Metcalfe, Thomas
Thomas METCALFE (1669? - 1708) and Martha (1680? - 1751)
my 8g-grandparents
Thomas METCALFE was born in England. [One person by that name was baptized on 6 Jun 1669 in Churchill, Oxfordshire, England.] Thomas died in New Castle County, Colony of Delaware, between 26 Aug 1708, when he wrote his will, and 1712, when his widow remarried.
No record of his immigration has been found. He first appeared on the 1693 and 1696 tax rolls for New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Colony of Delaware.
He married Martha, probably about 1695, probably in New Castle County. Nothing seems to be known about Martha before this. Their first children were born about 1697, so Martha was probably born about 1680, perhaps earlier. They had 4 sons and 1 daughter, named in Thomas' will. The youngest son was William, my 7g-grandfather. See the William METCALF 1703 page.
After Thomas died, Martha married Adam SHORT, in 1712. They lived in New Castle County. Martha wrote her will on 19 Dec 1748, and it was probated 20 Jul 1751, so she died between those dates.
1797 map of New Castle County, northern Delaware. Thomas METCALFE's property was between Red Lion Creek and the Christiana Bridge. [source]
"Originally New Castle County was divided into five hundreds, viz., Brandywine Hundred, being all that part of the county lying north and east of the Brandywine Creek; Christiana Hundred, all the land north of the Christiana Creek and west of the Brandywine; New Castle Hundred, all lying south of the Christiana Creek and north of St. George's Creek; St. George's Hundred, all lying between St. George's and Appoquinimink Creeks; and Appoquinimink Hundred, all the territory lying between Appoquinimink Creek on the north and Duck Creek, the southern boundary of the county, on the south.
"In 1710 the number of hundreds had been increased to nine by the addition of the hundreds of Pencader, Red Lion, Mill Creek and White Clay Creek. In 1833 Wilmington was made a separate hundred, and about the year 1875 Appoquinimink Hundred was divided, and Blackbird Hundred, as at present constituted, was carved out of it." [HSD, vol 1, p 286-7]
The Christiana/Christina/Christeen Creek/River has been called by many names. With headwaters in northwestern DE it flows across New Castle County, DE, and empties into the Delaware River at Wilmington.
1849 map of eastern New Castle Hundred, New Castle, DE. Thomas METCALFE's land was just west of the Bear Inn. [source]
Thomas MEDCALFE was not a poor immigrant, for on 24 Mar 1696 he purchased 200 acres, about a mile north of the village of Red Lion, in New Castle Hundred.
Thomas METCALFE land overlaid on modern map by Chris METCALF.
Thomas wrote his will on 26 Aug 1708, leaving the 200 acre farm to his wife, Martha. He names his sons: Thomas, Henry, Joseph, William, and daughter Mary. Also mentions that Thomas is the eldest son, so the sons are probably named in order. Also, Mary was unmarried at that time. [New Castle County, DE, Book B, vol 1, page 206]
He probably died soon after, as his widow, Martha, remarried about 1712, to Adam SHORT.
"For the subsequent history of Adam and Ann Short, see Cope’s Baily Family, pages 12-14. Adam Short of New Castle County married, presumably not for the first time, ca. 1712, Martha Metcalf, widow of Thomas, and a Miriam Short, probably his daughter by an earlier marriage, married at Swedes Church, Wilmington, 6 Jan. 1728, John Bush. Ann Short married Joel Baily, first intentions, Chichester and Concord Monthly Meeting, 14 1st mo. 1686/7, second intentions, Birmingham, 11 2nd mo. 1687.
"From these considerations we believe it highly probable that Miriam, Adam and Ann Short, all accompanied their uncle Isaac Ingram to Pennsylvania on the Welcome. Descendants should search for their English origin in Garton, Surrey." [NWI, vol. 1, p. 286]
Martha outlived both husbands, and stayed in New Castle County. She wrote her will on 19 Dec 1748, and it was probated 20 Jul 1751, so she died between those dates. The will mentions granddaughters Hester and Mary BUSS, and the executrix was her daughter, Miriam DALY. [CDW]
Descendants
Most of the dates for this family are guesses. The confidence interval is about +/- 5 years. We know the birth order of the 4 sons, and some land records tell us that they were adults and still living at the time of the record. All 5 children were probably born on or near the METCALF property, 1 mile north of Red Lion, New Castle Hundred, New Castle, DE.
1 Martha b: bef. 1680 in PA or DE, d: 20 Jul 1751 in New Castle Hundred, New Castle, DE
+ Thomas METCALFE b: possibly 1669 in Churchill, Oxfordshire, England, d: 1708 in New Castle, DE
......2 Thomas METCALF Jr b: 1697 in New Castle Hundred, d: bef. 1728
......2 Henry METCALFE b: 1699 in New Castle Hundred, d: aft. 1728
......2 Joseph METCALFE b: 1701 in New Castle Hundred, d: abt. 1770 in Pittsylvania, VA
...... + Mary b: Abt. 1711
......2 William METCALF b: abt. 1703 in New Castle Hundred, d: bef. 5 Apr 1757 in Welsh Tract, Prince Frederick's Parish, Craven, SC
...... + Sarah b: abt. 1718, m: 3 Aug 1738 in Prince Frederick's Parish, Craven, SC
......2 Mary MEDCALFE b: bet. 1697-1705 in New Castle Hundred
+ Adam SHORT b: 30 May 1666 in Catto, Sussex, England, m: 1712 in Christina Creek, New Castle, DE, d: 9 Nov 1748 in New Castle Hundred, New Castle, DE
......2 Miriam SHORT b: abt. 1712 in New Castle Hundred [possibly a child of Adam SHORT by previous marriage]
...... + John BUSH b: abt. 1700, m: 6 Jan 1728 in Wilmington, New Castle, DE, d: bef. 1748 in New Castle Hundred
...... + John DALEY b: abt. 1700, m: abt. 1748 in New Castle, DE
Thomas METCALF Jr was the eldest son, probably born about 1697 in New Castle Hundred. A land record dated 19 Nov 1728 seems to indicate that he was deceased. Nothing more seems to be known.
Henry METCALFE was the 2nd son, probably born about 1699 in New Castle Hundred. He was still living on 4 Sep 1728 when he and his brother, Joseph, sold their land inherited from their father.
Joseph METCALFE was the 3rd son, probably born about 1701 in New Castle Hundred, and died about 1770 in Pittsylvania County, VA. His wife was Mary, born about 1711.
Joseph and his brother, Henry, sold their land that they inherited from their father, on 4 Sep 1728. They signed with their marks. Joseph's wife, Mary, also signed, and was explicitly named as his wife.
Signatures from the land sale dated 4 Sep 1728. Henry signed with an H, and Joseph with a kind of I with slashes.
William METCALF was the 4th and youngest son, probably born about 1703 in New Castle Hundred. He died before 5 Apr 1757 in Welsh Tract, Prince Frederick's Parish, Craven, SC. He married on 3 Aug 1738 in Prince Frederick's Parish, Craven, SC to Sarah.
William and Sarah were my 7g-grandparents. See the William METCALF 1703 page.
Mary MEDCALFE was the only daughter, at least the only one living in 1708, possibly born between 1697 and 1705, in New Castle Hundred.
Sources
Most of the graphics and transcribed records above were sent to me by Chris METCALF, in private communication.
[CDW] Calendar of Delaware Wills - New Castle County
[CR] Christina River on Wikipedia
[DB1] Delaware, New Castle County; Deed Book I; Volume 1; p. 86. (requires Ancestry license)
[HSD] History of the state of Delaware (1908) by Henry C. Conrad Vol 1 Vol 2 Vol 3
[JTM] Genealogy and Family History of the Metcalf Family for Five Generations, from 1700 to 1910, by James T. Metcalf
[MFT] Thomas Metcalfe on the Metcalf Family Tree by Chris Metcalf (requires Ancestry license)
[NWI] Ancestry.com - New World Immigrants, Vol. I
Last updated 22 Nov 2020 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.