Jane Metcalf 9th great grandmother on RootsMagic tree.
Jane Metcalf was baptized at Saint Edmund Church in Norfolk, England on March 29, 1633. The baptism record – almost unreadable in handwriting from 4 centuries ago- includes the year 1633, Jane’s name, her dad Michel (Michael) and mom Sara(h).
Jane Metcalf baptism March 29, 1633, with parents at Saint Edmund Church in Norfolk, England.
Jane was the 7th child of Michael and Sarah Ellwyn Metcalf and her whole family sailed from northern England to Boston arriving in June of 1637, three days before midsummer, 17 years after the Mayflower. In 1654 at age 22 Jane married Philip Walker in Boston. The Walker family moved to south Rehoboth, Massachusetts. In 1664 Jane’s father died, she inherited 40 shillings. King Philips War hit Rehoboth hard, Jane and her family would have lived through several attacks which included burning homes and entire towns. Her husband Philip and oldest son Samuel probably fought in the war. In 1679 Jane was a widow at age 47. She married her 2nd husband John Polley, lived another 20 years and left a will with her son Samuel Walker as executor.
A young lady, daughter of one of the members, spoke up. She was 22, working as a hired girl and had saved most of her pay, $80 she kept with her, in her bag. She offered to loan this to congregation, the additional $20 was then easily raised. On Monday morning the church Deacons went into town and paid off their debt with Annie’s loan. The church building was saved, the congregation thrilled.
Henrich Gerds Henrichs was born May 1, 1836 in Germany, probably in Aurich a town of Lower Saxony, Germany which is actually the northern eastern edge of Germany. The Google map photo shows the original homes of the Roos, Henrichs and Frerichs families within 100 miles of each other.
Annie saved her church. Pastor Siegfried Siefkes came from Germany to Butler Center, Iowa a historical town no longer around. He worked to organize a new congregation, The Kirchenbuch der Evangelisch Lutherisch Eben-Ezer Gemeinde or Ebenezer Church. The pastor wrote a letter to the actual German Kaiser asking for help, that wasn’t successful so he started asking the local German community to contribute and successfully all but $100 which was borrowed from the bank. The pastor and congregation understood they had a year to pay back this loan but within a month the bank and contractor came for payment. The pastor begged for a week to raise the $100 and it was granted. At Sunday’s service the pastor and congregation met and talked about ways to raise $100 in a week. A farmer offered to sell seed oats, but that wasn’t enough.
In 1885 Christian ‘Chris’ married Geske ‘Grace’ Lubberts and they both owned farm land including the Riverside Stock Farm run by their sons, Bertus (named for his Lubberts grandfather) and George. Chris and Grace also had 3 daughters who married and then farmed in the area. Chris lived to age 92 in the Aplington, Iowa area. He and his wife are buried in Pleasant View Cemetery.
“Janesville
Each life has its place 
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