Peter Coffee, Sr. served 7 years (1730-1737) as indentured laborer at Dumfries Docks on the Quantico Creek Inlet of the Potomac River. He married Susannah Mathews, daughter of William Mathews, a tobacco merchant, in 1737. William was likely the pe
rson whom Peter Coffee Sr. was indentured to. William Mathews
was from Ireland.
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http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=nicklaus&id=I21814
•ID: I21814
•Name: William Matthews 1
•Sex: M
•Birth: Abt 1675
•Death: Bef 9 May 1758 in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., Virginia 2
•Text: Biographical Information by Dennis Nicklaus:
•Text: Richard Davis of Provo, Utah has done the initial work connecting
this William and establishing that his son James mentioned in his will
is the James Matthews of Buckingham County, VA. 1
•Text: In 1724 at Overwharton Parish, Stafford County, Virginia a list was made
of the tobacco tenders over the age of 10 years. The list included
the following names all next to each other, William Mathews, Samuel
Matthews, James Matthews and Benjamin Matthews and they had 18,535
tobacco plants. Phillip Matthews is not listed so he was probably under
age 10 in 1724. In William Matthews' will he listed his
son Benjamin before James, so we can guess that James was younger
than Benjamin and was probably born in about 1714. 1
•Text: William wrote his will on 12 March 1757 and it was proved on 9 May 1758.
It mentions sons Samuel, Benjamin, James, Phillip and William and
daughters Susannah Coffey and Mary Matthews.
•Text: William's wife, Mary, is named in the records of Christ Church Parish,
Middlesex County, Virginia in the birth records of Ann in 1705 and
Samuel in 1707. Again, Richard Davis is responsible for the connection
between the William of Middlesex Co. and William of the will in
Stafford Co. Richard writes, ``It appears that the William
Matthews of Stafford County is the same William Matthews of Middlesex
County, Virginia. A William Matthews lived at Middlesex County,
Virginia between 1703 and 1709 when he is mentioned a number of times
in court records and baptismal records. He was definitely gone from
Middlesex County by 1711 when a couple of men made attachments to his
estate. He baptized three children at Middlesex County between those
years: Ann in 1705, Susanna in 1706, and Samuel in 1707.'' 1 3
•Text: Richard Davis also collected the following court records mentioning
William Matthews which are thought to belong to this William.
• On 4 Jun 1705 he was issued a license to keep an ordinary at
Captain George Wortham’s plantation at Middlesex County.
• In 1703 William Matthews imported an indentured servant
named Elizabeth Hopkins and on 2 Feb 1708 she sued him for payment
stating that ``she has served William Matthews of this county 5 years
by indenture not withstanding which said Matthews refuses to pay the
petitioner, what is due to her by law for imported servants''.
• On 8 Jan 1706 he was paid money for finding fire and candles and
taking care of the horses for the county.
• On 3 Dec 1706 he came to court at Middlesex County and confessed
judgement to William Churchill, Esquire for 48 pounds, 10 shillings and
2 pence by bill dated 22 May 1706.
• On 4 Feb 1707 William was a prisoner in the Goale of
Middlesex County for debt to Col. William Churchill when he petitioned
the court ``for ye rule of ye prison as ye law directs assigned, it is
ordered that Harry Beverly, surveyor lay out 10 acres of Ground for ye
rules of ye Prison to be in as convenient a figure as may be round ye
Prison, the said Beverly promises to carry out ye same gratis'' He was
ordered to pay her 40 shillings.
• On 3 Nov 1707 he was paid money for taking care of the court.
• On 1 Dec 1707 he petitioned for a license to keep an ordinary at
his house with the securities being Thomas Machen and John Vivion.
• On 3 Oct 1709 he sued William Southworth at Middlesex County for
debt and Southworth was ordered to pay.
• On 3 Oct 1709 at Middlesex County, Ralph Wormley sued William for
trespass and killing Wormley’s certain bay horse, but the jury found
William not guilty. Also at court on 3 Oct 1709, Richard Bayley
acknowledged in open court that he owed money to William.
• On 4 Sep 1711 George Wortham, Gentleman obtained an attachment
against the estate of William Matthews for 8 pounds 7 shillings and 6
pence...made his return for one mare of the estate of William Matthews.
• On 2 Oct 1711 the attachment which George Wortham obtained against
William Matthews’ estate was dismissed at Middlesex County.
• In 1724 on the list of tenders of tobacco in Overwharton Parish,
Stafford County, William Matthews was listed with his sons Samuel,
James and Benjamin Matthews with 18,535 tobacco plants. The names of
those males 10 years old and over were listed as tenders.
• In 1727 William owned land on Goose Creek in Stafford County.
• On 18 Oct 1728, he was granted 150 acres in Stafford County on
both sides of Goose Creek.
• On 5 Mar 1729, Valentine Holyfield was granted 342 acres adjoining
land of William Matthews on the upper side of a branch of Goose Creek in
Stafford County.
• On 8 May 1734 he was paid money from the estate of William
Harrison and in 1737 and 1742 from the estate of Hugh French in
Stafford County.
• On 21 Aug 1744, Wilmoth Withers died at William Matthews’ home in
Overwharton Parish.
•Note: FILE: WILL
Marriage 1 Mary 1 2 Children 1. William Matthews b: Abt 1702
2. Ann Matthews b: 23 Mar 1705 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., Virginia
3. Susannah Matthews b: 4 Jul 1706 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., Virginia
4. Samuel Matthews b: 30 Nov 1707 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex Co., Virginia
5. Mary Matthews
6. Benjamin Matthews b: Abt 1712
7. James Matthews b: Abt 1714 in Stafford Co., Virginia
8. Phillip Matthews b: Abt 1717
Sources: 1.Title: Email and record of Richard Davis of Provo Utah.
Text: Received January, 2010.
See also: http://genforum.genealogy.com/matthews/messages/6233.html
2.Title: Will of William Matthews proved 9 May 1758 Stafford Co., Virginia
Text: Recorded in Stafford County, Virginia records, pages 343-344.
3.Title: Parish Register of Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia from 1653 to 1812
Author: National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Publication:
Place: Richmond, VA
Date: 1897
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Stafford County, Virginia pages 343-344
In Name of God Amen I William MATHEWS of County Stafford and Parish of
Overwharton being infirm in body but of perfect memory, do make this
my last will & Testament and first I recommend soul to God..Item my
will is that my just debts & funeral expences shall be duly paid. Item
I give to each of my four sons Samuel, Benjamin, James and Philip
Mathews two shilling and six pence in full for their part of my
estate. Item I give to my daughter Susannah Cottey two shillings six
pence in full. Item I give to y daughter Mary Mathews sixpence in full
for her part of my estate. Item I give to my beloved son William
Mathews all the rest of my estate both real and personal. Item I
appoint son William Mathews my whole executor. 12 Mar 1757.
William Lunsford
John Lunsford, James Lunsford William Matthews
John Jones
At court held for Stafford County 9th May 1758. Will presented, proved
admitted to record.Certificate granted for obtaining Probate.