Matthias Button Sr., the immigrant came to America with Governor John Endicott, landing at Salem, Mass. September 6, 1628. (Savage's Gen. Dict.)
He was the son of Thomas Button of Harrold, Bedford Co., England. He wa 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. John Wheeler and wife came fro Salsbury, Eng., in 1634, n the ship Mary and John, embarking from Southampton, and settled in Newbury, Mass. In his will made March 28, 1668, proved October 11, 1670 he mentions his daughter, Elizabeth Button, to whom he bequeathed 4 pounds. 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 Town Records, Genealogical Register Vol. 6 page 246). Rev. Cobbett says Mr. Button died at Haverhill in 1672 at a great age. (Savage's Genealogical Dictionary) According to our 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 arrest on complaint of Job Tyler and John Reminton on suspicion of Witchcraft and tried in court at Boston in March, 1665. (Essex County Court Records). We also find the following record: 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 pounds, 2 shillings damages and costs. (Essex County Court 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 pounds. 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, besided the here-in-before mentioned sickness and death of children,a dn the sickness of his third wife and her death following the burning of his dwelling by John Godrey and the litigation that followed. From court records we learn that a thatched house belonging to Matthias Butin 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 pounds 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 of land of Stphen 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 1, 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." (Ibid., Vol. 2, page 23). Matthias Button Sr. gave a trust deed to his brother-in-law, George Wheeler, for use by his wife Eliabeth Button, eighty acres of land in Haverhill, being a part of his 3d division. April 11, 1665 (Essex Co. Ct. Rec. V. 2, page 28) Elizabeth, wife of Matthias Button, Haverhill, deeds to her son-in-law, John Kingsbury, thirty acres upland, "being part of eighty acres I had given my husband Matthias." Dec. 28, 1670. (Essex Co. Deeds, Vol. 33, page 229). 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: Norfok County Court. Captain Nathaniel Saltonstall infomred 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 County 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 oredered 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 ye inventory which hee shall take to ye next Court at Salisbury, Oct. 8, 1672. Ibid.) It is ordered yt Captain Nathaniel Saltonstall be administrator to Matthias Button's estate protempore and until yt bee deliver his account and desire his discharge. Who hath power granted unto him to pay all debts yt are cleare and without exception,a dn is appointed to bring in inventory at next Hampton Court,a nd 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 (Ibid). This Court doth order yt ye administrator of ye estate of Matthias Button shall improve ye sd estate according to his descretion by letting out, or changing it to other specia, taking sufficient securities for ye preservtion of it. Oct. 14, 1673 (Ibid) 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 daughers, 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. (Ibid) The estate of Matthias Button Sr. was inventoried by Henry Kingsbury and Robert Swan, March 9, 1673 at 99 pounds: 11 S: 8d. (Norfolk County Deeds, Vol. 2, page 491.) Elizabeth Button, widow of Matthias Button of Haverhill, to Peter Green, her son-in-law, twenty acres upland near Hawk's meadow, bounded south on said Green,a nd Aquilla Chase, north on Thomas Dustin, N.W. on Walnut tree and Hawk's meadow. Dec. 7, 1673. (Norfok County Deeds, Vol. 3, page 107.) The forgoing transfer is a part of the eighty acres conveyed to his wife Elizabeth by matthias Button,a nd formerly a part of his farm, bounded on the northwest by Hawk's meadow, and north by Thomas Dustin, whose wife Hannah was the heroin of haverhill and who was captured by the Indians in their assault on Haverhill. Ed. note: This ends the unedited portion of the original book introduction by Alphonso Button and Dr. C. A Button. The remainder of this introduction is also in large part taken from their notes but has been edited and augmented by information not available to the original writers. Thomas Button , father of Matthias had other children, according to Parish records of Harrold, Bedfordshire, England. Children: 1. William, christened Nov. 23, 1600. He married Oct. 12, 1631, Etheldreda Clayton (or Claydon). Children: 1. Mary, Christened Sept. 2, 1632
2. Ann, Christened Dec., 1604. She married Nov. 19, 1632 James Hull. 3. Matthias, Christened Oct. 11, 1607 |