Alexander Mathes, Jr.

Notes:

Maybe born 1749, Shenandoah, VA. Took oath as Captain in Shenandoah Co. Militia August 26, 1777.


Alexander Mathes and Samuel Doak,Jr....starting out from their Virginia homes .... walked through Virginia and Maryland using the same packhorse, the 'flea-bitten-grey' referred to by ROOSEVELT in "The Winning of the West" Alexander was a surveyor and civil engineer and brought with him his surveyors instruments. They located land on the Hominy Branch of the Little Limestone, in what was then the state of N.C., now Washington Co., TN.

Salem, a Presbyterian church was founded there by Doak in 1780; also Martin Academy, now known as Washington College, near Jonesboro, TN. Alexander had a part in these enterprises, was one of the original elders in Salem Church, and served as ruling elder until his death in 1806. A Salem Church building was erected in 1897 and in this building was placed a memorial window to the first 3 MATHES' who served as elders, giving the dates of service of each in succession, from father to son, the service extending for one hundred and two years, and the name of each being Alexander Mathes.

Alexander Mathes is one of the most honored names in the community. He gave 50 acres of land for establishment of Washington College, see "Tennessee Cousins".
Alexander Mathes II has the following record of Revolutionary War Service: Order Book 1, pg. 39, Records of Shenandoah, Co., VA.:
"At a Court held for the County of Dunmore Aug. 26, 1777, Alexander Mathews came into and took the oath of Captain of Militia." His name is included in "A list of ancestors whose records of service during the Revolution have recently been established, showing state from which soldier served." DAR Magazine May 1937, pg. 475. His name is also mentioned in "Revolutionary War Records" by G.M. Brumbaugh, Washington, D.C., 1936.

"At the second session of the Territorial Assembly held at Knoxville, TN, June 29, 1795, Governor Sevier presented a bill to establish Washington College in Washington Co. at Salem.... The incorporators were Samual Doak, President, Rev. Charles Cummins, Edward Crawford, John Coson, James Balch, Robert Henderson, Gidion Blackburn, Judge Joseph Anderson, Gen. John Savier, Cols. Landon Carter, Danl. Kennedy, Majors Leroy Taylor, John Tipton, Wm. Cocke, Arch. Roane, Jos. Hamilton, John Rhea, Samual Mitchell, Jesse Payne, Jas. Aiken, Wm. Chas. Cole Claiborne, Esquires,Drs. Wm. Chester; Messrs. David Deaderick, John Waddle, Jr., Alexander Mathes, John Nelson and John McAllister."

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mathews-mathes&id=I0438

Alexander married Ann Leith on 21 Mar 1769 in Virginia. Ann was born on 8 Mar 1749; died after 1770. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Jeannie Mathes was born on 1 Jan 1770 in Frederick Co, Virginia; died after 1800 in of, Washington Co, Tennessee.
2. Miriam Mathes was born on 28 Oct 1771 in Frederick Co, Virginia; died in 1830 in of, Washington Co, Tennessee.
3. Allen Harvey Mathes was born on 19 Oct 1773 in Shenandoah Co, Virginia; died on 29 Mar 1848 in Davidson Co, Tennessee.
4. Alexander Mathes, III was born on 5 Oct 1775 in Shenandoah Co, Virginia; died on 12 Feb 1865 in Washington Co, Tennessee.
5. George Leith Mathes was born on 24 Sep 1779 in Shenandoah Co, Virginia; died about 1838 in Washington Co, Tennessee.
6. Grace Mathes was born on 19 Jan 1782 in Shenandoah Co, Virginia; died after 1811 in Washington Co, Tennessee.
7. Jeremiah Mathes was born on 29 Jan 1784 in Washington Co, Tennessee; died after 1820 in Washington Co, Tennessee.
8. John Mathes was born on 4 Apr 1786 in Washington Co, Tennessee; died after 1850 in of, Cass Co, Tennessee.
9. Rachel Mathes was born on 6 Mar 1795 in Washington Co, Tennessee; died about 1840.
10. Ebenezer Leith Mathes was born on 11 May 1789 in Washington Co, Tennessee; died on 5 Jan 1768 in Washington Co, Tennessee.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: 1708, Ballynure, Co Antrim, Ulster, Northern Ireland
• Residence: Aft 1708, Pennsylvania
• Residence: 1737, Augusta Co, Virginia

Notes:

Took oath as magistrate December 28, 1780. Supplies to Revolutionary Army ..8/29/1782.

"Tradition says when 4 brothers struck out into wilderness, they adopted the MATHES spelling of their name so that they would always know each other."

"The following will supplement material presented in the genealogy entitled "The Mathews (Mathes) Family in America" by I.C. Van Deventer -- Alexander Printing Co., 1925. Further research has disclosed important early records.

Alexander Mathews came with the Doak family in the Scotch-Irish immigration from Northern Ireland to Pennsylvania, later following John Lewis and Ephraim McDowell into Augusta Co., Virginia. In an unpublished manuscript, "Finley - Shields" by Major Albert Finley France, of Annapolis, MD., he says that James Doak, his wife Elizibeth, and five children, Samual, David, John, Robert and Thankful emigrated from North of Ireland to America, landing in Newcastle, Delaware in 1708 and settled in Chester Co., PA.

An error in the data handed down in the family has the immigrant ancestor written as "George", this is not correct, subsequent research shows that his name was Alexander Mathews. This family dropped the "W" from the name and has been since been spelled "Mathes". Alexander is said to have went from Pennsylvania to Augusta Co., VA in 1737, mentioned in "Abstracts of Augusta,Co., by Chalkley" in 1746, (Vol. I, p. 25). His first Land Grant was from The Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax, baron of Cameron in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia for 400 acres on September 14, 1749, and went on record in the Northern Neck Book "G" at page 321.
Another grant of land for 265 acres on Aug. 6, 1750, is recorded in Northern Neck Book "G" pg 405. These tracts of land in Augusta Co., by the division of Counties, were successively in Frederick Co., Shenandoah, Co., and Warren Co. He later sold 265 acres to James McNeill in Frederick Co., Deed Book 3, pg 392 on Feb. 4, 1755. A deed dated Nov. 26, 1783, from Alexander Mathews, Sr., to his son James, conveys a certain part of a tract of land near Flint Run surveyed by George Hume, bearing date Aug. 6, 1750, containing 132 acres.

In 1757 when George Washington was a candidate for the House of Burgesses, the name Alexander Mathews appears on a list of persons who voted for him.

(Story of Winchester in VA., by Morton, 1925 - pg 78).
Dec. 28, 1780, Alexander Mathews took the oath of Magistrate and took his seal accordingly. (Minute Book, 1774-81 pg 176, Shenandoah,Co. VA records.)

The will of Alexander Mathews dated Sep. 5, 1783 is recorded in Will Book "B", pg 499, Shenandoah, Co.,VA., witnessed by Abraham Keller, James Hutchison and John Netherton, (we believe that this is Sarah Netherton's relative).

Another book that talks about Alexander is: "Prominent Tennesseeans" by William Speer, 1888, pg. 184.:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mathews-mathes&id=I0385

Emigration:
"The Mathews (Mathes) Family in America" by I.C. Van Deventer -- Alexander Printing Co., 1925.

pg 636
quote:
Alexander Mathews came with the Doak family in the Scotch-Irish emigration from Northern Ireland to Pennsylvania, later following John Lewis and Ephraim McDowell into Augusta Co, Virginia.

pg 637
In an unpublished manuscript, "Finley-Shields," by Major Albert Finley France, of Annapolis, MD., he says that James Doak, his wife Elizabeth, and five children, Samuel, David, John, Robert and Thankful emigrated from North of Ireland to America, landing in Newcastle, Delaware in 1708 and settled in Chester Co., PA. This fixes the time of arrival of these families as 1708.

google books:
https://books.google.com/books?id=55I38FXWyPgC&pg=RA1-PA636&lpg=RA1-PA636&dq=%22The+Mathews+(Mathes)+Family+in+America%22+by+I.C.+Van+Deventer&source=bl&ots=MloG8kR2YT&sig=sfxLxlh166aPrcpnmUNPiduHghc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Vg-EVfelHImqsAWEnpeIDQ&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBQ#v=snippet&q=fixes&f=false

Alexander married Grizzel* (..) Mathes, (immigrant) about 1736 in Augusta Co, Virginia (probably). Grizzel* was born about 1720 in Co Antrim, Ulster, Ireland; died after 1761. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Alexander and James were likely brothers, though not yet confirmed.