Notes |
- John Mathews was born in Virginia, probably in Augusta County. His birth date is not known, but it was probably not too many years after 1762 as he was the oldest child, and that was the year of his parents' marriage. He resided at various times in Wilkes and Greene Counties, Georgia. He died in Greene County, Georgia, as is evidenced by data contained in the Deed from George G. Mathews et al, to Adaline Harrison, shown in the next chapter. The date of his death has not been ascertained, nor has a Will been located. He evidently died between the years 1794 and 1806. The last transactions involving him amongst the Deed records is dated in the former year, and he was deceased by the date of his father's Will in 1806. He married his first cousin, ELIZABETH MATHEWS (Archer2; John1), daughter of Archer MATHEWS and Letitia McCLANAHAN.
Gilmer [Gilmer, George R., Sketches of Some of the First Settlers of Upper Georgia, of the Cherokees and the Author, orig. publ. 1855, reprinted, Americus, Georgia, 1926.] has this to say about John Mathews:
"John Mathews, the eldest son of Gen. Mathews, whilst employed in learning Latin and Greek at an academy in Western Virginia, fell in love with a pretty cousin and married her. He returned to Georgia, and was authorized by an Act of the Legislature, to practice Law. There was some peculiarity in the Mathewses which prevented their success at the Bar. Many tried, not one ever succeeded. They were either too proud, too passionate, or too much devoted to other pursuits, to secure the confidence of those who wanted the aid of lawyers. John Mathews, getting along rather badly at the bar, procured, through his father, from President Adams, the office of supervisor of the revenue. The cousin whom he married, though a very pretty woman, did not prove a very good helpmate. They had a large family of children. They, as the children of cousins are apt to do, showed that whose who are so near akin ought not to marry if they can do otherwise; that crossing the breed is as important for man as other animals."
John Mathews had several children, the exact number unknown. His father's Will refers to his son John Mathews' three sons, George, Archer and John Mathews. Inasmuch as the only persons to claim the lands thus devised which were in Scioto County, Ohio, were George, Archer, and Charles Mathews, Jr., it is assumed that he (Charles) is who the General was referring to.
|