David E. Eaton and Hannah Mantle were born in Pennsylvania, believed to be in York County. There are no records on the birth events on file. Numerous census records indicate that they were born in Pennsylvania. York County, Pennsylvania borders Harford County, Maryland. David and Hannah moved to Harford County, Maryland and were married in that County c 1822. No known records of this event were found in Harford County, Maryland.
Sometime between 1828 and 1830 the family moved to Monroe County, Ohio, Malaga Township. William T. Eaton, Issac Eaton, Miranda Eaton and Elihu T. Eaton were born in Monroe County. The 1830 Census of Malaga Township listed David and Hannah Eaton. Monroe County land records listed David Eaton's purchase of 122.3 acres on 20 August 1838.
David and Hannah moved from Monroe County to Jolly Township, Washington County, Ohio, and bought 40.25 acres on 10 July 1844. Their land in section 25 of the old Jolly Township is now in Grandview Township, Washington County, just west of New Matamoras, Ohio.
In 1853 the Eaton family moved to Steele District, Wood County, Virginia, on the North Fork of Lee Creek. Their daughter Susannah Eaton, who had married Ben Amos, lived in the same area. The history reports that David visited her about 1852, liked the land, and moved to the county the following year.