Female Jetton

Female Jetton was born circa 1720s. Her name is not known at this time so she will be referred to as Female Jetton. She was apparently deceased when her father Peter Jetton I wrote his will in 1774 and therefore not specifically named. 

 We know of her existence because her father Peter Jetton I bequeathed £50 pounds to his grandson, Abraham Eves, son of  James Eves [Sr.], when he becomes of age. In the event Abraham did not live to be 21, this money was to be divided equally among Peter's four [living] daughters Mary, Esther, Rachel and Sarah. 

 Furthermore, James Eves Sr. appointed his "brother-in-law Peter Jeton [II]"  to be guardian to his son Abraham Eves in his will.    

 We know from an article in the Delaware Gazette that Abraham Eves was born in 1771. It therefore seems likely that Female Jetton died in childbirth in 1771, or soon after. Female Jetton's exact age is not known but it appears that she may have been in her mid to late forties in 1771.  

 On 26 October, 1775 James Eves Sr. remarried to Phoebe Brinton at the Holy Trinity [Old Swedes] Church in Wilmington, New Castle Co., Delaware.

 When James Eves Sr. wrote his will in 1777, he bequeathed his wife, all of the furniture she had brought with her when they married, indicating that Phoebe may have been a widow, and among other things, Phoebe was to receive £600, pursuant to their marriage contract, six pounds of gold and other monies. She was also to live in their current house for five years if she so chooses.

 James Eves appointed his son Samuel Eves the executor of his will, however, Samuel died prior to his fathers death in 1783. Phoebe Eves apparently did not want to be the administratrix of James Sr.'s estate so she gave a statement to the county register stating that she declines to proceed, provided her husband's son James is appointed the administrator. 

 James Eves [Jr.] became the administrator of his father's estate and he and James McCullough posted a £1000 bond on July 16, 1783. 

 James Eves Sr. was born in the 1720s and was the son of Samuel Eves [Sr] of Woodberry [formerly called Woodsborough], New Castle County. Samuel Eves' will was written March 6, 1742 and recorded December 25, 1748. He named his wife Eleanor, daughters Susannah and Elizabeth Peterson, grandson John Peterson and Samuel his eldest son deceased, and John and James Eves who were his executors. 

 On January 19, 1724, Samuel Eves [Sr.] of Maninton presincts in the county of Salem in the western division of New Jersey, sadler, purchased 263 acres of land commonly called Woods Borough in the city of New Castle, New Castle Co., Delaware. Samuel Eves [Sr] was the son of Thomas Eves who was born circa 1652 in England and came to New Jersey circa 1677.    

                 The children of James Eves Sr. and Female Jetton

1. Samuel Eves was born circa 1740s in New Castle Co.,Delaware. Samuel's father James Eves Sr. bequeathed Samuel all that remaining of his dwelling plantation and the residue of his real and personal estate after the payments of his just debts. Samuel Eves was named the executor of his father's will that was written in 1777. Samuel was deceased by 1783 when his father died, however, and the administration of the estate passed to Samuel's brother James Eves Jr.

2. James Eves [Jr.] was born circa 1740s in New Castle Co., Delaware. James' father James Eves Sr. bequeathed James Jr. "all that part of my land where my son Samuel dwells". James Jr. also received several other lots of land that his father had bought. According to the records of the Immanuel Church, his wife was named Mary.

The children of James Eves Jr. and Mary 

1. James Eves [III] was born circa 1757 in New Castle Co.,  Delaware and christened January 30, 1760. James Eves' wife was Mary Dushane, daughter of Michael Dushane and Mary, and granddaughter of Anthony Dushane.

Among other things, a petition filed by James Eves to the Orphan's Court on December 16, 1794 states "Mary, a dau of the said Michael [Dushane] who had intermarried with James Eves".

 On April 16, 1771 the Orphan's Court appointed Anthony Dushane guardian of Mary Dushane minor orphan child of Michael Dushane.

On April 20, 1779 Mary Dushane, minor orphan child of Michael Dushane, chose her brother Anthony Dushane as her guardian. Based on these records, Mary Dushane was born circa 1765.

The children of James Eves III and Mary Dushane

1. Elizabeth Eves was born October 6, 1784 in New Castle Co., Delaware.

2. Mary Eves was born circa 1786 in New Castle Co., Delaware.

3. William Dushane Eves was born June 13, 1790 in New Castle Co., Delaware.

4. Jane Eves was born July 8, 1793 in New Castle Co., Delaware.

5. James Eves [IV] was born September 3, 1796 in New Castle Co., Delaware.

2. Mary Eves was born November 25, 1759 in New Castle Co.,Delaware and christened January 30, 1760 at the Immanuel Church.

3. Elizabeth Eves was born in February 1762 in New Castle Co., Delaware and christened May 17, 1762 at the Immanuel Church.

3. Jane Eves was born circa 1740s in New Castle Co., Delaware. Jane's father James Eves Sr. bequeathed her five shillings and voided a debt owned to him by Jane's husband Moses Girlin. The debt seems to have been for a slave named Sampson that James had paid for.

4. Barbara Eves was born circa 1740s in New Castle Co., Delaware. Barbara's father James Eves Sr. bequeathed £600 to her to be paid six months after her father's death. According to her father's administrative papers of 1783, Barbara married William Aiken.

5. Abraham Eves was born in 1771 in New Castle Co., Delaware. Abraham's father bequeathed £833 to his son Abraham to be given to him when he becomes 21, with the interest on the money to be paid to Abraham when he becomes 14. It was also James' will that Abraham be brought up in a suitable and christian like manner and that he be taught to read and write before the age of 14.

James Sr. also appointed his brother-in-law Peter Jeton [II] to be guardian to his son Abraham Eves and willed that he be put to some useful trade or occupation when he becomes 14. On April 4, 1786, Abraham Eves, a minor orphan son of James Eves, chose his brother James Eves [Jr] as his guardian. Abraham was born in 1771 and would be 15 years old in 1786 and therefore allowed to choose his own guardian.

 Abraham Eves' uncle Peter Jetton II, who was the executor of Peter Jetton I's will, died intestate in 1795 and his wife Ann became the administratrix of his estate. Abraham Eves, who would have been over 21 at this point, and should have received the £50 bequeathed him by his grandfather Peter I, filed a complaint on October 21, 1796 against Ann Jetton as the administratrix of Peter Jetton II's estate. The writ issued by the County Register basically requested that the Sheriff cite Ann Jetton as the administratrix of Peter Jetton's [II] estate, who in turn was the executor of Peter Jetton [I] the elder's estate, to appear before the County Register and explain why a true and perfect inventory and appraisement of Peter Jetton [I] the elder's estate had not been made.

Abraham Eves died November 14, 1846 at the age of 75. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Wilmington [Delaware Gazette] and married Elizabeth Spencer on February 28, 1793.

 The children of Abraham Eves and Elizabeth Spencer 

1. Stephen Eves was born August 19, 1795 and Christened on September 4, 1795 at the Holy Trinity [Old Swedes] Church in Wilmington, New Castle Co., Delaware. p class="style45"