The Eaton and Doty families were of English origin. The American ancestors of each came to America in the "Mayflower," survived the rigors and sickness of the first winter, and founded families in the New World. Francis Eaton was the twenty-third and Edward Doty the fortieth signer of the "Compact." The families spread rapidly and have many noted descendants. Oliver Lafayette Eaton Fisher, of Troy, whose family lines are herein traced, is a lineal descendant of Francis Eaton, and through his maternal line traces to Edward Doty. In the intervening generations there have been intermarriages with nearly every prominent early Massachusetts family.
(I) Edward Doty, born about 1600, died at Plymouth, Massachusetts, August 28, 1665. He was a passenger in the "Mayflower" in 1620, and one of the signers of the "Compact." He married (second) January 6, 1635, Faith, daughter of Thurston Clark. Children:
- Edward, born 1637; married Sarah Paunce. His daughter Sarah, in 1687, married Captain James, second son of Nathaniel Warren (1).
- John, born 1639, married Elizabeth Cooke.
- Thomas, born 1641, married Mary Churchill.
- Samuel, born 1643: married Jane Harmon.
- Desire, born 1645: married (first) William Sherman; (second) Israel Holmes; (third) Alexander Standish.
- Elizabeth, born 1647; married John Rouse.
- Isaac, February 8, 1648, see forward.
- Joseph, April 30, 1651; married (first) Elizabeth Warren; (second) Deborah Holbrook; (third) Sarah Edwards.
- Mary, born 1653; died unmarried.
(II) Isaac, son of Edward and Faith (Clark) Doty, was born at Plymouth, February 8, 1648. according to the colonial records. He removed to Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, about 1673, his name appearing in various deeds from 1678 to 1720. He was a member and twice vestryman of the Episcopal church at Oyster Bay. He married, about 1673, Elizabeth England, and died about 1728. Children, all substantial men of Oyster Bay:
- Isaac, married Elizabeth Jackson.
- Joseph, married Sarah ————.
- Jacob, married Penelope Alberton.
- Solomon, married Rachel Seaman.
- James, married Catherine Latting.
- Samuel, married Charity Mudge.
(III) Joseph, son of Isaac and Elizabeth (England) Doty, was born at Oyster Bay, Long Island, in 1680, died there 1716. His will is recorded at Jamaica, Queens county, New York. He married Sarah ————, of Oyster Bay. Children:
- Sarah, born 1706; married John Jackson.
- Joseph (2), born 1708, see forward.
- Isaac, born 1711, died young.
- Elizabeth, born 1716, married Daniel Dunning, of Queens county, New York.
(IV) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) and Sarah Doty, born at Oyster Bay, 1708, died at Lansingburg, New York. He was a private in Captain Charles Laroex's company of New York City militia in 1738. He settled at Crum Elbow, Dutchess county, New York, where he married, and later removed to Lansingburg. He was a blacksmith in good circumstances; he married, in 1744, Lucretia De Long; in 1769 he removed with his family to Lansingburg, New York. Lucretia De Long, born at Charlotte, Dutchess county, New York, in 1722, was daughter of Elsha Van Schaic, who was the daughter and sole heir of an Amsterdam (Holland) banker. She eloped with Francis De Long, an officer of the French army. Children of Joseph and Lucretia Doty:
- Ormond, born in Charlotte, New York, November 24, 1746; married Phoebe Vail.
- Peter, see forward.
- Rebecca, married (first) John Irish; (second) Stutely Stafford.
- Elizabeth, twin of Rebecca, married Daniel Barheit.
- Rhoda, married Jacob Stover.
- Mary, married Leonard Schermerhorn.
- Jacob, married Zilla Berrie, removed to Vermont.
- Lydia, married Daniel Shaw.
- Nancy, married Mark Jimmey.
- Marian, married Ephraim Putnam.
(V) Peter, son of Joseph (2) and Lucretia (De Long) Doty, was born at Charlotte, Dutchess county, New York, in 1750, died 1811. He was a prosperous farmer of the town of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer county, New York. His will, dated July 2, 1811, is on record at Troy, New York. He married Catherine Overocker. Children:
- Joseph, married Elizabeth Cogswell; removed to Michigan.
- Michael, married Rachel Rouse.
- Ormond, married Eleanor Mandeville.
- Martin, married Abigail ————.
- John Adam, see forward.
- William, married Eleanor Rouse.
- Peter. married Catherine Esmond.
- David, married Eve Travers.
- Anna, married Jacob Hearman.
- Barbary, died young.
(VI) John Adam, son of Peter and Catherine (Overocker) Doty, born at Schaghticoke, New York, January 6, 1781, died April 23, 1859. He settled at Easton Corners, Washington county, New York, where he engaged in farming. He married Anna B. Overocker, who died in 1848. Children:
- Paulina, died young.
- Parley, died young.
- Rachel, see forward.
- Catherine, unmarried.
- Parley, married Moses Lilly.
- Maria, married Sidney Rheubottom.
- Jacob N., married Clarissa Devoe.
- John B., married Maria E. Van Buren.
- Harriet Jane, married James Swart Abeel.
(VII) Rachel, daughter of John Adam and Anna B. (Overocker) Doty, was born in Schaghticoke, New York, September 14, 1806, died January 8, 1868. She married, February 21, 1829, James C. Snyder, of Sand Lake, Rensselaer county, New York. They lived at Schaghticoke, where James C. Snyder died March 19, 1856. Children:
- John, died young.
- Angelina, born May 18, 1832; married Alonzo Doty, and moved to Nebraska.
- Harriet P., born October 3, 1834, died April 29, 1883; married James W. Fisher.
- Maria R., born November 8, 1836, died January 2, 1908; married E. M. Magarry.
- Almira Frances, born May 30, 1839, see forward.
- Washington L., born December 10, 1845, died March 14, 1864; he was a private in the civil war and died in regimental hospital from pneumonia contracted by fording the Rappidan river.
(VIII) Almira Frances, daughter of James C. and Rachel (Doty) Snyder, born in Schaghticoke, May 30, 1839, died at Albany, New York, December 5, 1869; married, December 25, 1861, Daniel Oliver Eaton. Children:
- Jessie Frances,
- Oliver Lafayette.
(The Eaton Line)
Francis Eaton, with his wife Sarah and infant son Samuel, came to America in the "Mayflower" in 1620. He married a second wife who bore him a daughter Rachel. He married (third) Christian Penn, and had a son Benjamin, born 1627; she came over in the ship "Ann," 1623. Francis Eaton's first wife "dyed in the Generall sickness and he married againe & his 2 wife dyed & he married the 3" (Bradford's list of Mayflower Passengers). He was a carpenter by trade and removed from Plymouth to Duxbury, where he died in the latter part of 1633. His third wife, Christian Penn, survived him and married, in 1634, Francis Billington and had eight children, among them a daughter Martha, who became the wife of Samuel Eaton, son of Francis Eaton by his first wife, Sarah.
(II) Samuel, son of Francis and Sarah Eaton, was born in 1620, and died at Middleboro, 1684. He was born in Holland or England, came over in the "Mayflower" "a sucking child," was apprenticed for "Seaven Yeares" to "John Cooke the younger," was among the purchasers of Dartmouth, 1652, was first of Duxbury and afterwards "a house holder" in Middleboro, whence he was driven back to Plymouth by the Indians at the time of "King Philip's War" in 1675. He married (first) before 1647, Elizabeth ————, who bore him a child who died young. He married (second) January 10, 1660, Martha, daughter of Francis Billington, and granddaughter of John Billington. Children:
- Sarah, born about 1661.
- Samuel (2), see forward.
- Marcy, married Samuel Fuller, son of Rev. Samuel Fuller.
(III) Samuel (2), son of Samuel (1) and Martha (Billington) Eaton, was born about 1663, died at Middleboro, March 8, 1723. He married, about 1694, Elizabeth Fuller, of the same ancestry as the late Chief Justice Melvin B. Fuller. Children:
- Mercy, born December 16, 1695.
- Keziah, born May 16, 1700.
- Elizabeth, born July 26, 1701.
- Barnabas, see forward.
(IV) Barnabas, son of Samuel (2) and Elizabeth (Fuller) Eaton, was born April 12, 1703. He married (first) Mehitable Alden, who died at Middleboro, Massachusetts, April 11, 1739, aged thirty-two years. She was a lineal descendant of John and Priscilla (Mullins) Alden of the first Pilgrim settlement. Children:
- Hannah, born October 29, 1730.
- Samuel, see forward.
- Mary, born 1735.
- Sarah, born 1737.
- Seth, born 1739.
Barnabas Eaton married (second) Elizabeth Clemmons, who bore him eight children.
(V) Samuel (3), son of Barnabas and Mehitable (Alden) Eaton, was born March 16, 1732, died January 18, 1820. He married, November 8, 1753, Patience Tinkham, who died January 9, 1812. Children:
- Samuel, born October 27, 1754.
- Barnabas, March 17, 1757.
- Israel, June 9, 1760.
- Mehitable, December 27, 1763.
- Daniel, October 14, 1767.
- Darius, see forward.
- Eunice, twin of Darius, born March 9, 1770.
- Enos, born September 15, 1773.
(VI) Darius, son of Samuel (3) and Patience (Tinkham) Eaton, was born March 9, 1770, died March 23, 1828. He resided in Ware, Massachusetts. He married, in 1789, Phebe Richmond, who died November 9, 1854. Children:
- Lucy, born February 2, 1790.
- Darius (2), December 21, 1794.
- Rufus, December 25, 1796.
- Joseph, May 4, 1799.
- Benjamin, October 10, 1801.
- Nancy, December 7, 1804.
- Daniel Oliver, November 22, 1814.
(VII) Daniel Oliver, youngest child of Darius and Phebe (Richmond) Eaton, was born in Ware, Massachusetts, November 22, 1814, died at Bloomfield, New Jersey, buried at Albany Rural Cemetery, October 7, 1895. He engaged in the grocery business at Albany, New York, but for many years he lived retired from all business. He was a Republican, but took no active part in politics. He married (first) Mary Louisa Bounds, who bore him Charlotte, Edward, Henry and Charles Warren. He married (second) Almira Frances Snyder, December 25, 1861. She died at Albany, New York, December 5, 1869. (See Doty VIII.) Children:
- Jessie Frances, born November 10, 1862; married Ormon J. Doty, of Melrose, New York, September 4, 1883; children:
- Oliver Fisher, born April 12, 1887;
- Ormond Leonard, born May 10, 1891.
- Oliver Lafayette, see forward.
(VIII) Oliver Lafayette, only son of Daniel Oliver and Almira Frances (Snyder) Eaton, was born in Albany, New York, April 8, 1864. He was five years old when his mother died and was taken into the family of his aunt, Harriet Paulina (Snyder) Fisher, by whom he was legally adopted. He added to his own name that of his adopted parent "Fisher," by which surname he has since been known. Early in his life he became associated with William Barker, collar and shirt manufacturer of Troy, New York, and has ever since been connected with the Barker interests and is now a director of the William Barker Company corporation. He is a member of the Troy chamber of commerce, and has varied business interests. He is a Republican in politics but not actively interested. He is an attendant of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Troy. He is a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, gaining admission through both paternal and maternal lines, and through a like patriotic ancestry gained admission to the Sons of the Revolution. Oliver Lafayette (Eaton) Fisher married, October 23, 1894, Carrie Marian Heinzenberg, born in Troy, August 25, 1872. Her father, John Heinzenberg, was born at Wetzlar, Prussia, Germany, died at Troy, New York, November 12, 1902. He married Frances A. McElroy, born in Brunswick, New York, died at Troy, November 16, 1898. Oliver L. and Carrie M. Fisher have two children:
- Theodore Eaton, born April 2, 1896;
- Oliver Lafayette, Jr., born November 11, 1897.
They are of the tenth generation from Edward Doty, and the ninth generation from Francis Eaton.