Matthew Mitchell

• Not the son of Thomas Mitchell & Elizabeth Mitchell
• Susan Armitage “ Sailed from Bristol, Gloucestershire to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 on the ship JAMES with husband Thomas Armitage and her brother, Matthew Mitchell, and his wife, Susan Field” [SIC: she was not a Field]

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Family

Matthew MITCHELL, parents unknown, was born say 1589 n Halifax, Yorkshire, England, and died 1646 in Stamford, CT. He married Susan WOOD 16 Apr 1616 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England. She was born abt 1595 in S. Outram Parish, Halifax, Yorkshire, England, and died in MA or CT. She was the daughter of Edmund Wood, Sr. who was born in 1535 and his 3rd wife Margret (Heard) Wood.

Susan was first married to Thomas Butterfield in about 1611, a prominent citizen of Ovenden. Thomas Butterfield died and was buried in Halifax, Yorkshire, England on September 16, 1614. His will was proved July 3, 1615. They had 2 children.

Susan married (2nd) Matthew Mitchell of Southowram at Halifax, Yorkshire, England on April 16, 1616 or August 21, 1616. Mitchell was a merchant by trade.

Children of Susan (Wood) Mitchell and her husband, Matthew Mitchell # Abigail, was baptized April 26, 1618 at South Ouram, Yorkshire. She married Rev. Abraham Pierson by about 1640.[5]Rev. Pierson was born in Yorkshire and died at Newark, New Jersey on August 9, 1678.[3] # David, was baptized November 14, 1619 at South Ouram, Yorkshire; he died between 11 and 29th of March 1686. He married Elizabeth ___?___. His will dated March 11, 1685/6 names his wife Elizabeth; and his sons Matthew, John, Abraham, and Daniel; daughters Martha, Elizabeth, Susanna, and Grace. It also referred to his "kinsman" John Sherman.[3](DePew[14]says David married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Wheeler. This, however is false since he did not have a daughter named Sarah. John Wheeler did have a daughter Sarah, but she married Abraham Mitchell, which may have been the cause for the confusion.) # Sarah was baptized October 14, 1621 at South Ouram, Yorkshire. About 1640 she married Samuel Sherman of Stratford. Samuel was baptized at Dedham, Co. Essex, England on July 12, 1618. Record proof of this marriage has not been found, but it is stated in several of the old accounts and is doubtless correct. Their sons were Matthew, David and John.[3] # Martha was baptized October 26, 1623 at South Ouram, Yorkshire and was buried November 23, 1623, presumably at Yorkshire.[3] # Jonathan was baptized December 19, 1624 at South Ouram, Yorkshire; he graduated from Harvard College in 1647 and became a prominent minister. He married Margaret (Boradel) Shepard, daughter of John Boradell of Cork, Ireland[8] and widow of Rev. Thomas Shepard on November 19, 1650 at Cambridge.[5]Jonathan was at Harvard in 1645, preached his first sermon at Hartford in 1649, and succeeded Rev. Thomas Shepard at Cambridge. Jonathan and Margaret's grandson, Stephen Sewall was Chief Justice of Massachusetts.[3] # Susanna (Susan) was baptized October 14, 1627 at South Ouram, Yorkshire.[3](Evidently it is inaccurate that she married Rev. Abraham Pierson[15]of Southampton, L. I. in 1640, Branford in 1644, and Newark, N. J., in 1667.[15]%29 Anderson's Great Migration says she married John Howell by 1648. John Howell was the son of Edward Howell.[5] # Matthew was baptized July 5, 1629 at Ovenden, Yorkshire and buried October 4, 1629, in Ovenden.[3][5] # Hannah was baptized June 26, 1631 at North Ouram, Yorkshire.[3] By 1651 she married (1st) Robert Coe of Stratford,[15]the eldest son of Robert Coe, who was baptized on December 14, 1651[5][16]Robert Coe died in September or October of 1659.[5]Hannah married (2nd) Nicholas Elsey of New Haven[15]between 1659 and 1667.[5]She moved to New Haven, taking her children with her. Hannah died at New Haven on April 2, 1702

===Biography 

Matthew Mitchell arrived in America in 1633 on the ship Francis [SIC: in 1635 on the ship James] from Bristol, England, with a wife and five children. He settled first in Charlestown, Ma. and then moved to Concord. Later he moved to Springfield where he signed a contract in May 1636. He was in Saybrook for a time serving in the Piqout War. In 1639 he was in Wethersfield and from there went to Stamford. He was a representative and a very prominent man.

Matthew is listed as one of the founders of Old-Saybrook, Ct.

Ref. Cothen's history of ancient Woodbury, pg 633-42

Notes

He was one of the first settlers in Saybrook, where he suffered heavy property loss, from the Indians, besides having employees and a brother-in-law (Samuel Butterfield) killed. Removing to Wethersfield, he was a member of the General Court which declared war on the Pequots.In Wethersfield, he was a large land owner and was chosen Recorder, in 1640, but the Court rejected the choice, and he withdrew with Denton and his flock to Stamford, where he died in 1645. Was much the wealthiest settler there, his tax being about three times that of Thurstan Raynor, the next largest tax-payer. He was one of the four persons chosen at Wethersfield to reguiate the Stamford settlement, and the first Selectmen chosen there, November 1641.Will presented 16 June 1646; son Jonathan, �100; daughters. Susanna and Hannah, �80 each; son David, �40; "my wife may by all right claim the rest." Inv. �1,700.

• Matthew Mitchell, came into New-England in 1635, from Halifax, England. On his arrival be located himself in Charleston, Massachusetts where he spent his first winter. The following entry is recorded in Cotton Mather's "Magnalia Christi Americana" written in 1702.

"Removing to the Town of Concord, his greater Matters continually became smaller there, his Beginnings were there consumed by Fire, and some other Losses befel him in the Latter End of that Winter. The next Summer he removed unto Say-brook, and the next Spring unto Weathersfield upon Connecticut River, by which he lost yet more of his Possessions, and plunged himself into other Troubles. Towards the Close of that year he had a Son-in-law Slain by the Pequot Indians; and the Rest of the Winter they lived in much fear of their Lives from those Barbarians, and many of his Cattel were destroyed, and his Estate unto the Value of some Hundreds of Pounds was damnified. A Shallop, which he sent unto the River's Mouth was taken, and burned by the Pequots, and Three Men in the Vessel slain, in all of whom he was nearly concerned: So that indeed the Pequot Scourge fell more on this Family, than on any other in the Land. Afterward there arose unhappy Differences in the place where he lived, wherein he was an Antagonist against some of the Principal Persons in the place, and hereby he that had hitherto Lived in precious Esteen with Good Men, wherever he came, (as a Record I have seen, testifies concerning him,) now suffered much in his Esteen among many such Men, as 'tis usual in such Contentions, and he met with many other Injuries: For which causes, he transferred himself, with his Interests, unto Stamford in the Colony of New-Haven. Here his House Barn and Goods were again consumed by Fire; and much Internal Distress of Mind accompanied these Humbling Dispensations. At last, that Most Horrible of Diseases, the Stone, arrested him, and he underwent unspeakable Dolours from it, until the year 1645, when he went unto his Rest about the Fifty Fifth Year of his age."

Links * http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db... * http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mitchell001/matth... *http://miller-aanderson.blogspot.com/2011/06/matthew-mitchell.html  * http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mjr6387&i...

Notes from http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3081791&...

Will proved: 16 June 1646 -- Inventory: 19 May 1646, Stamford, CT

NOTE: Susan’s son from her former marriage, a Butterfield, was killed and burned alive in one of the 1636 Indian raids.

The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol I, p 62, Henry R. Stiles, Ancestry.com database: The young man Butterfield, who was taken by the Indians. . .was a brother-in-law of Mr. Matthew Mitchell, and is said to have been roasted alive by his captors. . .(whereupon the meadow was named Butterfield Meadow).” -- NOTE: “brother-in-law” also meant step-son

Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, Vol I, p 589, Mary Walton Ferris, Ancestry.com database: “Matthew Mitchell came to America with his family on the ‘James’ in 1635, sailing on may 23, arriving August 17, and enduring en route the awful storm. . .He and his family lived for short periods in 1635-6 at Charlestown and at Concord, Massachusetts, and removed in the summer of 1636 to Saybrook, Connecticut; in the spring of 1637 to Wethersfield, and in 1641 to Stamford. He was a man of considerable estate and of notable Christian faith and patience, for at every town wherein he resided he suffered either by serious illness of his family; by death of relatives; by heavy loss of property on account of fire or Indian depredations, or by human animosity, and in spite of all these misfortunes he inspired respect by his patience and forgiveness.

The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut 1633-1884, Vol I, p 105, J. Hammond Trumbull, Ancestry.com database: “Prior to January, 1639, when the fundamental articles of government of the colony were formed, Thomas Welles, John Haynes, John Plumb, Matthew Mitchell, and Samuel Smith had been added to the list of members of the upper section, called magistrates, which had powers over life, liberty, and property, such as no body of officers since their day has been intrusted with.”

The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol I, p 26, Henry R. Stiles, Ancestry.com database: “Sergeant (afterwards Lieutenant) Robert Seeley. . .was a near neighbor of Finch, on the east side of Broad Street, in Wethersfield, and sold his house to Matthew Mitchell, in 1640-1.”

The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol I, p 151, Henry R. Stiles, Ancestry.com database: “Matthew Mitchell, the Town Recorder in 1640.”

The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol I, p 191, Henry R. Stiles, Ancestry.com database: “Far to the south. . .the last lot in the Naubuc division, Matthew Mitchell had occupied, by a tenant, a part of his large farm of 900 acres, very soon after he had received it from the Town, in 1639. He raised many cattle and constructed a ‘cow-pen’ a few rods from Sturgeon River.”

The Mitchell Family in America, Stephen M. Lawson, Internet: “Matthew’s undated will was proved June 16, 1646, and his inventory was taken May 19, 1646. A dissenter of the Church of England, his ancestors three generations earlier moved from Scotland to Yorkshire. The family departed Bristol, England on May 23, 1635 aboard the ‘James’, arriving at Boston, MA on Aug. 17, 1635. Most of their belongings were lost in a shipwreck upon arrival in America, and they lived at Charleston, Concord, and Springfield, MA, and at Saybrook and Wethersfield, CT before finally settling at Stamford, CT.”

Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut, Vol I, p 54, R. R. Hinman, Ancestry.com database: “Mitchell, Matthew, Wethersfield -- a member of the General Court in November, 1637 -- March, 1637 -- April, 1638 -- February, 1637, and deputy in May 1637. He was on the General Court who declared war against the Pequotts, and held many offices in the colony. He had a controversy with Deacon Chaplin, and was ordered by the Court to make him satisfaction in some public meeting, or own his fault; not having done either, the good people of Wethersfield elected him constable, but as he was under censure of the Court -- his election being reported for confirmation by the Court -- he was found incapable of holding the office, and was fined 20 nobles for accepting the office.”

Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut, Vol I, p 88, R. R. Hinman, Ancestry.com database: “In the fall of 1640, Mr. Ward and Robert Coe, of Wethersfield, for themselves and several others, purchased the town of Stamford of the New Haven Company -- all of which purchasers obligated themselves to move there within one year; and in the spring of 1641, Matthew Mitchell, Thurston Rayner, Robert Gildersleeve, Robert Coe and others moved to Stamford.”

=== GEDCOM Note === Category: Halifax, Yorkshire Category: James, sailed May 23, 1635 Category: Puritan Great Migration

Notice: Parents of Matthew Mitchell were NOT Thomas Mitchell and Elizabeth Clay. Anderson, in the Great Migration notes no parents. NYGBR, however gives a "suggestive" ancestry. See biography -

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mitchell-1313

Origins

Matthew Wood in his article published in The New York Genealogical andBiographical Record, gives a suggestive genealogy for the emigrant Matthew Mitchell.<ref name=NYGBR100-101>Wood, Matthew. "The NewYork Genealogical and Biographical Record" (NYGBR) English Origins of the Mitchell, Wood, Lum and Halstead Families. (Continued from TheRecord 120:9.) pp 100-101, January 1989. (copy in the files of Cheryl(Aldrich-908) Skordahl.)

Just four miles north of Ovenden, where Susan (Wood) Butterfield was left a widow, is a small town called Thornton-in-Bradforddale.<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>Here, researcher and author Matthew Wood found records of a Mitchell family which included a Matthew born at the right time to have been the husband of Susan. "The records of this Mitchell family are contained in the Yorkshire Fines, published in the Record Series of the Yorkshire Archaelogical and Topographical Society."<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>Following genealogy is quoted from The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (NYGBR).

::::First Generation"At the Easter Term of the Yorkshire Fines in 1565, Henry Batte received from John Mitchell and Isabel his wife two messuages with lands in Clayton and Thornton. At the Hilary Term in 1572/3, John Mychell received from Thomas Phillip and William Phillip, his son and heir apparent, two messuages with lands in Thornton."<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>

::::Second Generation"John Mitchell had three sons, Christopher, John and Thomas, who divided his two messuages between themselves. At the Michaelmas Term of 1585, Christopher Mytchell and John Mytchel, junr., received from ThomasMytchell, one messuage with lands in Thornton-in-Bradforddale. The share of John Jr. was subsequently obtained by Christopher. At the Easter Term in 1614, Isaac Haley, Jonas Mitchell and Samuel Robertshaw obtained from Christr. Mitchell and Ellen his wife, a messuage with lands in 'Thorneton in Bradford Dale.' Included was a 'warranty against John Mitchell brother of said Christr. and his heirs against heirs of John Mitchell decd. father of said Christr. and against heirs of Thos Mitchell decd. brother of said Christr.'"<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>

"The son John Mitchell Jr. seems to have lived for a time in Clayton, a small town within a mile of Thornton. At the Michaelmas Term in 1594, Edward Hemyingway obtained from John Mitchell, two messuages with lands in Clayton in Bradforddale."<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>

"Thomas, the other son of John Mitchell Sr., obtained the other messuage which had belonged to his father. At the Hilary Term in 1601/2, Abraham Sutcliffe and Thomas Whitley obtained from Thos. Mitchell and Agnes his wife a messuage with lands in Thornton-in-Bradforddale. The conveyance was reiterated at the Easter Term in 1610, when Abraham Sutcliff, John Whitley, William Stevenson and John Pearson obtained from Thomas Mitchell and Agnes his wife, John Mitchell and Matthew Mitchell, a messuage and lands in Thornton-in-Bradforddale."<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>

::::Third Generation"

The last conveyance indicates that Thomas Mitchell had sons John and Matthew, who probably came of age between 1602 and 1610. Matthew, theyounger of the two (to judge by the order in the conveyance), would have been born about 1585 - 90. This makes him exactly the right age to have been the Matthew Mitchell who married Susan (Wood) Butterfield in 1616. We cannot, however, say that this is our man, because Paver's Marriage Licenses give an entry for 1622, in which a Matthew Mitchell of Bradford married Susan Field of Bradford, in that town (Yorkshire Archaelogical Journal 16:9)"<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>

"Although this does not establish a definite ancestry for Matthew Mitchell the emigrant, it is suggestive."<ref name=NYGBR100-101/>The author continues by offering places and names to research for further insight and information.

Marriage

On April 16, 1616<ref Name=Anderson/>or August 21, 1616<ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire,<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>Matthew Mitchell married Susan (Wood) Butterfield,<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>daughter of Edmund Wood<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>and his wife Margret Heard Wood.<ref name=Hause>Hause. "Wood Family Genealogy" </ref> Previously she had married Thomas Butterfield,<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>in about 1611.<ref Name=NYGBR/> Butterfieldwas known as "a man of most religious life blameless in the church."<ref Name=NYGBR/>

Children=== #Samuel Butterfield,<ref Name=NYGBR/>Matthew Mitchell's step-son,<refName=NYGBR/>was born about 1612<ref Name=NYGBR/>and died in 1636.<refName=NYGBR/>He was taken captive by the Pequots and killed.<ref Name=NYGBR/> #child Butterfield,<ref Name=NYGBR/>step-child of Matthew Mitchell, was born about 1614.<ref Name=NYGBR/> #Abigail Mitchell was baptized 26 Apr. 1618<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England;<ref Name=Anderson/>she married Rev.<ref Name=NYGBR/>Abraham Pierson<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>about 1640.<ref Name=Anderson/> #David Mitchell was baptized 14 Nov. 1619<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>There is a difference of opinion on David Mitchel's wife. NYGBR on page 99, says he married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Wheeler of Milford.<ref Name=NYGBR/>Anderson on the other hand says that he married a woman named Elizabeth<ref Name=Anderson/>as in his will of March 11,1685/6 he made his wife Elizabeth sole executrix.<ref Name=Anderson/>Anderson says her surname was not Grave or Wheeler as explained on page 127.<ref Name=Anderson/>#Sarah was baptized 14 Oct. 1621<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>Shemarried Samuel Sherman<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>of Stratford<ref Name=NYGBR/>by about 1640.<ref Name=Anderson/> #Martha was baptized 26 Oct. 1623<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>She died<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>and was buried at Halifax<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>on Nov. 22<ref Name=Anderson/>or 23<ref Name=NYGBR/>,1623.<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/> #Jonathan was baptized 19 Dec. 1624<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>He was at Harvard College in 1647<ref Name=Anderson/>and graduated.<ref Name=NYGBR/>He became a prominent minister.<ref Name=NYGBR/>On Nov. 19, 1650<ref Name=Anderson/>at Cambridge<ref Name=Anderson/>he married Margaret (Borodell) Shepard,<ref Name=Anderson/> widow of Rev.Thomas Shepard.<ref Name=Anderson/>Jonathan died July 9, 1668. #Susan was baptized Oct. 14, 1627<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>By 1648<ref Name=Anderson/>she married John Howell,<ref Name=Anderson/>son of Edward Howell.<ref Name=Anderson/>She is mentioned in the willof her father in 1645.<ref Name=NYGBR/>#Matthew was baptized July 5, 1629<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>He was buried at Halifax<ref Name=Anderson/> on October 4, 1629.<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/> #Hannah Mitchell was baptized June 26, 1631<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England.<ref Name=Anderson/>She married (1st) Robert Coe,<ref Name=Anderson/>(Robert Coe was born Dec. 14, 1651 at Stratford, Connecticut, the son of Robert Coe)<ref Name=Anderson/>Robert died in 1659<ref Name=NYGBR/>either Sept.or Oct. of 1659.<ref Name=Anderson/>Hannah married (2nd) Nicholas Elsey of New Haven, Connecticut<ref Name=NYGBR/><ref Name=Anderson/>between 1659 and 1667.<ref Name=Anderson/>She died April 2, 1702 at New Haven, Connecticut.

Immigration

Matthew migrated on the James,<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=Young>Young, Alexander "Chronicles of the First Planters of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay from 1623-1636." Printed by Freeman and Bolles, Devonshire Street, Boston.1846. pp 454, 456, 457, 460, 464, 465.</ref><ref Name=NYGBR/>a 220 ton ship.<ref Name=Young/>His home had been in the West Riding region of Yorkshire.<ref Name=NYGBR/>More than likely Edmund Wood's family were also on the James.<ref Name=NYGBR/>Matthew Mitchell's wife is mentioned by name on Chapter XXII, page 457of the book "Chronicles of the Planters of Massachusetts Bay."<ref Name=Young/>Several bunches of emigrants who came to New England were from this locality, they sometimes traveled together, sometimes separately, but knew about each other's coming and going.<ref Name=NYGBR/>The James sailed out of Bristol, England in 1635,<ref Name=NYGBR/>specifically on June 4, 1635 (according to p. 452 of "Chronicles of the First Planters.)<ref Name=Young/>According to Chapter XXII entitled "Richard Mather's Journal," <ref Name=Young/>the travelers had left Warrington, Lancashire<ref Name=Young/>on April 16 of 1635<ref Name=Young/>and arrivedat Bristol (the port of their departure)<ref Name=Young/>on April 23,1635.<ref Name=Young/>They found the ship was not ready for departure,<ref Name=Young/>with items not stowed, but lying in heaps around on the deck.<ref Name=Young/>This lack of readiness, along with bad weather and westerly winds delayed their departure until June 4, 1635.<ref Name=Young/>Although the wait was lengthy, they sailed off "with glad hearts that God had loosed us from our long stay wherein and we had been holden, with hope and trust that he [God] would graciously guide usto the end of our journey."<ref Name=Young/>The ship James carried one hundred passengers according to Governor Winthrop's journal.<refName=NYGBR/>

Sailing for New England with the James, was the ship Angel Gabriel.<ref Name=Young/>Additionally sailing with them but bound for Newfoundland were three other ships: the Diligence, a 150 ton ship; the Mary, a small ship of 80 tons; and the Bess.<ref Name=Young/>They had many days of rough seas, people getting seasick, unable tostand or go on the deck because of the tossing and tumbling of the ship.

A prominent man voyaging on the ship James was Rev. Richard Matherwho kept an interesting journal.<ref Name=NYGBR/><ref Name=Young/>Thejournal names three passengers who were leaders of the group, himself, Rev. Mawde, and Mr. Matthew Mitchell<ref Name=NYGBR/>who is the object of this profile. It seems very likely that the Edmund Wood family and John Lum were also passengers. Edmund was Matthew Mitchell's brother-in-law and John was Wood's nephew.<ref Name=NYGBR/>

Each Sabbath Day on their journey, Mr. Maud<ref Name=Young/>and Mr. Mather<ref Name=Young/>would take turns (one in the morning, one in the afternoon) doing what is called "exercised."<ref Name=Young/>The meaning of "we exercised" as in the sentence "On the Lord's day we exercised..." as recorded in the book Chronicles of the First Planters of ..."<ref Name=Young/>can be found in the Dictionary of the Apostolic Church by Hastings, Selbie, and Lambert printed in 1919, "...the earliest distinctive feature in the Christian observance of the Lord's Day, theother exercises of prayer, reading, etc."<ref>Hastings, James "Dictionary of the Apostolic Church" Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1919. Vol. 1, p. 710</ref> Matthew duties on board had to do with overseeing water and foodfor the people and the animal cargo.<ref Name=Young/> Records revealhe and Mr. Mather approached the captain several times inquiring distance to land, as the amount of hay and water for the animals was running low.<ref Name=Young/>One occasion is recorded where the captain "sent Mathew Michel and me part, as good fish in eating as could be desired.<ref Name=Young/> (which I take to mean that they were complimented by the captain for the fish they provided.) According to page 479 of the book "Chronicles of the First Planters," sailing west, the final sight of England for the voyagers and marinerswas June 22nd 1635.<ref Name=Young/>The first sightings of land was August 8 - six weeks and five days on the sea.<ref Name=Young/>They landed in Boston in New England on August 17,<ref Name=Young/>a voyage that totaled twelve weeks and two days.<ref Name=Young/>

Arrival, Residences, Possessions

• Matthew Mitchell and his family, upon arrival, first settled in Charlestown.<ref Name=Anderson/>On December 30, 1635<ref Name=Anderson/>he bought a house from Michaell Bairstow<ref Name=Anderson/>*He moved to Concord in 1635.<ref Name=Anderson/>On September 2, 1635,he along with 12 more families he were granted permission by the General Court to begin a town at Muskeetaq (Concord.)<ref Name=Anderson/>
• To Springfield in 1636,<ref Name=Anderson/>On May 14, 1636<ref Name=Anderson/>in the founding agreement at Springfield he received 50 acres<ref Name=Anderson/>laid out together with "meadow and pasture called Nayas toward Patuckett on the side of Agaar lying about four miles above the river."<ref Name=Anderson/>The lots of Samuel Butterfield, his step-son; Edmund Wood, his brother-in-law; Jonas Wood, Edmund's son were to were to be "adjoinging to Mill Brook, the whole being to number twenty-five acres."<ref Name=Anderson/> *Saybrook in 1636,<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=Young/>*Wethersfield in 1637<ref Name=Anderson/>On April 24, 1641 the lands of Matthew Mitchell in Wethersfield on the Connecticut river consisted of twelve parcels.<ref Name=Anderson/>On October 27, 1643 he sold ten parcels to Richard Tratt and one parcel to James Boosy.<ref Name=Anderson/>*Stamford in New Haven around 1641.<ref Name=Anderson/>His name was second on the list of those who bound themselves to go to Rippowams (Stamford) to begin a plantation there,<ref Name=Anderson/>and first on the list to contribute financially.<ref Name=Anderson/>He received a grant of twenty-eight acres which was the largest grant of all the twentynine men who were also granted lands at that time.<ref Name=Anderson/>

Occupation, Freeman, Education, Offices

Regarding occupation, Matthew Mitchell was a merchant.<ref Name=Anderson/>He was made a freeman on April 6, 1642.<ref Name=Anderson/>He was sufficiently educated to be chosen as town clerk for Whethersfield. The following is a list of offices he held:*Springfield committee to distribute land on May 14, 1636<ref Name=Anderson/>*Connecticut Assistant November 14, 1637, February 9, 1637/8, March 1637/8, April 5, 1638.<ref Name=Anderson/>*Deputy for Wethersfield to Connecticut General Court May 1, 1637<ref Name=Anderson/>which declared war on the Pequots.<ref Name=NYGBR/>*Chosen as town clerk at Wethersfield in 1640 but prevented from assuming the office by the General Court<ref Name=Anderson/>unless he "givesatisfaction" to Mr. Chaplin at a public meeting. *Stamford selectman November 1641<ref Name=Anderson/> *Magistrate April 5, 1643<ref Name=Anderson/>

Hardships of Matthew Mitchell

Cotton Mather wrote about some of Matthew Mitchell's tribulations in his book about Matthew's son, Rev. Jonathan Mitchell.<ref Name=Anderson/>In it, Mather states that the first winter after the families arrival at Charlestown, the Godly man (Matthew Mitchell) and his family had much sickness and the scarcity<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=Young/>(I assume this means scarcity of provisions). After moving to Concord the following spring, his buildings burned down.<ref Name=Anderson/><refName=Young/>When he lived In Wethersfield he lost additional possessions and they lived in fear of the Pequot Indians who tragically killedhis son-in-law<ref Name=Young/>and also destroyed his cattle.<ref Name=Young/>His estate which by then was worth hundreds of pounds was severely diminished.<ref Name=Young/>In addition to this loss of life andpossessions, he had a shallop (a 2 masted small open sail boat with oars that was used for coastal fishing) that was burned by the Pequots<ref Name=Young/>and three men in the vessel were killed.<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=Young/>One of those killed was his son, Rev. Jonathan Mitchell<ref Name=Young/>who was "roasted alive."<ref Name=Anderson/>Another was his step-son Samuel Butterfield.<ref Name=Anderson/>Both heand the third man were "shot through the eye with an arrow."<ref Name=Anderson/>Additionally here at Weathersfield, he had conflicts with important people<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=Young/>namely Deacon Clement<ref Name=NYGBR/>Chaplin,<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>who had the General court censure Matthew Mitchell.<ref Name=Anderson/>He acknowledged his fault to the court and the censure was removed<ref Name=Anderson/>From these conflicts his esteem suffered greatly since he had previously been well known as a person who lived quietly and peaceably with all people.<ref Name=Anderson/>In Stamford his house and barn were tragically consumed by fire, along with his other earthly goods.<ref Name=Anderson/>

Death, Burial, Will

Matthew Mitchell was infected with the horrible disease<ref Name=Anderson/> called "the stone"<ref Name=Anderson/>which caused him great physical distress.<ref Name=Anderson/>The disease caused his debilitation.<ref Name=Anderson/>He died by May 19, 1646<ref Name=Anderson/> whichwas the day his estate was inventoried.<ref Name=Anderson/>He was fifty-five years of age. There was no real estate<ref Name=Anderson/>andthe largest item was in debts due to the estate.<ref Name=Anderson/>His will, which was proved on June 16, 1646,<ref Name=Anderson/>lists various sums of money to his children<ref Name=Anderson/>with the remainder of the estate left to his wife.<ref Name=Anderson/>

Sources == *Anderson, Robert Charles. <u>The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633</u>, Volumes 1-3; <u>The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England</u>, 1634-1635, Volumes 1-6. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011. pp. 125-131.link for subscribers *Bartlett, J. Gardner. <u>Robert Coe, Puritan, his ancestors and descendants, 1340-1910 : with notices of other Coe families</u>. Boston: Bartlett, 1911. Page 81.see at archive.org *Young, Alexander "Chronicles of the First Planters of the Colony ofMassachusetts Bay from 1623-1636." Printed by Freeman and Bolles, Devonshire Street, Boston.1846. pp 454, 456, 457, 460, 464, 465.seeat archive.org *Wood, Matthew. "The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record" (NYGBR). English Origins of the Mitchell, Wood, Lum and Halstead Families. Vol. 120, #1, pp 1 - 9, January 1989.(copy in the files of Cheryl (Aldrich-908) Skordahl.) *Wood, Matthew. "The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record" (NYGBR) English Origins of the Mitchell, Wood, Lum and Halstead Families. (Continued from The Record 120:9.) pp 100-101, January 1989. (copy in the files of Cheryl (Aldrich-908) Skordahl.) *Hastings, James "Dictionary of the Apostolic Church" Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1919. Vol. 1, p. 710see at googlebooks *Hause. "Wood Family Genealogy" http://hausegenealogy.com/wood.html link *Savage, James. "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England." Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 1861. Vol. III, pp. 220, 221.see at Archive.org *Great Migration Newsletter, V.1-20.(Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.)subscription site

Contributors== Cheryl Skordahl; Liisa Small; Gerrie Schneider