Robert Paddock

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁶⁵⁸
Robert Paddock of Plymouth and Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, New England, Blacksmith and Constable of Plymouth 1646, Patriarch of the Paddock Family in America, was born 16 Sep 1584. He has also been given as born in Stephenstown, Balrothery Parish, County Louth, Ireland, the younger son of John Paddock, Blacksmith of Stephenstown by his wife Jane Jennings. She also claimed to have been named originally Jeannette Jennin or Jeannin, daughter of Francois & Louise (Moron) Jennin of Croisilles, Pas de Calais France.

Robert Paddock died interstate at Plymouth 25 Jul 1650. Though he made no will, his widow Mary confirmed in Nov 1650 that on his death bed Robert had granted the guardianship of his son John, who was about five at the time, to Captain Thomas Willett, who was later Mayor of New York, 1664-1667.

Robert had married his wife Mary by 1630. Mary has been named as Mary Holmes, the daughter of Peter Homes and Elizabeth Ireland, daughter of Lawrence Ireland, a weaver of Killany. Mary was given as a sister of Francis Holmes who settled in Stamford, Connecticut, 1648, and who made his will in 1671.

Robert was said to have married as his first wife Mary Ball, given as born in 1582 and buried in Killany 14 Sep 1627, daughter of Zachary and Margaret Ball of Stephenstown.

Robert inherited the blacksmith shop of his father in Killany, Barony of Ardee, Louth, Ireland, in the will of his mother made at killany 15 May 1607.

The name of the ship and the year of the emigration of Robert Paddock remain unknown. He may well have been in Plymouth by 1632, because two of his children were entered into the Plymouth Colony records born before 1636. The Paddock Manuscript shows that Robert Paddock was granted "the garden place next to Thomas Willet.

The inventory of the estate of William Palmer, Sr., filed 1638, showed an indebtedness to Robert Paddock of 9d. for a pair of shoes and "to goodwife Paddock for ye child £1 5s. 2d. Robert requested an accounting of this 20 Oct 1646.

After Robert Paddock died in 1650, his children continue to show in the Plymouth Colony Vital Records:

"The Register of the age of some of the Children of Robert Paddocke Deceased

"Imprimis William Palmer the son in law of the said Robert Paddocke; was borne the 27th of June 1634

"Zachariah Paddocke the son of Robert was born the tenth of March 1638

"Mary the Daughter of Robert Paddocke was borne the 20th of march 1636

"Allis the Daughter of Robert Paddocke was borne the 7th of March 1640

"John the son of Robert Paddocke was borne the first of Aprill 1643

"there are two other that are before registered in this booke"

Thus the births of Zachariah, Mary, Alice and John were recorded in the Plymouth Colony Records, and indirectly Elizabeth, not named but implied by reference to her husband William Palmer "the son in law of said Robert Paddocke."

Children of Robert Paddock and Mary Holmes:

• Robert, Jr., born about 1632-1634. No more is know about him
• Elizabeth, b. abt 1634/35; m. William Palmer, Jr.
• Zachariah, b. 20 Mar 1636; m. Deborah Sears
• Alice, b. 4 mar 1640, d. 24 Sep 1692; m. 7 May 1663, Zachariah Eddy
• John, b. 1 Apr 1643; m. Anna Jones
• Susanna, b. 1649; d. Taunton, Mass., 14 Mar 1670; m. 1st, 12 Nov 1665, John Eddy

~The Paddock Genealogy, pp. 21-26

Robert married Mary Holmes about 1609 in England/Ireland. (Mary Holmes was born about 1610 in Ireland and died in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, British American Colonies.)