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his death. Judge Mathews, in the beginning of his judicial career, possessed little knowledge of civil law, and no experience in the complicated sys- tem prevailing in the territory, but his decisions did much to form a permanent system of jurispru- dence in Louisiana.

MATHEWS, James McFarlane, clergyman, b. in Salem, N. Y., 1« JIarch, 1785 ; d. in New York city, 28 Jan., 1870. He was graduated at Union college in 1803, and at the theological seminary of the Associate Reformed cliurch in 1807, and was associate professor of biblical literature in Dr. John M. Mason's theo- logical nary in - founding South semi- 1812, the Dutch cliurch in Gar- den street, in which charge he continued till 1840. The I'ugraving rep- ri'souts the old cdihce, built in 1093 and taken

down in 1813.

In 1835 he built the Washington square church, a branch of the South Dutch church. From 1840 until his death he held no pastorate, but was ac- tive in ecclesiastical affairs, devoted much time to the cause of education, and delivered a series of lectures to students. He was a founder of the University of New York, and its first chancellor, holding office in 1831-'9. He organized and pre- sided over the Christian union council, which met in New York in 1870, and his exertions in its be- half hastened his death. He was in ofheial life for more than fifty years, and was a successful teacher and preacher. He received the degree of D. D. from Yale in 1823. Dr. Mathews is the au- thor of " What is Your Life ? " (New York, 1840) ; "The Bible and Men of Learning" (1855); "The Bible and Civil Government " (1858) ; and " Fif- ty Years in New York" (1858). His daughters, Joanna H. and Julia, have written Sunday-school and juvenile books.

MATHEWS, John, jurist, b. in Charleston, S. C, in 1774; d. there, 17 Nov., 1802. He was an active promoter of the Revolution, was the first speaker of the state house of representatives after the dissolution of the royal government in 1776, and the same year became an associate of the supreme court of South Carolina. He served in the Continental congress in 1778-'82, opposed the project of purchasing peace with Great Brit- ain by the sacrifice of the Carolinas and Georgia, and was a member of the committee to confer with the enemy, on that subject. He succeeded Ed- ward Rutledge as governor of South Carolina in 1782, and, with Gen. Nathanael Greene and Gen. Anthony Wayne, followed the retreat of the Brit- ish to their shipping. On the establishment of the court of equity in 1784, he was chosen chan- cellor with John Rutledge and Richard Hudson, serving until his resignation in 1797. His elec- tion to that office is described by a contemporary writer as " a just tribute to exalted worth and disinterested services."

MATHEWS, Vincent, congressman, b. in Or- ange, N. Y., 29 June, 1766; d. in Rochester, N. Y., 23 Aug., 1846. He was educated under Noah Webster, studied law in New York city, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1790, and settled in practice at Elmira, N. Y. He was a member of the state house of representatives in 1793, and of the senate in 1796, was commissioner to settle the bounty land-claims in 1798, and in 1808 was elected to congress as a Federalist, serving from 1809 till 1811. He was state district attorney in 1812-15, removed to Bath and subsequently to Rochester, represented Monroe county in the legislature in 1826, and as chairman of the committee on finance in that body prepared the report in which he op- posed schemes of internal improvement. Mr. Math- ews served as district attorney of Monroe county in 1831-'3. and at the time of his death was senior member of the bar of western New York, and one of its ablest practitioners.

MATHEWS William, author, b. in Waterville, Me., 28 July, 1818. He was graduated at Waterville college (now Colby university) in 1835, and studied law in Waterville and at Harvard. He was ad- mitted to the Kennebec county bar in 1838, but continued his law studies another year. The suc- ceeding year he spent in travel and in teaching in Virginia. He began the practice of law at Water- ville in 1841, and soon afterward he published a literary and family newspaper, " The Watervillo- nian," which after a year was changed to "The Yankee Blade." This paper, which soon engrossed all his time, was removed in 1843 to Gardiner, Me., published there till 1847, and then transferred to Boston, Mass., where it was published till 1856, and then sold and united with " The Portfolio." Dr. Mathews removed to Chicago, HI., in 1856, where he became a regular contributor to the press, and in 1859 was appointed libra- rian of the Young men's association. He resigned this post in 1862, and accept- ed a call to the chair of rhetoric and Eng- lish literature in the University of Chica- go, which he occu- pied till 1875. Hav- ing meanwhile pub-

lished two books,

which had been received with unexpected favor by the public, he resigned his chair in order to devote himself wholly to literature. He removed to Boston, Mass., in 1880, where, except- ing nearly three years of European travel, he has since "lived. In 1868 he received the degree of LL. D. from Colby university. His publica- tions include " Getting on in the World " (Chica- go, 1872 ; reprinted in London, and translated into Swedish and Magyar); "The Great Conversers. and Other Essays" (1873); " Words, their Use and Abuse " (1876 ; enlarged ed., 1884) : " Hours with Men and Books" (1877) ; " Monday-Chats," a trans- lation of selections from the " Causeries du Lundi " of Sainte-Beuve, with an introductory essay on his life and writings (1877) ; " Oratory and Orators " (1879) ; " Literary Style, and Other Essays " (1881) ; " Men, Places, and Tilings " (1887) , " Wit and Hu- mor, their Use and Abuse " (1888) ; and "Nuga^ Lit- terari*. Essays on Social and other Themes " (1896). MATHEWSON, Elisha, senator, b. in Scituate, R. I., 18 April, 1767; d. there, 6 Feb., 1853. His father, Thomas, was one of the first white settlers