages for the EATON name for the Edmonton registration district from 1837 until 1890. I have also extracted all references to the EATON name in Southgate and some for Edmonton, for the censuses 1841 to 1891. I have also looked for wills for EATONS living in Southgate and Edmonton. In addition I have many EATON references from the Parish registers of Edmonton and Southgate. I am happy to share any of this information with anyone who has an interest in the name.

Diane Eaton née Myring   mike.eaton"at"btopenworld.com  change!!