William Metters1

(10 February 1825 - 12 November 1889)
FatherJoseph Matters1 b. cir. Oct 1799, d. 2 Apr 1869
MotherMary Cudlip1 b. cir. Aug 1800, d. 22 Jan 1873
Relationship1st cousin 4 times removed of Lorna Henderson

BMDB data

     William Metters was born on 10 Feb 1825 Frog St, Bere Ferrers, Par. of Bere Ferrers, DEV, ENG.2,3 He was baptized on 29 Jan 1826 Bere Ferrers, Par. of Bere Ferrers, DEV, ENG; Joseph a yeoman of Frog St.1 Some sources show William as born cir. 1827 DEV, ENG, (1841 English census) or "in ENG" c 1825 to English parents (1880 US census).4,5
     William Metters married Mary Gribbin, daughter of Edward Gribbin, on 3 Mar 1855 at the Brook St Chapel, Tavistock, DEV, ENG, cert. shows William as a 29 yr old copper miner resid Morwellham, Tavistock, s/o Joseph Metters, farmer and Mary 20, resid. Newquay, Tavistock, d/o Edward Gribbin, copper miner. Married according to the rites of the Wesleyan Methodists by Henry A Lowe, both X their mark, witnessed by Edward Gribbin and X mark of Nicholas Down.6,7,4,8
     William Metters died on 12 Nov 1889 Cass Co., ND, USA, at age 64.9,10,3 He was buried Wheatland Cem., Cass Co., ND, USA, H/stone reads: William MATTERS Born in Devonshire England Feb 10 1825 Died Nov 12 1889.3

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     William Matters appeared on the census of 7 Jun 1841 Chapel St, Bere Ferrers, Par. of Bere Ferrers, DEV, ENG, in the household of Joseph Matters and Mary Matters.5 William Matters appeared on the census of 1851 Bedford St, Buralston, Beerferris, Tavistock, DEV, ENG, as a visitor in the household of John and Mary Kerslake as a 25 yr old unmarried miner, b Beerferris.2 William Metters was a copper miner in Mar 1855 Morwellham, Tavistock, DEV, ENG.6
     The census of 1860 showed William with his wife Mary, their dtrs Kezia and Mary Houghton, Houghton Co., MI, USA, household enumerated as MATTERS: William 34 miner; wife Mary 25 both b ENG; Kedziah 6, Wiliam 4, both b ENG; Mary E 2 b MI; plus several miners and carpenters (including a Richard Pearce 25 miner b ENG; Wiliam Nichols 27 ditto).8 William Matters and Mary Matters were not found in the census of 1861 ENG as Metters or Matters, of right birth place and age in England, thus reinforcing my id of him as the William in Michigan by c 1858, which is where his brother was to be in 2 more years, at least.11
     The census of 2 Jul 1870 showed William with his wife Mary, their sons William, Joseph, John and Alfred, their dtrs Keziah, Mary and Susan Webster, Houghton Co., MI, USA, household enumerated as MATTERS: William 43 works in foundry, personal estate 300; Mary 35 keeping hse, both b ENG; Keziah 15 at home; William 14 at school, both b ENG; Mary E at school b Penn; Jane S 9, Joseph H 6, John T 5, Alfred G 3mths b March, all b in MI.12
     The census of 1880 showed William with his wife Mary, their sons Joseph, John and Alfred, their dtrs Susan and Elizabeth Twp 141 Range 55 W, Cass Cty, Dakota Terr., USA, household enumerated as MATTERS: William 55 farmer; wife Mary 45 keeping hse, both b ENG, as were both sets of parents; Children (all "at home" and b Michigan): Susan 19; Joseph H 17; John T 15; Alfred D? 10; Elizabeth 6; Boarders: MATTERS: William E 23 farmer; wife Eliza J 20? both b ENG, as were both sets of parents (who are probably William and Mary above in William Jr's case).4,13

Names

     His surname was recorded as Matters.5,2,4

Family

Mary Gribbin (cir. 1835 - 1904)
Marriage*
     William Metters married Mary Gribbin, daughter of Edward Gribbin, on 3 Mar 1855 at the Brook St Chapel, Tavistock, DEV, ENG, cert. shows William as a 29 yr old copper miner resid Morwellham, Tavistock, s/o Joseph Metters, farmer and Mary 20, resid. Newquay, Tavistock, d/o Edward Gribbin, copper miner. Married according to the rites of the Wesleyan Methodists by Henry A Lowe, both X their mark, witnessed by Edward Gribbin and X mark of Nicholas Down.6,7,4,8 
Children
  • UnknownSex Metters14
  • Kezia Gribbin8,15
  • William Edward Metters8
  • Mary E Matters8
  • Susan Matters4
  • Joseph H Matters4
  • John T Matters4
  • Alfred G Matters4
  • Elizabeth Matters4
ChartsMETTERS
Last Edited21 Jan 2013

Citations

  1. Val Symis (30421), "EM DAWE/TAYLOR ex Val SYMIS," e-mail to L Henderson (1), Bap. 1826 William METTERS, Beer Ferrers, ex Deanery Of Tamerton - Baptisms 1813-1839, Marriages 1754-1837 And Burials 1813-1837, extracted Feb 2006.
  2. Devon, Warwick and Norfolk, 1851 UK census CD-ROM, HO/107/1883 Folio: 41 Page: 18 FHL Film: 0221032, extracted Nov 2004.
  3. Miscellaneous Devon Web Searches & Correspondence H/stone William MATTERS (indexed as MATTES), Wheatland Cem., Cass Co., ND T - 140, R - 53, Sec. 26, photo online at http://northdakotagravestones.org/ .. view.php?id=26567, extracted Jan 2013.
  4. USA census images, Various, 1880 Township 141 Range 55 W, Cass Cty, Territory of Dakota ED61 Pg 73, hsehold of William & Mary MATTERS, extracted Jan 2006.
  5. Val Symis (30421), "EM DAWE/TAYLOR ex Val SYMIS," e-mail to L Henderson (1), 1841 Census: Beer Ferris, DEV, HO107/240/2 pg 5, copy rcvd Jan 2006.
  6. Various, BDM Certified copy, Marr. 3 Mar 1855 William METTERS & Mary GRIBBIN, reg. Dist of Tavistock, DEV, copy rcvd Feb 2008.
  7. Www FreeBMD ENG online at http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl, Marr. 1855 William METTERS, reg. Tavistock Mar. qtr 5b/594, extracted Jan 2006.
  8. USA census images, Various, 1860: Houghton, Houghton, Michigan; Roll: M653_544; Page: 0; Image: 716, hsehold of William and Mary MATTERS, extracted Feb 2006.
  9. 1880 Census images, USA, Township 141 Range 55 W, Cass Cty, Territory of Dakota ED61 Pg 73, hsehold of William & Mary MATTERS, extracted Jan 2006.
  10. 1900 Census images, USA, Fargo Ward 6, Cass, North Dakota; Roll: T623 1227; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 35, hsehold of Mary MATTERS, extracted Feb 2006.
  11. 1861 Census (images for ENG, transcriptions for SCT), UK, via Ancestry.com, Searched Feb 2006.
  12. USA census images, Various, 1870: Webster, Houghton, Michigan; Roll: M593_674; Page: 765; Image: 368, hsehold of William and Mary MATTERS, copy d/loaded Feb 2006.
  13. "Lorna's Family History Musings", Jan 2006.
  14. USA census images, Various, 1900: Fargo Ward 6, Cass, North Dakota; Roll: T623 1227; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 35, hsehold of Mary MATTERS, extracted Feb 2006, existance implied as Mary had had 9 children, only 8 of whom were still living at the 1900 census.
  15. Www FreeBMD ENG online at http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl, Birth 1855 Kezia GRIBBIN, reg. Tavistock Mar qtr 5b/310, extracted Feb 2008.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area. Corrections welcome
 
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