Michael Mitton

Michael Mitton and Elizabeth Cleeves had six children. Ann(e) was the oldest, and Mary was the youngest. Noyes, Libby, Davis, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire," 1939, p. 485.

Biography

Michael is called a "gentleman, sportsman, and teller of tall tales." He probably arrived with George Cleeve, his father-in-law to be, in 1637. He lived at Clark's point, presently the foot of Brackett street in Portland, ME. He died before 1662/3.{-"Gen. Dict.of ME & NH", p.485} Michael owned much land, including Peaks Island, and hundreds of acres in present-day Portland. He was probably an Episcopalian and served under the Gorges government as constable for Falmouth. He died between 25 Aug 1660 and 7 Oct 1661. The surname also appears in Maine as Mitton. Mittons occur in Essex, Gloucester and Sussex counties in England. A John Mitton was sheriff of Staffordshire and M.P. late in the 15th century. See Philip Howard Gray, "Penobscot Pioneers...Closson..." (Camden: Penobscot Press, 1992), p. 101. Cf. Family Tree Maker's "Early New England Settlers" (CD #504), "one Hundred and Sixty Allied Families," p. 176.

MITTEN, MICHAEL, Falmouth 1637, then assoc. with George Cleves whose only ch. Elizabeth he m. had Ann, wh. m. Anthony Brackett; Elizabeth b. 1644, m. Thadeus Clarke; Mary, m. Thomas Brackett; Sarah, m. James Andrews; and Martha m. John Graves, wh. rem. from Kittery to Little Compton; beside only s. Nathaniel, wh. was k. by the Ind. Aug. 1676, unm. He was constable in 1640, freem. 1658; but is unhappi. at an earlier day, commemo. by Winthrop II. 302. He d. 1660. See also Folsom, 54, and especial. Willis, I. 96 and 173. His wid. m. a Harvey, and d. his wid. 1682 - Savage (1)

Notes

Please note that Michael-1 & Elizabeth (CLEEVE) MITTON had no daughter named Dorcas

From i ELIZABETH, b. say 1619; m. (1) probably say 1639 Michael Mitton (on 24 February 1650 "George Cleve of Casco" gave to "my son-in-law Michael Mitton ... that tract of land lying in Casco Bay granted unto me by Colonel Allexander Rigby Esq." [YLR 8:245]; not a happy match, as her father wrote on 1 May 1647 that "there are also some adulteries committed and yet unpunished whereof ... that of Mr. Michell Mitton and John Seares committed with Mary Martin" [WP 5:152]); m. (2) by 26 July 1666 Peter Harvey (when she administered the estate of Thomas Morris as "Elizabeth Harvey" [MPCR 1:312]).

Source: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Vol. 1-3, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995..

Origins

Referred to as Michael Mitton, Gent. in Maine records, he arrived in Maine in 1637, accompanying his future father-in-law, George Cleeve on one of the latter's several trips to and from England, and shortly thereafter married his daughter, Elizabeth Cleeve. He was said to be an "excellent fowler and a teller of tall tales", often providing geese, wild ducks, etc. for the Trelawney colony. A clue as to his origins may come from his father-in-law's association with Maine immigrant Thomas Lewis. Both appear, taxed together as vintners in the 1616/17 Shrewsbury tax roll, and were probably, at least initially, friends in Maine. Thomas Lewis' wife, Elizabeth Marshall was the daughter of Roger Marshall and Katherine Mitton, she of the Mittons and Harpesfields of Weston, Shropshire, England. So, it is compelling to consider that Michael Mitton was likely a member of Katherine Mitton's extended family.

From Collections of the Maine Historical Society, Volume 1 (Google eBook) Maine Historical Society The Society, 1865 - Local history.  Page 260.  "Death of Mrs. Harvey"

"In 1682, died Elizabeth Harvey, the only daughter of George Cleeves. She came from England with her father probably in 1637, and was either then or soon after married to Michael Mitton. She was the last survivor of the first settler, and had been through scenes of great suffering and sorrow. She had buried two husbands and three adult children, one of whom, her only son, was killed by the Indians, and the lives of two of her daughters, the wives of the Bracketts, were probably shortened by their captivity. Two daughters only survived her, Elizabeth, the wife of Thaddeus Clark, and Martha, the wife of John Graves,* neither of whom, that we are aware of, has posterity now residing here. The descendants of her daughter Mary, the wife of Thomas Brackett, are numerous among us. Mrs. Harvey had seen the town which on her first visit was an entangled forest, inhabited by wild beasts and savages, become the seat of civilization and prosperity, and holding forth the promises of future greatness."

• "Graves was living in Kittery in 1712, aged about sixty-seven. He moved to Little Compton, R. I., where he died, leaving one son and two daughters."
  

References

• A Genealogical Dictionary of  The First Settlers of New England, Before 1692 Volume #3 Mills - Mitten By James Savage
• https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jamesdm4...
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128885140/michael-mitton