Person:Edward Doty (1)

Edward Doty
b.Bet 1597 and 1599 England
  • HEdward DotyBet 1597 & 1599 - 1655
  • WFaith ClarkeEst 1617 - Aft 1675
m. 6 Jan 1634/35
  1. Edward DotyBef 1637 - 1689/90
  2. John Doty1639 - 1701
  3. Thomas Doty1640/41 -
  4. Samuel DotyEst 1642 - 1714/15
  5. Desire DotyAbt 1645 - 1730/31
  6. Elizabeth DotyAbt 1647 - 1742
  7. Isaac Doty1647/48 - 1728
  8. Joseph Doty1651 - Aft 1731
  9. Mary Doty1653 - 1728
Facts and Events
Name Edward Doty
Alt Name Edward Doten
Gender Male
Birth[2][6] Bet 1597 and 1599 England
Alt Birth? 14 May 1598
Marriage 6 Jan 1634/35 Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United Statesto Faith Clarke
Death[1][2] 23 Aug 1655 Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
Reference Number[5] Q5342627?

Contents

Origins

Edward Doty came as a servant of the merchant Stephen Hopkins. The name "Doty" was not a common one in his day, yet it was spelled many ways. The most frequently used spelling is "Doty." Other variations which appear on early records include "Dotte," "Doten," "Dotten," "Dowty," and "Dotie." I It must be remembered that those keeping records wrote the name as it sounded to them. The register of St. Mary-le-Strand, London gives the marriage of an Edward Doty and Wynifryd Waryner, 12 December 1613. He would have been married in the wife's parish. As Bradford refers only to Doty's second marriage, this London record may possibly be his first wife although the interval is rather lengthy. Edward Doty has been described as a London youth, but little is written about his origin. He was "a very promising and sturdy young man, probably residing in or near London in 1619, and well acquainted with some of the Merchant Adventurers... It was the growing custom for the best of families to apprentice their sons as soon as possible to a seven-year period with some London merchant, and no doubt his family was of good standing." [Which casts doubt on the idea that a man married seven years before would still be a servant]

This account of Doty has some truth. He must have been a sturdy individual since a merchant needed his servant to perform heavy labor. That he was a promising young man is also true since Doty was later very active in the affairs of the Colony and retained his own indentured servant, Peter Talbott. The statement that his family (in England) was no doubt of "good standing" is conjecture.

At the time that Doty lived there were several Doty's (Dowty and Dowtie) recorded in the district of Southwark, one of the oldest districts of London. Its name comes from the "south works" or fortifications that protected London Bridge from attack in the Middle Ages. It is located at the southeast bank of the River Thames across from the Tower of London.

Southwark was a theater district (Shakespeare's Globe was here) and was "famed for its inns and taverns, which played host to many classes of people - lawyers, merchants, writers, Parliamentarians, and other people in search of refreshment." An official report of 1619 claimed that the population of Southwark was "chiefly of innkeepers."

The name "Doty" itself was from the Welsh "Doitty" meaning an "ail house".[9]

Some accounts call Doty a "cabin boy" and claim that the Mayflower Compact says he was 10 years of age when he came here. (e.g., S1) However, Great Migration indicates he probably signed the Mayflower Compact as an adult, which in turn casts doubt on the idea that the Compact itself specifies Doty's age.

Reports that Edward Doty is the son of John Doughty and Anne Holland originate with a manuscript "The Doty Family" by Gustave Anjou, known to have created several fraudulent genealogies, and has been refuted[8].

New England

Edward Doty came on the Mayflower as a servant of the merchant Stephen Hopkins. Edward was one of the signers of the of the Solemn Compact in Cape Cod Harbor, November 11, and was with his master in the Shallop, that in December following discovered Plymouth Harbor: yet June 18 following the party to the first duel fought in New England. He retrieved his character by change from his youthful folly, married probably as his second wife January 6, 1635 Faithe, daughter of Tristan (Thurston) Clark. He was in 1652 one the purchasers of Dartmouth, but removed to Yarmouth, died August 23, 1655. His will of March preceeding, names only wife and Edward. His widow married March 14, 1667 John Phillips of Duxbury and outlived him. [10]

From William Bradford's Mayflower passenger list:S5

mr Steven Hopkins, & Elizabeth his wife; and .2. children, caled Giles, and Constanta a doughter, both by a former wife. And .2. more by this wife, caled Damaris, & Oceanus, the last was borne at sea. And .2. servants, called Edward Doty, and Edward Litster.

In the account of what had happened to the passengers by 1650:

Edward Doty, & Edward Litster the servants of mr Hopkins. Litster After he was at liberty, went to Virginia, & ther dyed. But Edward Doty by a second wife hath .7. children and both he and they are living.

Brushes with the Law


1621: Dueling. With Edward Leister. Sentenced, had heels tied to neck for one hour.
1633: Breach of Contract. With Joseph Rogers for failing to turn over six pigs
1633: Slander. Of William Bennett, fined 50s.
1634: Disorderly Conduct. Fighting with Josias Cooke and drawing blood, fined 6s. 8p.
1636: Assault. Of George Clarke, fined 10s.
1647: Theft. Stole wood from Samuel Cuthbert's land, fined 7s.
1650: Destruction of Property: Caused by his cows eating in a neighbors cornfield.


Estate

Will of Edward Doty May the 20th 1655

In the Name of God Amen

Know all men to whom It may concerne that I Edward Dotten senir: of the Towne of New Plymouth in New England being sicke and yett by the mercye of God in prfect memory and upon matture Consideration Doe by this my last will and Testament leave and bequeath my purchase land lying att Coaksett unto my sons; my son Edward I give a Double portion and to the rest of my sonnes equall alike if they live to the age of one and twenty if they Die before then to bee prted among the rest onely to my wife I leave a third During her life and then after to returne to my sonnes, And unto my loveing wife I give and bequeath my house and lands and meddows within the precincts of New Plymouth together with all Chattles and moveables that are my proper goods onely Debts and engagements to bee paied; As for my Share of land att Punckquetest if it come to anything I give it unto my son Edward; This being my last will and Testament; I Edward Dotten Doe owne it for my Act and Deed before these my loveing ffrinds whoe are Witnesses; and Doe sett my hand to the same; the Day and yeare abovewritten

Witness
John howland Edward Dotten
James hurst his Marke
John Cooke
William hoskins Ther being many names besides
Coaksett I mean all my purchase
land According to the Deed

Att the generall court held the fift of March 1655; faith the wife of Edward Dotten Decased Did give up and make over all her right and enterest she had in the land of Edward Dotten Att Coaksett or places adjacent unto her Children this shee Did in the prsence of the said Court; held att Plymouth yt Day and yeare above expressed;

The abovewritten Will and Testament of Edward Dotten Deceased was exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift of March 1655 on the oathes of Mr John howland James hurst John Cooke and William hoskins

Receipts for their share of the father's estate identify sons Edward, John, Thomas, Samuel, Joseph and Isaac. One agreement of the heirs of widow Faith Phillips names the daughters: Desire Sherman, Elizabeth Rouse, and Mary Doten.[7]

Text References

  1. Author Unknown. Our Cooper Family. (Genealogy, Unpublished).
  2. 2.0 2.1 Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).

    Birth: he was a servant on his arrival, but as he fought a duel within months of landing at Plymouth, he was more likely close to the end of his servitude rather than the beginning; he signed the Mayflower Compact, probably as an adult.
    Death: Plymouth 23 August 1655 citing PCR 8:17

  3.   George S. Brown. Yarmouth Nova Scotia Genelaogies Transcribed from the Yarmouth Herald. (1901).
  4.   William Bradford. History of Plymouth Plantation.
  5. Edward Doty, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.

    the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

    Edward Doty (August 23, 1655) was a passenger on the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower to North America; he was one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact.

  6. Johnson, Caleb. MayflowerHistory.com.

    Caleb Johnson states Edward Doty's English origins have not yet been discovered. He has investigated these in English records, and found birth places to be complete hoaxes.

  7. Doty, Ethan Allen. The Doty-Doten Family in America: Descendants of Edward Doty, an Emigrant by the Mayflower, 1620. (Brooklyn, New York: E.A. Doty, 1897)
    pp. 6-29.
  8. Thompson, Neil. "A False Account of the Birth and Parentage of Edward Doty, Mayflower Passenger, Exposed", in The American Genealogist (TAG). (Donald Lines Jacobus, et.al.)
    63:215.

    Refutes report by Gustave Anjou giving John Doughty and Ann Holland as parents of Edward Doty and four other sons. "This appears to be another case in which Gustave Anjou, not finding the information he sought, simply invented it." John Doughty of Dudlick did not marry Ann Holland in 1595 as Anjou says, but about 1575 based on birth of their first child, and had no recorded son Edward, nor would he be likely to be the father of a son born in 1598.

  9. A Genealogy of a Bennett Family by Marian (Bennett) Locke Dew and Patricia (Bennett) Labbe
  10. "Genealogical Guide to the early settlers of America", Page 154.

Links


The Mayflower (1620)
The Mayflower was the first settlement voyage to New England, carrying primarily English Separatists known as Pilgrims. It was destined for the mouth of the Hudson River, but landed at Cape Cod in present-day Massachusetts.
Sailed: 6 Sep 1620 from Southampton, England under Captain Christopher Jones
Arrived: 11 Nov 1620 at Plymouth, Massachusetts
After spending the winter aboard ship, the surviving passengers moved ashore on 21 Mar 1621.
Next Vessel: The Fortune (1621)

Passengers:
104; 24 families left descendants (Full List)
Pilgrim Families: Allerton (Asst. Gov. Isaac) - Bradford (Gov. William) - Brewster (Rev. William) - Chilton - Cooke - Fuller (Edward) - Fuller (Samuel) - Priest - Rogers - Sampson - Tilley (Edward) - Tilley (John) - White - Winslow (Edward)
Other Families and Servants: Alden - Billington - Browne - Doty - Eaton - Hopkins - Howland - Mullins - Soule - Standish (Capt. Miles) - Warren - Winslow (Gilbert)

Resources: Primary Sources: Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation - Mourt's Relation - Pilgrim Hall (wills and other contemporary documents)
Wikipedia: Mayflower (voyage) - Passenger List - Pilgrims - Plymouth Colony - Captain Christopher Jones