PADDOCK

Paddock = Enclosure

Robert Paddock was born 1583-4 according to American records. He is recorded as being born in Stephenstown, Balrothery Parish, County Dublin, Ireland, younger son of John Paddock, blacksmith of Stephenstown and later of Tullygovan near Killany, Barony of Ardee, Couth Louth, Ireland by his wife Jane Jennings. Robert inherited the blacksmith shop of his father in Kallany in the will of his mother made at Killany, May 15, 1607.

Robert Paddock was a blacksmith in Plymouth, Mass. And died intestate there, July 25, 1650 according to Plymouth Colony Records. Though he made no will, his widow Mary confirmed in November 1650 that on his death bed Robert had granted the guardianship of his son John to Captain Thomas Willet, who was later Mayor of New York. "Whereas Robert Padduk of Plym: lately decease did on his death bed give and dispose his sonne John Paddock aged about (F)give years unto Captaine Tho: Willet to bee att his desposing and under his guidance as his own child: These presents doe therefore wittness that Mary Padduck the wife of said Robert Padduck doth condesend unto and allow of the said acte of her Said husband in the disposing of her Said sonne John to Captain Willet as aforesaid In Witness of the promises shee the Said Mary hath hereunto sett her hand and given way to have this present said writing entered upon publick Record." Mary Paddock then signed this by making her mark (an M).

Robert’s son Zeckariah was born in 1636 and married Deborah Sears, daughter of Richard Sears and Dorothy Thatcher. It is recorded that in 1667 Zeckariah served on a jury to view the corpse lately deceased viz. A child of Nicholas Nickerson the verdict of the jury was that "they have found the windpipe of the child a piece of pumpkin shell, the which being all and every one of us agreed do judge it was the cause of its death". Zeckariah was a deputy in 1706 and was appointed on a committee to seat people in the New Meeting House.

The old Paddock house built in 1720 still stands in Nantucket and is occupied.