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I am posting the notes I have for Alexander Hunter Sr. as they have reference to a Philip Matthews, not Thomas (at least in scanning that is what I saw). You can use your finder to search the notes for Matthews references. The Hunters in this family came from Belfast, Ireland, although I believe they were originally from Scotland and used Ireland for a jumping off place. I have not been able to find any records for them in either Ireland or Scotland. You could check records in PA where Alexander lived before coming to VA. Also his brother, John Hunter, came on down to VA before Alexander and was in Albemarle Co. Might be Matthews there.
Barbara
NOTES FOR ALEXANDER HUNTER:
UPPER MOUNT BETHEL TOWNSHIP (Settled 1730, Erected 1787 from Mount Bethel Twp.) Known as Hunter Settlement.
THE SLATE BELT MUSEUM
a repository for the artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to the history and culture of the Slate Belt area
THE HISTORY of SLATE BELT MUSEUM
The country gothic building which houses the Slate Belt Museum and Historical Society was originally the Mount Bethel Presbyterian Church. This church had its beginnings in 1730 when some thirty families of Scotch-Irish birth settled in an area north of the Forks of the Delaware River, now Upper and Lower Mount Bethel and Washington Townships, particularly the villages of Martins Creek, Richmond and Mount Bethel. Alexander Hunter, an early leader, gave his name to this community. Hunter Settlement was part of the land still in Lenni Lenape Indian territory and these pioneers were actually squatters in a hostile land.
In 1737 the infamous Walking Purchase secured all of this land for the settlers, although Indians remained in the area for a few years thereafter. This explains why the missionary David Brainerd arrived at the Forks of the Delaware on December 9, 1744, to tend to the spiritual needs of the Indians as well as to any Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in the area.
Although Presbyterian Church records prior to 1738 do not so indicate, it must be assumed that these people--stern and with rigid beliefs--had some form of church before this time. Settling in the wilderness was a hazardous business, and it probably took the Hunter Settlement until 1738 to organize sufficiently to call for a pastor to serve their young church. It is believed that they worshipped in a small building, most likely log, which stood in the old Presbyterian burying ground at Martins Creek.
This is just across the Delaware River from present Warren Co., NJ. The settlement was made at three sites: Richmond, Martin’s Creek and Williamsburg.
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Community Presbyterian Church
of Mount Bethel and Portland
404 Pennsylvania Ave - Box 488
Portland, PA 18351
717/897-6766
Members of this congregation are spiritual descendants of thirty Scotch-Irish families that settled in the area north of Easton in 1730. Such settlement occurred in Lower and Upper Mount Bethel and Washington Townships in towns and villages now known as Martin's Creek, Richmond and Mount Bethel in Northampton County.
A Presbyterian congregation was organized at Martin's Creek as early as 1738, and became the "grandmother" congregation of the present Community Presbyterian Church. David Brainerd was active in the evangelization of Native Americans in the area as early as 1744, and had an influence on area Presbyterians.
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Nazareth Township
1790 Census
Northampton County PA
John Hunter 3 males over 16 3 males under 16 4 females
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ALEXANDER HUNTER appears to be the Alexander Hunter who was a Scotch-Irish leader at the Delaware Forks. A diary of an itinerant preacher who stayed at his home wrote: “Mr. Alexander Hunter was a native of the north of Ireland, a sound Presbyterian. He settled at Upper Mount Bethel in October, 1730. Being an educated man, he was made one of the first magistrates of the county in 1747 or 1748. He was a man of large influence in his day.” This area was in Northumberland, PA at that time and was claimed by both Pennsylvania and Connecticut. It was within the “Walking Purchase.”
In 1754 Alexander Hunter took up a 291 acre grant bordering on David’s Creek and lying in Albemarle County, VA. In 1761 this part of Albemarle was placed in the newly created county of Buckingham. On 11 February 1761, “Alexander Hunter of Bedford County,” and “his wife Elizabeth” sold this property to Robert Rutledge. He sold three other parcels of land in Albemarle County within the year. Bedford County had been created in 1754. Alexander purchased land in that county on both sides of Wreck Island Creek. Today the land is on the upper part of Appomattox County near the James River and only a few miles from David’s Creek running along the Appomattox-Buckingham boundary.
In 1760 Alexander sold to John Hunter, probably his son this time, 330 acres of his Wreck Island Creek land. Alexander sold 239 acres on the south branch of Wreck Island Creek to another son, James, and it was mentioned that the land was next to John Carson. This was a neighbor who was appointed in Northampton County, PA, to help Alexander take care of a lawsuit. This neighborhood connection between PA and VA is evidence that Alexander Hunter was the Alexander Scotch-Irish leader at the Delaware Forks.
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VA Patent Book 34. ALEXANDER HUNTER, 334 acs. Albemarle Co. on the Brs. of Wolf Cr. of Appomattox Riv. and on both sides of Davids Road, adj. John Paterson; 10 Aug 1759, p. 380. £1.S15.
ALEXANDER HUNTER, 275 acs. Albemarle Co. on the Heads of the Brs of Davids Cr. of the Fluvanna, crossing Bairds Road; adj. his own old Line, Philip Mayo & John Patterson; 10 Aug 1759, p. 380. £1.S10.
ALEXANDER HUNTER, 200 acs. Albemarle Co. on the Brs. of Wolf Cr. of Appamattox Riv., adj. John Patterson & Philip Matthews; 10 Aug 1759, p. 381. £1.
ALEXANDER HUNTER, 140 acs. Albemarle Co., on the branches of Bridle Creek of the Fluvanna. 15 July 1760, p. 634.
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Albemarle Co. Deed Records. 11 Feb 1761. ALEX HUNTER, Bedford, to RO. Rutledge, Prince Edward Co., for £15, 275 acres David Creek adj. Philip Mayo, Jno. Patteson. ELIZ., wife of ALEX. HUNTER.
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Albemarle Co. Deed Records. 28 Feb 1761. ALEX. HUNTER, Bedford, and wife ELIZ., to ALEX. DAVIDSON, for £20, 344 acres Wolf Creek of Appomattox and both sides Beard’s Road, adj. John Patteson. Wit: Jas. Lax, Sebree(?) Lax, Jas. Vest.
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Albemarle Co. Deed Records. 12 Mar 1761. ALEX. HUNTER as above and wife to Jas. Vest for £9, 140 acres Bridle Creek adj. Philip Mayo; Phelps(?).
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Albemarle Co. Deed Records. 28 Feb 1761. ALEX. HUNTER & wife, as above, to Nicholas Hays, Bedford, for £10, 200 acres on Wolf Creek adj. John Patteson, Philip Matthews. Wit: Alex. Jameson, James Vest, James Lax.
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Alexander died at his old home place in Bedford Co., VA between 25 Dec 1767 when his will was written, and 22 March 1768 the date of its probate in the Bedford Co. Court. The will mentioned his children: James, Samuel, Alexander, John, Ally Hunter Hays, Alice Hunter Wilson and Elizabeth. There is a copy of the will...and the signers were Alexander Steel, Mary (her mark) Hunter and Cessly (his mark) Walker. There are two old cemeteries in this area...grown up with underbrush...it is believed that Alexander Hunter is buried in one of these places on his old property.
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The Bedford County grantor/grantee index I have the following:
DB 1, pg 93 1756, Alexander Hunter (grantee) and W Still et aux 1060
Acres on Wreck Island Cr
DB1, pg 267-1760 John Hunter (grantee) and Paul Still 400 acres on
Falling R, 270 a on Headwaters of Falling River.
Db 1, pg 279-1760 John Hunter (grantee) and Alex'r Hunter 330 acres
on upper fork of Wreck Cr
Db 1, pg 494-1761 James Hunter (grantee) and Alex'r Hunter 239 acres
on s branch of Wreck Cr adj John Carson
Db 2, pg 207-1763 James Hunter (grantee) and Alexander Hunter
350acres on branches of Wreck Island Cr and s side of Fluvanna River
Db 3, pg 124- Elizabeth, Edward Hunter et al (grantor) to Alex'r
Hunter 375 acres on both sides of Wreck Is Cr adj John Carson
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