PA. State Senator John Mathey

Capt. John Mathys (abundantly noted in histories of the area for his military service) lots of variant spellings of surname... His name was frequently reported as John Matthews.

• Pennsylvania Senate, District 3 serving from 1831-1833 as a Democrat

It appears that after John married Amy Zell, he had the opportunity to move to Lower Merion Twp., Delaware County. Thus was where he was residing when he bought the 100 + acre farm in Norriton Twp. Some, if not all, of his daughters went to school in Norriton. Yet John continued to have business locations in Spring Garden, Priladelphia..

Matheys Family notes

• may have had a close relative who worked as a clerk in the US Treasury Bldg. in Philadelphia
  • this may have been his uncle or grandfather.
• lived in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties in 1810. two children born there before moving to Norriton Twp., Montgomery Co.
• had a "shop" at Willow and Broad in Philadelphia in the 1830's. His future son-in-law worked for him there
  • https://hiddencityphila.org/2011/10/poor-little-willow-street/
• John Matheys Captain of Continental Guards of Philadelphia
• was in the PA House
• was elected to the PA Senate in 1832 see page 317 (while Capt. of the 1st Montgomery Troop)
• Democrat/State Sen. of Mont. Co. 1831-1834
• led preparations for defenses in the face of the War of 1812 (p.316, where his name is written Matthews)

Assessment, Norriton Township, Montgomery Co., PA

• 1836 - William Matheys, Senior, occupationally also the same 1837, 1838
• 1836, John Matheys, 122 acres, occupation, 5 horses, 16 cows
• 1836, William Z(ell) Matheys, 1 horse, 1 cow; also 1837, 1838
• 1837, John Matheys Estate, 122 ac., 5 h., 16 c.
• 1838, Amy Matheys, widow, 122 ac., 5 h., 16 c.
• 1838, David Matheys, single
• 1838, William Z. Matheys, 4 h., 6 c
• “First Troop of Montgomery County Cavalry” (from History of Montgomery County (1884) (Theodore Weber Bean, editor) Everts & Peck, publishers Assistance with revisions and proof by his daughter, Mary Louise Jones (Bean)

(ed note... the Matheys and Bean families related by marriage)

start page: 191

"There is yet living a citizen who became a member in the year 1835, whose father had been a member many years before that, so that we may safely conclude that the time before mentioned is about correct. The troop was then under the command of Captain John Mattheys of Norriton township, who was afterwards elected to the State Senate. It was known by the name of the First Democratic Troop of Montgomery County, and numbered about one hundred members. The uniform then was as follows; ( some text omitted for brevity) This troop outranked all other military organizations of the county. It may be proper to state in this connection that there was another military organization, known as the Second Troop of Montgomery County, having about the same number of members, but differing from the First Troop in politics. Notwithstanding this difference, a general good feeling existed between them. They formed themselves into a battalion and each company endeavored to excel the other in drill and military deportment. After the resignation of Captain John Mattheys, Jacob Scheetz, son of General Henry Scheetz, of Whitemarsh township, was elected captain How many years he continued in command is not known. Next in command was William Z. Mattheys, son of the former Captain John Mattheys, who was a brilliant officer, and the troop was in a high state of drill while under his command, which continued until about 1839. "

Note:

His Norriton Twp. farm may have been shown as late as 1857 in Norriton Square Incidentally, Mrs. Owen (no "s" on the end) had a daughter Hannah who married Capt. John Matheys' son David Zell Matheys. The chain of title was: Capt. John Matheys to the widow Hannah Owen (Wayne); to David Zell Matheys (Capt. John's son)

research

• https://www.baldwinparkphilly.org/copy-of-the-callowhill-cut
• Online Access: https://digitallibrary.hsp.org/index.php/Detail/objects/536 = Map designating properties in the Northern Liberties, 1818
• https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/63982
• https://www.philageohistory.org/geohistory/resources/phila-subdiv-g...

research

John Mather, son of the immigrant Joseph Mather who came on The Submission (Penn's fleet) may be the father of William Matheys (who had his surname spelled in many ways during the course of his life) see: William Mathys . (and this William Mathey is the father of John, of this profile)