Matthias Button Sr. the immigrant came to America with Governor John Endicott, landing at Salem, Mass. September 6, 1628. (Savage's Gen. Dict.)

He was a son of Thomas Button of Harrold, Bedford Co., England. He was baptized there October 11, 1607. (Parish Records of Harrold). He died at Haverhill, Mass. August 13, 1672. (Haverhill Town Records). He married (1st Lettyce; (2nd) about 1639, Joanne, widow of John Thornton; (3rd) about 1849 Ann Teagle and (4th) June 9, 1663 Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ann Wheeler of Newbury, Mass.; she was born at Salsbury, England and died at Haverhill, Mass. July 16, 1690.

John Wheeler and wife came from Salsbury, Eng. in 1634, in the ship Mary and John, embarking from Southampton, and settled in Newbury, Mass. In his will made March 28, 1668, proved October 11, 1670 he mentions his daughter, Elizabeth Button, to whom he bequeathed œ4.

Some early writer recorded Matthias as a Dutchman. This is evidently an error; the man does not indicate a Holland nativity, and the foregoing records show his baptism in England, and probable English birth. He may have gone to Holland just previous to coming to America, and possibly married his wife Lettyce there; we do not find any record of his first marriage. He must have been about 20 when he landed in America. His stay in Salem was brief; he soon removed to Boston, where he is found among the earliest settlers. He identified himself with the First Church of England sometime previous to 1633, and there at least two of his children were baptized. He removed thence to Ipswich, where he was a commoner in 1641 and thence in 1646 to Haverhill, where he died. (Haverhill Town Records, Genealogical Register Vol. 6 page 246)

Rev. Cobbett says Mr. Button died at Haverhill in 1672 at a great age. (Savage's Genealogical Dictionary)

According to our records, if he was baptized in infancy, as was customary, he was about 65 years of age when he died. He doubtless appeared much older, due to sickness, anxiety, and hardships endured.

After a voyage of months in one of the frail vessels of that day across a practically untracked and uncharted ocean, he passed through the trials, hardships, privations, and dangers of pioneer life in early New England. Wild beasts, and far more dangerous wild and savage men who roamed the wilderness night and day, made it necessary for the settlers to be constantly on their guard against the dangers; even on the Sabbath when attending church, they were constantly in danger of the deadly tomahawk and scalping knife, expecting at any moment to hear one of the hideous warwhoops of the bloodthirsty savages. Besides which Mr. Button had a long siege of sickness in his family, and lost children, and his first three wives died, the last from fright and exposure while sick in bed,