Hopley Yeaton's siblings
It is generally assumed by his unique name that Hopley Yeaton was the son of Elizabeth Drew, daughter of John Drew and Elizabeth Hopley.Hopley had two known brothers: Philip Drew Yeaton and John Drew Yeaton.
This is their story:
Philip Drew YEATON was born about 1742, somewhere in New Hampshire and died at Portsmouth prior to 17 February 1802 when administration on his estate is granted to Abner Blaisdell of Portsmouth, trader.Like his other brothers, Philip was a mariner.Philip married at Portsmouth on 10 November 1767 to Mary Sheriff.She was likely the Mary Yeaton who died of palsey in February 1795 at Portsmouth at age 57, thus approximating a birthdate of 1738.
Philip, like Hopley, shows up in Portsmouth and buys land there.All subsequent land transaction where Philip sells land, it is land that he had bought and offers no genealogical clues.He and his wife sell land in 1787, 1789 and 1790 and Philip is noted as a mariner of Portsmouth.His administration papers call him Philip, late of Newcastle, mariner, but the inventory, dated 14 May 1802 includes a half share in the schooner Betsey and a dwelling house in Portsmouth.Everything had to be sold on 16 June 1802 to raise the sum of $500, the amount of debts against the estate.Since the estate was insolvent there was no division of this estate.This is most likely the same Philip Yeaton, since his brother Hopley witnessed an agreement of the same ship Betsey for its journey of November 1790 to March 1791.It was being mastered by Nathan Lord at that time.
Philip had several children, some of whom died as children, and it is impossible to know how many survived.However in 1840, a Mary Sheriff Yeaton, daughter of Philip was married to Charles Blunt Odiorne at Portsmouth.If this Mary were born about 1815, she must be the granddaughter of this Philip.So one child must survive.
Children of Philip Drew and Mary (Sheriff) Yeaton, born at Portsmouth:
i. Philip born say 1780 and survived to have a daughter Mary Sheriff Yeaton.
ii. John baptised at Portsmouth on 17 July 1785 and died there in November, 1785, when the record shows a child of Philip Yeaton died at five months of a cramp.
iii. Julia Ann baptised at Portsmouth in May 1788.Another child of Philip died on 17 December 1796 at Newcastle.This may be she or another child whose baptism is not recorded.
29. John Drew YEATON was born about 1747 somewhere in New Hampshire and died at Portsmouth on 22 April 1785.John married at Portsmouth on 10 May 1775 Mary Fitzgerald.She was born about 1750 and was alive after 1800 when she is enumerated in that year’s census living alone at Portsmouth.John, like his brothers was a mariner and served under his brother Hopley in both commerce and during the American Revolution.
John and Mary had no children.His will was dated 31 March 1785 and notes him as John Drew Yeaton, yeoman of Portsmouth.He mentions his niece Polly, daughter of Hopley, and his nephew, John, son of Hopley, both explicitly noted as such.He gave his estate to his wife, Mary for her lifetime, after which it would devolve to his nephew John.He appointed John Jackson and his wife Mary as executors of the estate.On 22 May 1786 and 23 October 1786, Mary and John Jackson, acting as executors, sell land of John Drew Yeaton, late of Portsmouth.Mary is listed by herself in both the 1790 and 1800 censuses at Portsmouth.She does not leave any probate at Rockingham County.Since the nephew, John, predeceased her, Mary probably left her estate to her Fitzgerald relatives rather than to Hopley’s living children, who had left Portsmouth by then.There are no further records for Mary at Portsmouth or Rockingham County.