William Metters

     William Metters was christened on 29 Jan 1826 at Beer Ferrers, DEV, ENG; Joseph a yeoman of Frog St.¹ Some sources show William as born cir. 1827 in DEV, ENG, (1841 English census) or "in ENG" c 1825 to English parents (1880 US census).^2,3
     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.^4,5,2,6
     William Metters died bet 1880 - 1900 ?Fargo, Cass Cty, ND, USA.^2,7
     His surname was also spelt Matters.^3,8,2 He appeared on the census of 7 Jun 1841 in Chapel St, Beer Ferris, DEV, ENG, in the household of Joseph Matters and Mary Matters.³ William Matters appeared on the census of 1851 in 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.⁸ William Metters was a copper miner in Mar 1855 at Morwellham, Tavistock, DEV, ENG.⁴
     The census of 1860 showed William with his wife Mary, their dtrs Kezia and Mary in Houghton, Houghton Cty, 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).⁶ William Matters and Mary Matters were not found in the census of 1861 in 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.⁹
     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 in Webster, Houghton Cty, 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.¹⁰
     The census of 1880 showed William with his wife Mary, their sons Joseph, John and Alfred, their dtrs Susan and Elizabeth in 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).^2,11