History and genealogy of Peter Montague, of Nansemond and ...

DESCENDANTS OF PETER MONTAGUE. 53;
No further record of him has been found until the year 1637. The
State Land Registry Office of Va. at Richmond, has these entries,
Book 1, p. 463, "Peter Montague was granted, Aug't 22, 1637, 1 5°*
acres of land in the upper County of New Norfolk." Book 1, p. 610,
"50 acres in the same county, Feb'y 25, 1638." Book 2, p. 73, "150
acres in the same County, Dec. 18, 1645." From 1624 to 1637,
he had reached the age of thirty-four—had probably
thirteen years !
married, and from his continuing to enter land in Upper Norfolk, no
doubt can exist that he had removed his residence to that County..
probably his younger brother. Associated with him was Divid Sands the minister. Their
plant was at James City. Campbell's Hist, of Va., p. 2d9, says, " Capt. Samuel Mathews
was one of the Council in 1643, he had a fine house, sowed much hemp and flax and had it
spun. He kept weavers, and had a tannery, where leather was dressed, and had eight shoemakers
at work, had forty negro servants whom he brought up to mechanical trades. He
sowed large crops of wheat and barley. He also supplied vessels trading with Va. with beef..
He had plenty of cows, a fine dairy, a large number of hogs and poultry. In 1656 he was
governor of the Colony." He married a dau. of Sir Thomas Hinton. Capt. Mathews went
to England on business for the Colony in 1657 and died there. Lord Amherst was Governor
in 1658.— [See Blake's Biog. Diet. N. Y., 1835.] The following from Mr. Alex. Brown, Nor-
wood, Va., author of "Genesis of U. S." : Col. Samuel Mathews was sent to England as
agent for Va. in 1652. He returned to Virginia in 1657. On March 13, 1657-8 he was chosen
by the Assembly to act as Governor until the next Assembly, or until "the further pleasureof
the supreme power of England shall be knowne." On March 7, 1658-9 the Assembly
elected him Governor for two years. He died during his term of office in Jan'y. 1659-60, and
at the next meeting of the Assembly, in March, 1659-60, Berkeley was chosen to succeed him.
His second wife, the widow of Abraham Percy was when Percy married her the widow of
Capt. Francis West. Mathews left two sons (Thomas and Samuel) by his first wife and very
probably other sons and daughters. "Founders of Maryland," by Rev. E. D. Neill, p. 49,
says Sam'l Mathews came to Va., 1622, in ship "Southampton," lived at Blunts Point, a
little distance above Newport News. The following from Mr. Paul Caine, Louisville, Ky. :.
Capt. Sam'l Mathews came to Va., 1622; was commissioner to examine into the condition of
the Colony, 1623; Commissioner of Warwick Co. 1631, Member of the Council 1624-44, elected
to the Council April, 1652, elected Governor Dec, 1656, and held the place until his death,
1658. He m. 1, a dau. of Sir Thomas Hinton of Chilton Foliot Eng. [who at one time lived
in Va. and was member of the Council], m. 2, before 1638-9, the widow of Abraham Percy of
Va. Two sons were certainly the issue of the first marriage, namely Thomas Mathews of
Stafford Co., Member of House of Burgesses, 1676, supposed to be author of T. M's account
of Bacon's rebellion, and Lieut. Col. Samuel Mathews of Warwick Co., Member of House of
Burgesses, April, 1652-1653-1654, Member of Council, 1655, d. 1670, leaving a son John then
under age. Hen. Va. Stat., Vol. 1, p. 528, says " Col. Samuel Mathews died Jan'y, 1659-60."
The quotation seems to infer that he d. in Va.
* Peter received this patent of 150 acres in consideration of having induced three persons
to emigrate to Virginia, 50 acres for each person so induced, their names were William Jones,.
Thomas Redbye, and Mary Harford. " In Hotten's emigrant lists, there is a William
Jones, age 17, and another William Jones, age 21, both came in the same ship, the " Thomas
and John," in June, 1635, also William Jones, age 25, came in the ship "Constance," Oct. 24,
1635. The names Redbye and Harford do not appear. This was called " Head Rights." By
an ordinance of the Virginia Company of London, every person removing to Va. at his own
expense, with the intention to settle and remain there was entitled to 50 acres of land for
himself, with the same number for his wife and each of his children. Every person who
brought others into the Colony at his own expense was entitled to 50 acres for each person so
imported. [H.]