Walter Matthews

Walter Matthews, son of Oliver Matthews and Elizabeth (…), was born at Christiana Hundred, Centre, New Castle Co., Delaware, say 1703.¹ He died after 13 March 1782, when he witnessed a marriage at Altamuskeet, Hyde Co., North Carolina.²

Walter married Mary (…), whose ancestry is unknown (or not traced here), say 1737.^3,4

Walter was in Lunenburg Co., Virginia, by 11 March 1746/47 when a tract was conveyed to Chalres Talbot, "assignee of Walter Matthews."²

22 April 1748 his land was described as 400 acres "on the North Fork of the Pigg River incuding his cabin." A few days later, another 400 acres for his son Oliver was shown as on both sides of the North Fork of the Pigg River" and to "begin on his Father's upper line." Later this tract was transferred to Walter. As Oliver was a very young man at the time, it was probably a way for Walter to gain two tracts rather than one.

Later, surveys of 320 acres for Walter and an adacent 100 acres for Oliver were made 15 April 1749.²

Walter and Oliver requested certificates to join the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting in Orange Co. (now Guilford Co.), North Carolina. The New Garden Preparative Meeting judged him "worthy to be received into membership with us with which this meeting writes and receives them members accordingly."

By 1756, he had purchased land southeast of New Garden on the waters of Beaverdam Creek.

For the next 20 or so years he moves several times as evidenced by the granting and receiving of certificates from various monthly meetings:
     27 September 1760, New Garden granted one for removal to Dunns Creek
     Dunns Creek in the Cape Fear area accepted his certificate and he witnessed a marriage there in December 1760.
     He returned to New Garden in August 1762
     In 1781, he left New Garden and settled at Core Sound in Carteret Co.
     Finally, 13 March 1782, he witnessed a marriage at Altamuskeet, Hyde Co, and this is the last known record of him.

He is not shown in the 1790 census of North Carolina.²