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EASTMAN Family History You are here: Photo Albums • EASTMAN • History The name Eastman is generally assumed to be of English origin and simply means "man from the East." However, British genealogical books claim that the name originally came from the Baltic countries, possibly Finland, as Easmond or similar spelling and was anglicised over the centuries to the English pronunciation and spelling of Easman or Eastman. In fouteenth and fifteenth century English, the suffix -mond or -mund was corrupted to -man. Families of Easmonds supposedly emigrated from their native countries to England prior to the 1600s. A different explanation is in a book entitled: "Genealogy and Family History of the State of Maine": "The surname Eastman is synonymous with Easterling. A native of the Hanse towns or of the east of Germany was known as an "Easterling." In medieval times merchants trading with the English in that quarter were known as "mercatores esternses." The surname Eastman is also synonymous with Eastmond, Estmond, Easemond, Easman and Esmond. A branch of this Eastman family (also) came early to the Barbadoes. The only coat-of-arms of the Eastman family is: "Gules the dexter chief point an escutcheon argent charged with a lion rampant." (This coat-of-arms is described here for interest only, and is not yet proven to be legitimate for use by any Eastman named herein.) The name was usually spelled "Easman" or "Estman" in the 1500's and 1600's, most documents after 1700 use today's spelling. Many traditions have been handed down, but it is believed that Roger Eastman of Charleton, Wiltshire, England was the sole ancestor of most of the Eastmans in this country. Roger was an early settler of Salisbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638. He is the only Eastman found on any ship's passenger list prior to 1875. Many of the early settlers of Salisbury, Massachusetts came from Salisbury, Wiltshire, or from several of the smaller villages surrounding Salisbury, such as Charleton, Weeke, Lanford, etc. The ancestral village in England apparently was Charleton, a small village of Downton parish, about 10 miles from Salisbury, Wiltshire. This area is near England's southern coast and is near the famous Stonehenge structures. The village name of Charleton apparently has been dropped since the 1600's, as it is unknown today. The Eastman family was in Charleton, "Dounton Manor" as early as 1539, one Roger Estman being sworn in as tithingman on December 17 in that year. Also in that year Roger Estman owned two old and six young pigs, John Estman the younger, one old pig and in "Nounton", John Estman had one old and two young pigs. It might be interesting to consider the times in which our ancestors lived. Our earliest known ancestor's date of birth is unrecorded, although we know he died in 1565 leaving behind children and grandchildren at that time. Presumably, John Estman was born around 1510 or 1520, perhaps earlier. England was under the rule of the infamous Henry VIII, who took the throne in 1509. Everyone in England at that time was Catholic. Henry spent his time entertaining himself and left the kingdom in the hands of Thomas (Cardinal) Wolsey. Henry's wife was Catherine of Aragon, daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Ferdinand and Isabella were the ones who financed the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. By 1534, Henry had given up on the possibility of Catherine bearing him a son to inherit the throne. He went to Wolsey, who was head of the Catholic church in England and asked him to annul the marriage so he would be free to marry again. Wolsey denied the request and Henry responded by declaring himself the head of the Church of England. This needed the consent of Parliament, which they gave because anyone who questioned Henry's authority was immediately beheaded for treason. The Anglican Church allowed divorce so Henry remarried and had his son. When he died in 1547, his son, Edward, took the throne. Edward's reign was brief because he soon died and his sisters took the throne. Eleven years, and several changes of religion passed before Queen Elizabeth took the throne in 1558. During that time, the religion of the country had gone from a mixture of Catholic and Protestant, to strict Catholic, and with her ascension to the throne, back to the Anglican religion that Henry VIII had instituted. This period must have been difficult for the people. They had been told time and again to change their religious practices. Those who questioned these frequent changes, were quickly arrested, imprisoned or even beheaded. It is in these tumultuous times we begin the tracing of the Eastman name.
John Estman The earliest proven ancestor is John Estman, perhaps the same person mentioned above. Little is known of John, other than his will. He lived in Charleton Parish of Downton, England. He died in 1565. He wrote his will on April 26, 1564, it was proved at the Archdeaconry Court of Sarum (the early or "Latin" name for Salisbury) on May 9, 1565. He mentions his son William and the latter's children, John, William, Walter, and Florence; his son Roger and Roger's children, John and William; servants, etc., making Roger his residuary legatee. The grandchildren were all minors. Apparently William, son of Roger, lived at Charleton in the parish of Downtown and William, son of William, lived at Weeke in the same parish. John's will reads: "Archdeaconry Court of Sarum, Register 4, folio 193. Testam. Johanis Estman de Downton." (Johanis is also a "Latin" version of John) "In the name of God, Amen, the 26th day of April in the year of our Lord God 1564, I, John Eastman of Charleton within the parish of Downton, within the county of Wilts, husbandman, being sick in body but fit in memory, do make my last will and testament after this manner and form following: "First and principally I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God my maker, redeemer and savior, trusting by the merits of his blessed passion to be child of salvation, my body to be buried within the church of Saint Lawrence in Downton where my father doth lie." "Item, I give to our Lady Church of Sarum six pence. Item, I give to Mr. Vicar of Downton for my tithes forgotten twelve pence. Item, I give and bequeath to the reparations of my parish church of Downton three shillings four pence. Item, I give and bequeath to the reparations of the Catheryn bridge of Downton twelve pence. Item, I give and bequeath to Willm Estman, my son, sixteen (?) sheep, five of them shall be ewes and five of them shall be lambs, and in money good and lawful (illegible) and two acres of wheat, the one lying in (illegible) and one half acre between the (illegible), and the other half acre by the green thorne." "Item, I give and bequeath to John, Willm, Walter and Florence, sons and daughters to the said Willm Estman three sheep a piece, and to every one of them in money good and lawful ten shillings a piece, and to each of them one pewter platter a piece, and between the said four children I give one sparked cow, which cow goeth now in the forest, and shall be distributed by the direction of their father, if any of these said four children do decease or die before they come to fit age to make their wills that then the legacy of them that fail or die shall remain to them that liveth, equally to be divided between them and go from the other." "Item, I give and bequeath unto John Estman and to Willm his brother, sons of Roger Estman, three sheep a piece and to each of them in money good and lawful ten shillings a piece and a pewter platter a piece, and between them a black heiffer. If the said John or Willm decease or die before before they come to the age to make their wills that then the legacy of the one shall remain to the other." "Item, I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Barrye my servant two ewe sheep. Item, I give and bequeath to Willm Newman my servant one ewe. Item, I give and bequeath to every one of my godchildren four pence a piece if they will come and ask it of my executor. Item, I give and bequeath to Richard Carter parish clerk of Downton half a bushel of wheat and as much of malt." "The rest of my goods movable and unmovable herein not bequeathed, my debts and legacies paid, I give and bequeath them all unto Roger my son making him my whole and sole executor, desiring Robert Carpenter and Nicholas Newman to be my overseers and they shall have for their pains three shillings four pence a piece. "Witnesses to this my last will and Testament, Richard Cockes, Willm Modye and Richard Cates." It is obvious from the above that John was a man of some substance and property. He had considerable possesions, money and two servants. Also, he wished to be buried inside the church, next to his father. At this time in history, it was customary to bury people within the church buildings. The more money they could pay, the closer they would be put to the alter. Later, coffins were placed on inside walls, then outside walls, and finally, a cemetary was begun just outside the church.
Roger Estman Roger Estman was probably born in the 1540s or 1550s, growing up in the years of religious turmoil in England. He was the father of two children in the year 1564. He lived in Downton, where Downton registers show the death of Roger, 17 February 1604. He left a will dated January 11, 1604 that is still preserved and filed in Consistory Court of Sarum. Little is known of him, the only proof of his existance is a mention in his father's will and then his own will dated January 11, 1604 and probated February 21 of the same year. The will, inventory and bond are still on file today with the Consistory Court of Sarum, Salisbury, England. From his heirs listed, however, we can deduce many of his relatives. Nicholas Eastman is the first-mentioned heir, which English genealogical scholars say is the indication of the oldest son. The other heirs mentioned are: Roger Eastman (probably the second son); Elizabeth, wife of William Skeete; Mary, wife of John Skeete; Walter Eastman (called "the Elder"); Yedyth Eastman (probably would be spelled "Edith" today); and Thomas Eastman. Presumably, these eight heirs were all his children. There is no mention of his wife, so she probably was deceased at the time the will was written.
Nicholas Eastman Little is known about Nicholas other than a mention in his father's will (above) and the baptismal records of his children. We can deduce that he was born after 1564, but before 1570. He died sometime after 1625, leaving seven sons and 3 daughters. An article in the "New York Genealogical and Biographical Record" (Vol. 46:58) suggests that Nicholas' wife Barbara have been a Rooke, but does not elaborate. A book entitled "The Puritan Ancestors in America of Georgia Ann Eastman" says that Nicholas' wife was named Barbara, who was buried July 9, 1625. During Nicholas' life Queen Elizabeth granted a charter to Sir Walter Raleigh to explore and inhabit "remote, heathen and barbarous lands, countries, and territories, not actually possessed of any Christian Prince, nor inhabited by Christian People..." As a result of that charter, Sir Walter Raleigh explored the coast of present-day Virginia and tried unsuccessfully to settle Roanoke Island. During this same time, a new religious group was formed, calling themselves Puritans. They disliked the mixture of Protestant and Catholic in the Anglican Church and wanted to "purify" the church of its Catholic practices. The one baptismal record we are interested in is: "Roger Eastman, the sonne of Nicholas Eastman of Charleton was baptized the 4th of Aprill". This record is from the entries of 1610 in Volume 1 of the Downton Parish Register of the Church at Downton, a small village near Salisbury, Wiltshire. The same volume also lists baptisms for six other sons and three daughters of Nicholas Eastman. They are: Thomas, baptised 9 January 1602/3, who married Alice Sanders of Week on October 21, 1634. Alice was the sister of John Sanders (or Saunders) listed below. Thomas was still living in 1656. John, baptised December 24, 1605, married July 28, 1628 to Margaret Newman. His will, dated January 5, 1656/7 was proved April 4, 1657. Her will was probated November 8, 1673. Both were buried at Downton. Children:Christiana, married John Noyes; (2) Barbara; (3)Alice, married James Barrowe; (4) Margaret, married Thomas Wheeler Margeret, baptised March 26, 1608, married Richard Howse on July 20, 1635 Roger, baptised 4 April 1610, the one who emigrated to America Nicholas, baptised November 29, 1612 Morris (or Maurice), baptised April 26, 1615, will proved May 8, 1669 by his executors William Rooke and his wife Barbara, called by him "my kinsmen." He gave 100 pounds to "kinswoman Barbara Rooke, the daughter of William Rooke", and 50 pounds to sister Mary Moody, making Thomas Eastman his overseer. William, baptised Jan. 21, 1617/8, had a son William Alexander, baptised Sept. 12, 1620 Christiana, baptised Nov. 24, 1622 Mary, baptised March 24, 1625, married John Moody. she was living in 1669, as were her children, Mary, Edith and Maurice. The few records written prior to 1602 in the Parish register are now all illegible.
This
information was obtained by Roger Eastman, who is very involved in
EASTMAN research. |
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