Martha Stowe

From "The Great Migration Newsletter," Vol. 15, 17 Dec 2007 [4]

In 1852 Luther Metcalf Harris, in his genealogy of the family of MICHAEL METCALFE 1637, Dedham [NEHGR 6:173], stated that the immigrant's daughter married three times, to "Wm. Brignall," then to "Christopher Smith" (with apparent date of marriage of 2 August 1654), and finally to "[blank] Stow." This same claim has appeared in some form in many subsequent secondary sources, including the two leading treatments of the family of John Stow [Stevens-Miller Anc 455; Kempton Anc 3:347]. In his will of 15 November 1664, Michael Metcalfe included bequests to "my daughter Stow" and "my daughter Stowe's eldest son which she had by her first husband, W[illia]m Brignall" [SPR 1:440-41].

When Nathaniel Stow married his second wife at Concord on 20 August 1662, her name was given as "Martha Bignell" [CoVR 11]. If she had been married to Christopher Smith between her marriages to Bignall and Stow, her name at marriage to the latter should have been Martha Smith. William Bignall (or Bicknall) died at Charlestown about June of 1659 [ChVR 1:38; Wyman 81].

"Christopher Smith & Mary [or Martha] Metcalfe was married the 2 of the 6 month" 1654 at Dedham [DeVR 1:127 (the uncertainty as to the bride's given name is in the published vital records volume)]. Martha Metcalfe, daughter of the immigrant, was still married to William Bignall at this time. Michael Metcalfe, son of the immigrant, had died at Dedham on 25 March 1654 [DeVR 128], leaving his widow, Mary (Fairbanks) Metcalfe, available to marry Christopher Smith later in 1654. Martha Metcalfe, daughter of the immigrant, had only two husbands, William Bignall and Nathaniel Stow.

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• Martha Metcalf Stow
• Birth: Mar. 27, 1628 Norwich, Norfolk, England
• Death: Dec. 26, 1717
• From contributor Ken Smith:
• Martha was born on March 27, 1628 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, the daughter of Michael Metcalf and Sarah Elwyn. Her father was hounded out of England because of his religious beliefs and the family traveled to New England in 1637. They settled in Dedham, Massachusetts. Martha was married to Willaim Bignell about 1655. Martha and William had three children, all born in Concord, so it seems that they settled there after the marriage. William died on Aug. 16, 1659. A couple of years later, after the wife of Nathaniel Stow died, Martha and Nathaniel were married in Concord on August 20, 1662. Nathaniel and Martha had three children of their own. Her second husband, Nathaniel, died in 1684, but Martha didn't marry again. She lived in Concord as a widow until her death on December 26, 1717. She is buried with Nathaniel in the Old Hill Burying Ground in Concord.
• From James Savage's GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY of THE FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND:
• METCALF, MICHAEL, Dedham, b. 1586, at Tatterford, in Co. Norfolk, was a dornock weaver at Norwich, and free of the city, where all his ch. were b. m. 13 Oct. 1616, Sarah, had Michael, b. 13 Nov. 1617, d. soon; Mary, 14 Oct. 1618, but the geneal. of the fam. in Reg. VI. 173, says 14 Feb. 1619; Michael, again, 29 Aug. 1620; John, 5 or 15 Sept.1622, bef. ment. Sarah, 10 Sept. 1624: Elizabeth 4 Oct. 1626; Martha, 27 Mar. or Oct. 1628, Thomas, 27 Dec. 1629 or 30; Ann, 1 Mar. 1631 or 34, d. soon; Jane, 24 Mar. 1632; and Rebecca, 5 Apr. 1635.
• BRIGNALL, WILLIAM, Dedham, m. Martha, d. of Michael Metcalf, had William, d. soon after.
• Marriages:
• 1. William Brignall.
• 2. Concord marriages: nathan stow and martha Bignell were maryed 20. agust. 1662.
• Concord deaths: Martha Stow Relicks of Nathanill Stow her Late Husband Dyed Decemr the 26 : 1717 [in her 90th yr. G.S.].
• Children: Nathaniel, b. 1663; Samuel, b. 1666, d. 1667; Ebenezer, b. 1668.
• Family links:
• Parents:
• Michael Metcalf (1591 - 1664)
• Sarah Ellwyn Metcalf (1593 - 1644)
• Spouse:
• Nathaniel Stow (1621 - 1684)
• Children:
  • Nathaniel Stow (1663 - 1724)*
• Siblings:
• Mary Metcalf Wilson (1619 - 1676)*
• Michael Metcalf (1620 - 1654)*
• John Metcalf (1622 - 1690)*
• Sarah Metcalf Onion (1624 - 1672)*
• Elizabeth Metcalf Bancroft (1626 - 1711)*
• Martha Metcalf Stow (1628 - 1717)
• Thomas Metcalf (1629 - 1702)*
• Inscription:
• Here Lyes ye Body
• of Ms Martha Stow
• wife to Mr Nathaniel
• Stow who Decd
• Decembr ye 26 1717
• in ye 90th Year of
• Her Age
• Burial: Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
• Find A Grave Memorial# 24289214
• From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=24289214 ___________
• A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of ... Vol. III. by James Savage, ....
• https://archive.org/details/agenealogicaldi03dextgoog
• https://archive.org/stream/agenealogicaldi03dextgoog#page/n212/mode...
• Pg.202
• METCALF, frequently MEDCALF in early rec. ELEAZER, Wrentham, s. of the sec. Michael, m. 9 Apr. 1684, Meletiah Fisher, had Eleazer, b. 30 May 1685, d. young; Michael, 21 May 1687 ; Samuel, 15 Jan. 1689; Ebenezer, 8 Jan. 1691; Jonathan, 9 Apr. 1693; Meletiah, 21 Apr. 1695; Timothy, 2 July 1697; Martha and Mary, tw. 27 Aug. 1699; and Eleazer, again, 21 Nov. 1701; was deac. and d. 14 May 1704. JOHN, Medfield, s. of the first Michael, b. in Eng. m. 22 Mar. 1647, Mary, d. of Francis Chickering, had John, b. 21, bapt. 26 Mar. 1648; Michael, 20, bapt. 25 Aug. 1650; Mary, 9, bapt. 24 Oct 1652; these all at Dedham ; but at M. we kn. not that we name all, when enumer. Joseph, 22 Nov. 1658 ; and Hannah, 13 Oct 1664. He was freem. 1647, and d. 27 Nov. 1675, unless this date belong to his eldest s. JOHN, New Haven 1645, a brickmaker, may have been s. or br. of Stephen, as a. the yr. 1647, he rem. JONATHAN, Dedham, s. of the sec. Michael, m. 10 Apr. 1674, Hannah, d. of John Kenrick, had Jonathan, b. 16 Mar. 1675; John, 20 Mar. 1678; Ebenezer, 14 Feb. 1680; Joseph, 2 or 11 Apr. 1682, H. C. 1703, min. of Falmouth; Timothy, 18 Nov. 1684, d. at 11 yrs.; Eleazer, 14 Feb. 1687; Hannah, 10 Apr. 1689; Nathaniel, Apr. 1691 ; Mehitable; and Mary; was freem. 1683 or 4, his name being ins. ea. yr. and he d. 27 May 1727, and his wid. d. 23 Dec 1731. * JOSEPH, Ipswich, freem. 4 Mar. 1635, rep. in Sept of that yr. and oft. aft. d. 21 July 1665, aged 60. By his will, we learn
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• Pg.203
• that his w. was Eliz. his s. Thomas, b. in Eng. prob. and gr.ch. Joseph, Mary, and Eliz. but perhaps this had d. soon. His wid. m. 8 Nov. 1670, Edward Beacham. JOSEPH, Ipswich, s. of Thomas, prob. by w. Rebecca, had Jacob, b. 8 June 1685, prob. d. soon ; and Abigail, 29 Mar. 1686. MICHAEL, Dedham, b. 1586, at Tatterford, in Co. Norfolk, was a dornock weaver at Norwich, and free of the city, where all his ch. were b. m. 13 Oct. 1616, Sarah, had Michael, b. 13 Nov. 1617, d. soon; Mary, 14 Oct. 1618, but the geneal. of the fam. in Reg. VI. 173, says 14 Feb. 1619 ; Michael, again, 29 Aug. 1620 ; John, 5 or 15 Sept. 1622, bef. ment ; Sarah, 10 Sept. 1624; Eliz. 4 Oct 1626; Martha, 27 Mar. or Oct. 1628; Thomas, 27 Dec 1629 or 30; Ann, 1 Mar. 1631 or 34, d. soon; Jane, 24 Mar. 1632; and Rebecca, 5 Apr. 1635; his w. was b. at a village near Norwich, he says, 17 June 1593, but possib. the figures have been mistaken, as in the examin. one week bef. the sail, of the ship, call. I think, the Rose, of Yarmouth, from Yarmouth, Apr. 1637, he calls hims. 45 yrs. of age, and w. 39. "From the relig. tyranny" exercised by Wren, then Bp. of .Norwich, he felt forced to esc. even at the expense of separ. from his fam. for a time, and emb. at London, 17 Sept. 1636, for N. E. but was sadly tormented by equal tempests on the water, and the ship at Christmas put back to Plymouth ; and so far was this a happiness that in Apr. foll, he had license for the whole fam. to come ; only 8 ch. are ment. in the custom-ho. docum. but I can hardly doubt that the name of John was casually overlook. At Boston he arr. "three days bef. mid. sum. with w. nine ch. and a serv." wh. was Thomas Comberbach, aged 16, 1 presume in one of the three ships ment. by Winth. as coming in, from Ipswich, 20 June. He may have been br. of Joseph ; was freem. 13 May 1640, or 18 May 1642, and, perhaps, swore on both days, tho. more prob. it is a fault of the Secr, as in the list appears. His w. d. 21 Feb. 1645, and he m. 13 Aug. foll. Martha, wid. of Thomas Pigg, or Pidge ; and he d. 27 Dec. 1664. A very, curious docum. his engagem. aft. 70 yrs. of age to keep the town sch. in 1656, is giv. in Geneal. Reg. X. 282. His will, made six wks. bef. gives to eight ch. Michael being d. and ea. of the ds. m. Martha hav. then a sec. or third h. to gr.ch. Michael, s. of Michael, and gr.ch. William Brignall, s. of d. Martha, wh. was a mem. of Roxbury ch. by her first h. and to Martha Bullard, d. of his w. Mary m. 24 Nov. 1642, Henry Wilson ; Sarah m. Robert Onion, as his sec. w. the first hav. d. in Apr. 1643; Eliz. m. 15 Sept. 1648, Thomas Bancroft of Reading; Martha m. William Brignall, next, 2 Aug. 1654, Christopher Smith as the Geneal. Reg. VI. 173, says, tho. I doubt its correctness, for Christopher Smith in 668, is nam. in his will by Jonathan Fairbanks as h. of his d. Mary, and third h . . . . . Stow; Jane m. 1654, Samuel Walker,
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• (tho. strong doubts of error in the name are felt) of Rehoboth ; and Rebecca m. 5 Apr. 1659, John Mackintosh. MICHAEL, Dedham, eldest s. of the preced. b. in Eng. m. 2 or 12 Apr. 1644, Mary, d. of John Fairbanks, says the Metcalf geneal. bef. rnent but perhaps by mistake, had Michael, b. 21 Jan. 1645; Mary, 15 Aug. 1646; Sarah, 7 Dec 1648 ; Jonathan, 21 Sept 1650; and Eleazer, 20 Mar. 1653, bef. ment. was freem. 1645, and d. (ten yrs. bef. his f.) 24 Dec. 1654. Mary m. 10 Dec. 1668, John Ware; and Sarah m. 4 June 1677, Robert Ware. MICHAEL, Dedham, s. of the preced. m. 17 Sept. 1672, Eliz. not, I think, as Goodwin has it, d. but wid. of the sec. John Kingsbury, d. of Thomas Fuller, both of the same, had Michael, b. 9 May 1674; Mary, 3 Oct 1676; Thomas, 3 Jan. 1679; Sarah, 26 Apr. 1682 ; Eleazer, 12 Feb. 1685; Hannah, 17 Apr. 1687 ; Daniel, 25 June 1691 ; and Eliz. ; was freem. 1690, and d. 2 Sept. 1693. His wid. d. 24 Oct 1732. STEPHEN, New Haven 1639, a brickmaker, aft. 1647 prob. rem. was in good repute. * THOMAS, Dedham, youngest s. of the first Michael, b. in Eng. m. 12 Sept 1656, Sarah Paige, had Sarah, b. 3 Mar. 1658 ; Mary, bapt. 25 Nov. 1660 ; Samuel, b. 17 Oct 1661, d. soon ; Thomas ; 22 Sept 1665, d. soon; Samuel, again, 17 Sept 1668; Thomas, again, 7 or 21 May 1671 ; John, 20 Sept 1675 ; and Judith, 25 Nov. 1677, d. at 5 yrs. The w. d. and he m. 2 Dec. 1679, Ann Paine of Rehoboth, was freem. 1653, deac. and rep. 1691, d. 16 Nov. 1702. Sarah m.23 Nov. 1676, Samuel Whiting, and d. 1702. THOMAS, Ipswich 1648, s. of Joseph the first, b. in Eng. I suppose, had Mary, b. 23 June 1658 ; Joseph, 27 Jan. 1661 ; Thomas, 4 Dec. 1667; beside prob. Eliz. nam. in the will of gr.f. He was freem. 1674. Of the mo. of these ch. we kn. nothing; but she may have d. and one Thomas of Ipswich, a widower, m. 1685, wid. Lydia Davis. Still more uncertainty is felt unless we give him ano. w. for the wid. of Thomas M. nam. Abigail, d. at I. 5 May 1727, aged 88 yrs. An earlier Thomas of Ipswich is found by Mr. Felt to be inhab. there 1638. THOMAS, Dedham, s. of the first Thomas, m. 24 Nov. 1696, Sarah, d. of William Avery, the sec of the name, had Sarah, b. 26 Apr. 1698, d. in few wks. ; Samuel, 9 Apr. 1699, d. at 14 yrs. ; Thomas, 30 Dec 1701 ; and Sarah, 1 Dec 1703; and he d. 12 Dec. 1704; and his wid. m. 6 Apr. 1709, Joseph Wight, and d. 1748. Two of this name had, in 1829, been gr. at Harv. and seven at the other N. E. coll. It is oft. in old rec writ as no doubt it was sound. Medcalf. ___________________