Matthew was a son of misfortune. " Matthew Mitchell came into New England in 1635 from Halifax, England. On his arrival he located himself in Charlestown (MA) where he spent the first winter. Removing to the town of Concord, his greater Matters gradually became smaller there, his Beginnings were there consumed by Fire, and some other losses befell him in the Latter End of that Winter. The next summer he removed unto Saybrook, and the next Spring unto Weathersfield upon Connecticut River, by which he lost yet more of his Possessions, and plunged himself into other troubles. Toward the close of that year he had a son-in-law slain by Pequot Indians; and the rest of the Winter they lived in much fear of their lives from these Barbarians, and many of his cattle were destroyed, and his estate unto the value of some hundred of pounds was damnified. A Shallop which he sent unto the River's Mouth was taken and burned by the Pequots, and three men in the vessel slain, in all of whom he was nearly concerned. So that, indeed, unhappy Differences in the place where he lived, wherein he was an Antagonist against some of the Principal Persons in the place, and hereby, he, who hitherto Lived in Previous Esteem with Good Men wherever he came (as a record I have seen testifies concerning him) now suffered much in his Esteem among many such men, as is usual in such contentions, and he met with many other injuries; for which causes, he transferred himself, with his interests, unto Stamford, in the Colony of New Haven. Here his home, barn and goods were again consumed by Fire; and much internal distresses of mind accompanied these humbling dispensations. At last, that most horrible of diseases, the Stone, arrested him, and he underwent unspeakable dolours from it until the year 1645, when he went unto his rest about the 55th year of his age.
"He sems to have been worthy, energetic and able; and, at times, wealthy--but he probably broke down in health, fortune and spirits under the many disasters which befell him. He resided in Wethersfield on the SE corner of Broad St and Meadow Lane"
In 1636 or 1638 Matthew and Jehu Burr (See his notes for details) bought land on both sides of the Conn river from the Indians. (I think this comes from Cotton Mather.)
The baptismal records show John and Anne (White) Porter lived in Felsted after their marriage until after October 1637, for the first nine children are baptised there. The village of Felsted has a fine Norman church containing a Saxon font in which the young Porter children were undoubtedly baptised. Felsted School, one of the oldest public schools in England, founded during the reign of Henry VIII, is directly opposite the church.
John Porter came to New England from Felsted, Essex, England with his family in 1638, probably in the Susan and Ellen, and settled in Windsor. The last two of their children, born in 1640 and 1642, were born at Windsor. Eldest son John remained in Windsor; second son Samuel removed to Hadley; and the youngest, Nathaniel, settled in Stratford, CT.
The Connecticut Colonial Records cite that, 11 April 1639, "Jno Porter" was one of six who were found to pay for corn which was ruined by a defect in a fence, the corn being owned by Mr. Williams. On 6 February 1639, at a Particular Court, "John Porter sworne Constable for Windsore". He served on the jury several times between 1641 and 1645. On 29 September 1642, he was appointed Deputy from Windsor to the Connecticut legislature.