Matthew Mitchell1,2,3,4

M, b. 1589, d. before 19 May 1646
FatherThomas Mitchell b. c 1562, d. b Apr 1614
MotherAgnes (?)
     Matthew was born in 1589 in the parish of Bradford, Yorkshire, England. The family was of the Pennines region of Northern England.5 Matthew married Susan Wood, daughter of Edmund Wood, on 16 April 1616 in Halifax, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire, England, at St. John the Baptist Church. He was stone mason. On 27 May 1618, his brother-in-law, John Wood, appointed him & his brother-in-law, Edmund Wood, as executors of his will. He was a known descenter & was regarded as a very pious man, but also a man of considerable wealth. While living in Yorkshire, he was under the instruction of Reverend Richard Denton, who at the time was curat of Coley's Chapel in the parish of Halifax. Matthew was in complete sympathy with the reverend's view both political & religious.6 On 23 May 1635, Matthew & his wife, Susan, left from Bristol, England aboard the ship, "James", mastered by Captain Taylor. bound for New England. They stoped at Milford Haven, Wales, where their departure was delayed until the 22nd of June due mainly to high winds. Among the 100 passengers were listed the families of Matthew Mitchell, Reverend Richard Mather, Thomas Armitage, Jonas Wood, Humphrey Atherton, Nathaniel Wales, John Lum & others. They arrived at Boston the 17th day of August after experiencing a catastrophic hurricane off the shore of New Hampshire..7,8,9,10 For a short time, the family resided in Charleston, Massachusetts & the next sprinb moved to Concord where he was one of the organizers of the settlement. While in Concord, the family lost their home & goods in a fire. After the fire, in May of 1636, they moved to Springfield along with Edmund Wood. They did not stay here long as in the summer, they moved down the Connecticut river to Saybrook. Yet that same year, in an attack by the Pequot Indians, his step son, Samuel Butterfield, was captured & tortured to death. They lived in fear for the rest of the winter. In the spring of 1637, they removed to Wethersfield. By 1641, they are in Stamford where he was one of the founders. Matthew had an undated will.

... At present my will & mind is that out ot this my son, Jonathan, shall have in convenient time one hundred pounds, my daughter, Susanna, 80 pounds; my daughter, Hannah, 80 pounds; my son, David, in case I do not build for him, myself to repair the building now, and without which he hath not a due portion, I say he to build, 40 pounds; my wife may by all right claim the rest, 1700 pounds. [Stamford Town Records]11

Matthew departed this life before 19 May 1646 in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut. The inventory of Matthew's estate was taken on Saturday, 19 May 1646. It included no real estate. The largest amount was 1505 pounds in debts due to his estate. His will was probated on 16 June 1646.

Family

Susan Wood b. c 1590
Children

Citations

  1. [S457] Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volume 5: pages 125-132.
  2. [S1741] William Applebie Eardeley, Chronology and ancestry of Chauncey M. Depew: with fifty-four other affiliated families of New York, New Jersey & New England, pages 43-47.
  3. [S730] Charles Henry Corey, Lineal Ancestors of Captain James Corey and of His Descendants, page 201 - ... according to a London writer of the family genealogy, "the Mitchell's were a family of good standing, and their coat of arms, ... was painted on the roof of the chancel of Halifax Church." They were originally from Scotland when they moved to Yorkshire and lived there for three generations.
  4. [S1749] Matthew Wood, English Origins of tthe Mitchell, Wood, Lum & alstead Families.
  5. [S1743] Jack Harpster, John Ogden, the Pilgrim, [1609-1682]: A Man of More Than Oridinary Mark, page 31.
  6. [S730] Charles Henry Corey, Lineal Ancestors of Captain James Corey and of His Descendants, page 201.
  7. [S1741] William Applebie Eardeley, Chronology and ancestry of Chauncey M. Depew: with fifty-four other affiliated families of New York, New Jersey & New England, page 44.
  8. [S730] Charles Henry Corey, Lineal Ancestors of Captain James Corey and of His Descendants, pages 201-202 - He also took with him a considerable number of cattle, the care & provisioning of which caused great anxiety and worry on account of a months delay in the departure of the ship, after all were on board and the subsequent long passage of fifty-five days.
    Although they embarked on the 23rd of May, they did not leave Milford Haven until the 22nd of June. On the evening of Sunday, August the sixteenth, they anchored off Boston and landed the next morning, after a voyage unusually tedious from calms, heat, and dangers from storms.
    Two days before they landed there arose a exceedingly severe storm which carried away their sails, cables & anchors, and they narrrowly escaped being ship wrecked on the coast. It is no indication of Matthew's good judgement that not only none of his family or of his cattle lost, but also that he brought them all to their destination in better condition then when they left Bristol.
  9. [S948] Richard Mather, Journal of Richard Mather. 1635. His Life and Death. 1670., pages 6-10 - We came from Warrington on Thursday April 16, April and came to Bristoll on the Thursday following, viz. April 23, and had a very healthful!, safe and prosperous journey all ye way, blessed bee the name of or God for the same, taking but easy journeyes because of the children and footemen, dispaching 119 or 120 miles in seven dayes.
    Comming to Bristoll wee found divers of the company come before us: but some came not till after us: howbeit the last was come by the first of May. Neverthelesse we went not aboard ye ship untill Saturday the 23d of May: so that the time of or staying in Bristoll was a month and two dayes, during all wch time wee found friendship and curtesy at the hands of divers godly Christians in Bristoll. Yet our stay was grievous unto us, when wee considered how most of this time the windes were easterly and served directly for us; But our ship was not ready: so ill did or owners deale with us. ' Going.aboard ye ship in King roade the 23d of May, wee found.things very unready, and all on heapes, many goods seeing not stowed, but lying on disordered heapes, here and there in the ship. This day there came aboard the ship 2 of the searchers, and viewed a list of all or names, ministered the oath of allegiance to all at full age, viewed or certificates from the ministers in the parishes from whence we came, approved well thereof, and gave us tickets, that is, Licenses under their handes and seales, to passe the seas, and cleared the ship, and so departed. When we came to King roade (which is a spacious harbor of 5 or 6 miles broad, and 4 or 5 miles distant from Bristoll) wee found neere or ship another • ,ship of Bristoll, called the Diligence, bound for Newfound-land, riding at ancre.
    The 24th beeing the Lorde's day, the wind was strong in the morning, and ye ship daunced, and many of o1 women and some children were not well; but sea-sicke, and mazy or light in their heades, and could scarce stand or go without falling, unless they tooke hold of something to uphold them. This day Mr. Maud was excercised in the forenoone, and I in the afternoone. The wind still easterly.
    The 25th, wee that were passengers would faine have had ancre weighed, and sayle set, y' wee might have beene gone. But ye mariners would insiste that they could not stirre till ye goodes were stowed and the hatches or deck above cleared, &c. So wee were forced ££ to sit still, and fall ia hand with the goodes ; wch stay was a greater griefe unto us, because the Diligence, y' lay within 2 or 3 stones cast of us did this morning go out in or sight.
    The Tuesday morning the wind beeing easterly and the decke somewhat cleared, the mariners began to addresse themselves for going. But about nine of the clocke, when they had taken up one of their ancres, and were in a manner ready to set forward, the wind turned directly agt us, unto the west, so y' wee were forced to cast ancre againe, and sit still. This evening the Diligence, y' went out ye day before, came in againe, and cast ancre about the place where shee lay before ; and found us riding at ancre where shee left us; and another ship also bound for New England came unto us, which other ship was called the Angel Gabriel.
    On Wednesday the wind continuing still at ye west, wee having sent some of or men a shoar to fetch more bread and victuals and more water for the cattell; our Master Captayne Taylor went aboard the Angel Gabriel; Mr. Maud, Nathaniel Wales, Barnabas Fower, Thomas Armitage and my selfe accompanying him. When wee came there wee found divers passengers, and among them spme loving and godly Christians that were glad to see us there. And soone after wee were come aboard there, there came three or four more boates with more passengers, and one wherein came Sir Ferdinando Gorge, who came to see the ship and the people. When hee was come hee enquired whether there were any people there y' went to Massachusetts Bay, whereupon Mr. Maud and Barnabas Fower were sent for to come before him ; who being come he asked Mr. Maud of his country, occupation or calling of life, &c, and professed his good will to the people there in ye bay, and promised that if hee ever came there hee would be a true friend unto them.
    28. On Thursday, the wind being still at west, the Mr of the Angel Gabriel, and some of their passengers, came aboard or ship, and desired to have or company &c. This day there cattel came aboard, and or Mr and some of the saylors and passengers went a shoare.
    29. Friday morning, the wind was south-east, but or Master and some of the mariners being away, we could not set sayle ; so being constrayned to ride at ancre still, and fearing a want if or journey should proove long, some of or company were sent by boat to Bristoll, to provide some more oates for the cattel, and bread, and other provisions for or selves, wch they performed, and so came aboard again at evening. • '
    30- Saturday at morning the wind was strong at northwest ; and against or going out, and besides or Master and some of the saylors were gone ashore and not come aboard againe ; so that this day also wee were constrayned to sit still. In the afternoone ye wind waxed louder, and or ship daunced with wind and waves; and many passengers, especially women and some children, were sea-sicke.
    31. The 2d Sabbath on ship-board. The wind easterly, and directly for us; but or Master and many of the saylors beeing away, and it being also the Lords day, there could bee no going out y' day. I was excercised in the forenoone, and Mr. Maud in ye afternoone.
    June 1Munday the wind was westerly, and agt us. This day we sent some of or company ashoare to wash linnens, and some to buy more hay and provisions. Towardes night ye wind grew stronger and or ship daunced and many of ye passengers were ill through casting and sea-sicknesse.
    Tuesday, the wind still westerly. This day wee sent some of or people ashoare to provide more water, and hay for the cattel.
    Wednesday morning, the wind was easterly and good for our purpose ; but or Master and many of ye saylors went away, and those y' were aboard with us told us it was no going out till the wind was settled, lest we should be forced to come in again upon change of wind, as the Diligence was. This evening there came to ancre in King-roade another ship of Bristoll of 240 tunne, called ye Bess, or Elizabeth, bound for New-fond-land, as there had done another two or three dayes before, called the Mary, which was also bound for New-»fond-land.
    Thursday morning, the wind serving for us, and or Master and all the saylors being come aboard, wee set sayle and began or sea-voyage with glad hearts yl God had loosed us from or long stay wherein we had been holden, and with hope and trust that hee would graciously guide us to the end of or journey. We were y' set sayle together yl morning five shippes; three bound for New-fond-land, viz. the Diligence,- a ship of 150 tunne-; the Mary, a small ship of 80 tunne, and the Bess: and two bound for New England, viz. the Angel Gabriel of 240 tunne, the James of 220 tunne. And even at or setting out, we y' were in the James had experience of God's gracious providence over us, in y the Angel Gabriel haling home one of her ancres, had like, being carried by the force of the tide, to have fallen foule upon….
  10. [S506] Note: The only known passengers that sailed on the ship, "James", from Bristol on 23 May 1635 were those named in the diary of Reverend Richard Mather. Since he did not name Reverend Richard Denton, as many sources have stated he came on the "James", he must have come a short time later.
  11. [S457] Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volume 5: page 127.