William Eddye was born in Bristol, England around 1560. He married first Mary Fosten on Nov 20, 1587, and after her death, he married Sarah Tayler in February 1613/14. This was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558–1603) and during the lifetime of William Shakespeare (1564–1616). William was Vicar of St. Dunstan’s Church in Cranbrook in the County of Kent from 1591 to 1616. He is the ancestor of the overwhelming majority of English Eddys in North America through his two sons, Samuel and John, who sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and through his daughters, Abigail (Eddy) Benjamin and Anna (Eddy) Wines. This line of Eddys is very well documented, and many of the unconnected branches throughout the years eventually found themselves attached to this line.