An American Family History

Anne Maxwell Matthews was born about 1715 in the part of Baltimore County that is now Harford County, Maryland. Her parents were Colonel James Maxwell and Anne Groome.

In 1720, Anne (Groome) Felkes (or Phelks) left her some of her personal property.

She married planter, John Matthews on April 18, 1737. John was born June 26, 1714 and was the oldest son of Roger Matthews and Mary Carville. John's sister, Hannah Matthews, married Anne's brother, Ashael Maxwell.

They lived on the plantation, Matthew's Enlargement in St. George's Parish, Spesutia Lower Hundred, Baltimore (later became Harford) County. Anne and John were Anglican.

John and Anne's children included:
James Maxwell Matthews (1737/38),
Cassandra Matthews (1739),
John Matthews (1741),
Rebecca Matthews (1742-?, married Dr. Phillip Henderson).

Ann died on October, 20 1744.

After her death, John married Milcah Lusby. Milcah was born on January 15, 1723/24 in Anne Arundel County. Her father was Robert Lusby.

Mary Matthews (1749);
Hannah Matthews (1751);
Roger Matthews (1753);
Aquila Matthews (1756);
John Matthews (1757);
Milcah Matthews (1759);
Bennett Matthews (1761);
Naomi Matthews (ca. 1763);
Carvile Matthews (ca. 1769);
Frances Matthews (ca. 1765). and
Josias (Joseph) Matthews;

John's will was probated on December 3, 1783, in Harford County.

Children of James Maxwell and Mary Harmer: James, the Elder, Maxwell Eliza Ann Maxwell Ricketts Children of James Maxwell and Anne Groome: Ashael Maxwell Elizabeth Maxwell James, the Younger, Maxwell Ann Maxwell Matthews

from A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.,Volume 426, Page 581, Maryland State Archives

Matthews, John (1714-1783).
Born: on June 26, 1714, in St. George's Parish, Baltimore County;
eldest son.
Native: third generation.
Resided: on Matthew's Enlargement, St. George's Parish, Spesutia Lower Hundred, Baltimore (later became Harford) County.

Famly Background
Father: Roger Matthews (ca. 1685-1740).
Mother: Mary Carvile (?-1718).
Stepmother: after 1726 Elizabeth Garrett (?-ca. 1748/49).
Brother: Roger [Matthews] (1718-?).
Halfbrothers: James [Garrett] (1727-1760);
Aquila [Garrett] (ca. 1733-1742);
Levin [Garrett] (1736-?); and
Bennett [Garrett] (ca. 1739-?).
Sister: Hannah [Matthews] (1711-1782), who married third, John Hall (1701-1774).
Half Sisters: Amelia [Garrett](1729-?);
Ann (1731-?).
Nephews:
John Hall, Jr. (1737-1770);
Benedict Edward Hall (ca. 1744-1822);
and Josias Carvil Hall (1746-1814).
Nieces: Martha Hall (1735-?), who married second, John Rumsey
(ca. 1742-1828);
Mary Hall (1740-?), who married Benjamin Ramsey (1734-1808).

Married first, on April 18, 1737, Ann (?-1744), daughter of
James Maxwell (1662-1727/28).
Her brothers or half brothers were
James [Maxwell], the elder (?-1732);
Robert [Maxwell] (?-1718/19);
Aseal (Asabel) [Maxwell] (?-1729);
and James, the younger [Maxwell] (ca. 1711-?).

Married second, on February 23, ca. 1748, Milcah (ca. 1721-1795), daughter of Robert Lusby (?-1733) of Anne Arundel County, planter, and his wife Mary Baldwin.
Milcah was the niece of John Baldwin (?-1752).
Her brothers were:
Robert [Lusby], who married Mary;
Jacob [Lusby], who married Betty;
Zachary [Lusby];
Draper [Lusby] (?-1770), of Kent County;
Henry [Lusby];
and Joseph [Lusby] (?-1764), of Baltimore County.
Her sisters were Mary [Lusby], who married (first name unknown) Turpin;
Hannah [Lusby], who married in 1722 George Drew;
Naomi [Lusby], who married in 1726 William Ghiselin;
and Susanna [Lusby], who married in 1742 Samuel Johnson.
Her first cousins were Catherine Griffith (1732-1793), who married Nicholas Worthington (1734-1793);
Ann Baldwin (?-1776), who married Samuel Chase (1741-1811); and
Hester Baldwin (?-1823), who married Jeremiah Townly Chase (1748-1828).

Children
Sons:
James Maxwell (1737/38-?);
John (1741-?);
Roger (1753-?);
Aquila (1756-?);
John (1757-?);
Bennett (1761-?);
Carvile (ca. 1769-?); and
Josias (Joseph).

Daughters;
Cassandra (1739-died in infancy);
Cassandra (1740-?);
Rebecca (1742-?);
Mary (1749-?);
Hannah (1751-?);
Milcah (1759-?);
Naomi (ca. 1763-?);
and Frances (ca. 1765-?).

Private Career
Education: literate
Religious Affliation: Anglican, St. George's Parish, Baltimore County.

Social Status and Activities:
Mr., by 1737;
Gent., by 1739;
Esq., by
death.

Occupational profile: planter.

Public career
Legislative Service: Lower House, Baltimore County, 1751 (elected to the 3rd session of the 1749-1751 Assembly to fill vacancy),
1770 (elected to third session of 1768-1770 Assembly).

Local offices:
churchwarden, St. George's Parish, Baltimore County, elected 1739;
St. George's Parish Vestry, Baltimore County,elected 1744, 1750 (declined), 1754, 1757, 1774
(declined because of "infirmities");
justice, Baltimore County, 1749/50-1753, 1757-1759, 1761-
at least 1763 (no records for 1764), 1765, by 1767-
1769, 1772, Harford County, 1774, appointed 1777;
judge.
Court of Appeals for Tax Assessments, Harford County, appointed 1778 ("never acted," replaced 1779).

Military service: captain by 1748.

Wealth During Lifetime
Personal Property: 16 slaves and 1 servant, 1776; assessed value £797.10.0, including 11 slaves and 12 oz. plate,1783.

Land at first election:
585 acres in Baltimore County (ca. 563 acres received as a gift from his father in 1726,
22 acres probably inherited from his father in 1740),
plus control of 553 acres in Baltimore County acquired through his
first marriage but given to his son James after the death of first wife (all of this land became part of Harford County in 1774).

Significant changes in land between first election and death::

acquired ca. 80 acres in Harford County, formerly part of his father's estate, by 1783; had accepted bonds for the conveyance of unspecified amounts of land in 1769 and 1775, but the transactions
were not made by the time of his death

Wealth at death.
died: will probated on December 3, 1783, in Harford County.

Personal property
TEV, at least ca. £1,300.0.0 current money (including 13 slaves, 15 oz. plate).

Land. ca. 670 acres in Harford County.

Lusby Joseph, Baltimore Co. 8 Mar, 1764
All slaves to be sold except house wench and her 2 children, and the money put to interest and rents of my land to bring up and educate son.
To son Josiah Lusby, estate.
To sister Milcah Matthews, 30 lbs.
To nephew Anthony Drew, 20 lbs.
To friend William Ringgold, Negroes, Beck, Paul and Dinnah.
Plates that contain the letters "P. K.," to be divided between my 9 nephews and nieces: Joseph and Mary Lusby, son and dau. of Draper Lusby of Kent Co.; Joseph, Sarah and Milcah Lusby, sons and dau. of Jacob Lusby; Aquila, Bennett and Milcah Matthews, sons and dau. of John and Milcah Matthews.
Ex., Wm. Ringgold, to pay off my estate.
Wit: Wm. Greenfield, Wm. Grill, John Reaves. 31. 1085

John Matthews of Baltimore County

On behalf of Maxwell Matthews, his son and minor,

a certain James Maxwell had on 10 November 1695; a tract of land called Major’s Choice, containing 553 acres who gave the same to Azil [Ashael] Maxwell who bequeathed the same to Ann Maxwell, the petitioner’s wife and mother of James Maxwell Matthews which said Ann died intestate and land became right of James Maxwell Matthews, her eldest son and heir.
Granted 18 March 1746.
Maryland LW&P 1748-1749, FHC Film 0013092, page 546, Liber No. 70.

John Matthews
Baltimore County 27 March 1799 obtained a special warrant for parcel of land called Price’s Struggle, originally surveyed for 15 ¾ acres on 24 March 1795, with corrections now 17 ¼ acres. The land now called Matthews Struggle, lying in Baltimore County to tract of land called Mary’s Meadows to land called Shawan Hunting Ground. Granted 1 June 1815 Maryland LW&P 1812-1818, FHC Film 0013134, page 231.