Bygod – It is the Eggleston’s!

Bygod (Bigod, Begat, Baggot) Eggleston was baptized on 20 February 1586/7 in All Saints Church at Settrington, England. In 1630, he sailed to America with his family on the Mary and John, a 440 ton ship with 140 passengers aboard. The ship departed Plymouth, England, on the 20th of March and arrived 70 days later on May 30th at Nantasket, Massachusetts. Those on board are referred to as the Dorset Pilgrims. The Eggleston’s were followers of a Puritan leader, Reverend John Warham, who disagreed with the leadership of Governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Winthrop believed that government should be run by only a few people, whereas the Reverend John Warham thought it should be run by the people via a freely elected leader. In 1635, Warham’s Dorchester group of about 140 people relocated to the frontier of Windsor, Connecticut.

Bygod Eggleston and his son James were admitted as freemen of Connecticut Colony in May 1657. A copy of Bygod’s will and final testament are attached to this document. The Eggleston family is linked to the French family line as a result of the marriage of Anna Eggleston to John William Spencer, whose granddaughter, Gladys Spencer married George French.

Bygod Eggleston is my 9th great paternal grandfather.

An expert in population studies has estimated that Bygod Eggleston was the progenitor of no less than twelve million American-born descendants.

Notable ancestors from the Eggleston-Spencer line include President U.S. Grant, President Rutherford B. Hayes and abolitionist John Brown.

EGGLESTON FAMILY LINE

James Eggleston (1560 – 1613 England) – Julian Frear (1565-1635/6 England)

Bygod Eggleston (1580 Eng. – 1674 CT) – Mary Talcott (abt. 1592 Eng. – 1679)

James Eggleston (1617 Eng. – 1679 CT) – Hester William (1636-1720)

Isaac Eggleston (1678 – 1734/5) – Mary Stiles (1669-1766)

Nathaniel Eggleston (1703-1796) – Abigail Goodwin (1708-1801)

Samuel Eggleston (1746-1817) – Dorcas Loomis (1770-1834)

Orrin Eggleston (1783-1870) – Julia Ann Clark (1790-1860)

James Eggleston (1818-1851) – Polly Hillyer (1806-1860)

Anna Eggleston (1843-1921) – John William Spencer (1834-1896)

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