Family register

Edward Doty

1599–1655confirmed

Mayflower passenger
Indentured servant

Edward Doty (1599 – 23 August 1655) was a member of the Doty family. He married Faith (Clarke) Doty. He had 9 children, including Edward Doty, John Doty and Thomas Doty. He died in 1655, in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony.

Early life and origins

Edward Doty was born about 1599.^[1] The standard Doty family monograph states that there is still little to determine the place of his birth.^[28]

Mayflower voyage and early years at Plymouth

Doty sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 as one of the two servants of his master, named in the governor's passenger list printed in Of Plymouth Plantation.^[16] He signed the Mayflower Compact on 11 November 1620, spelled "Edward Doten" in the subscription list preserved in Mourt's Relation.^[1][8] On 6 December 1620 he was one of the ten men of the third exploring party on Cape Cod, listed as "Edward Dotte" among "three of London".^[11] On 18 June 1621 he fought a formal duel with a fellow servant of his master, described as the first duel fought in New England, upon a challenge at single combat with sword and dagger; both men were wounded, one in the hand and the other in the thigh.^[12] For the duel the two were adjudged to have their heads and feet tied together for twenty-four hours without meat or drink, but within an hour, at their own and their master's humble request and on their promise of better carriage, they were released by the governor.^[14] The Grand Enquest presented him for breaking the King's peace in assaulting a neighbour, and he was fined 10 shillings.^[2] By a letter of 8 September 1623 his master resigned his two servants and they were retained in the colony's general service, ending Doty's indenture.^[7] He appears in the 1623 division of land and again in the 1627 Division of Cattle as one of the 156 Plymouth inhabitants.^[10] The cattle division, ordered at a General Court of 22 May 1627 and entered as of 1 June 1627, names him as "Edward Dolton", the eleventh person in the fourth lot.^[38][50][51]

Marriage and family

Records disagree on the date: the Mayflower Society register also gives 6 January 1634, while Wikipedia gives 9 January 1635.^[34][60] The Doty family monograph states that no record indicates a first marriage or any issue from it, and that the reference to a second wife is the only clue that he married twice.^[48] In an accounting of survivors written in 1650/51, the governor stated that Doty was then living and had seven children by a second wife.^[17] Wikipedia states that by Faith Clarke he had seven children and two more later, and lists the children as Edward, John, Thomas, Samuel, Desire, Elizabeth, Isaac, Joseph and Mary.^[55][60]

Land, servants and colony business

He employed indentured labour: about 1643 a man received five acres of land "for service by indenture pformed to Edward Doty", and a later deed records a former servant of "Edw: Dowty" making over land due to him by indenture to another party.^[4][49] On 31 August 1638 a covenant servant brought from England was assigned to Doty to serve him the residue of a five-year term plus two years more, seven years in all from 20 October 1638.^[22] On 12 July 1637 he sold his messuages, houses and tenements at Heigh Cliffe or Skeart Hill, with four lots and three acres bought of three neighbours, to a Plymouth buyer for £150, signing as "EDWARD DOTEY, his marke".^[23] On 24 September 1639, described as "of Plym' Planter", he acknowledged the sale of a further twenty-acre lot at Heigh Cliffe to the same buyer for £22.^[21] About 1641, the sale of his house and land at Heigh Cliffe having been relinquished, he gave up an earlier grant of sixty acres at a pond near Namassacutt Path, and the Court granted him instead six acres of meadow by his house at Heigh Cliffe.^[13] He was also granted threescore acres of land and a garden place at the western end of Derby's Pond.^[19] He and a neighbour were granted hay ground at Saggaquash, and he was granted hay ground on Jones River with three other men.^[5][44] He and his father-in-law were appointed, with three other men, to view a parcel of land near a neighbour's grant at Mounts Hill and report so that parcels might be granted to them.^[6] A neighbour was allowed the line with him, he carrying himself in good order, and to enjoy the bargain between them.^[15] At a general meeting of the Purchasers at Plymouth on 7 March 1652 a tract west of Acoughcusse to the river Acusshaneck was allotted in thirty-four shares, and the purchaser share list records "Edward Dotye one whole share", one of the thirty-four.^[52][53][54]

Later life, death and burial

Doty made his last will at New Plymouth on 20 May 1655, calling himself sick but of perfect memory, and signed it by mark.^[35] In the will he gave his wife his house, lands and meadows within the precincts of New Plymouth together with his chattels and movables, debts and engagements to be paid.^[42] He bequeathed his purchase land at Coaksett to his sons, giving his son Edward a double portion and the rest equal shares at age twenty-one, with his wife to have a third for her life.^[36][40] He gave his share of land at Punckquesett, "if it come to any thing", to his son Edward, and clarified that by Coaksett he meant all his purchase land according to the deed.^[47] He died at Plymouth on 23 August 1655, according to Wikipedia and the Mayflower Society register.^[1][34] A published genealogical work gives the date as Thursday, 23 August/2 September 1655.^[26] The 1898 Genealogical Guide, following an older tradition, states that he removed to Yarmouth and died on 23 August 1655.^[29] His estate inventory, taken on 21 November 1655 for an inhabitant of the town of Plymouth, included his dwelling house with adjoining land at £25, sixty acres of upland with meadow in the woods, land at Clarke's Island, the purchase land at Coaksett at £20, working oxen, cows, swine and a cart.^[39][45] The will was exhibited at Plymouth Court on 5 March 1655/6 and proved on the oaths of four witnesses.^[25]

Written by research agents from the sources listed below; every sentence cites them.

Life and records

Also Doten, Dotey, Dolton, Dowty. A first wife, unnamed, is possible (perhaps Wynifryd Waryner, m. 1613, per Banks).

Family

Spouse

Faith (Clarke) Dotyd. 1675