Everyone who covers this Matthews family believes that William’s wife was Elizabeth Shorter as there is a St Paul’s Parish marriage record stating that fact and giving a marriage date of 9 Apr 1786.

On the other hand, Mark Kellam, who tracks the Davis family, believes she was Elizabeth Davis. And he has convinced me that is correct.

The most salient point is that the will of James Davis dated 13 April 1813 names his brothers William Davis, John Davis, Benjamin Davis and sister Elizabeth Matthews. And then it is clear that the Davis family and William Matthews family were close in any number of ways — geographically but in other close ways as well.

Capt Thomas Marshall and Ensign William Matthews and 2nd Lt William Davis were all in the same Rev War Militia unit.

In 1789, a series of land deeds were parceling out, apparently, lands patented by William Davis, Edmund Stansbury and Jacob Marshall and one tract went to William Matthews, one to James Davis.

In 1799, Elisha Dorsey sold a small part of Dorseys Plains to William Matthews and a larger part (or the remainder of it) to Benjamin and James Davis.  Benjamin and James were brothers.

In 1850, Belinda Matthews (second wife of William’s son Jarrerd) is living apart from her children by Jarrerd but Rosanna and Jarrett Matthews were living with Miles Davis.

Benjamin D Matthews (was his name Benjamin Davis Matthews?), Jacob Marshall (son of Thomas) and James Davis (son of Benjamin) all found their way to Preble County, OH.

Benjamin Davis and his wife Ann are buried in the same cemetery as William and Elizabeth Matthews as well as Jarrerd & Diana and several of their children.

Elizabeth and William were born, apparently, 1755 and 1756, so a 1786 marriage would be a little late in life and they had in their 1790 household, assuming the tick marks are all children -- three sons and two daughters.

Finally the geography is wrong. The William Matthews and these Davis families and the Thomas Marshall family all lived in the northwest part of Baltimore County, near the PA line. St Paul’s Parish did not serve that area.

My conclusion is that a different William Matthews married Elizabeth Shorter (her name possibly corrupted somewhat in those records). There were, for example, three other William Matthews (all spelled Mathews) in the 1790 Census and geographically moreso in the right place.

Mark believes that those Davis brothers and their sister Elizabeth may have been the children of an older James Davis.

She can be accounted for in her husband’s household in 1790 and 1810, and she is possibly with her son Jarrett in 1820 after her husband dies. She is on her own in 1830. Neighbors then are William Matthews 40-50, Elizabeth and Jacob Hampshire, and Thomas and Isaac Marshall.

Her tombstone is at Gunpowder and says she died 9 Aug 1839, age 81 years. Her name is given there as Betsy.

I do not know whether William was born in America or was the immigrant of this line, nor who William’s father was. There are vague references in Internet trees that he may have been from Scotland, or perhaps England and even that the family originated in Wales.

1790. William lives in Patapsco Lower Hundred, BAL Co. Neighbors include Edward Matthews, his brother and Thomas Marshall.

1800. I believe the 1800 Census for most of BAL Co was lost.

1810. A William Matthews now lives in Mine Run Hundred and another lives in Back River Hundred. Both households have a male and female over 45 which could be William 64 and Betsy Ann 62. Both households also have a male and female of an age that could be Jarrett and his recent bride Diana -- that is if they are not lving on their own. But the William Matthews in Back River Hundred also has a female 0-4 who well could be granddaughter Elizabeth.

If I could find a good map showing how the names of these geographic areas evolved, I could figure this out. My hunch is the Matthews had not moved but boundaries changed around them. By 1820, Jarrerd is found in the 5th Collection District and certain family genealogies say he was living in Middletown, MD (BAL Co). These early family members are buried at Gunpowder Baptist Church -- so all those places define the area.

Edward, son of William, had three sons named Gerard, William and John. This Gerard’s wife was named Sarah. MDLandRec AI 222 151.

LDS Film 13128 p598. 145 acres Matthews Choice. William Davis, Edmund Stansbury and Jacob Marshall assigned this to William Matthews, survey 12 Mar 1789 patented 24 May 1799.

p599. 135 acres Mount Pleasant. William Richardson has surveyed 13 Mar 1787 then assigned to William Matthews on upper fork of Gunpowder Falls patented 24 May 1799.

The Internet Family Tree of William S Pearce documents ”The Matthews Family of Maryland” and says: ”After many years of researching the lives of William and his brother Edward of Northern Baltimore County, I have not been able to locate where these two brothers were born. William first appeared on the scene in Maryland around 1777 being part of the Northern Baltimore County militia under Thomas Marshall. Both brothers married at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore. They lived their entire lives close to each other. Both were listed in the Baltimore County 1783 tax list (living in Fork) and both families were buried at Gunpowder Baptist Cemetery. A 1903 obituary for his grandson stated that William Matthews was of English descent and served in the Continental Army."

I found his tombstone when I was at Gunpowder. Though hard to read, the consensus of those who have seen it, says he died 21 Nov 1819, age 63 years, dates consistent with known facts about William’s life. The find-a-grave listing for William says he was born Aug 1756 -- but there is no indication of the month of birth on his tombstone.

The will of William W Matthews was dated 15 Jun 1816 and proved 1 Dec 1819. It named children: Edward, Gerrard, William, Benjamin and Charlotte. It referred to his wife but not by name. Gerrard was an Executor and inherited “Matthews Choice” and “Ragged Remnant”. The will of Betsy Ann Matthews dated 19 Jun 1838 proved 10 Sep 1839 named sons: William and Gerard and daughter Charlotte McCleary. I take note that Edward and Benjamin were not mentioned (had they died?) and daughter Charlotte had married between the time of her father’s will and her mother’s.