William Eddye was born in Bristol, England around 1560. He married Mary Fosten on Nov 20, 1587, and after she died he married Sarah Tayler in February 1613/14. They lived during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558–1603) and the same time as 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. The lines descending from the two brothers, Samuel and John, are very well documented. The lines from the two sisters, Abigail and Anna, not so much; however we intend to compile as much information on their descendants as possible.
Many of the unconnected branches in our earlier publications eventually found themselves attached to the Vicar's line.
The genealogist and compiler of the monumental 1930 Eddy Family in America genealogy was Ruth Story Devereux Eddy. She graduated from Brown University with an AB in 1897, and a Master's degree in 1900. From 1897 until 1905 she taught in three high schools in RI and MA. In 1905 she married William Holden Eddy, also an educator, in Johnston, RI. They had three children.
Earlier genealogies of the Vicar's line had been published, but Ruth Story Devereux Eddy's work was the only one that included 'references to authorities for the statements printed'. It took six years for her to complete the manuscript, and it still stands as a masterful addition to the field of genealogy. The 1930 EFA publication and the numerous supplements form the backbone of our organization. We are fortunate to have had her expertise.