Matthew Pease (1675 to 1718) of Edgartown, Massachusetts and Hannah Marchant of Yarmouth and Edgartown

 Matthew Pease was born in 1675 at Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard to James and Elizabeth (Norton) Pease. His last name is also spelled Peese and Peas. He is my 8th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family. 

Matthew is interesting to research because he breaks the mould of the righteous God-fearing New England man of that time period. He chose not to marry the mother of his first child, something quite scandalous, especially as the son of an established family. 

Charity Peese was born 9 December 1696, the daughter of Mathew Peese and Hanah Marchant who were not married.  [Yarmouth Vital Records 1:9; MD 4:188] Charity is my 7th great-grandmother. What a difficult childhood Charity must have endured being an illegitimate child.

Hannah Marchant, sometimes Merchant, was born about 1677, the daughter of Abishai and Mary (Taylor) Marchant who were of Yarmouth and Edgartown. On 4 March 1672/73 Abishai Marchant and Mary Taylor were fined five pounds each by the Plymouth Court for committing fornication, but they did go on to marry. 

Charity Pease grew up and married, first, Jeremiah O’Killey, a Quaker of Yarmouth, with whom she had four children before he died at just age 34. She married, second, Isaac Chase, with whom she had six children. I have not found her death information but she likely died at Yarmouth, in an area that is now Dennis.

Hannah Marchant also had a daughter Tabitha Lewis born 13 March 1703, recorded Yarmouth, with no father listed as she was also born out of wedlock. [Yarmouth Vital Records p 10]  It does not appear Hannah ever married. I have not found her death record but she was living in Edgartown in 1710.

Matthew Pease, son of James, married Mary Green, daughter Charles Green of Marblehead, in April 1699. [Edgartown VR 1:164] She was born 14 February 1676, the daughter of Charles and Esther Green of Marblehead. They had ten children, all recorded at Edgartown:

i.Jean/Jane born 28 Nov 1700 [Edgartown VR 1:63]; she married Hezekiah Dunham and died before June 1738 

ii.Joseph born 16 Apr 1701[Edgartown VR 1:63]; m 1) Anne Norton in 1722 and 2) Mary Stewart on 14 Dec 1738; he died Oct 1769

iii.Elizabeth born 12 Jan 1702/3 [Edgartown VR 1:62]

iv.Sarah born 16 Jan 1704[?/5]  [[Edgartown VR 1:64]; married Richard Folger 11 Oct 1722

v.Mary born 05 Nov 1705 [Edgartown VR 1:64]

vi.Matthew born 05 Jun 1707 [Edgartown VR 1:64]; he married 1) Mary Butler; m. 2) Keziah (Butler) Osborn (widow of Samuel); he died about 1756, likely at Nantucket.

vii.Jemima born 06 May 1711 [Edgartown VR 1:63]

viii.Mariam/Miriam born 27 Feb 1712/13 [Edgartown VR 1:63]

ix.Green born 26 Sep 1714 [Edgartown VR 1:62]; imagine being named Green Pease?!

x.Timothy born 16 Aug 1716 [Edgartown VR 1:65]; probably removed to Boston

Some researchers identify Matthew as Native American because of a marriage in Yarmouth Vital Records (1:146) where Matthew Pees “Indian” married Jacob Paul. Likely Matthew was a recording/transcription error for a woman’s name, perhaps Martha. It is possible Matthew had Native American blood but clearly his family was considered white. It would be interesting to find if there has been a DNA project for the family.

Apparently Matthew did not sow his wild oats as a young man. He is mentioned in his father James Pease of Edgartown’s 21 July 1711 will. His father is clearly disappointed in the life he was living: I give unto my son Matthew Pease all that my land he now hath enclosed and improved: and for as much that my said son Matthew Pease hath been a rebellious son and takes very bad courses and will by no means be reclaimed from his evil course of life: I will that he shall have nothing more of my estate then what I have herein already named to be given unto him only one shilling in money within six months after my decease to be paid to him by executrix which shall be here after named: and it is to be understood and not otherwise that the same land given unto my said son Matthew Pease is meant the land of mine which is within his enclosure southwestwardly of Mr. Thomas Trapps now dwelling house.

I cannot imagine what kind of life he was leading to be called “evil” by his own father. There was the illegitimate child but there must have been more. Excessive drinking? Not attending church? Being abusive or neglectful to his wife or children? Not working to support his large family? His father seems to have tried to give Matthew a good start in life by deeding him land, which must have been a godsend for Matthew’s wife and children. I would think Matthew’s behavior was a great embarrassment to the family since they lived in a small village where everyone knew one another’s business. Although being so far removed from the watchful eye of the Plymouth Colony leaders and having a great deal of mariners as citizens, perhaps it had a more unruly environment than most.

Matthew Pease wrote his will 13 February 1717/18; it was probated 6 August 1718. He does not mention his children by name. He left his homestead land, house and livestock (cattle, horses, sheep) to his wife Mary; 5 or 6 acres of land to each of his six daughters at his wife’s discretion or as they come of age; he left to four sons the remaining land not given to his wife and daughters. It surprised me that there was the usual wording about having worldly estate because it pleased God and wanting a Christian burial, but perhaps that is standard language used by lawyers. Matthew signed his will by his mark.

I do admire that Matthew left his daughters’ land, not the typical will of the time period where just the sons inherited land. However I would feel better about Matthew as a person if he named Charity in his will.

Rev. Homes’ diary shows Matthew died very soon after writing his will; he was about age 43.  The Reverend William Homes of Chilmark wrote in his diary on 16 February 1717/18: “I heard last night that two persons died at old Town last week viz Matt: Pease and Thomas Traps wife the one viz the first of a Malignant fever the other of an Ast[h]ma.”

Mary survived her husband and married, second, Joseph Norton about 1720. 

Sources Not Mentioned Above:

Charles E. Bank, History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol III, 1925

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700

Charles E. Banks (contributor), NEHGS Register, “Diary of Rev. William Homes of Chilmark," 49:416 (October 1895)