Update - Eaton Saddington (circa 1831 - 1892)

This post is an update to my post on Eaton Saddington, originally written on 10 August 2007 and updated on 14 August 2007.

This further information has kindly been supplied by Jamie Richards in Michigan, USA, to whom I am very grateful.

Susanna Saddington, Eaton's mother, died on 3 February 1883, at the age of 74 years, 7 months and 19 days, and is buried in the Pine Grove cemetery in Davison, Genesee County, Michigan. Also buried there is Eaton's younger brother, Thomas, who died on 24 April 1866, aged 20 years, 6 months and 2 days.

Thomas Saddington had joined the 30th Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, part of the Union Army (the Army of the North), at the age of 18. He was a member of Company I, which was stationed in Detroit, Michigan. The role of the 30th Regiment was to "render the frontier of Michigan secure from the incursion of the disaffected in Canada". He was a Private throughout his time in the Regiment, and died shortly after his discharge from the Union Army. According to Ancestry, his military record can be found on Roll 36 of Film M545 - US Civil War Soldiers 1861-1865.

Eaton's sister, Eliza, is now known to have been born on 11 April 1839 in Denford, Northamptonshire, and died in Davison, Genesee County on 4 February 1883. She was married to Richard Richards, who died in 1906. They are also buried in the Pine Grove cemetery.

Eaton's other sister, Elizabeth, was known in the family as Betsy. She was born on 25 August 1841 in Denford, Northamptonshire and died on 14 August 1921 in Davison, Michigan. She married Sidney Miller, who died in May 1909. They are also buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery.

Eaton and his wife, Emma Jane, had a number of daughters, including one called Mary. This may be Ida May, enumerated in the 1870 US Census, or it may be a later child as yet unlocated. Anyway, Mary married Charles Evans, and had three daughters, Nettie, Pearl and Grace. Unfortunately, both Mary and Charles died from an as yet unknown illness, and their daughters were raised by Mary's sister, Betsy, who I presume is the 1 year old Elizabeth enumerated in the 1870 US Census.

If you are related to this family, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Eaton Saddington (circa 1831 - 1892) [Updated 14 August 2007]

Another piece about a Saddington who crossed the Herring Pond to find a new life.

Eaton Saddington was born in Denford, Northamptonshire, circa 1831, son of Samuel and Susan Saddington. There is a possible record of his christening, in that the IGI has a reference to a Stanton Saddington, son of Samuel and Susannah, who was christened in Denford on 18 December 1831, but this needs to be looked into in more detail.

The first definite reference that I have to Eaton is in the 1841 census for Denford - HO107/803, Folio 8, Page 9, Schedule No. 43.

Samuel Sadington 34 Labour Y
Susan do 3 - Y [incomplete age on original image]
George do 11 - Y
Eaton do 9 - Y
Elizabeth 2 - Y

According to the 1851 census, the family has moved to Leicester, and is living at 8 Barbers Yard [?], Belgrave Gate in the parish of St Margaret (HO107/2089, Folio 144, Page 15, Schedule No. 51).

Samuel Saddington Head Mar 44 Laborer Northants Denford
Susannah do Wife Mar 42 - do Woodford
Eaton do Son U 17 Laborer do Denford
Eliza do Daur - 12 At Home do do
Elizabeth do Daur - 10 do do do
Thomas do Son - 5 - do do

However, Samuel and Susannah did not stay in Leicester. On 25 September 1851, the family set sail out of Liverpool on the "Ashburton", bound for New York. The passenger list shows that some amendments have been made to the family's ages, perhaps to make them more acceptable to the authorities on the other side of the Atlantic.

Saml Saddington 40 M Laborer Eng
Susan Saddington 39 F - Eng
Eaton Saddington 16 M - Eng
Eliza Saddington 10 F - Eng
Elizabeth Saddington 7 F - Eng
Thos Saddington 5 M - Eng

[New York Passenger Lists 1820-1957 - Ancestry.co.uk]

In 1857, according to the IGI, Eaton marries Emma Jane Rich in Lapper [Lapeer], Lapeer County, Michigan. He has been indexed as Ealon at this time.

The 1860 United States federal census, taken on 13 August 1860, indicates that the whole family has migrated to Michigan, and are now living next door to each other in Davison, Genesee County. The two amounts listed for Samuel and Eaton relate to the value of their real estate and personal estate respectively.

Samuel Sidington 54 M Farmer 300 200 England
Susannah do 52 F - - - do
Thomas do 15 M do Labr -- do

Eaton do 28 M do do 300 100 do
Emogine do 18 F - - - NY
Rosina do 3/12 F - - - Mich

[Roll M653_544, Page 0, Image 310]

On 8 June 1870, the federal census shows the two families still living next door to one another in Davison, Genesee County, Michigan. For some reason, Samuel has been enumerated as Eaton - this might relate to what questions were asked and who answered them. "W", in this instance, stands for "White".

Sidington Eaton 64 M W Farmer 300 175 England
do Susannah 62 F W Keeping House - - England

Sidington Eaton 39 M W Farmer 400 280 England
do Emma Jane 28 F W Keeping House - - New York
do Susannah 8 F W At School - - Michigan
do Ida May 4 F W - - - Michigan
Sidington Elizabeth 1 F W - - - Michigan

In 1880, according to Family Search, the federal census shows Eaton's family still in Davison, Genesee. The last two pieces of information given indicate the birthplaces of the person's father and mother in that order. There is therefore some issue with the mother's birthplace given for the three daughters, as they should all read NY if Emma Jane is their mother, which must be the case.

Eaton Saddington Self M Male W 49 ENG Farm Laborer ENG ENG
Emma J Saddington Wife M Female W 38 NY Keeping House NY MI
Mary E Saddington Dau S Female W 11 MI At School ENG MI
Betsey L Saddington Dau S Female W 8 MI - ENG ENG
Lilly Saddington Dau S Female W 5 MI - ENG ENG

Eaton lived out the rest of his life in Genesee County, Michigan. Most of the 1890 federal census was destroyed in a fire in 1921, so there is no record of the family at that point. However, the Flint Genealogical Society's Genesee County Death Index indicates that Eaton died on 20 September 1892.

A reference in the Dibean Marriage Index for Genesee County seems to show Eaton's daughter, Lilly, marrying only 3 months after her father's death.

SADDINGTON, LILLIE - BURTON, GEORGE H - GENESEE - 28 DEC 1892

Please could anyone with any additional knowledge about Eaton Saddington, his birth family or the family he created in Michigan please contact me.