| Notes |
- METCALF GENEALOGY
page 299 - 309
MICHAEL METCALF - "THE DORNIX WEAVER"
Perhaps the most accurate of the Metcalf families that have come to my attention are those pertaining to Michael Metcalf, of the Yorkshire line, who settled in New England in the early 1600s.
These Yorkshire Metcalfs were always very zealous members of the Catholic Church. Wensleydale was the home of many of the Metcalfs until its confiscation by King Henry VIII in the year 1543.
The family of Michael Metcalf is descended from BRIAN METCALF, of Beare Park, Wensleydale -- the champion in the story of the Felon Sow of Rokeby, according to Whittaker's History and Sir Walter Scott's Rokeby.
Brian was supposedly the third son of JAMES METCALF OF NAPPAY who married JOHANNA OF BOUGHTON. Their sons were:
(1) Richard Metcalf, (2) LEONARD METCALF, (3) Nicholas Metcalf,
and (4) Roger Metcalf.
LEONARD METCALF married a THURSBY and left children:
(1) LEONARD, (2) Vincent, (3) Godfrey, and (4) Ambrose.
This LEONARD was the father of MICHAEL METCALF who came to the Colonies.
Many of these Metcalfs, along with others in England, were severely harrassed by Bishop Wren, who was eventually tried by Parliament during the reign of Oliver Cromwell.
"Howells's State Trials, Vol. IV, p. 33, cites Article XVI of the Articles of Impeachment:
That by suppressing means of knowledge and salvation, and introducing ignorance, superstition and profaneness, many of his majesty's subjects which used trades, spinning, weaving, and making of cloth, stuffs, and other manufactures of wool ---- and making of cloth.... that is to say Daniel Sonning, MICHAEL METCALF, John Besant, Nicolas Metcalf, and manyu others, some of whom setting a hundred poor people to work, have removed themselves to Holland and other parts beyond the seas, and there set up and taught the natives the said manufactures, to the great hindrance of trade in this kingdom, and to the impoverished, and bringing to extreme want of very manu who were by these parties set to work, to the great prejudice of his Majesty and his people.
The defense of Bishop Wren alleged that MICHAEL and Nicholas Metcalf had uttered dangerous words against the King, and the said MICHAEL had slipped away to New England.
Michael Metcalf's own statement recorded in NEHGS Volume VI, page 171, is as follows:
"I was persecuted in the land of my fathers sepulchres for
not bowing at the name of Jesus and observing the ceremonies inforced upon me at the instance of Bishop Wren of Norwich, and his
Chancellor, Dr. Corbet, whose violent measure troubled me in the
Bishop's court and returned me into the High Commissioner's court.
Suffering many times for the cause of religion I was forced
for the sake of liberty of my conscience to flee from my wife and
children to go into New England; taking ship for the voyage at
London, 17th September 1636, and being beset by tempests tossed
up and down the seas till the Christmas following; and then veering
about to Plymouth in old England. Leaving the ship I went down to
Yarmouth in County Norfolk, whence I finally shipped myself and
family to come to New England; sailed April 15, 1637, and arrived
three days before midsummer with my wife, nine children and a
servant, Thomas Comberbach."
It was said that Michael Metcalf, while in England, employed more than 100 men in his shop, or cloth factory, making material known as Damask, or
Dornix. This was the material used for making curtains, carpets, and other
hangings. Most likely he continued some of this work after arriving in the New World.
In 1661 when brickmaking was developed in the Colony, the record shows that Michael Metcalf had one of the principal clay pits on Dedham Island.
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The H600 Project Genealogy DB
1587 - 1664 (77 years)