Re: Bridget Hughes/William Matier
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In reply to:
Bridget Hughes/William Matier
12/07/01
Hi Steve, If I have written to you before I'll apologize right now.It's been a long time since I've worked on Matier and I can't remember who I've connected with already.
My Grandfather's name was Hamilton Matier.
He was born in the 1870's (sorry, I don't have the dates in front of me).
His home was Garvahey, County Down, Ireland.
I believe he had relatives in more than this area.
An old diary mentions a cousin in Belfast Town.
Anyway, the story goes that he left for America with his sister Sarah and they (the family) never heard from them ever again.(My dad and I were in Ireland about 16-17 years ago and found my dads real cousins.)
Hamilton landed in New York in 1902.
I believe he had relative/connections there.
He got his naturalization papers in Penn. and may have had relative/connections there also.
I'm not positive, but my latest discovery makes me believe that Sarah (married a Watson who was born in England), and had a daughter named Mariah who was born in Canada.
So...Hamilton ended up in Washington State and I think Sarah did also, at least for some time.
I've found some other Matier's in Washington State near the Oregon boarder/Columbia river area.
The William Matier there is William Knight Matier.
Does that sound familiar?
When I was working on him a good time ago, I believe he was from back East...but I'm sorry I can't remember right now.
My Hamilton married Lucretia/Hattie Metz.
Her grandfather came from Penn. to Illinois to Nebraska to Kansas to Nebraska and back to Illinois (maybe other places too).
Does your family have old family photographs?
My grandmother Lucretia/Hattie had some wonderful photo's (wonderful but few).Photos are sometimes a good way to make connections.
One last thing I'd like to ask.Did any of your Hughes line ever come out West?
The reason I ask is that Lucretia died in 1919 with TB when my dad was only three months old.
He was left with a family in Yakima, Washington and raised for four years.
Their name was Hewes/Hughes.
I've seen it spelled both ways.
O.K. That's it.Hope I hear from you,Cherie