Theophilus Eaton (c. 1590 – January 7, 1658) was a key figure in the early colonization of New England and played a central role in establishing and governing the New Haven Colony, one of the earliest American settlements.

His life spanned significant historical events in both England and the New World, and his contributions helped shape the political and social landscape of early colonial America. Eaton was a successful businessman and diplomat, but his greatest legacy is his work in the development of the New Haven Colony, his role in shaping its legal system, and his vision for a Puritan society in the New World.

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Early Life and Family Background

Theophilus Eaton was born around 1590 in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England, into a religiously devout family. His father, Rev. Richard Eaton, was a graduate of Lincoln College, Oxford, and became the Vicar of Great Budworth in Cheshire in 1607. Richard Eaton was a respected figure in the Church of England, and Theophilus grew up in a household that valued education and religion, two elements that would strongly influence his later life and career.

Not much is known about Eaton’s early years, but he likely received a solid education, given his family’s social standing and religious connections. His father’s position and his own ambitions would eventually lead him into commerce and politics, where his skills as a negotiator, diplomat, and businessman would serve him well.

Early Career and First Marriage

Eaton’s early career was primarily in trade and diplomacy. He became a successful merchant in London and was involved in international trade, including dealings with countries such as Denmark and Scandinavia. He served as an ambassador between King James I of England and King Christian IV of Denmark, facilitating business transactions between the two nations. This experience not only provided Eaton with valuable business acumen but also connected him to powerful political and economic networks in England and Europe.

Eaton’s personal life during this period was marked by his first marriage to Grace Hiller. The couple had two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, but both died young, a common tragedy in the 17th century due to high infant mortality rates. Grace Hiller herself passed away in 1626, leaving Eaton a widower with no surviving children.

Second Marriage and Family Connections

In 1627, Eaton remarried Anne Yale, the widow of Thomas Yale and daughter of George Lloyd, the Bishop of Chester (although some sources suggest she may have been the daughter of Bishop Thomas Morton of Chester). Anne brought three children from her first marriage—Anne, David, and Thomas Yale Jr.—into her new household with Eaton. Together, Theophilus and Anne had five children: Samuel, Theophilus Jr., Hannah, Jonathan, and Elizabeth (the second daughter named Elizabeth, as their first daughter of the same name had died young).

Eaton’s marriage to Anne Yale connected him to several influential families. The Yale family, for instance, would later be associated with Elihu Yale, the benefactor of Yale University. Thomas Yale Jr., Eaton’s stepson, would co-found the New Haven Colony and become a prominent figure in Connecticut’s early history. The Yale children’s descendants became influential landowners, businessmen, and soldiers, playing significant roles in American history.

Business Success and Political Engagement in England

Before his emigration to the New World, Theophilus Eaton built a successful career in London as a merchant. He became a member of the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation, a prestigious role that put him at the heart of the city’s governance and commerce. His wealth and connections allowed him to purchase the home of Sir Richard Saltonstall, another key figure in the colonization of New England, and he also served as the Deputy Governor of the Eastland Company. This company was one of the most important English commercial enterprises of the 17th century, trading primarily in the Baltic and Scandinavian regions.

Eaton’s business success afforded him the opportunity to become involved in the Puritan movement and the colonization of New England. The political climate in England during the early 17th century was increasingly hostile toward Puritans, a religious group that sought to reform the Church of England. Many Puritans, frustrated by the lack of religious freedom and increasing persecution, sought to establish colonies in the New World where they could practice their faith freely.

Involvement in the Massachusetts Bay Colony

In 1628, Eaton and a group of shareholders, including Sir Richard Saltonstall and Sir Henry Rosewell, purchased a royal charter from King Charles I to colonize the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This charter granted them the legal right to establish a self-governing colony in New England. Eaton was one of the five men selected to govern the colony from England, demonstrating the trust and respect he had earned among his peers.

In 1630, Governor John Winthrop led the Winthrop Fleet to Massachusetts, marking the beginning of the Puritan migration to New England. Eaton’s ship, the Arbella, was part of this fleet and served as Winthrop’s flagship during the voyage. Although Eaton initially remained in England to manage business interests, he was deeply involved in the financial and organizational aspects of the colony’s establishment.

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Emigration to New England and Founding of New Haven Colony

In 1637, Theophilus Eaton emigrated to New England aboard the ship Hector, arriving in Boston on June 26. Eaton and his close friend, John Davenport, a prominent Puritan minister, sought to establish their own settlement, independent from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Their motivation was partly due to dissatisfaction with the leadership of John Winthrop and a desire to create a colony that adhered more strictly to Puritan ideals.

In the spring of 1638, Eaton and Davenport, along with a group of settlers, left Boston and traveled to a location they had scouted along the northern shore of Long Island Sound. They arrived at a site they named Quinnipiack, later renamed New Haven. On April 14, 1638, they reached an agreement with the local Quinnipiack Indians, led by the sachem Momauquin. In exchange for protection from their enemies, the Mohawk and Pequot tribes, the Quinnipiack Indians ceded land to Eaton’s group.

That same year, Eaton and his settlers purchased additional land from Monotowese, the son of a local sachem, further expanding the settlement. This land acquisition allowed the settlers to grow their colony, and by 1639, the community had grown large enough to establish its own government. Eaton was elected the first governor of the New Haven Colony, a position he would hold for the remainder of his life.

Governance of New Haven Colony

The New Haven Colony, like other Puritan settlements, was governed by a strict religious framework. The colony’s leadership, including Eaton, was heavily influenced by Puritan ideals of governance, which emphasized the integration of church and state. In 1639, the settlers signed the “Fundamental Agreement,” which outlined the colony’s governance structure. This agreement established the “seven pillars of the church,” a group of church elders who would serve as the colony’s governing council.

As governor, Eaton oversaw the creation of a written legal code for the colony in 1655, which became known as the Blue Laws of Connecticut. These laws were based on strict Puritan religious principles and were designed to regulate moral behavior within the community. While some of these laws have become the subject of legend and exaggeration over time, they reflected the deeply religious nature of the New Haven Colony’s governance.

Eaton also played a role in the acquisition of land for other settlements. In 1640, he helped secure land from the Siwanoy Indians for the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, becoming one of its founders. In 1642, he was involved in establishing the Delaware Company of New Haven, which aimed to expand trade in the Delaware River Valley, although this endeavor led to conflicts with Dutch and Maryland interests.

Involvement in the United Colonies of New England

In 1643, Eaton became one of the founding commissioners of the United Colonies of New England, an alliance formed to coordinate defense and governance among the New England colonies. This alliance was particularly important for addressing external threats, such as potential conflicts with Native American tribes, the Dutch in New Netherland, and the French in Canada.

Eaton’s role in the United Colonies allowed him to work closely with leaders from other colonies, including his son-in-law, Edward Hopkins, the second governor of Connecticut. Together, they sought to create a unified front to protect the interests of the New England colonies and ensure their survival in the face of external challenges.

Personal Beliefs and Legacy

Eaton was deeply committed to his Puritan faith and believed that the New Haven Colony should serve as a model Christian society. His religious convictions influenced his governance, and he sought to create a community where church and state were intertwined, and moral behavior was strictly regulated.

One of Eaton’s most progressive acts as governor was his decision in 1646 to free his slaves, making him the first person in New England to do so. This decision was notable because it occurred more than a century before prominent American figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin made similar moves toward emancipation.

Despite his strict governance and religious conservatism, Eaton’s leadership was respected by his peers. He was re-elected as governor every year until his death in 1658, a testament to the trust and admiration he had earned among the settlers of New Haven.

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Death and Posthumous Recognition

Theophilus Eaton died on January 7, 1658, in New Haven. He was initially buried on the green in New Haven, but his remains were later moved to Grove Street Cemetery. Eaton’s contributions to the establishment and governance of the New Haven Colony left a lasting legacy. His vision for a Puritan society, his legal reforms, and his role in shaping the colony’s governance structure were critical to the success of the New Haven Colony.

Eaton’s name lives on through several geographic locations, including Eaton’s Neck, a peninsula on Long Island that he acquired in 1646. This land became part of his estate and was passed down through his descendants, eventually becoming a royal manor under Governor Thomas Dongan on behalf of King James II of England.

Questions and Answers

When and where was Theophilus Eaton born?

Theophilus Eaton was born around 1590 in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England.

His parents were Rev. Richard Eaton, a graduate of Lincoln College, Oxford, and Vicar of Great Budworth, and his wife, Elizabeth.

Who was Theophilus Eaton’s first wife, and how many children did they have?

Theophilus Eaton’s first wife was Grace Hiller. They had two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth Eaton, both of whom died young.

After Grace Hiller’s death in 1626, Theophilus Eaton married Anne Yale, the widow of Thomas Yale and daughter of Bishop George Lloyd (some sources suggest Bishop Thomas Morton of Chester).

Theophilus Eaton and Anne Yale had five children together: Samuel, Theophilus Jr., Hannah, Jonathan, and Elizabeth (the second Elizabeth, born in 1637).

What role did Eaton’s stepson, Thomas Yale Jr., play in early Connecticut history?

Thomas Yale Jr. co-founded the New Haven Colony and signed its Fundamental Agreement in 1639. His descendants became significant figures in Connecticut’s history and industry.

David Yale, a prosperous Boston merchant, was the father of Elihu Yale, who became President of the British East India Company at Madras and was the primary benefactor of Yale College.

What roles did Theophilus Eaton’s children play in early New England?

Mary Eaton married Judge Valentine Hill of Boston; Samuel Eaton helped found the Harvard Corporation; Hannah Eaton married William Jones, who became Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut; and Theophilus Jr. settled in Dublin, Ireland, with his family.

What significant positions did Theophilus Eaton hold in London before emigrating to New England?

Theophilus Eaton was a member of the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation, a Deputy Governor of the Eastland Company, and an ambassador between King James I of England and King Christian IV of Denmark.

What was Theophilus Eaton’s role in the colonization of the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

Eaton was one of the shareholders who secured a royal charter for the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1628. He helped govern the colony from England and co-owned the ship Arbella, which carried Governor John Winthrop to Massachusetts.

When did Theophilus Eaton emigrate to New England, and what settlement did he help establish?

Eaton emigrated to New England in 1637, arriving in Boston on June 26. In 1638, he co-founded the New Haven Colony, where he served as its first governor.

How did Eaton acquire land from the local Quinnipiack and Monotowese Indians?

Eaton negotiated agreements with the Quinnipiack and Monotowese Indians, exchanging protection from their enemies, the Mohawk and Pequot tribes, for land, which helped expand the New Haven Colony.

What legal and political contributions did Theophilus Eaton make to New Haven Colony?

As the first governor of New Haven Colony, Eaton helped establish a written legal code, later known as the Blue Laws of Connecticut, and was instrumental in acquiring land and managing the colony’s affairs.

In 1646, Eaton became the first person in New England to free his slaves, well ahead of other colonial leaders.

How did Eaton contribute to the founding of Greenwich, Connecticut?

In 1640, Eaton helped acquire land from the Siwanoy Indians to establish the town of Greenwich, Connecticut, becoming one of its founders.

What was Eaton’s involvement with the Delaware Company of New Haven?

Eaton helped establish the Delaware Company of New Haven in 1642, with the goal of developing trade in the Delaware River Valley, though this led to conflicts with Dutch and Maryland interests.