Elnathan moved from Yarmouth to what is now Chathamport, Massachusetts. He is said to have been a ship's captain on coastal traders along the East Coast, but no confirmation of this has been found. A family Bible says he died of small pox in New York in 1746. Shipping reports in newspapers include a captain named Eldridge/Eldrige, etc., sailing in and out of various ports and traveling as far as Jamaica and Africa, but first names aren't given. His son Isaiah begins to appear in these reports probably as early as 1744, definately in 1745, and only Isaiah appears after this time. However, Isaiah was 20 in October of 1744, so earlier reports wouldn't have been referring to him.

Published accounts that include Elnathan's genealogical information say he was living in Yarmouth before moving to Dartmouth, Massachusetts (that part of which is now either Acushnet or Fairhaven), about 1740. The town records of Chatham include Enathan's request for a tavern license.

Other evidence of his living in Chatham include his guardianship of a child living in that town.2 It has also been well-published that his children were born in Yarmouth. This may have originated from an entry in Killey Eldredge's Bible, which says Isaiah, his father, was born there, but this entry was long after the event and is not as credible as the primary records and evidence from them that show otherwise. Yarmouth had a harbor on Cape Cod Bay, but Chatham harbor provided a quicker entry directly into the Atlantic at the elbow of Cape Cod, making it sensible that he moved there. His first wife was from Yarmouth, and while they may have married there, their children were evidently born in Chatham. The towns weren't far apart, and the Eldredge and O'Kelly families would have known each other before Elnathan moved.

The following is taken from Elnathan's probate file. Transcriptions have not changed the original content or spelling except for modern capitalization.

Dartmouth
Febuary ye of 20th 1746/7

Judg sir may it please you I being ye eldest son of Elnathan Eldredg latly dessesed and I being bound to sea and cannot tarrey at home this summer therefore I would pray you would give the letters of adminestration to my mother-in-law for their is no body else that can as I no of take it

Isaiah Eldredg

Sir may it please you you see that my eldest son will do nothing consarning ye estate and I being not capabel of comming over to you at presant so I would pray you would send me over your clark to give one letters of adminestration as soon as you can convaniantly for things are under defecul surcomstanses so wishing your honours helth and prosprity so remain yours to sarve you

Deliverance her x mark Eldredge
widow of Elnathan Eldredg...

Deliverance was given the administration of Elnathan's account on 28 March 1747, with Abraham Russell of Dartmouth and Ephraim Dexter of Rochester as her sureties. Witnesses were Joseph (probably Burgess) and Stephen Paine.

The following are administrator's accounts:

The inventory of Elnathan Eldredge's estate:

A true inventory of all and singuler the goods chattels and credit? of Elnathan Eldredg of Dartmouth decest prized the seventeenth day of June seventeen hundred and for seven by Abraham Russel William=Kimpton Jonathan Taber as followeth in old tener

Imprimis his purse and apparel 6-? 01? 06
Item his lands and medow 120 15 00
Item three cowes and two calves 43 00 00
Item two stears 30 00 00
Item his horse kind 30 00 00
Item his thirteen goats 16 05 00
Item fore swine 10 08 00
Item eight shep and five cames 12 00 00
Item an old sloop of about thirty tons and rigin 1--? 07 06
Item horse cart wheles and tacklin ? 02 00
Item his farming tools ? 00 00
Item his gun ? 00 00
Item cume and warpin bars 03 10 00
Item five slayes and three harnesses 06 15 00
Item one pair of worsted comes 01 10 00
Item iron dogs tongs slice tramels 07 02 00
Item twenty one pounds and half of led 02 03 00
Item two pair of brase scales 01 05 00
Item iron box and spoon mold 01 05 00
Item warming pan 02 05 00
Item iron pots and kittles 07 00 00
Item one pair of stilyards and an old case of bottles 03 05 00
Item his puter 04? 08 00
Item desk and lookin glass 07 00 00
Item erthern and glass vessels 02 12 00
Item wooden ware 03 08 06
Item old cask 02 11 00
Item three saddles 20 05 00
Item two spining wheles 02 10 00
Item half an old parpus sane [porpoise "seine" or net] 30 00 00
Item one fether bed and beding 25 03 00
Item three beds and beding 43 12 00
item five chears 01 04 00
Item six barrels of beaf 72 00 00
Item two barrles of pork 32 00 00
Item one hundred and one yards of canvis 13 15 00
Item blocks and iron 02 19 04
Item iron 23 18 00
Item three hundred twinty three pounds of rigin 27 00 00
Item six yards and a quarter of lining 03 08 06
Item one hundred and thirty posts 05 15 00
------------------------------
847 11 04

Abraham Russell
William Kempton
Jonathan Taber

Where as we the subscriberstwo of the apprizers nominated appointd and qualllified ot take a just and equal aprizment of the estate of Elnathan Eldridg late of Dartmouth decesed having omitted the house and opriginal homestad of said decesed conatining fifty three acres of upland and three acres of salt marsh medow by reason the same was then under a mortgage which being since redemd were by the administratrix to said estate desired to apriz the same which we accordingly did the 10th day of february 1749/50

In old tenor at £ 800=0=0

Jonathan Taber
William Kempton
two of ye apprizers of said estate
Abraham Russell

The accompt of Deliverance Eldridge administrator to the estate of Enathan Eldrige late of Dartmouth in the County of Bristoll deceased intestate

The sd accompt chargeth her self with the inventory of the personall estate of the sd deceased - contained in an inventory thereof bearing date June 17th 1747 ammounting in bills of creditt of ye old tenr to ye sum of (7?)26=16=4 which in lawfull money is £ 96=15=02

to be added to ye sd estate since the inventory was given (as?) recvd by ye sd accomptants

by money recd of Abraham Hamman 00-08=00 recd of Caleb Jenne 00=02=11 recd of Daniel Spooner 01=16=10 recd of Charity Hamman 00=04=08 recd of Ephraim Jenny(?) 00=01=03 recd of Jabez, Barnibus & Abigail Hamman 00=05=07 recd of John Eldridge 00=00=08 for ye improvement of two thirds of ye reall estate 03=11=04

The sd accompant prays alowance of the flowing charges paid out of ye sd estate equall to lawfull money as foloweth viz

paid to Thomas Southward £ 01=13=03 paid to John Ellis 00=05=08 paid to Caleb Lumber (or Lumbar) 00=10=04 paid to Humphrey Wady 00=16=03 paid to Seth Hamman 03=12=00 paid to Gideon Southward 00=03=05 paid to Barnibus Eldridge 01=12=06 paid to Elizabeth Eldridge 00=03=11 paid to Ebenezer Eldridge 01=17=01 paid to Cornelius Jenne 01=08=08 paid to Capt Pope 00=01=11 paid to Mr. Hovey 00=02=07 paid to Thomas Southward 01=11=11 paid to Holder Slocum 09=06=? paid to Cornelius Lewis 07=16=11 paid to Josiah Allin 00=02=8 paid to Nathaniel Jenne 00=13=04 paid to Stephen Paine Esq 00=18=2 paid to Jeremiah Eldridge 00=02=0 paid to Hannah Jones 00=02=8 paid to Benjamin Willis 00=17=0 paid to David Macy 13=3=4 paid to Peleg Simmons 00=08=4 paid to Daniel Wood 00=02=9 paid to William Kenton 00=09=4 paid to Jonathan Tabor 00=09=4 paid to Abraham Russell 00=09=4

also prays alowance for provision (?) ye family and charges for provisions 04=(overwritten and obscured) also prays alowance of charges of lyeing in with a posthums child born after ye faths decese 04=00=00 also prays alowande ofr time spent in adminstering upon estate 06=00=00 likewise prays alowance for necessarys for house keeping 06=13=04

the comisioners account of theyr charge in examining (paper folded) creditor claims of debt dew from sd estate 02=05=4 (paper folded)and registering this acct (amount obscured in this copy) (paper folded) [total] 72=(obscured)=7



brought over 72=3=7 paid James (Badarane Sen?) 26=13=4

Due to severall persons from the sd estate as by a (list app--) drawn up by the (misspelled word, probably intending "commissioners") appointed to examine the claims to sd estate ammounting to the sum of 16-1-2 [total] 115:57?:0

Deliverance her X mark Eldrige

Deliverance brought the account to court before George Leonard, Judge of Probate, which was approved the next day.

The third accompt of Deliverance Eldrige administration on the estate of Elnathan Eldrige late of Dartmouth in the County of Bristol decd The sd accomptant chargeth himself with the personall estate of the sd deceased which she has receid and what she has receid in his second accompt amounting to ye sum of £ 117..2[under "s," meaning shillings]..6[under "d," meaning pence]

Receid for sail of 26 acres of land sold by order of the Superior? Court dated [?] May 1752 to Jo Cornish £ 40..6..0

Chargeth her selfe with money paid to James [?] Esq which was [rong?] charged in her first accomt she paying it for land she bought? as she [?] 157..6..6 1/2
26-13-4
-----------
184-1=10 1/2

The said accomptant prays allowance out of the same as follows viz to what was allowed her in her second accompt

amounting to ye sum of 136 [under "£" ]..4 [under "s"]..[?]

Paid to Experience Osborn & John Hopkins 1?.5..11
Paid William Palmer 0..6..0
Paid [J?] Hovey 0..12..6
Paid to Nathaniel Jenne 0=2..0 1/4
Paid to Jireh Swift 2..15..5
Paid to Isaiah Eldridge 6..4..9
Paid Israel Tupper 0-8-0
Paid to Ignatius Jenne 1-2-8 [crossed out]
Paid to Capt. Noah Sprague 0..13..4
Paid to Ichabod [?]
Paid to Benjamin Allen 0..13..4
Paid to Benj= Barnard 0..8..8
Paid Coll Tim Ruggels for charges of surety? at court? 8..0..0
Paid the Clerk of the Superior Court and for ye petition & 0=18=0
Paid for my expences at court in getting the petition & 1..0..0
Paid Luke Tobey 162? 12? [?]
to horse hire and expences to sundry courts 2=0=0
Paid Mr. Hovey for a [petitioning?] to ye Generall Court 0..12..0
To the expence of the vendue getting land notifications & 0..13..4
To my charges and expences in going three times to the Cape in an action with Theophilus [sic: Thomas]Paine 2=0-07
To cash paid Coll Ruggels in ye affair 0..18..0
Prays allowance fo a half a lane prized which was prized at 60 pounds tenor [following crossed out: but one half belonged to ye estate and then part way lost] which was lost 4..0..0
To my time and trouble in getting and paying people & making up this accompt 1..0.0
To wrighting allowing & registering this accompt & 0..9..3
Paid to William Peckham 06-8
for recording 2 deeds 02-8
Paid to Benjn Allin 4-0-0
for going to Freetown to make up these accounts 0-06-0

Delivarance her X mark Eldrich

Bristol May ye 2nd 1758

Then before the Honble George Leonard Esq Judge of the Probate of Wills & for ye County of Bristol came Deliverance Eldirge administrator on ye estate of Elnathan Eldrige late of Dartmouth decd and made oath that the before written is a just and true account of her adminstration which I do allow of and order to be of record

George Leonard

Bristol May ye 4th 1758

entered in ye 18th book folio 39

Deliverance's "widow's thirds" were ordered 12 June 1751, set off on 27 June 1751 and approved 2 July 1751 by George Leonard:

all the upland belonging to the homestead which did belong to said deceased...beginning at a heap of stones lying in the southermost line of sd homestead forty rods to the east ward of square off set in said south line and from a heap of stones north thirty & two rods to an heap fo stones from thence west to a large poppler tree standing in the end of a [?] then we began at the east end of a peice of stone wall being two rods and a half from the north west corner of the house and from thence north eight rods to a small rock from thence eaast eleven degrees and a half north to the aforesaid poplar tree then from the end of said all boundeed by the sd wall till it comes to the salt meadow said thrid part bounds west on the salt meadow in part south ward part on Benjamin Allen land part on land belonging to Blake Shaw other ways bounded by the remaining part of sd homestead togather with the northerly room in the dwelling house stranding thereon with half the celler under said house and half the chamber room with the bedroom and butter? that is petitioned off of the east end of said north room togather with all that part of the salt meadow belonging to said deceased lying to the southward of the line hereafter described (viz) begining at a stake standing in a ditch between this meadow and the meadow of Samuel Spooner six rods distant from a rock on the edge of the upland above sd between sd Spooners meadow and this meadow and from sd stake the line is to run west eighteen degrees and a half southerly till it comes to the north westerly line of said meadow all which was sett of to sd widdow by us ye subscribers june ye 27th 1751 allways excepting and reserving liberty for him or they that shall have the remaining part of the house liberty to pass and repass to and from said house to the remaining part of said farm as he or they shall have occasion

Jethro Delano, Abraham Russell, William Kempton, Benjamin Allen, Bartholomew Taber, Comttee




children of Elnathan and Hannah (O'Kelly) Eldredge:3

Isaiah

children of Elnathan and Deliverance (Lambert) Eldredge:





vital records sources: Elnathan's death is recorded in the Killey Eldredge Bible (citiation below), which was also transcribed for the New Bedford published vital records.

1. John Braginton-Smith & Duncan Oliver, Cape Cod Shore Whaling: America's First Whalemen (Charleston, SC:2008), p. 73.
2. William C. Smith, A History of Chatham, Massachusetts: Formerly the Constablewick Or Village of Monomoit (Hyannis:1909), p. 179. The child was Bathsheba Small.
3. Killey Eldredge Bible entries, published in The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (July 1940), vol. 94, pp. 299-300.
7. Elnathan was involved in a court case with Paine beginning, as far as is now known, in 1740. There was a judgement against him on 20 Jan 1740 for £ 273-17-9 plus costs. In the Paine papers at the MA Hist. Soc. (not yet seen): Elnathan Eldredg to a Judgment of Court, 30 Jan. 1740-24 July 1741; Promissory note: Elnathan Eldredg to Thomas Paine, 24 July 1741; deed: Elnathan Eldredg sells to Thomas Paine land at Dartmouth, 27 July 1741; writ of attachment: Thomas Paine vs. Elnathan Eldredg, 28 Sep. 1741; writ of execution: Thomas Paine vs. Elnathan Eldrid of Dartmouth, 1 May 1742; writ of execution: Robert Treat Paine, Joseph Greenleaf of Abington and his wife Abigail, and Eunice Paine vs. Deliverance Eldred of Dartmouth, as administratrix of estate of Elnathan Eldred, 19 Aug. 1762; also letter: Elnathan Eldredge to Thomas Paine, [Jan. 1739]; Elnathan Eldridg to Thomas Paine, Dartmouth, 8 Nov. 1740; Elnathan Eldridg to Thomas Paine, Dartmouth, 2 Nov. 1741; Elnathan Eldridg to Thomas Paine, Nantucket, 22 Apr. 1742; Elnathan Eldridge [Jr.] to Robert Treat Paine, Boston, 5 Apr. 1769. See also "The Papers of Robert Treat Paine" By Robert Treat Paine, Stephen T. Riley, Edward William Hanson, Massachusetts Historical Society Published by Massachusetts Historical Society, 1992 Original from the University of Virginia

all text and photographs © 1998-2005 by Doug Sinclair unless where otherwise noted