Excerpt taken from Netherton Beginnings; author, Dorothy Garr Helmer; Edited by Linda Recktenwald, New Albany, Indiana; Revised Edition 2003 (familysearch.org Book section)

MATHES EXCURSUS

"The Mathews (Mathes) Family in America" (1925) - I.C. Van Deventer, Alexander Printing Co., and subsequent additional material published in Tyler's Quarterly, Vol 32, p 47 + give much data regarding the family of Mathews.  Alexander apparently came over from North Ireland, landed in Delaware, and settled in Chester Co., PA.  The family gradually dropped the "w" from the name and it became "Mathes".

Alexander and his wife had come to Augusta Co., VA, by 1737, as did many others from that part of Pennsylvania.  In 1750, Alexander received two land grants in the Northern Neck, - 400 acres on the East side of Flint Run, (N.N. Book G, p321) and 265 acres (Ibid p 405), both later in Shenandoah Co., and now, in Warren Co.  Flint Run flows North into the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, so, they were fairly close neighbors of the Netherton and Kellar families across on the other side of the South Fork.

They had eight children, including James who would become the husband of Sarah Netherton.

James Mathes and four other sons of Alexander were officers in the Revolutionary War.  James served as 1st Lieutenant in the 8th Regiment, Continental Troops, member of General Sullivan's Brigade, and, as attested by his son, Henry, at one time, served in the same service with Col. John Netherton (See Col. John's Pension papers "7-inKY")

James' father, Alexander, died by 1788, when his will dated 1783 was probated.  His will had been witnessed by Abraham Kellar and John Netherton.  James' brother, Benjamin, m 1783, Shen Co., Rachel Kellar, daughter of Abraham Kellar, and sister of Joseph and William Kellar.

After James' father's death, that family of eight children seemed to scatter in time.  Some went to the North Carolina Territories, into that part that later became Tennessee, as did the Nethertons, before many of the Nethertons migrated on to Jefferson Co., KY.  James and Sarah apparently remained in the Shenandoah area until around 1801 after the Nethertons and Kellars and Henry Hardings had probably sent back good reports urging them to come to Kentucky.

James Mathes (spelled with a "w"), while still in Shenandoah Co., had been one of the witnesses to the 14 Dec 1794 sill of Wilmouth Harding in Shennandoah Co.  

The first record found after their arrival in Jefferson Co., KY is on 20 Nov 1803 in the marriage record of their son, Jeremiah Mathes, to Florence Cameron (Jeff. I-46).  In obtaining the license, Jeremiah's father, James, and Henry Netherton (III) witnessed Florence's statement that she was of age, and that her parents were not in Kentucky to give consent, and that she was living in the home of Henry Netherton there, and she was giving her consent to the marriage.

We do not have a record of James' death, nor, as mentioned above, the death date of Sarah.

The children of James and Sarah Mathes were, ----

1.  REBECCA MATHES - b 16 Sep 1766, Frederick Co., VA; d 1840 Harrison Co., IN; m 26 May 1792, Shenandoah Co., VA (Wayland's History of Shen. Co.", p 754, - name mispelled), JOHN SAFFER (1760, VA-1843, IN)

2.  JAMES MATHES, JR. b 6 Jun 1768, Fred. Co., VA; d 9 Jun 1826, Rutherfod Co., TN; m 13 Sep 1796, Shen. Co., VA record, MIRIAM THOMAS, dau. of Lt. William Thomas.  To Jefferson Co., KY; thence to Rutherford Co., TN ca 1819.

3.  HENRY MATHES - b 13 Jan 1772, Shen. Co., VA; m 30 Nov 1798 (Shen. Co. record) ELIZABETH HOWEY (or R ?), daughter of Joseph

4.  SARAH MATHES - b 3 Dec 1775, Shen. Co., VA, PRESLEY JETT, son of Francis Jett, Jr.

5.  JEREMIAH MATHES - b 2 Nov 1777, Shenandoah Co., VA; d 5 Sep 1856, KY? m 21 Nov 1803, Jeff. Co., KY (Jeff. I-46), FLORENCE CAMERON.  Reports list 6 sons and 4 daughters.

Over the years, the name is sometimes spelled Mathis or Mathews or Matthews.

[Added by kathleen4500 on Jan 2, 2015:  Sarah Netherton Mathes was the sister of my family's direct ancestor, Col. John Netherton; and, aunt of Rebecca Netherton Kellar (the Rev. William Kellar).  Benjamin A. Mathes was the brother of James Mathes and the husband of Rachel Kellar, the sister of the Rev. William Kellar.]