David Mathews was accused of supporting a plan led by Thomas Hickey to kill the Revolutionary General George Washington.
20 Facts About David Mathews
1.
2.
David Mathews resettled in Nova Scotia after the war, and became a leading political figure in the Cape Breton colony that was created in 1786.
3.
David Mathews earned a Master of Arts degree from the College of New Jersey in 1754.
4.
David Mathews was admitted to practice law in Orange County, New York in 1760, and was the County Clerk of Orange County from 1762 through 1778.
5.
David Mathews and William Tryon, the governor of the Province of New York, were accused of being involved, as was a member of Washington's Life Guard, Thomas Hickey, who would eventually be executed for his role.
6.
David Mathews later took advantage of a greater level of freedom from a minor parole to meet with other Loyalists, including Joel Stone, who helped David Mathews escape.
7.
David Mathews is well made, about 6 feet high, short brown hair, about 39 years old, and has a very plausible way of deceiving people.
8.
David Mathews is on record as a visitor to colonial prisoners and in fact helped to produce affidavits denying allegations of abuse and neglect from half a dozen British officials swearing that American prisoners were fed and comfortable.
9.
David Mathews' character was considered questionable not just by Patriots but by fellow Loyalists as well.
10.
David Mathews had a difficult relationship with both DesBarres and his successor, William Macarmick, who eventually left the colony in 1795, leaving Mathews, as senior counselor, as interim administrator of the colony.
11.
David Mathews then packed its government with friends and business associates.
12.
David Mathews made common cause with the Duke of Kent, who had a personal dislike of Murray, and engineered Murray's replacement.
13.
David Mathews died on July 28,1800, and was buried in Sydney.
14.
Some of David Mathews' offspring remained in Canada, such as his eldest daughter Catalina, who married a lieutenant in the 35th Regiment of Foot and subsequently moved to Rye, East Sussex England, where she bore children.
15.
Catalina David Mathews' descendants include solicitor and editor Horace Pym and British historian Keith Kissack and can be found in England, Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.
16.
Descendants of David Mathews have served in both Canadian and United States politics and government in both local and national capacities.
17.
David Mathews was released upon "taking the oath" to the patriot effort.
18.
Cornplanter, a first cousin once removed of David Mathews and a Seneca chief, was a collaborator with the British against the colonists.
19.
The David Mathews estate was located at what is Petersfield Provincial Park in Westmount, Nova Scotia.
20.
David Mathews was known as a thief, an embezzler, and a spendthrift.