Mathews County, Virginia listings in the Chataigne’s Virginia Gazetteer and Classified Business Directory -- 1888-1889
Population 1880: White-5,042, Colored, 2,459; Total, 7,501
County seat, Mathews Courthouse: Population 300
Vote of county November, 1886: Democrats 664; Republicans 449
Value real estate 1886: $600,008.39
Value personal property: $167,229.00
Tax on real estate: $2,400.53
Tax on personal property: $669.94
Capitation Tax: White-1,215; Colored-435
This county was formed 1790 from Gloucester. It is one of the Peninsula counties lying between the Chesapeake Bay on the east and Mob Jack Bay on the west. The Piankitank river is on the northern boundary, thus almost completely surrounding it by water. The East river which runs through the county about its central part, divides it into two nearly equal parts, and called East and West Mathews. Gloucester County is on the east. The only other adjoining county is Middlesex, which is on the north. A fair crop of corn, and some rye, oats and wheat are grown, but not enough to supply home use. The country is renowned for the superior excellence and great quantity of fish and oysters caught in its estuaries, rivers and creeks. Next to Northampton its fisheries yield larger product and have greater value than any other county in Virginia, and the average value is even greater than Northampton. Mathews Courthouse on a branch of East River, is a town of considerable importance. It has a population of about three hundred, and daily mail communication. There are tri-weekly steamers from Baltimore and Norfolk. West Point in King William County, distant about thirty miles, is nearest railroad station. The timbers are pine, oak, and cypress. The area of the county is but eighty-four square miles, or fifty-three thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine acres, and the land has an average assessed value of $11.12 per acre.
Post Offices
Blake's
Cobb's Creek, P. Hodges
Crickett Hill
Fitchett's, W. E. Fitchett
Gywnn
Hicks' Wharf
Hudgins
Laban, Labin Hudgins
Mathews C.H.
New Point
North
Port Haywood
Williams' Wharf, Benj. Williams
Courts
The Circuit Court of the ninth Circuit meets at Mathews Courthouse on the 15th April and 15th October.
Judge, J. M. Jeffries
Clerk, Sands Smith
The County Court meets at the Courthouse on the 2d Monday in each month.
Judge G. Taylor Garnett
Clerk, Sands Smith
County Officers
Sheriff, R. B. Gayle
Treasurer, Luther B. Hundley [Hunley]
Surveyor, George W. Bohannon
Commissioner of Revenue, Thomas S. Borum
Commonwealth's Attorney, G. Hundley [George Hunley]
Overseers of the Poor
John W. Diggs, Chesapeake District; Joseph Davis, Westville District; Carter B. Hudgins, Piankitank District, J. H. White, Superintendent of the Poor.
Justices of the Peace
William H. Hudgins, Lemuel James, A. J. Miller, J. W. Minter, Thomas H. Williams, J. C. Apperson, L. C. Thomas, R. H., Respass.
Constables
John R. Foster, James H. Dutton
Supervisors
James B. Thurston, Andrew Borum, William N. Trader
Attorneys at Law
Christian, Thomas J., Mathews C.H.
Dixon, J. W., Hudgins
Donovan, John B., Mathews C.H.
Foster, D. H., Hicks' Wharf
Garnett, G. T., Mathews C.H.
Garnett, T. J., Williams' Wharf
Hunley, George Y., Mathews C.H.
Coach and Wagonmakers
Diggs, Cornelius, Port Haywood
Douglass, A. T., Williams' Wharf
Douglas, R. T., Fitchett's
Hudgins & Dickson, Mathews C.H.
Foster, John E., Hick's Wharf
Richardson, John R., Mathews C.H.
Thomas, E. T., Laban
Dentists
Cheatham, W. M., Fitchett's
Lane, T. B., Port Haywood
Druggists
Davis, C. C., Mathews C.H.
Hudgins & Son, Hudgins
White, A. & Co., Laban
General Merchants
Armistead, Williams Wharf
Armistead & Sons, Mathews C.H.
Blake, R. H., Cobb's Creek
Brooks, A. S., & Co., Port Haywood
Burroughs & Hudgins, Williams Wharf
Daley, G., Hick's Wharf
Davis, A. J., Laban
Davis, C. C., Mathews C.H.
Davis, G., Laban
Diggs, C., Laban
Diggs, George J. & Co., Port Haywood
Fitchett, W. E., Fitchett
Haynes, F. R., Cobb's Creek
Hodges, P. & Bro., Cobb's Creek
Howlett, R. B., Cobb's Creek
Hudgins, A. T. & Co., Port Haywood
Hudgins, John E. & Son, New Point
Hudgins, Marchant & Co., Port Haywood
Hudgins, C. F., Williams Wharf
Hudgins, S., Port Haywood
Hudgins, T. D., Williams' Wharf
Hudgins, T. J. & Sons, Hudgins
Hudgins, Walter G., Gwynn
Hudgins, W. B., Hick's Wharf
Landon, R. F. & Marchant, Cobb's Creek
Marchant, Andrew, Mathews C.H.
Marchant, R. W. & Co., Mathews C.H.
Marchant, & Bro., Williams' Wharf
Mathews, M. B., Cobb's Creek
Miller, S. N., Hicks' Wharf
Powell, Lewis N., Gwynn
Respass & Co., Gwynn
Ripley, J. R. & Co., Port Haywood
Sears, Williams' Wharf
Sears & Williams, Mathews C.H.
Sleet, George E. & Co., Mathews C.H.
Stoakes & Bro., Fitchett's
White, J. B., Williams' Wharf
White, John D., Hick's Wharf
Williams, B. & Co., Williams's Wharf
Williams, W. L. & Co., Port Haywood
Hotels
Davis, C. C., Mrs., Mathews C.H.
Ripley, J. R., New Point
Sleet, George E., Mathews C.H.
Land Agents
Donovan, J. B., Williams' Wharf
Hunley, George, Mathews C.H.
Mills--Corn and Flour
Brooks, A. S., New Point
Burk, John J., Mathews C.H.
Garnett, G. T., Mathews C.H.
Hudgins, L. W., Mathews C.H.
Smith, Peter W., New Point
Trader, J., Fitchett's
Ward, J. D., Williams' Wharf
White, John, Williams' Wharf
Mills--Saw
Douns, John W., Mrs., Hicks' Wharf
Howlett, Robert, Mathews C.H.
Hudgins, L. W., Mathews C.H.
Miller, Seth F., Hicks' Wharf
Tinsley & Hudgins, New Point
Physicians
Billups, Thomas G., Hicks' Wharf
Bohannon, John G., Mathews C.H.
French, William, Mathews C.H.
Hunley, L. B., Mathews C.H.
Lane, T. B., Williams' Wharf
Montague, L. B., Hudgins
Sears, John H., Mathews C.H.
Saddle and Harnessmakers
Dutton, B. B., Hicks' Wharf
White & Bro., Mathews C.H.
Saloons
Lilly, R. S., Fitchett's
Schools
Sadler, Mary, Gwynn
Stoakes, Clara, Fitchett's
Tabb, M.H., Mrs., Port Haywood
Weston, T. R., New Point
Williams, T. H., Fitchett's
There are 21 white and 11 colored public schools in this county. Superintendent Thomas B. Lane, Port Haywood.
Undertakers
Diggs, Cornelius, Williams' Wharf
Hudgins & Dixon, Hudgins
Forest, R. H., Hick's Wharf
Minter, Winchester, Hicks' Wharf
Richardson, John W., Mathews C.H.
Thomas, Richard, Williams' Wharf
Principal Farmers
Cobbs' Creek--J. H. Sales, J. W. Lewis, P. T. Moran, John W. Howlett, R. F. Landon, George Chisley, John Chisley, J. D. Mathews, H. L. Mathews, C. C. Sales, G. G. Bassett, Jas. Moore, R. H. Callis, W. A. Hatch, John Sommers, C. C. Simmonds, R. H. Haynes
Fitchett's--W. R. Stoakes, W. L. Diggs, Mills Story, J. J. Callis, J. F. Billups, G. A. Lilly, R. G. W. Lilly, J. A. Fleet, Luther Smith
Gwynn, R. E. Edwards, John Carney, R. E. Godsey, John C. Godsey, L. N. Powell, Branders Rowe.
Hicks' Wharf, James B. White, Jos. Hodby, James Gwyne, Thomas B. Diggs, Robert Gayle, Wm. A. Ransom, Robert L. Sibley, Charles A. Raymond, Booker M. Miller, Wm. A. Miller, Dr. Thomas G. Phillips, Seth F. Miller, Chas. A. Milelr, William Macham, Mackenney Macham, William B. Aldridge, D. H. Foster, Joseph Foster, John W. Minter
Hudgins'--T. Leigh, Jas. Peters, Z. H. Postals, W. H. Garrett, L. B. Davis, W. Lane, W. H. Winder.
Laban--John W. Diggs, Jefferson Brownley, G. N. Diggs, James Owens, Spencer Diggs, Wm. Owens, George W. Hurst, Elkannah Diggs, Augustine Hudgins, Thomas Diggs, Argyle Hudgins, George Brooks, Albert Diggs, William Diggs, Anthony Hudgins, Claude Richardson, Bailey Diggs, Isaac Foster, John W. Hudgins, Daniel Diggs, Hazel Hudgins, Wm. Diggs.
Mathews C.H.--R. T. Sears, John J. Burk, William Lane, G. T. Garnett, Oscar Hudgins, William L. Diggs, James Vradenburg, H. G. Guion, T. J. Hudgins, R. B. Collins, Chas. Davis, Jno. H. Sears, A. C. Wolf, Robt. Kidd, J. T. Hall, Norman Guion
New Point--Samuel D. Hudgins, Thomas J. Hudgins, Geo. W. Hudgins, Wm. Hudson, Shadrack A. Hudgins, Geo. L. Hudgins, Geo. W. Burroughs, John H. Armistead, John T. White, Geo. T. Borum, Wm. G. Borum, C. Borum, Peter W. Smith, E. L. Hudgins, John B. Hudgins, Wm. C. Borum
Port Haywood--Alex Smith, Andrew Borum, Mrs. Thomas Smith, T. R. Ransone, S. M. Foster, Seth Foster, John Foster, Winslow Foster, W. L. Ransone, W. H. Tatterson, John H. Owens, T. L. Borum, Coley Borum, W. H. Gale, Arthur L. Weston
William's Wharf--Thomas Williams, I. D. Ward, H. H. Foster, Thos. Hughes, Robert Hall, Absalom Sadler, G. T. Garnett, Joe Diggs, Walter Diggs, William K. Minter, Brook Ruff, Robert Ruff, James Williams, Joe White, Josiah Williams, Pierson Davis, Seth Richardson.