Matheny/Metteneye Lineage

Date: 1000 to 1600
Location: Bruges, Flanders, Belgium, Burgundy, France
Surname/tag: Matheny, Metheny, Mathena, Matheney, Metteneye

The French Pedigree

The following account was published in the Boston Evening Transcript March 22, 1937, in answer to an inquiry made by Raleigh Lee Mathena, Mesa, Arizona.

8555 (old series) 1. Matheny, R.S.M. May 20, 1934. In this query R.L.M. asked for the ancestry of John Wilson Matheny (Nov. 17, 1812-Nov. 7, 1893) of Tazewell Co., Va., who married on Sept. 21, 1835, Mary Havens.

John Wilson Matheny was born in Virginia (Federal Census, 1860), not in Pennsylvania; and was the son of Stephen Matheny of Rockingham Co., Va., whose will was proved in May 1848. (Rockingham Wills, Book A.) who married Aug. 23, 1809, Susana Argebright (Wayland's Virginia Valley Records); and served in the war of 1812 in the regiment Virginia Militia (Adj. General's Office, Washington, D.C.)

Stephen was the son of Archibald Matheny who served in the Virginia Militia during the revolution (Wayland, op. cit., militia vouchers, 1778, and his wife Jane Curry, (Morton, History of Highland Co., Va., pages 240, 318). Arichibald appears to the been a son of William Matheny of "Hope" plantation, Stafford Co., Va., by his second marriage, Sept. 10, 1747, to Ann, daughter of Job and Ursula Sims (Boogher, Overwharten Parish Register, Old Stafford Co., Va., 1720-1760.

Since the Mathenys of America are descended from the Mathenys of "Hope" plantation, Stafford County, Va., the following brief genealogy of the family may be of general interest.

The ancient arms of the Mathenys were those of the Count de Vaudrey,differenced by a change of tincture: De sable au chef eumanche de trois pieces d'argent (Bonvallet, Armorial de la Franche-Conte; page 40). The present arms of the family, adopted in the fourteenth century, are described by Riestap as: "De gucules au chevron d'argent, accompagne do trois tours d'or, curvent d'azure. Casque couronne. Crest: uno cygne issant et essorant d'argent, basque de gueules, tenant en son bec un annelet du me meme. Lambrecquins d'or et de gueules.

The lineage of the Mathenys of "Hope" in the direct male line is as follows:

1. Nughes, de Thoire, who ruled the country of Bugey, France, in the year 1080.

2. Guillaume de Thoire, ( who ruled the country) Chevalier, Sire de Vaudrey. who assisted in the founding of the Abbey of Rosieres in the year 1130 and was the first of the Counts de Vaudrey to bear the name.

3. Aimon de Thoire, Chevalier, Sire de Vaudrey who engaged in a war against the Abbey of Rosieres from 1180 to 1193, married ponce de_____________.

4. Guy de Vaudry, Chevalier, Seigneur de Methenay and Rosieres, who engaged in the said war in 1180 and was the first of the Seignours de Methenay to bear the name.

5. Julian, Seigneour de Methenay, who was living in the year 1233.

6. Jean, Seigneour de Methenay, Rosieres and St. Jean d'Autun, Chevalier, who went to Bruges in the service of the Count of Flanders in 1233 and in 1261, sold the lordships which he had inherited from his father.

7. Paul de Methenay, who accompanied his father to Bruges in 1233, married at Bruges, N______ de Coquelaere, daughter of Gauthier, Seigneur de Coquelaare, Chevalier.

8. Roland de Matteneye, Chevalier, who flourished around 1250, was slain in the battle of Walckeren in the time of Count Guy of Flanders.

9. Jean de Metteneye, Chevalier, who was the founder of the first Forestier, in 1320 of the Societo Noble et Chevalersque de l'Ours Blanc; married Marie Allacrt.

10 Paul de Metteneye, Echevin of Bruges in 1337; married Catherine, daughter of Laurent Donacs.

11. Jacques de Metteneye, Siegneus de Nieuwenheve, Conseillar to the Count of Flanders in 1347; married Marie, daughter of Nicolas Bonin, Chevalier, Seigneur de M__keulebake.

12. Jean de Metteneye, Ecuyer, Seigneur de Nieuwenheve, Master of the Horse of Philip the Bold; married Elizabeth, daughter of Jean Breydel and his wife Claire de Pynckere.

13. Philippe Metteneye, Ecuyer, Consciller and Chamberlain to the Duke of Burgundy; Married Catherine van Ysendycke.

14. Pierre Mettenneye, Chevalier, Seigneur de Marcko and Marquillios,Conseiller and Chamberlain to Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy; married Adrienne, daughter of Jean van Watergawghe, Chevalier.

15. Pierre Vetteneye, Ecuyer, Seigneur de Marck, Marquillios and Poelvoorde, Pannetier to the Duke of Burgundy and to Maxmillien, King of the Romans; married Marquerite, daughter of Louis de Baenst, Chevalier de Jerusalem, Seigneur de Saint Georges.

16. Jean Metteneye, Chevalier, Seignour de Marck, Marquillies and Poelvoorde; Consciller, Chamberlain, Premier Pannetier and Maitre-d"Hotel to the Emperor Charles V.; died in Spain in or before the year 1532.

17. Richard Metteneye, Ecuyer; married, first in Flanders, ____; married, second, July 29, 1566 at Christ Church, Newgate Street, London, Margaret Vellham. He was a refugee in London as early as May 23, 1550.

18. Jean Metteney (Mathenye and Matyney in English), born in Flanders and baptized May 28, 1550, at Christ Church, Newgate, London; Married 1568, Katheryne_________. a Burgundian, and removed to Bishop GateWard, St. Botholph's Parish, London, about this time.

19 Charles Metteneye, Born about 1569 in St. Botolph's (Botolns?)Parish, London; Married ____________.

20. William Metteneye, who removed to Rossenden, near Dunkirk on the Faversham Road five miles from Canterbury County, Kent, before 1640; married Elizabeth ____________.

21. Daniel Metteneye, Born about 1638, emigrated to Surrey Co., Va., before 1663 in company with his brother Michael (Michael had no descendants) and settled in Charles Co. Md., in 1663; married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, Gent., of "Wentworth-Woodhouse" and "Wentworth's Rest" plantations. Daniel Mathenia, as he was called, acquired "Portowne," Wentworth-Woodhouse", "Fernes", "Mathena'a Folly", "Cowland" and Hope" plantations. In 1681 he removed to "Hope", which was in Stafford Co, Va., and resided there until his death in 1689.

22. William Matheny of "Hope" plantation, died November, 1705 leaving a will; married 1691, Frances, widow of the first Colonel George Mason.

23. Daniel Matheny of "Hope" plantatio, died about 1747; married Mary _______, and left among others, William and James Matheny, Sr., who was father of James Matheny, Jr., Ensign in the Revolution.

24. William Matheny of "Hope" plantation married, first Sarah Jones, on March 22, 1744; married , second, Sept. 10, 1747, Ann daughter of Job and Ursula Sims; sold "Hope" and moved to the Shenandoah Valley in 1756, leaving many descendants.

REFERENCES;

William Blake Metheny, "Metheny Family:" The origin of the Seigneurs de Methenay, " Philadelphia, 1937, 40 pages and chart, ten carbon copies typed (for numbers 1-9, inclusive.)

Samuel Guichenon, "Histoire de Bresse et Bugay", published 1659, page 213 etc. M.-B. Prost, "Histoire de l'Abbye de Rosiores." in "Bulletin de Sec. d'Arg., sc et arts de Poligny, "Vol. X, pages 331, 332, 367

Loys Gollut, "Memoirea Historiques de la Rep. Sequanoise," ed by Ch. Duvernoy, 1846, pages 440, 1817.

A. Rousset, "Dictionnaire Historique de Franche-Comte." Vol. IV, pages 121-123; article Vadans, Vaudrey, Montdidier, Rosieres, etc.

Philipon, "Dlet. Toporg de l'Ain." 191 Pages. (Almost a third of the work concerns the principality of Thoire-Villars and the genealogy of its sires.)

De La Chenaye-Desbois, "Dictionnaire de la Noblesse," Vol. XIX., pages 541-546.

E.E. Reverend du Mesnil, "Armorial Historique de Bresse, Bugey, etc., Vol. 1, pages 23 etc.

Jean Jacques Caillard, "Brugeset le Franc," Vol IV, page 157, etc. (Complete Metteneye genealogy from no. 6-16 inclusive.)

F.V. Gosthals, "Dictionaire de Families Nobles an Belgique," Vol 1, pages 472-473. (Nos. 16 17.)

J.J. Gaillaird, "Inser. Funer, et Monum, de la Flandre Occidentale, "two volumes. "Christ Church, Newgate Street, London, Registers 1538-1754."

Hugvenot Society of London Publications," Vol. X, Part II, pages 218, 272; part III, page 343, etc, part I page 429.

Virginia State Land Office, Richmond, P.B. No. 6, page 58.

J.M. Cooper, "The Registers of St. Pauls Canterbury", 1562-1800, page 26.

Charles County, Md. court records, 1663-1682.

Stafford County, Va., County Court Records.

"Maryland Archives," published volumen from 1681-1685.

Virginia State Library military and tax lists.

Morton, "History of Preston County, W. Va., " two volumes.

E.T. King, "Some Early Settlers of Preston Co., W. Va., 1933.

Register-General, "Sons of the Revolution", lineage of William Blake Metheny, W. Va., petition of 1934, giving descent through nos. 21,22,23,etc. (member of basis of service of Ensign James Metheny, Jr., Later of Preston Co., W. Va.)

Boston Transcript, March 22, 1937.

COAT-of-ARMS

ARMS: Gulles with bars of silver accompanied by bands of gold, background of blue. Helmet with wreath

CREST: A half-swan of silver on the point of rising. Beak of gull bearing a small ring of silver. Mantling of gold with green. • • •