The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-04-14
THE VAN MATREs.
Pioneer Families Of Mason
County Their Ancestors and
Descendants.
ny ylFUIL 4. trWM,


careih little whittier he soeth"
America was colonilpd by three
distinct eleponts differing materi.
ally, in their social, religion, aud
political views. These we're the
Cavaliers from the south Of Eng.
land, who came to Virginia, tho
Pertains from the north of Eng.
land, who came TO New England,
and the Knickc;bockef families
FROM Holland, who became The first
settlers Of New York. These latter
were the builders of old Fort Or.
ango (now Albany the first set.
tiers at Kinder Hook (Children's
PoinO and throughout the Valley
Of the Hudson. The colony was
founded by the Dutch East India
Company, whose after mismanage.
mont Of its colonial aiiairs, nude
its conquest by the English in
1864 an easy task. Theseola Dutch
families declared that The East In.
!
dis Company was no longer worth
fighting for and they quietly sub.
mitted to British supremacy
Among them we're che Won vech.
ems, the Won Twoelors, the Won
Burons ancestors Of the eighth
President of The United States the
Won Rcnsaleurs tho Won Malres
and many others to whose names
was prelixed "yon,p which then as
nov was a Dutch title Of nobility,
IL is now spelled Van throughout
tue United States. "NIatre9 signi.
Res a measure and was most prob
ably Incorporated into the Dutch
language at the time Of the Nor.
English supremacy in Hol
land, its Specification being the
same as thatof the French meter"
The name "yon Matrc'' was a title
Of limited nobility-that is those
bearing it held limitedostates from
the crown.
The Van Matres, like many 9th.
ers who frat found homes in bleak
New England, later removed to a
SUMMER land. The first one to
move was John The definite auces.
tor Of the Van Matres OF Mason. -
Ho was an Indian trader aud as
such became we'll acquainted with
the country TO the South, and was
The first white man of whom there
is any record, that traversed the
Valley of Virginia. He was we'll
acquainted with the Delaware In.
dams aud at one time engaged with
them in q war with their southern
enemies the Catawbas. In a bat.
tie fought near the spot on which
Pendleton Court House, West Viz.
ginia, now stands, the Delawares
wete defeated and forced to retreat.
(See hercheyals "IlistOry of the
Shenandoah Valley p. 46).
When Van Malre returned to
New York, he advised bis sons,
that il ever they removed to yir-
GINA, by all means to secure a part
OF the South Branch Valley, which
he described as being the best land
which he had ever seen in all his
travels. Acting upon this advice,
John, Jr. and Isaac Van Matro,
came to Virginia and received n
putens from Governor Gooch for
10000 acres Of land, which they 10.
Gated in 1880. This was the first
land located pithia n. present hints
Of Vast Virginia 1t was three
years earlier than tho Slower Pat.
ent, three years before John Lewis
located his lands, and six years car.
lier than Burdens Grant (see
Virginia Land Office Records.
The Van Matres sold u part Of their
lands to JCist Hite, Of Pennsylva.
MIA, and upon II in 1892, he found.
cd the fret settlement in the shOu.
audoah Valley. (seo Eorcbeyal,
Up, 42), In 1874 Jacob Van Ma!rc
and brothers came to the South
Branch (Wuppatonica of the In.
dians) and two years later Isaac
the son Of John tho Indian trador,
reached the same Valley and rear,
cd his cabin on a ''Tomahswk In
proyoment," near the present site
LOT sold Fields" Hardy county
! Wtst Virginia. Here, about the