Eve Surname Pages

The Eve's of Maldon

Although the largest settlement of Eve's in the 16th Century was undoubtably in the Roding/Dunmow area of Essex, there was also a number further south in the marshy area between the Rivers Blackwater and Crouch.

Agriculture and the textile industries flourished in the north whilst in the south of the region, river related trade was important with its easy access to London and Kent markets.

William & Thomas Eve 1520 - 1600

Both William and Thomas Eve were very wealthy merchants bringing their consignment of goods by river to Maldon Hythe on a regular basis.

With Kent being easily accessible, a similar colony of Eve's sprang up around the coastal areas there. See Kent Eves (to follow).

1 Thomas Eve of Maldon

Thomas Eve was born about 1525 and died in 1588. He married Julianna and had four surviving children born in Maldon:

Elizabeth Eve born 1559
Claire Eve - born about 1560
Mary Eve - born 1562. She died in 1565
Edward Eve - born 1565

Thomas Eve was a wealthy merchant, who along with his colleague William Vernon helped to make Maldon a notable and prosperous town, They supervised the building of the Moot Hall (Courthouse), and were Bailiffs of the Court. Thomas also became an Alderman of the Borough. He also bought land in Buphan with Julianna in 1549, in Brentwood in 1552 and in Maldon in 1567.

He left a will in April 1588 and made the following provisions.

To my son EDWARD all my household stuff in the hall of my mansion house, a silver goblet and a silver spoon.
To Julianna all the stuff in the new parlour and the rest of the rooms for her life; after her decease, to my daughter Claire the bedstead in the new chamber, my silver salt parcel gilt, and a joined table with two stools in the new chamber.
To Elizabeth my daughter after my wifes decease a joined bedstead in the chamber over the hall and four silver spoons.
To the three children of Claire each a silver spoon.
To the poor of Maldons three parishes 6s. 8p. each to be delivered by R. Tye my son in law.
To EDWARD all that part, parts and rooms and other easements in my house now in the use of T. Preston as by his lease appeareth, so that he behave himself dutifully to his mother.
To EDWARD after my wifes decease my house with the other houses, stables, yards and gardens.
To my maid 3s. 4d.

Julianna his wife died in October of the same year as Thomas and left the following will

To Thomas Tye (Claires son) my two greatest platters, the great brass kettle, one pair of sheets,a tablecloth and a pillowbere.
To Robert his brother, the middle kettle, four platters of a lesser sort, a pair of sheets and a pillowbere.
To Elizabeth their sister, a kettle, a brass pot, a brass posnet, three pewter platters, three pewter dishes, three porringers with ears, a pair of pewter candlesticks, a saltcellar, six saucers, two pair sheets,and a pillowbere.
To my two daughters Claire and Elizabeth, all my wearing apparel equally divided at the discretion of an indifferent man whom they shall choose.
To the poor of the three parishes of Maldon 6s.8d. each.
To Edward my son, as well as my mansion house in Maldon as rest of my goods to him and make him my exor.

Edward Eve their son, was presented to the Courts for incontinence (unlawful sex) in 1590 and he tried to bribe the constable with 10 shillings to prevent being charged. It failed and he was forced to wear a white sheet over his garments to Church the following Sunday.

2 William Eve of Maldon

William Eve was an Alderman in Maldon in 1569 and called a Grocer. The goods he dealt in were very miscellaneous . One delivery from London consisted of dyestuffs, alum, cotton, 3 tons of iron, canvas, 49 gallons of oil, salt, currants and spices and normal groceries.

. They had the following children born in Maldon:

Grace Eve - born 1599
Thomas Eve - born 1600
Edward Eve - born 1601
Ann Eve - born 1602
Matthew Eve - born 1604. He died in 1615
William Eve - born 1609. He died in 1625. He married Ann who died the same year