| Birth: About 1597-1599,
possibly Lincolnshire. |
 Mayflower
Families for Five Generations: Edward Doty. These set of books
provide the first five complete generations of the descendants of Edward
Doty, from his various children. [Note: The volume for his
children Isaac, Joseph, and Mary has not yet been published.]
Volume 1: From sons Edward and John
Volume 2: From children Thomas, Samuel, Desire, and Elizabeth.
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Biographical Summary
Edward Doty's English origins have not
yet been discovered. Some sources claim he was baptized on 14 May
1598 in either Dudlick, Shropshire or "Thurburton Hills", Suffolk.
I have investigated these in English records, and found both to be
complete hoaxes.
However, there is a real Edward Doty
baptized on 3 November 1600 at East Halton, Lincolnshire, England, son
of Thomas Doty. The Doty families of East Halton are regularly
using the names Thomas, Edward, and John: the first three names
Mayflower passenger Edward Doty assigned to his first three
children. Even if this particular Edward Doty is not the
Mayflower passenger himself, I strongly suspect the true
Mayflower passenger will be found amongst this general Lincolnshire
Doty family.
Edward Doty came on the Mayflower
in 1620 as a servant to Stephen Hopkins and was apparently still a
servant in 1623 when the Division of Land was held, indicating he was
under the age of 25 during that time. He signed the Mayflower
Compact in November 1620, so he was likely over 21 at the time.
This narrows his likely birth date to around 1597-1599.
Edward Doty married twice, according to
William Bradford. However, nothing is known of his first wife.
His second wife, Faith Clarke, came on the ship Francis in April
1634 with father Thurston Clarke, and they were married the following
January in Plymouth.
Edward Doty appears to have been
somewhat of a troublemaker throughout his life at Plymouth. In
June 1621, he engaged in a sword and dagger duel with fellow Hopkins
servant Edward Leister; both were wounded before being separated, and
were punished by having their head and feet tied together for an hour
(it was supposed to have been for a whole day, but they were let go
early because of their apparent suffering). Edward Doty made
regular appearances in Plymouth Colony Court, as can be seen by the
table below summarizing some of his court records:
| 1632/3 |
Sued by Joseph Rogers, failed to pay a contract
with six pigs, as had been agreed. Rogers won. |
| 1632/3 |
Sued by William Bennet for dealing fraudulently in
a trade of bacon for beaver skins. Bennet won. |
| 1633 |
Sued by William Bennet for slander. Doty fined 50
shillings. |
| 1633/4 |
Sued by his apprentice John Smith to be freed from
his 10-year contract. Court agreed, and required Doty to
give him double payment in apparel for having given so little to
his apprentice. |
| 1633/4 |
Fined 6 shillings 8 pence for "breaking the
peace", and awarded Josias Cooke 3 shillings 4 pence because Doty
caused him to bleed during their fight. |
| 1634 |
Doty sued Francis Sprague over a debt: Doty won 6
shillings 6 pence, plus a peck of malt. |
| 1636 |
Edward Doty and Joseph Beedle sue and counter-sue
for "matters beign raw and imperfect" and were sent to an
arbitrator. |
| 1637/8 |
Fined 10 shillings for breaking the peace, by
assaulting George Clarke. |
| 1641 |
Sued George Allen. Reason and outcome
unrecorded. |
| 1641/2 |
Sued Thurston Clarke. Doty awarded 12
bushels and 1 peck of Indian corn, and 12 shillings money or an
additional 4 bushes of corn, plus 11 shillings for charges.
John Jenny then entered an attachment to receive 31 shillings 6
pence from Clarke before it was paid to Doty, of which the court
ordered him to then pay Doty five and a half bushels of Indian
corn and 3 pence to settle the account. |
| 1641/2 |
Court orders Edward Doty to keep his two cows and
a steer fenced in during the summer, or pay Thomas Symons for all
damage caused by his cows in Symons' cornfield. |
| 1641/2 |
Sued George Clark. Doty awarded four bushels
of Indian corn. |
| 1643 |
Doty ordered to pay five bushels of Indian corn to
John Groome, for Manessah Kempton's use. |
| 1647 |
Samuel Cutbert sued Edward Doty for taking wood
from his land. Doty ordered to pay 7 shillings damages plus
court fees. |
| 1650 |
Edward Gray and Samuel Cutbert sue Edward Doty for
damage done by his cows to their corn. Doty ordered to pay 1
bushel of Indian corn to each. |
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