George Mathews (Georgia)
Encyclopedia
George Mathews was an United States
planter, merchant, and pioneer from Virginia
and western Georgia
. He served in the Continental Army
during the Revolutionary War
then settled in Georgia. He served as the 20th Governor of Georgia, one term in the U.S. Congress
, then led a filibuster
expedition to capture Florida for the United States.
. His father was an Irish
immigrant from Ulster
, who brought his young family to the Virginia frontier. Young George helped expand the family enterprise. He went into business with his older brother, Sampson, and the brothers acquired property as far west as the Greenbrier district
. Their commercial or mercantile efforts extended to oversees markets.
George joined the militia
, and became active in civic affairs. He became a vestryman in the church, a Captain in the militia, and the sheriff of Augusta County. He earned a military reputation leading his company in the Battle of Point Pleasant
against the Shawnee Indians
during Lord Dunmore's War
in 1774.
in early 1777. Soon after he led them north to join the Continental Army
, but met with serious reverses. In the Battle of Germantown
on October 4, 1777 his entire regiment was killed, captured, or scattered. Mathew himself became a Prisoner of War, at first held at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. When the British
withdrew from there, he was moved to a prison ship, anchored in New York harbor
.
By 1779 Mathews gave a limited parole
and was permitted to live in New York City, He wrote to Governor Thomas Jefferson
and to the Continental Congress
urging a prisoner exchange
, but exchanges were limited by disagreement at the highest levels. He was finally exchanged in 1781, but got back into action only after the Battle of Yorktown.
Mathews was named commander of the 12th Virginia Regiment
, but this was only a nominal command, since his new regiment had been prisoners since the fall of Charleston
in May of 1780. But, he went south to work with any available force in clean up actions in South Carolina
and Georgia
.
. He augmented that with land grant
s, given for Revolutionary War service. He liquidated his Virginia property, and moved his family to a log cabin
there. He and his wife, Polly, would raise their children there and in their later, larger house. In all, they had eight: John, Charles Lewis, George
, William, Ann, Jane, Margaret, and Rebecca.
George encouraged other Virginia families to help settle the area. He became a judge in Wilkes County, and a town commissioner for Washington, Georgia
. Then in 1787 he was a successful candidate for the Georgia Assembly
. His bearing and military experience gained the respect of the other members, and they named him Governor that same year. He attended the state convention that ratified the United States Constitution
. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 1789 but served only one term.
Mathew's political career had struck its first bump. His identification as a Federalist and his involvement in land speculation caused him to lose the Election for the U.S. Senate
in 1792. But, by 1793 he had regained enough support to again be chosen Governor.
His second administration was much less successful than his first. He couldn't get Federal support or funding from the Assembly for his planned series of frontier forts to protect against stepped up raids by the Creek Indians. Frustrated, Mathews again turned to dealing with land speculators in an effort to maintain his popularity. When the western land speculation, known as the Yazoo Land Fraud
became public, his career was over. James Jackson
resigned from the U.S. Senate and returned to replace him as Governor in the 1796 election.
. Polly had died, so he married a widow, Mary (Fairchild) (Lewis) Carpenter (widow of Richard Carpenter, 1729-1788.), who owned property there. A few years later he again became involved with politics, at first as a spy. U.S. President James Madison
and he had conceived a plan to annex East Florida
, then governed by Spain
. English and other European colonists had been abandoned by Britain after the Revolutionary War. He was to foment a rebellion in St. Augustine
, then lead troops in to make the annexation a reality. Mathews succeeded in the first steps, and early in 1812 activated a commission from Madison as a Brigadier General, and gathered local troops for the invasion.
But, in Washington, D.C., the congress became alarmed at the possibility of being drawn into war with Spain. Madison was forced to recall his commission, and the effort fell apart. Mathews decided to go to Washington to appeal his case personally. But, on the trip he became ill and was forced to stop in Augusta, Georgia
. He died in Augusta on his 73rd birthday, August 30, 1812, and was buried in St. Paul's Churchyard there.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
planter, merchant, and pioneer from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and western Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He served in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
then settled in Georgia. He served as the 20th Governor of Georgia, one term in the U.S. Congress
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, then led a filibuster
Filibuster (military)
A filibuster, or freebooter, is someone who engages in an unauthorized military expedition into a foreign country to foment or support a revolution...
expedition to capture Florida for the United States.
Early life
George was born to John and Ann (Archer) Mathews on August 30, 1739 in Augusta County, VirginiaAugusta County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
. His father was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrant from Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, who brought his young family to the Virginia frontier. Young George helped expand the family enterprise. He went into business with his older brother, Sampson, and the brothers acquired property as far west as the Greenbrier district
Greenbrier County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,453 people, 14,571 households, and 9,922 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile . There were 17,644 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
. Their commercial or mercantile efforts extended to oversees markets.
George joined the militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, and became active in civic affairs. He became a vestryman in the church, a Captain in the militia, and the sheriff of Augusta County. He earned a military reputation leading his company in the Battle of Point Pleasant
Battle of Point Pleasant
The Battle of Point Pleasant, known as the Battle of Kanawha in some older accounts, was the only major battle of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, primarily between Virginia militia and American Indians from the Shawnee and Mingo tribes...
against the Shawnee Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
during Lord Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
in 1774.
Revolutionary war
Mathews was named the Colonel of the 9th Virginia Regiment9th Virginia Regiment
The 9th Virginia Regiment was authorized in the Virginia State Troops on January 11, 1776. It was subsequently organized between February 5 and March 16, 1776 and comprised seven companies of troops from easternmost Virginia. The unit was adopted into the Continental Army on May 31, 1776. The...
in early 1777. Soon after he led them north to join the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
, but met with serious reverses. In the Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
on October 4, 1777 his entire regiment was killed, captured, or scattered. Mathew himself became a Prisoner of War, at first held at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. When the British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
withdrew from there, he was moved to a prison ship, anchored in New York harbor
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
By 1779 Mathews gave a limited parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
and was permitted to live in New York City, He wrote to Governor Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
urging a prisoner exchange
Prisoner exchange
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners. These may be prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc...
, but exchanges were limited by disagreement at the highest levels. He was finally exchanged in 1781, but got back into action only after the Battle of Yorktown.
Mathews was named commander of the 12th Virginia Regiment
12th Virginia Regiment
The 12th Virginia Regiment was raised on September 16, 1776 at Williamsburg, Virginia for service with the Continental Army. The regiment saw action in the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston...
, but this was only a nominal command, since his new regiment had been prisoners since the fall of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
in May of 1780. But, he went south to work with any available force in clean up actions in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Life in Georgia
Mathews was impressed with what he saw as the opportunities on the Georgia frontier. Released from service in 1783, he bought land in Wilkes CountyWilkes County, Georgia
Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 10,687. The 2007 Census estimate shows a population of 10,262. The county seat is the city of Washington. Referred to as "Washington-Wilkes", the county seat and county are commonly treated as a...
. He augmented that with land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
s, given for Revolutionary War service. He liquidated his Virginia property, and moved his family to a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
there. He and his wife, Polly, would raise their children there and in their later, larger house. In all, they had eight: John, Charles Lewis, George
George Mathews (judge)
George Mathews, Jr. was a Judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans and a Judge of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1813 until his death in 1836.-Early life:...
, William, Ann, Jane, Margaret, and Rebecca.
George encouraged other Virginia families to help settle the area. He became a judge in Wilkes County, and a town commissioner for Washington, Georgia
Washington, Georgia
Washington is a city in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,295 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wilkes County...
. Then in 1787 he was a successful candidate for the Georgia Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
. His bearing and military experience gained the respect of the other members, and they named him Governor that same year. He attended the state convention that ratified the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1789 but served only one term.
Mathew's political career had struck its first bump. His identification as a Federalist and his involvement in land speculation caused him to lose the Election for the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1792. But, by 1793 he had regained enough support to again be chosen Governor.
His second administration was much less successful than his first. He couldn't get Federal support or funding from the Assembly for his planned series of frontier forts to protect against stepped up raids by the Creek Indians. Frustrated, Mathews again turned to dealing with land speculators in an effort to maintain his popularity. When the western land speculation, known as the Yazoo Land Fraud
Yazoo land scandal
The Yazoo land scandal, Yazoo fraud, Yazoo land fraud, or Yazoo land controversy was a massive fraud perpetrated from 1794 to 1803 by several Georgia governors and the state legislature. They sold large tracts of land in what is now the state of Mississippi to political insiders at very low prices...
became public, his career was over. James Jackson
James Jackson (politician)
James "Left Eye" Jackson was an early Georgia politician of the Democratic-Republican Party. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1789 until 1791. He was also a U.S. Senator from Georgia from 1793 to 1795, and from 1801 until his death...
resigned from the U.S. Senate and returned to replace him as Governor in the 1796 election.
Later life
Mathews started afresh in the Mississippi TerritoryMississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Mississippi....
. Polly had died, so he married a widow, Mary (Fairchild) (Lewis) Carpenter (widow of Richard Carpenter, 1729-1788.), who owned property there. A few years later he again became involved with politics, at first as a spy. U.S. President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
and he had conceived a plan to annex East Florida
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
, then governed by Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. English and other European colonists had been abandoned by Britain after the Revolutionary War. He was to foment a rebellion in St. Augustine
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
, then lead troops in to make the annexation a reality. Mathews succeeded in the first steps, and early in 1812 activated a commission from Madison as a Brigadier General, and gathered local troops for the invasion.
But, in Washington, D.C., the congress became alarmed at the possibility of being drawn into war with Spain. Madison was forced to recall his commission, and the effort fell apart. Mathews decided to go to Washington to appeal his case personally. But, on the trip he became ill and was forced to stop in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. He died in Augusta on his 73rd birthday, August 30, 1812, and was buried in St. Paul's Churchyard there.