Edward Doty

Notes:

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.

Edward married Faith Clarke on 6 Jan 1634 in Plymouth Colony. Faith (daughter of Thurston Clark and Faith Loes) died on 21 Dec 1675 in Marshfield, MA, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary Doty was born about 1653 in Plymouth Colony; died before 13 Jun 1728.
2. Desire Doty was born about 1646 in Plymouth Colony; died on 22 Jan 1731 in Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA.
3. Thomas Doty was born about 1641 in Plymouth Colony; died on 4 Dec 1678 in Plymouth Colony.
4. John Doty was born about 1640 in Plymouth,Plymouth Colony; died on 8 May 1701 in Plymouth Colony.
5. Edward Doty was born about 1637 in Plymouth Colony; died between 8 Feb 1689 and 1690 in Plymouth Harbour, Massachusetts Bay Company drowned in bay..
6. Elizabeth Doty was born about 1647 in Plymouth Colony; died on 7 Apr 1728 in Oyster Bay, New York.
7. Isaac Doty was born on 8 Feb 1649 in Plymouth Colony; died in 1728 in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.
8. Samuel Doty was born in 1643 in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts; died in Nov 1715 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey, USA.
9. Joseph Doty was born in Apr 1651 in Plymouth Colony; died on 18 Sep 1734.

John married Anne Holland on 11 May 1595 in Dudlick, Shropshire, England. Anne (daughter of William Holland and Elizabeth Martin) was born about 1562 in London, Middlesex, England; died between 1602 and 1657. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Christabell Lister. Christabell was born in 1544 in Rowton, Shropshire, , England; died on 4 Nov 1573 in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Elizabeth Martin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]