Samuel Mathewson (1791 - 1854)

Born 1791 in Ardstraw, County Tyrone, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Adams) Mathewson — married 17 Aug 1815 (to 11 Apr 1854) in Strabane, Co Tyrone, N. Ireland

Descendants

Died 11 Apr 1854 at about age 63 in Montreal, Île-de-Montréal, Canada East, British Colonial America

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Biography

Samuel was born in 1791.^[1][2] He was the son of James Mathewson and Rose Kerr.^[1] He married Elizabeth Adams in 1815^[3], with whom he had nine children. He died at the age of 63 in 1854.^[4][5]

Research Notes

"SAMUEL of Strabane, afterwards of Montreal, was born in 1791 and died April 11, 1854 in Montreal. He was an enterprising merchant in Strabane for more than 20 years prior to his emigrating to Canada in May 1833. His grocery shop was at the southwest comer of Main Street and Bridgend Street, the family residence being over the shop.· He had also a storehouse on the same side of the street, near the Mourne bridge, in which were stored coal, iron, planks, etc. and in which he also sold salt. He had another store, with extensive kiln, about the middle of the end of the canal basin. In this kiln he stored and dried oats, chiefly for the Derry and Liverpool markets, and a large business was transacted there. He also owned a vessel - the "James" of ' Strabane - a large barge with sails, which took the grain to Derry via the Strabane Canal and the River Foyle. On August 17, 1815 he married Elizabeth Adams, (b. Apr. 13, 1786; d. Mch 29, 1870) whose "folks" carried on a tannery at the head of the town, but they returned about 1800 to Pennsylvania, in which State Elizabeth was 1 born. (The tannery was afterwards operated by George Mccarter). On May 11, 1833 the inhabitants of Strabane, as a mark of their respect and esteem for Samuel Mathewson, then about to leave Ireland for Canada in the hope of being "better able to provide for a large family", presented him with Dr. Adam Clarke's edition of the Bible with Commentary in 8 volumes, (a work which was in course of publication from 1810-1826). With his wife and eight surviving children, all born in Strabane, Samuel Mathewson sailed from Derry on the ship "Regalia", arrived safely at Quebec, and reached Montreal on July 11, 1833. His children were: (I) Eliza Scott b. Sept. 28, 1816: m. 1836. Hugh Mathewson, son of her Uncle Gilbert. (II) Matilda. b. Jan. 9, 1818: d.1886, m. 1835. John HOLLAND. (Ill) Rosa. born July 18, 1819, m. 1845, Andrew DONNELL (IV).Clark. b. 1821, d. 1822 in Ireland. (V) James Adams. b. Sept 21, 1822, m. Aug 10 1847 Amelia S. Black. His sons, Wm. Black, Samuel James and James Adams, Jun. were in partnership with him in the wholesale grocery business at 1. 202 McGill Street, Montreal; another son Edward Payson, L.L.D., D.Sc. is an eminent metallurgist and 1 inventor: the youngest son, George Herbert, M.D. is a Professor of ophthalmology. (VI) Margaret. b. June 24,1824 m. 1852 James PATTON, Jun. (Vil) Sarah Jane. b. Apr. 22, 1826: m. 1853 James BAYLIS and had 8 children including Samuel M. Baylis, author, b. Sept 3, 1854 (Vlll) Rebecca Lavens, born June 18, 1828: m. 1 1862, George Stuart SCOTT. (IX) Ellen b. July 3, 1830"^[1] From Culture et Communications Quebec. Samuel Mathewson was born in County Tyrone in Ireland and he opened his first grocery store there in the town of Strabane in the early 1810s. He immigrated to Montreal with his wife and their many children in 1833. This migration was part of a major movement of Irish Protestants who left the Ireland in the 1820s and 1830s.^[6]

The 1842 Census of Canada East captures Samuel as a grocer in Montreal (à l'extérieur de la ville) with a household of 13.^[7] The "inmates" are not listed.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "A Mathewson Story". Bill Mathewson. 2010. unpublished
2. ↑ Historic family tree compiled by Mary E. B. Williams, Montreal.
3. ↑ entry in family bible. see images
4. ↑ Belfast News-Letter Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland 15 May 1854, Mon • Page 2
5. ↑ Grave Stone. see images
6. ↑ Culture et Communications Quebec. Directory of heritage culture of Quebec website
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1842 Census of Canada East [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Canada, Lower Canada Census, 1842. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

See also:

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/108215618/samuel-mathewson: accessed 11 June 2023), memorial page for Samuel Mathewson (15 Feb 1790–11 Apr 1854), Find a Grave Memorial ID 108215618, citing Cimetière Mont-Royal, Outremont, Montreal Region, Quebec, Canada; Maintained by kristin mathewson (contributor 48716518).