Thomas Mathews (1742–February 20, 1812) was an American Revolutionary War general and Virginia lawyer and politician. For almost two decades (with minor interruptions), Mathews represented variously Norfolk Borough and Norfolk County in the Virginia House of Delegates, and served as that body's Speaker from 1782 until 1793.^[1][2] He also represented Norfolk at the Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788.

Quick Facts 7th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Preceded by ...

Thomas Mathews
7th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
In office 1782–1793
Preceded by	Joseph Prentis
Succeeded by	John Wise
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates for Norfolk County
In office December 2, 1799 – November 30, 1800 Serving with Robert Butt
Preceded by	James S. Mathews
Succeeded by	James Callis
In office December 4, 1797 – December 2, 1798 Serving with Robert Shelton
Preceded by	Thomas Newton Jr.
Succeeded by	James S. Mathews
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates for Norfolk Borough
In office May 3, 1784 – November 10, 1794
Succeeded by	Thomas Newton
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates for Norfolk County
In office May 7, 1781 – May 4, 1783 Serving with Thomas Newton Jr.
Preceded by	James Taylor
Succeeded by	John Kearns
Personal details
Born	c. 1742 Saint Kitts, West Indies
Died	1812 Near Norfolk, Virginia
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Virginia provincial militia
Years of service	1776-1783
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War  • Battle of Great Bridge  • Battle of Yorktown

Close

Thomas Mathews was born c. 1742 on Saint Kitts, an island of the West Indies. His father was Samuel Mathews. Mathews emigrated to Virginia in 1764.

In 1773 he married Molly Miller, daughter of Captain Matthias and Ann (Eady) Miller of Norfolk County.^[3]

In 1775 Mathews became Lieutenant of the Norfolk County militia, then accepted a commission as captain in 1776 and command of Fort Nelson, which protected Portsmouth, Virginia and the nearby Gosport naval yard, which was very important following the departure of Lord Dunmore from the capital at Williamsburg to British ships in the Hampton Roads area of Chesapeake Bay.

In 1777, Mathews was assigned to the artillery regiment of Col. Thomas Marshall, with the rank of major. He was in command when British General Edward Mathew landed at Port Norfolk in 1779. He received a promotion to lieutenant colonel on November 8, 1779, and another to brigadier general before the Battle of Yorktown. Mathews later became an active member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Norfolk County voters first elected Mathews as one of their representatives to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1781, and re-elected him and his fellow delegate Thomas Newton once, before Mathews' first brief gap in his part-time legislative service, in 1783. Beginning in May 1784, Mathews represented Norfolk Borough for several years, before reverting again to Norfolk County in 1797.^[4] Fellow members elected him Speaker.^[5] Mathews became the first speaker in the present Capitol building in Richmond, remaining as such through the 1793 legislation.

An eminent member of the Norfolk Bar, Mathews also represented Norfolk at the Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788, which ratified the federal Constitution.^[6]

A candidate for the governor of Virginia, Mathews withdrew his nomination.^[2] He was a mason, and in 1790 was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. He served as grand master until 1793, at which point the office was passed to John Marshall.^[2]

Mathews died in Norfolk borough on February 20, 1812 and was buried at St. Paul's Churchyard. A portrait of him by Mrs. William Hodges Mann Jr. hands in the courthouse in Mathews.^[3]

During his lifetime Mathews County, Virginia was named to honor him.^[2] He has been connected to the Mathews family of Virginia by some historians,^[2][7] though the connection has not been made by others.^[8][9]

• Saul Matthews