Jonathan Mitchell (1624 - 1668)

Born 15 Nov 1624 in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Borodell) Mitchell — married 19 Nov 1650 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 9 Jul 1668 at age 43 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Jonathan Mitchell immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Jonathan Mitchel, son of Matthew Mitchel,^[1] was born in Halifax, in Yorkshire, England, in 1624 and baptized on December 19, 1624.^[1] His parents were exemplary christians, who, by the impositions and persecutions of the English hierarchy, were constrained to seek an asylum in New-England. They arrived here in the same ship with Rev. Richard Mather, 17 August, 1635.^[1] Their first settlement was at Concord, Massachusetts, whence, a year after, they removed to Saybrook, Connecticut and not long afterwards, to Weathersfield. Their next remove was to Stamford, where Mr. Mitchel died in 1645, aged 54, leaving two sons, Jonathan and David.The classical studies of Jonathan were suspended for several years, after his arrival in America ; but, " on the earnest advice of some that had observed his great capacity, they were at length resumed, in 1642. The next year, at the age of nineteen, he entered Harvard College. Here, he became religiously impressed under Rev. Thomas Shepard's ministry which he so highly estimated as afterwards to observe " unless it had been four years living in heaven, I know not how I could have more cause to bless God with wonder, than for those four years," spent at the University. He was an indefatigable student, and made great acquirements in knowledge and virtue. His extraordinary learning, wisdom, gravity and piety,occasioned an early application of several of the most considerable churches, for his services in the ministry. The church at Hartford, in particular, sent for him with the intention of his becoming successor to the famous Mr. Hooker. He preached his first sermon at Hartford, 24 June, 1649 ; and on the day following, was invited to a settlement in the ministry in that respectable town. Having however been previously importuned by Mr. Shepard and the principal members of his society, to return to Cambridge, free from any engagement, with a view to a settlement there ; he declined an acceptance of the invitation at Hartford, and returned to Cambridge, where he preached for the first time, 12 August, 1649. Here a providential opening was made for his induction into the ministry. Mr. Shepard died on the 25th of the same month and by the unanimous desire of the people of Cambridge, Mr. Mitchel was invited to become his successor. He accepted the invitation, and was ordained 21 August, 1650. Soon after his settlement, he was called to a peculiar trial. President Dunster who had formerly been his tutor, about this time, imbibed the principle of anti-pedobaptism 5 and preached some sermons against the administration of baptism to any infant whatever. Mr. Mitchel, young as he was, felt it incumbent on him openly to combat this principle ; and conducted in this delicate and difficult case, with such moderation, judgment, ....

Marriage

Jonathan Mitchell married Margrett Shepherd^[2]following the death of her husband, Rev. Thomas Shepherd.^[2] The inventory of Rev. Shepherd's estate was taken September 3, 1649.^[2]

Memorials

Memorials of the graduates of Harvard university, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, commencingwith the first class, MDCXLII (1833)

https://archive.org/details/memorialsofgradu00farm

Note

He was a minister at Cambridge, Mass. (TAG)

Jonathan graduated from Harvard 1647. (Irma Swain)

Baptism

19 DEC 1624 Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Great Migration 1634-1635, M-P. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume V, M-P, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2007
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009

• Great Migration 1634-1635, M-P. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume V, M-P, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2007.link for subscribers
• Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.[https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/great-migration-immigrants-to-new-england-1634-1635-volume-vi-r-s/image/?rId=23901356&volumeId=12124&pageName=276 link for subscribers.
• The American Genealogist "The American Genealogist and New Haven Genealogical Magazine", Volume IX, 1932-1933, by Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., of New Haven, CT - "The Wife of Rev. Abraham Pierson", pp. 37-40.
• Family History Center (FHC) Ancestral File - 1994/1997 FSFTID: LZN5-NSJ
• Walker, George. History of the First Church in Hartford, 1633-1883 (Brown & Gross, Hartford, 1884) Page 146
• Sibley, John Langdon. Biographical Sketches of Graduates of Harvard University (Cambridge: Charles William Sever, 1873) Vol. 1, Pages 141 - 156
• Sharples, Stephen Paschall. Records of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England, 1632-1830 (Eben Putnam, Boston, 1906) Page 1
• Bradstreet, Simon. Bradstreet's Journal, 1664-83, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1855) Vol. 9, Page 44.

• "1668, July. Not long after these Mr. Mitchell dyed pastr of the church at Cambridge. He dyed of a feaver, about the 40th year of his Age. The principall cause of his death as some thought was some stoppage in his pectorals. He was a man of eminent partes, great learning, &c. His death was a very great losse to the Town, the Vniversity, and indeed to the whole Country. The good Lord Sanctifye his hand & send forth other painful Laborers into his Vineyard. Possibly the death of these precious Servants of Xt might not bee the least thing signefyed by that Blaze or Beam appearing the last February, Anno 1667."