194 Benjamin Eddy (Joshua, Zachariah, Samuel, William), b. Mar. 5, 1709/10; d. 1761/62; m. Elizabeth . . . He died intestate. Barnard Eddy was administrator (Providence Probate, Feb. 16, 1762). The Providence Gazette of Mar. 27, 1781. records the death of Elizabeth Eddy, widow of Capt. Benjamin 2.ddy, late of thistown. A later paper states that Elizabeth Eddy, relict of Capt. Benjamin Eddy, who died Mar. 27, 1781, was interred on the 30th after a sermon by President Manning of Brown University.
Benjamin Eddy learned the trade of a ship carpenter and started in his business in Warwick, where he probably married. On Sept. 12, 1734 he was a resident of Warwick, R. I., when he purchased a piece of land in East Greenwich, R. I., of Benjamin Carr of East Greenwich. The land was between the Country Road and the sea or Salt water, and was known as lot No. 25. He was made freeman in East Greenwich in 1735. On Apr. 13, 1737 he and his wife Elizabeth sold this piece to William Wall of Prudence I., Portsmouth, for £200 (Book, 5,279).
Benjamin Eddy then bought a piece of property in Warwick, R. I. on Aug. 19, 1737 on the edge of the water so as to carry on his trade.
(Warwick Deeds 5, 431) John Gibbs of Warwick, boatman, sold to Benjamin Eddy of Warwick, Ship-carpenter . . "the land is between the bridge at Aponage (Apponaug) and the Wood point to ye northward of ye shipyard adjoining to said yard . . bounds mention Joseph Gorton, Benjamin Gorton and Peter Green." Dated Aug. rg, 1737 and witnessed by Philip Arnold and Susanna Arnold. On May 24, 1710, Benjamin Eddy sold this piece"It is what I bought of John Gibbs lying to the southward of the fulling mill and ye northward of Snoots meadow where I now dwell and is ye half part of the lot No. 42 with my mansion house thereon standing and is on the right of Nicholas Hart." Benoney Waterman and Stephen Low were the witnesses to this deed. It is probable that he went soon after to Providence where on Nov. 26, 1744, he gave a bond to Mercy Arnold, widow, for .?96, Ish. 14d. which he agreed to pay on Nov. 19, 1745.
He established a business on the west side of the Providence River about where Ship St. and the present Eddy St. now come together and was made a Freeman in Providence in 1749. Later his son-in-law Barnard Eddy and Barnard's brother Esek joined him in the ship-building business. This establishment of shipbuilders was the largest in Providence at this time. When Washington wanted ship- carpenters for the building of vessels in the upper Hudson and southerly Lake George he sent to Providence to this firm and Barnard Eddy set out with a company of fifty in response to the call.
On the military list Ul R. I. Lhe name of BenjaminEddy appears as Ensign in Providence in 1746-1747; as Lieutenant in 1748, 1749 and 1750; and as Capt. in 1751, 1752 and 1753.
Benjamin served in Col. Hopkins Reg't in 1756 and as 1st Lieut. of Captain Jenckes Co. in 1758 and as Capt. of the 9th Co. in 1759. The R. I. Colonial Rec., Vol. V, state that Benjamin Eddy was made 1st Lieut. of the 5th Co. Mar. 17, 1758 and Capt. on Feb. 26, 1759 to command the troops of this colony.
After Benjamin's death the records state:
Whereas Elizabeth Eddy, widow of Benjamin Eddy of Providence, deceased has refused to accept the administration on said husband's estate, . . . letters are granted to Barnard Eddy. Then Barnard Eddy reported that the estate was insolvent, whereupon George Jackson and Benoni Pearce were chosen to receive claims on the estate and report in six months. Among those to whom money was due were Caleb Potter, Solomon Drown, Barnard Eddy and John Clark. To John Clark he owed for "Filling one barrel of cider and for carting it to where he lived in Provi- dence. ' When Barnard Eddy sent in his account he spoke of paying - Mother Eddy from Aug. 31, 1761 to June 15, 1761 ", thereby showing that he had married a daughter of Capt. Benjamin Eddy. Another debt that was paid was to Zachariah Eddy of Johnston.
An inventory of the goods set off to the widow included "a chest with drawers, a plain Chest, a spit, two tables, blue earthernware, andirons, tongs, shovel, old tea-kettle, and bellows, bed, bedstead and four old chairs, wheels, warming-pan, fry-pan, gridiron, tramel, three iron pots, teapot, coffee mill, old tin, pewter, bread-trough, mortar and pestle, knives and forks and glass bottles. (What treasures these would be today!)
Children (order of birth not known) :
408 HANNAH EDDY, b. Feb. 27, 1734, at East Greenwich, R. I. (V.R.).
+409 ZACHARIAH EDDY.
+410 WILLIAM EDDY.
+411 JOSEPH EDDY. See will of Margaret Tyning, dated 1765. (Prov. Prob.)
+412 BENJAMIN EDDY.
+413 ELIZABETH EDDY.
414 PATIENCE EDDY, m. BARNARD EDDY, son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Pierce) Eddy. No. 350.
415 ANNE EDDY, m. Feb. 16, 1773, at Providence, THOMAS ELLIS.
416 NANCY EDDY (perhaps).
417 LYDIA EDDY, M. BARNARD EDDY, son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Pierce) Eddy. No. 350.
