Genealogy of Patty Rose
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| Notes for Matthias BUTTON | ||||||||||||
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - son of Thomas BUTTON and Joan MANNING - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MATTHAIS, Boston, a Dutchman, by w. Lettice had bapt. 1634-35: Mary, Daniel,; was of Ipswich 1639, and after at Haverhill, where at gr. age. he d. 1672. Rev. Thomas Cobbet says, he came in 1628, of course with Endicott to Salem. But Mr. Felt perhaps confus. him with Robert. [ref 20] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mathias Button, and Elizabeth Duston, June 9, 1663. [ref 51] Mathias Button, h. Elizabeth, Aug. 13, 1672. [ref 51] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Matthias was a son of Thomas Button of Harrold, Bedford Co., England. He was baptized there October 11, 1607. (Parish Records of Harrold). He died at Haverhill, Mass. August 13, 1672. (Haverhill Town Records). He married (1st Lettyce; (2nd) about 1639, Joanne, widow of John Thornton; (3rd) about 1849 Ann Teagle and (4th) June 9, 1663 Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ann Wheeler of Newbury, Mass.; she was born at Salsbury, England and died at Haverhill, Mass. July 16, 1690. Some early writer recorded Matthias as a Dutchman. This is evidently an error; the man does not indicate a Holland nativity, and the foregoing records show his baptism in England, and probable English birth. He may have gone to Holland just previous to coming to America, and possibly married his wife Lettyce there; we do not find any record of his first marriage. He must have been about 20 when he landed in America. His stay in Salem was brief; he soon removed to Boston, where he is found among the earliest settlers. He identified himself with the First Church of England sometime previous to 1633, and there at least two of his children were baptized. He removed thence to Ipswich, where he was a commoner in 1641 and thence in 1646 to Haverhill, where he died (Haverhill records 6:246). According to records, if he was baptized in infancy, as was customary, he was about 65 years of age when he died. He doubtless appeared much older, due to sickness, anxiety, and hardships endured. After a voyage of months in one of the frail vessels of that day across a practically untracked and uncharted ocean, he passed through the trials, hardships, privations, and dangers of pioneer life in early New England. Wild beasts, and far more dangerous wild and savage men who roamed the wilderness night and day, made it necessary for the settlers to be constantly on their guard against the dangers; even on the Sabbath when attending church, they were constantly in danger of the deadly tomahawk and scalping knife, expecting at any moment to hear one of the hideous warwhoops of the bloodthirsty savages. Besides which Mr. Button had a long siege of sickness in his family, and lost children, and his first three wives died, the last from fright and exposure while sick in bed, due to the burning of their dwelling by an implacable and unrelenting personal enemy who caused him no end of trouble for several years. Probably the chief cause of the emnity of this man, John Godfrey by name, was due to the fact that Mr. Button, with Edward Yeomans and others, were witnesses against him when he was arrested on complaint of Job Tyler and John Remington on suspicion of Witchcraft and tried in court at Boston in March, 1665 (Essex co records). Matthias Button, Haverhill vs. John Godfrey: For the burning of my house, and my goods that was in it and the cause of my wife's death, and running away as soon as he had done it June 10, 1669. The jury find for the plaintiff �238.2s damages and costs (Essex co records). Mr. Button evidently inherited the spirit of adventure as history tells us that those who came with Governor John Endicott were gentlemen and their families who came to better their impaired fortunes, and enjoy the peace of religious liberty. Mr. Button was a very young man when he landed on this continent, and it is not known whether he brought his wife Lettyce with him or not. As no record of their marriage has been found, it is presumed that she came with him. In 1650 Mr. Button's estate was assessed at �60. This does not show him to have been wealthy, nor yet poor. Land property those days was not valued very high, and very few of the early settlers of New England were considered rich. Even the Vanderbilts and Goulds of early New York were men of moderate property. Mr. Button had several grants of land in and near Haverhill, as shown by the public records. He had many hindrances in his acquisition of property; he had a prolonged siege of sickness himself, besides the here-in-before mentioned sickness and death of children, and the sickness of his third wife and her death following the burning of his dwelling by John Godfrey and the litigation that followed. From court records we learn that a thatched house belonging to Matthias Buttin in 1671, and situated near the present home of Thomas West, one mile north east of the village of Haverhill was burned; this is of interest in showing the style of roof that was used on some of the houses in those days. The following are among transfers of real estate recorded: Matthias Button of Haverhill, and his wife Teagell, for �60 deed to John Hazeltine of Rowley, six acres planting land, bounded north on highway, west with a runlet, south butting towards the great river, east on land of Stephen Kent. Also three acres upland; bounded west on John Byers, east on highway running up to land of Robert Ayres, the north side to said Ayers marked tree, thence to land of John Ayers over the swamp. Norfolk County Deeds Vol. I, page 104 - 106.) Note; Old Norfolk County became extinct in 1675 or 1676 with several other towns including Haverhill and came in to the present county of Essex. Matthias Button Sr. of Haverhill and wife, Elizabeth, deed to John Ward, "my mansion house and all that parcel of land belonging to me on ye westward side of a brook called Morris Creek. Feb. 10, 1664" (Essex co 2:23). Matthias Button Sr. gave a trust deed to his brother-in-law, George Wheeler, for use by his wife Elizabeth Button, eighty acres of land in Haverhill, being a part of his 3d division. April 11, 1665 (Essex co 2:28). Matthias Button died at Haverhill Aug. 13, 1672 and the following court proceedings are interesting as history of the settlement of his affairs, and also showing the quaint language of the day: Norfolk County Court. Captain Nathaniel Saltonstall informed this court, yt Matthias Button Sr. died intestate, and yt none doth appear to this Court to seek administration to ye estate of ye sd Matthias Button. Oct. 8, 1672 (Norfolk co records). The Clarke of ye writts of Haverhill giving notis to ye Court yt Matthias Button died intestate, and yt none yt hee heard of did intend to take out letters of administration, the Court ordered yt ye sd' Clarke of ye writts make inquiry after ye sd estate and secure it what hee can and make report of what he shall doe on it; and of ye inventory which hee shall take to ye next Court at Salisbury, Oct. 8, 1672 (Norfolk co records). It is ordered yt Captain Nathaniel Saltonstall be administrator to Matthias Button's estate protempore and until yt hee deliver his account and desire his discharge. Who hath power granted unto him to pay all debts yt are cleare and without exception, and is appointed to bring in inventory at next Hampton Court, and to use all lawful means to seize ye estate and recover it into his own hands, and to attend ye orders of Court that may be made in order yt ye disposal or division of ye estate. This Court doth declare yt ye widow Button having land made over to her as a dowrie from Matthias Button, hath no right to her portion of ye estate which otherwise by law she might have. She also in court refusing to relinquish her sd joynture or dowrie. April 29, 1673 (Norfolk co records). This Court doth order yt ye administrator of ye estate of Matthias Button shall improve ye sd estate according to his discretion by letting it out, or changing it to other specia, taking sufficient securities for ye preservation of it. Oct. 14, 1673 (Norfolk co records). Upon ye motion of ye administrator of ye estate of Matthias Button, yt a division of ye estate may be made, this Court orders ye administrator to compute ye estate, and to divide ye remainder into five equal sums, for each child a part, and to deliver as soon as hee can ye shares belonging to ye two daughters, to their sd, husbands, taking their receipts for ye sums, and ye other shares to ye other children, when they come to age, or are married, unless other orders intervene. Nov. 14, 1676 (Norfolk co records). The estate of Matthias Button Sr. was inventoried by Henry Kingsbury and Robert Swan, March 9, 1673 at �99:11s:8d (Norfolk deeds 2:491). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | ||||||||||||
| Notes for Elizabeth WHEELER | ||||||||||||
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elizabeth perhaps w. of Matthias Button [ref 20] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ELIZABETH,2 m. -- Bulton, or Button; liv. 1668; chil.: Thomas and Elizabeth. [ref 36:354] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elizabeth, bapt. at St. Edmund's Jan. 10, 1618; came to New England with her parents; "aged 47" in 1669; m. (1) Thomas Duston; m. (2) in Haverhill June 9, 1663, Matthias Button. [ref 46:3-606] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elizabeth Button, wid. Mathias, July 16, 1690. [ref 51] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 Jan 1618 baptism, St. Edmunds, Salisbury ENG 1634 came from Salisbury England with parents in the Mary and John age 47 in 1669 [birth would be abt 1622] 11 Oct 1670 "Elizabeth Button" received �4 in father's will - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elizabeth Button, widow of Matthias Button of Haverhill, to Peter Green, her son-in-law, twenty acres upland hear Hawk's meadow, bounded south on said Green, and Aquilla Chase, north on Thomas Dustin, N. W. on Walnut tree and Hawk's meadow. Dec. 7, 1673 (Norfolk deeds 3:107). The forgoing transfer is a part of the eighty acres conveyed to his wife Elizabeth by Matthias Button, and formerly a part of his farm, bounded on the northwest by Hawk's meadow, and north by Thomas Dustin, whose wife Hannah was the heroine of Haverhill and who was captured by the Indians in their assault on Haverhill. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | ||||||||||||
| Last Modified 23 Sep 2004 | Created 4 Jan 2005 |