Matthew Archibald 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...

-born farmer, tanner

Tanning

Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...

 and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Truro township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1785 to 1799.

He was born in Derry

Derry

Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

, the son of Samuel Archibald and Eleanor Taylor, and came with his family to Londonderry, New Hampshire

Londonderry, New Hampshire

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,236 people, 7,623 households, and 6,319 families residing in the town. The population density was 555.8 people per square mile . There were 7,718 housing units at an average density of 184.6 per square mile...

 in 1757. The family moved to Nova Scotia five years later. In 1767, Archibald married Janet Fisher. He was named a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

 and became coroner for Colchester District

Colchester County, Nova Scotia

Colchester County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The appellation Colchester was applied in 1780 to the district previously called "Cobequid," and was derived from the town of Colchester in Essex...

 in 1786. He lived at Bible Hill

Bible Hill, Nova Scotia

Bible Hill is a Canadian village in Colchester County, Nova Scotia. It lies on the north bank of the Salmon River, opposite the town of Truro.Bible Hill functions as a suburb of Truro with several residential subdivisions...

; Archibald is believed to have given the town its name. He died in Truro

Truro, Nova Scotia

-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...

.

His son Alexander Lackie Archibald

Alexander Lackie Archibald

Alexander Lackie Archibald was a farmer, tanner, boot manufacturer and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Truro township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1830 to 1843 and from 1848 to 1851 as a Conservative.He was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, the son of Matthew Archibald and...

also represented Truro in the assembly.