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Walter Matthews (1627 - aft. 1678)

Walter Matthews
Born in Ottery St Mary, Devon, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died after after age 51 in York, York, Massachusetts Baymap
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Profile last modified | Created 22 May 2011
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Biography

Flag of Devon (adopted 2003)
Walter Matthews was born in Devon, England.

Walter was a fish merchant at Smuttynose Island at the Isles of Shoals and at Oyster River, N.H. He lived on Smuttynose and owned two houses there in 1652/3 which were occupied in 1680 by his widow Mary and by John Martin as tenant. Walter signed a petition in 1653 for establishment of a separate township at the shoals. The testimonys of Andrew Dyamont aged about thirty nine years & of Michaell Endle aged about sixty years… do very Well remember yt Walter Mathews deceased hath peaceably & quiety possessed that house Wch now Mary Matthews his Widdow liveth in & that house which now Jon Martyne liveth in, let unto him by the sayd Mary Mathews with all the flake Rowmes, lying rowmes & a Garden plot with a store house rowmes & Leane twoes& alsoe ye priviledge of a Moreing place for two boates, lying between smuttinose & Malligoe… for the full tearme of Twenty seaven or twenty eight yeares & for the moreing place they remember it was twenty foure years or yr abouts & the Gardning place Wee remember was possessed about eighteen years… June: 9th: 1680…

The Testimonys of William Oliver aged about 60 years & of John Tetherly about fivety yeares… that Walter Matthews Now deceased did peaceably & quietly possess & Injoy, the same house which his widdow now liveth in, Mary Matthews, & yt house wch shee let unto John Martine wch hee liveth in with all the flake rowmes, lying rowmes, a garden plot with a store house roumes & Leanetwos with the priviledg of a moreing place for two boats lying between smuttinose & Malligoe Yslands… for the full tearme of Twenty odd yeares or yr abouts… the 9th of June: 1680… (2)

Walter was the constable in 1658 and in 1665 when he was in court for neglect of his office in gathering rates. He was a bondsman for Stephen Ford in 1660. He was on the grand jury in 1660 and 1665. In 1671 he sued William Croscer and was an appraiser of William Seeley's large estate.

The last will, and Testament of Walter Matthews revokeing all other, made this 15th of April 1678:-

Imprimis: I: I doe hereby give, and bequeath unto my dearely beloved wife, mary matthews, all my houses, lands, goods, and Chattles, moveables, and Immoveables... and after hir decease I doe give, and bequeath To my Son Samuel matthews: All my houses, lands, neck of land lying, and being upon oyster river, and upon or near the little Bay, which was formerly, my fathers mr ffrancis matthews... father I doe give unto my Son Samuel Matthews, my now new dwelling house wth the garden on Smuttinose Iland, One of the Ilands of Shoals; my storehouse, oyle house, and all my part of my Stages mooreing places, and mooreings, my new boat, with the furniture, and tackling, thereunto belonging; also Eleaven long flakes, with the laying roome, lying between my dwelling house, and my Storehouse, Towards the south;-

2: I doe give unto my nephew; matthews Young, my old dwelling house wth the leantoe, my old boat, if in being, wth a mainsaile, and other furniture, after the aforementioned boat is furnished; with fowre flakes, lying att the End of the former mentioned wth the priviledge of spreading fish, thereunto belongeing; the Second best feather bed, with the furniture, if not sould by my wife; the Second best gun; the Second best peice of plate, att my wives discretion; One best Chest;

3: I doe give to my daughter Susanna Young, Ten pounds, to be paid my son Saml matthews, in Currant pay, within Twelve months after the abovesaid Estate is Come into his hands, if demanded;-

4: I doe give to my daughter mary Senter, Ten pounds to be paid by my son Saml matthews, in Currant pay within twelve months after the abovesaid Estate is come into his hands, if demanded;

5: I doe give to my neece, Susanna Senter, the Eldest daughter of mary senter, to be paid by my son Saml matthews in Currant pay, within twelve months, after the above mentioned Estate is come into his hands, if demanded, five pounds;-

6: I doe give to my daughter Susanna's youngs, Eldest Son by name Joseph young, five shillings, to hir daughter mary young, five shillings; To my daughter mary Senters Son, nicholas Senter, five shillings, to be paid by my Son Saml mattews, in Currant pay, within twelve months after the abovesaid Estate is come into his hands, if demanded;

7: In Case my Son Saml matthews dy without Issue my will is, that the aformentioned Estate given him, be divided in manner following, Viz: two parts to my Eldest daughter Susanna young, and his heires, and the third part to my daughter mary Senter, and hir heires;-

8: In Consideration of the aformentioned Legacies to be paid by my son Saml matthews, I doe give him all my houseshould stuff, furniture, plate, Clothing, whatsoever;

9: I doe give, and bequeath unto Thomas Snell, The Son of my Sister Martha Browne, The dwelling house, she now lives in, and after foure years to have the rent due for The Same To be Improved to his use, and behoofe...

11: I doe Constitute, and appoint my beloved wife, mary matthews, my Executrix, and Administratrix, and my loveing friends, Samuel Belcher, and Andrew Deamont Overseers... in presence of us Michael Endell, Martha Browne, Samuel Belcher.(1)

Walter's estate was valued at £310/18/6 29 May 1678.


Sources

  • (1) Rockingham Co. Registry of Probate
  • (2) York Deeds- Vol. III, fol. 71
  • Matthews Genealogy- George Ernst, York Library
  • Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- p.469
  • Isles of Shoals: A Historic Sketch- John Scribner- p.100
  • Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England- Savage, Vol. III, p.177

Acknowledgments

  • WikiTree profile Matthews-850 created through the import of BDM7-7-11.ged on Jul 8, 2011 by Brian McCullough. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Brian and others




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Matthews-850 and Matthews-689 appear to represent the same person because: same people
posted by Pamela Demers

M  >  Matthews  >  Walter Matthews

Categories: York, Maine | Ottery St Mary, Devon