George Mathews (judge)
Encyclopedia
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.
on September 30, 1774, the son of a planter and Revolutionary War
officer, George Mathews
and his wife, Polly. The elder Mathews would later serve twice as Governor of Georgia. In 1785, the elder Mathews moved himself and his whole family to Wilkes County, Georgia
in land that today is in Oglethorpe County
. Mathews returned to Virginia for his education at Liberty Hall Academy (which later became Washington and Lee University
. He originally set out to become a physician but was persuaded by his father to study law under his brother, John Mathews, in Augusta, Georgia
.
to be judge of the Superior Court of the newly-created Territory of Mississippi. He served for two years on that court before being appointed judge of the Superior Court for the Territory of Orleans in 1806. He married Harriet Flowers in 1809 and they resided in St. Francisville, Louisiana
at her family's Butler-Greenwood Plantation even though the Supreme Court sat in New Orleans.
When Louisiana became a state in 1813, the territorial courts were replaced by a new Supreme Court. Mathews was appointed by Governor William C.C. Claiborne
as judge of that new high court on February 23, 1813. He served alongside Judges Dominic Augustin Hall
, Pierre Derbigny
and Francois Xavier Martin
. He reputedly learned both French
and Spanish
as much of the law of the State of Louisiana was rooted in the traditions of the land's previous colonial overlords and many lawyers spoke one of the two languages but not English.
Mathews died in St. Francisville on November 14, 1836 and was buried at Grace Episcopal Church.
The Louisiana Historical Association celebrated the Centenary of the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1922 and at that time Justice Mathews was remembered as, "short, rotund, placid, even-tempered, and genial, with a touch of humor and pleasantry in his intercourse with men and on the bench. His disposition crops out in his opinions which, moreover, are fine specimens of taste and learning."
Louisiana Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Louisiana is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans....
from 1813 until his death in 1836.
Early life
Mathews was born 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...
on September 30, 1774, the son of a planter and Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
officer, George Mathews
George Mathews (Georgia)
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...
and his wife, Polly. The elder Mathews would later serve twice as Governor of Georgia. In 1785, the elder Mathews moved himself and his whole family to Wilkes County, Georgia
Wilkes 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...
in land that today is in Oglethorpe County
Oglethorpe County, Georgia
Oglethorpe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the largest county in Northeast Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 12,635. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 13,963...
. Mathews returned to Virginia for his education at Liberty Hall Academy (which later became Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
. He originally set out to become a physician but was persuaded by his father to study law under his brother, John Mathews, 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...
.
Career on the bench
In 1804 Mathews was appointed by President Thomas JeffersonThomas 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...
to be judge of the Superior Court of the newly-created Territory of Mississippi. He served for two years on that court before being appointed judge of the Superior Court for the Territory of Orleans in 1806. He married Harriet Flowers in 1809 and they resided in St. Francisville, Louisiana
St. Francisville, Louisiana
St. Francisville is a town in and the parish seat of West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,712 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:St...
at her family's Butler-Greenwood Plantation even though the Supreme Court sat in New Orleans.
When Louisiana became a state in 1813, the territorial courts were replaced by a new Supreme Court. Mathews was appointed by Governor William C.C. Claiborne
William C.C. Claiborne
William Charles Cole Claiborne was a United States politician, best known as the first Governor of Louisiana. He also has the distinction of possibly being the youngest Congressman in U.S...
as judge of that new high court on February 23, 1813. He served alongside Judges Dominic Augustin Hall
Dominic Augustin Hall
Dominic Augustin Hall was a United States federal judge, appointed by two different presidents to four federal judicial positions....
, Pierre Derbigny
Pierre Derbigny
Pierre Augustin Charles Bourguignon Derbigny was the sixth Governor of Louisiana. Born in 1769, at Laon near Lille, France, the eldest son of Augustin Bourguignon d'Herbigny who was President of the Directoire de l'Aisne and Mayor of Laon, and Louise Angelique Blondela.Derbigny studied law at...
and Francois Xavier Martin
Francois Xavier Martin
François Xavier Martin , was an American jurist and author, the first Attorney General of State of Louisiana, and longtime Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Born in France, he immigrated to North Carolina before the American Revolutionary War...
. He reputedly learned both French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as much of the law of the State of Louisiana was rooted in the traditions of the land's previous colonial overlords and many lawyers spoke one of the two languages but not English.
Mathews died in St. Francisville on November 14, 1836 and was buried at Grace Episcopal Church.
The Louisiana Historical Association celebrated the Centenary of the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1922 and at that time Justice Mathews was remembered as, "short, rotund, placid, even-tempered, and genial, with a touch of humor and pleasantry in his intercourse with men and on the bench. His disposition crops out in his opinions which, moreover, are fine specimens of taste and learning."