Robert Eldridge1
M, b. 1630, d. 1682
Robert was born in 1630 in England. Robert married Elizabeth Nickerson, daughter of William Nickerson II and Anne Busby, on 31 October 1649 in Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Robert & Elizabeth had children: Nicholas [8/18/1650-4/30/1702], Mary [m. 11/30/1688 John Smith], Robert [d. 10/05/1732], Hannah, Martha, William [d. 1749], Joseph [m. Elizabeth Jones], Bridget [m. William Long] & Samuel [m. Elizabeth Hedges].2 Robert departed this life in 1682 in Monomoit, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, at age 52 years. The inventory of Robert's estate was taken. His estate was valued at 116 pounds.
Citations
- [S290] Nickerson Family Association, The Nickerson Family, page 17 - In 1639 Robert entered into a contract of service (as was the custom for boys of that day) with Nicholas Simpkins and Thomas Prence, "the latter to pay him four pounds per annum and a ewe goat at the end of his term . . . and ten shillings more claimed by Robert". He was listed to bear arms in 1643 in Plymouth where he lived until he went to Yarmouth about 1645. There he married Elizabeth. He was constable in 1657. The family later moved and lived on a farm north of Oyster Pond in what is now West Chatham on part of the property deeded to Elizabeth by her father.
The first estate inventory on record in Monomoit was that of Robert's estate and was typical of the average citizen of that early time. "His live stock consisted of 2 horses, 20 cows, 2 steers, one pair of oxen, 6 2-year old heifers, 2 three-year olds, 3 yearling calves, 29 sheep, 12 hogs and 17 shoats. He had 4 hives of bees, 3 barrels of tar, an old saddle, 7 old casks, a plow and irons, sickle, pitchfork" and other farm tools. Inside the house were earthen and pewter dishes, an assortment of iron and wooden kitchen utensils, an hour glass, andirons, a spit, brass scales, sieves, kneeding troughs, churn, bellows, a wool wheel, a linen wheel and defense weapons - a back sword and a fowling piece. The inventory of his entire estate was valued at 316 pounds. [Reference: History of Chatham, Massachusetts by William C. Smith, 1917] - [S290] Nickerson Family Association, The Nickerson Family, page 17 -.