1593 - Tobias (Tentative match)

POSSIBLE FAMILY

Tobias could be the son of Thomas Eagles of Brenchley.

  1. Tobias initially appears in records from Boughton Monchelsea, which is only 5 miles from Brenchley.

  2. Tobias named his second son Thomas, possibly in honour of his paternal grandfather.

  3. The only christening records we have for Thomas' children were in 1590 (Ann),1595 (Dorothy) and David (1599).

  4. Assuming he was about 25 when he married, Tobias would have been born about 1593. This slips neatly into the gap between the christening of his (proposed) sisters Ann & Dorothy.

  5. Tobias named two of his daughters Ann & Dorothy, possibly in honour of his sisters.

In BARON HALES NOTEBOOK

In 1612 Baron Edward Hales "spent more than £1,740 in purchasing 152 acres in the heart of Kent at Chart next Sutton Valence and Boughton Monchelsea. Hops had been grown at Chart since the late 1580s, and by the early 1620s Hales was producing them there on a commercial basis."' (See more about Baron Hales in entry #7 of this link)

His notebook has numerous listings for a "Tobias Eagles" between 1615 and 1625. Chart is 21-23 miles from the places associated with our Tobias (Brenchley, Maidstone, Boughton Monchelsea). A number of entries mention him being paid “in barley” “ 5 pence”, “3 pence” & “5.6”. Some of these were for “wooding”. Other entries was for “ a day” or “3 days labour”. Tobias also appears to have been among the baron’s wheat suppliers, and there are entries like:

20 Feb 1616 – Tobias Eagles for (...) bushels of .........................

(..) July 1616 – Tobias Eagles for 1 bushel of wheat ................... 4.6

12 October 1616- Tobias Eagles , 2 bushels of wheat ................ 8.6

2 Nov 1616 - Tobias Eagles - "for 2 bushels of wheat ................. 8.6

7 Nov 1616 – Tobias Eagles – for 1 bushel of wheat ................... 4.6

21 Nov 1616 - Tobias Eagles ....(3?) bushels of wheat ................ 12.6

11 Dec 1616 - Tobias Eagles ... 1 bushel ..................................... 4.6

18 Dec 1616 - Tobias Eagles - 2 bushels ..................................... 8.6

9 Feb (1617) - Tobias Eagles - 2 bushels ..................................... 8.6

(...) August 1617 – Tobias Eagles – “flowor” ................................. 16.0

Parliamentary forces quickly overran Kent at the beginning of the English Civil War, but the king's supporters attempted a rising in 1643. Around 4,000 local militia, supported by 1,800 troops from London, attacked the Royalists at Tonbridge. There was a "very hot fight," in which the Royalists were routed. About 600 were pursued to Aylesford, where they once again beaten. Baron Hales was subsequently imprisoned for supplying the royalists with match and powder. His estates were sequestrated, and only returned to him after he paid a £6,000 fine. Hales was not released until April 1648 and refused to become embroiled in the rising that year. He disinherited his grandson, Sir Edward Hales, after learning he was one of the leaders.

There is some question as to whether Tobias Eagles was also a Royalist. Did he become a weaver after his employer was imprisoned in 1643? We only know that prior to the Civil War, he supplied the Baron with wood, wheat (and possibly hops). By the end of his life, Tobias was "a weaver" who also owned a hop garden.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

Tobias Eagles married Alice Hunt at All Saints, Maidstone, on 27 Oct, 1618.

The children of Tobias and Alice Eagles:

  • Elizabeth Eagles - c. 15 Feb 1619, Boughton Monchelsea,

  • Maria Eagles, c. 23 Mar 1620, Boughton Monchelsea

  • Tobias Eagles, c. 8 Apr 1621, Boughton Monchelsea

  • Thomas "Eglei" (s/o of Tobia), OUR ANCESTOR c. 30 Mar 1623, at Boughton Monchelsea

  • Dorothie d/o Tobyas Egles c. April 18, 1624 at All Saints Maidstone. c. 18 Apr 1624, Lynstead

  • Elizabeth Eagles, c. 30 Apr 1626, Maidstone

  • Abraham Eagles, c. 25 May 1628, Bearsted - moved to Maidstone, where the 1664 hearth tax lists him as the owner of a house with one chimney on Mill Lane. The following records are from Maidstone All Saints:

    • Rebecka d/o Abraham Eagles c. Feb 21 1661/2

    • John son of Abraham Eagles, weaver, buried June 27, 1667

    • Elisabeth d/o Abraham & Rebecca Eagles c. Aug 21, 1670

    • John s/o Abraham & Rebecca Eagles c. Nov ? 1672

    • Abraham s/o Abraham & Rebecca Eagles c. July 12, 1668 - buried Mar 3 1690/91

    • Mary (2nd?) w/o Abraham Eagles buried Nov 5, 1685

    • Abraham Eagles married the widow Elisabeth Lane on Dec 20, 1685

    • Elisabeth (3rd) w/o Abraham Eagles buried June 8 1688

    • Abraham Eagles was buried 3 Mar 1690

  • Isaac Eagles, c. 2 May 1630, Bearsted, the 1664 hearth tax lists him as the owner of a house with one chimney n Goare Borough, West Milton.

  • Ann Eagles, c. 16 Dec 1632, Bearsted

  • Elizabeth Eagles, c. 4 Apr 1636, Bearsted

WILL OF TOBIAS EAGLES

Tobias Eagles died in Thurnham in 1658. This is less than two miles from from Bearsted. (Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers. Name of Register: Wootton Quire Numbers: 575 - 626). Tobias was a linen weaver & said "I give to Tobias Eagles my eldest son the lease of the house I now dwell in and hop poles on the hop garden all the rest to be divided equally between the rest of my children" son Tobias Eagles as executor Witnesses: Thomas Watkins and Edward Jennings Will probated 27 Nov 1658