William was born in Castleton, Monmouthshire, Wales in February of 1817. The year 1819 is incorrectly recorded on his gravestone. There is some question about this date as the 1851 Welsh census and the "Queen of the West" passenger list also of 1851, show William as aged 32. However, his marriage record for June 30, 1838 shows him "of full age" giving a birth year of 1817. The 1900 census, enumerated by his son Thomas J., gives a month of February and the year 1817. Other census enumerations do not indicate a consistent birth year. The earliest document which indicates 1817 is his baptismal record.
There are baptismal records from Marshfield Parish, Monmouthshire, 1813-1837,
that list four sons of
Richard and Mary Matthews: Richard bap. 1 May 1814There are also baptismal records from nearby Rumney Parish, 11 January 1829, listing three children for Richard and Mary: Thomas aged 5 (b. 1824) bap. 11 Jan 1829One might believe Thomas b. 1821 died young and the next son b. 1824 was also named Thomas. It appears John and Mary were twins. Further evidence of the family ties are in the 1841 census for William and Catherine. John aged 15 is with the family, most certainly the brother b. 1826. At this time no records for Richard Matthews and Mary Thomas have been found earlier than their 15 May 1813 marriage record in St. Brides, Wentllooge, Monmouth. Richard was from Marshfield and Mary from the parish where they were married. One could assume they were both born about 1790, however their ages given in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses are a bit inconsistent. In 1841 Thomas and Mary are still living with the family. His father's name is given as Richard on his marriage record which should be a match. More research is needed to see if this is really William's family, as the baptismal date is certainly close to his birth date given in the 1900 census. William signed his name on the marriage record with Catherine which indicates he could read and write. His father Richard also signed his name on the marriage record with Mary and this indicates he could read and write as well. Mary signed an X and probably could not read or write. Both Richard and William signed their names with "TT" in MATTHEWS, the earliest record of how the name is spelled. Spellings of the name as MATHEWS are in error for this family. "Topographical Dictionary of England", published in 1842, Samuel Lewis: "CASTLETON - A hamlet, in the parish of MARSHFIELD, union of Newport, upper division of the hundred of WENTLLOOG, county of MONMOUTH, 4 1/2 miles (S. W.) from Newport. Here anciently stood a castle, occupied, if not built, by the Normans, to protect their conquest of Wentlloog, the only remains of which are some small ruins of the citadel, and the chapel, converted into a barn; near the site is a barrow. On the level summit of an adjoining hill is a circular encampment, called Pen-y-Park-Newydd." The same reference mentions St. Bride, Wentlloog: " BRIDE (ST.) WENTLLOGOG, a parish, in the Upper Division of the hundered of WENTLLOOG, county of MONMOUTH, 5 1/4 miles (S.) from Newport, containing 200 inhabitants. The living is a vicarage, with Coedkernew united, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Llandaff, valued in the king's books at £ 4. 18. 1 1/2.; present net income, £ 120; patron and impropriator, Bishop of Llandaff. It is bounded on the east by the river Usk, and on the south by the Bristol Channel, and contains a lighthouse within its limits." William was married on Jun 30, 1838 to Catherine Evans at St Peter's Church, Blaina, Aberystruth, Monmouthshire, and their marriage is recorded in the June quarter of 1838 in the Abergavenny register. He and Catherine moved around during the next decade with five children born in Brecon, Monmouth and Glamorgan. The 1841 census for Monmouth county in Wales has the family in Bedwelty, in a place called Pen Mark. William is a colier, with Catherine, daughter Elizabeth (year n month) and John (15), also a colier, in the household. The 1851 census for Glamorgan county in Wales indicates William was born in Monmouth and shows his occupation as "collier" or coal miner, as does the "Queen of the West" passenger list. Sometime in 1851 the family decided to immigrate to America. They most likely traveled by train to Liverpool, where in September they boarded the sailing ship "Queen of the West" for the six-week voyage. Near the end of the voyage, their young daughter Catherine died. In the United States, the family moved to Northeastern Pennsylvania where six more children were born. Many other Welsh people also settled in the Scranton area because of the coal mining industry, but William must have grown tired of that occupation and became a farmer. He declared his intent on 1 January 1855 and was granted citizenship on 6 September 1864, in Honesdale, Wayne County, Pennsylvania. His naturalization papers say he was a native of Castleton, Monmouthshire County, Wales. In 1860 William was a farmer in Wayne County. The family must have been very poor because the census shows no children living at home, but instead with several other families in the township. By 1870 they had moved to Spring Brook Township, then in Luzerne County, and William was still farming. Now however, the younger children were living at home. William and Catherine were in Olyphant in 1880, living next door to their son John and his family. William was listed as a Methodist priest. He served the churches in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties as a circuit rider and was greatly loved and admired by the Welsh people of the "Valley". He was a Calvinistic Methodist or Welsh Presbyterian minister and would deliver his sermons in the Welsh and English languages. William lived with his son Thomas and family in Spring Brook in 1900, having retired from the ministry. He died on 11 February 1901 in Spring Brook Township, and is buried in Springbrook Cemetery, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. |
