Matthew Gordon: A Wrong Turn Opened a Door to History

When I first began exploring my husband’s ancestry in 2001, I was given the names Matthew and Elizabeth Gordon as the parents of his 2nd great‑grandmother, Jane Gordon. I took their names at face value, included them in my notes, but never took the time to research them until December 2025. I spent several days tracing Matthew’s life, convinced I had found the right man. His will, written in 1807, named wife Elizabeth and daughter Jane—already married by that time—and I didn’t stop to question the timeline. Only after completing the research did I realize my mistake: Jane, my husband’s direct ancestor, was born in 1808 according to her tombstone. She couldn’t possibly be the same Jane mentioned in Matthew’s will. Though I’ve been researching family history for 25 years, this misstep helped me sort out the Gordon families in the surrounding area.

While Matthew turned out not to be Jane’s father, the time I spent tracing his life was not wasted. His will and land records were very interesting and helped me understand the early Gordon presence in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. They showed how families settled, improved, and passed property in the first decades after the county’s creation. What I learned about Matthew leaves me with a brick wall, but the information may prove useful if a connection turns up later. That’s the nature of family history—sometimes the wrong turn still points you toward the bigger picture. 

Matthew Gordon married a woman named Elizabeth. Nothing is yet known about Matthew’s parents, and beyond Elizabeth’s first name I have found no further details about her. His 1807 will, however, provides a fuller picture of the family, naming 11 children: Jane, Rebeckah, William, Agnes, Elizabeth, Alexander, Samuel, Matthew Jr., James, John, and Mary. Of these, I have birth dates only for Jane (November 1808) and Matthew Jr. (1809), so the list does not reflect their true order of birth. The census records support this picture: in 1790 his household included 10 members, in 1800 it grew to 12, and by 1810 it had returned to 10, consistent with children marrying or moving out.

Matthew’s first connection to land in Westmoreland County dates to 1773, when local justices certified that he had begun improving a tract along Turtle Creek. The application described 300 acres adjoining the lands of Robert Hays and William Elwood, with his claim recognized as beginning in March of that year. In frontier terms, “improvement” meant clearing ground, planting crops, or building a cabin—tangible signs that Matthew was establishing a permanent presence. This early activity gave him priority when he later applied for a warrant, ensuring that his right to the tract would be formally acknowledged by the Commonwealth.

Matthew’s land application

On November 8, 1784, the Commonwealth issued a warrant for Matthew’s 300 acres along Turtle Creek, formally recognizing the land he had first improved in 1773. Such warrants were available to any adult settler who applied through Pennsylvania’s land office and paid the required fees. They were only granted after the Commonwealth had purchased land from Native nations through formal treaties, meaning Matthew’s claim rested on territory that had recently shifted from Indigenous custodianship to state authority. Unlike Revolutionary War veterans who received bounty warrants as a reward for their service, Matthew’s claim was a civilian purchase. His warrant shows how ordinary settlers also secured land in the new republic once territory had been opened by treaty, situating him among Pennsylvania’s earliest landholders even without military service.

Land warrant granted 1784

County histories later remembered Matthew as one of the earliest settlers of Franklin Township. Alongside neighbors such as William Meanor, Robert Hays, Michael Rugh, Finley, Stitt, and John Hill, Matthew was listed among the pioneers who transformed the wilderness into farmland before and during the Revolutionary era. Their settlement along Turtle Creek placed them near contested boundaries with Native nations, where raids and captures were a constant threat. Families like the Rughs endured years of captivity in Canada after being taken by Native raiding parties, while Robert Hays and his son were also seized and held for three years. Even those who returned often faced loss, as Hays himself was later killed defending his home.

Like his neighbors, Matthew’s household would have lived in a simple log dwelling, with floors made from thick slabs of split logs laid flat, a wooden chimney plastered to guard against sparks, and rough furniture made from local timber. These homes were the hallmark of Franklin Township’s earliest settlers, reflecting both the resourcefulness and the precariousness of frontier life. Together, these details highlight the dangers and difficulties Matthew and his neighbors confronted in establishing the community.

The 1788 Pennsylvania Tax and Exoneration List confirms Matthew’s 300‑acre tract, granted by warrant in 1784, with a valuation of 37 pounds 10 shillings. Given that his farm was still in its early stages of development, no livestock were recorded under his name.

1788 Pennsylvania Tax and Exoneration List

A 1789 Tax and Exoneration List from Franklin Township recorded Matthew owning 200 acres of land. He had two horses and two cows, all valued at 35 pounds sterling. Matthew paid 1 shilling and 10 pence in taxes that year.

1789 Pennsylvania Tax and Exoneration List

1789 tax records

These tax records not only confirm Matthew’s holdings but also place him within a wider Gordon presence in Franklin Township. Deeds from the 1780s onward show Archibald Gordon and other Gordons on adjoining tracts, suggesting close kinship and a family cluster that helped shape the early Turtle Creek community.

Matthew lived in Franklin Township in 1790. His household consisted of 10 members, including one free white male (age 16 and over), 4 free white males (under 16), and 5 free white females (regardless of age). This census record shows that, assuming one of the females was Matthew’s wife, he had eight children.

1790 Franklin Township census

By 1795, Archibald Gordon was farming and selling a 215‑acre tract along Turtle Creek. His deed to Robert and William Duff confirms he had an established improvement there, placing him side‑by‑side with Matthew’s holdings and underscoring the Gordons as a family cluster in Franklin Township.

In the Federal Direct Tax of 1798 (part of the nationwide “House Tax”), Matthew was recorded in Franklin Township, with a dwelling house valued at $16 and a tract of 430 acres assessed at $1,935.

1798 Pennsylvania Direct Tax List

The 1800 federal census recorded Matthew’s household with 12 members: two boys under 10, two boys between 10 and 15, and two young men aged 16 to 25, alongside Matthew himself, listed in the category of males 45 and over. The female side of the household included one girl under 10, one between 10 and 15, two young women aged 16 to 25, and Matthew’s wife, also recorded in the category of females 45 and over. Altogether, six of the household members were under 16, while two were over 25 leading me to believe both minor and grown children lived in the household.

On April 25, 1800, Matthew sold a parcel of land adjoining his farm to neighbor William Gillespie, receiving a bay mare in payment. Witness William Christy recorded the agreement, and Gillespie took possession of the tract immediately.

On September 18, 1807, Matthew, aware of his failing health, carefully arranged for the care of his wife Elizabeth and their children by writing his Last Will and Testament. He directed that Elizabeth remain in the family home and keep her bed, household furniture, a cow, and a bay mare, with son Matthew to look after the animals. His son John was given 100 acres, though he was asked to pay £30 to his brother James as James’ portion. The rest of the farm was to be divided between sons Matthew and Samuel once Samuel came of age, with the land supporting Elizabeth and the younger children until then. Son Alexander was to be apprenticed to a trade when he turned 14. His daughters each received monetary portions: Mary £25 (having already received £5 at marriage), Jane £10 (having already received £20 at marriage), Rebeckah £30, Elizabeth £30, and Agnes £30. Sons William and Alexander were also promised £30 each, to be paid in installments by Matthew and Samuel. To keep peace among the heirs, Matthew arranged that if Matthew and Samuel could not agree on dividing the land, trusted neighbors would step in to settle it. He gave his large family Bible to son Matthew, the rest of the books to Elizabeth, and named his son Matthew and neighbor Michael Rugh as executors of the will. Witnesses Andrew Hindman and John Hamilton signed the document, which was proved on September 30, 1807.

Matthew’s last will and testament

In the 1810 federal census, Matthew was still living in Franklin Township. His household included 1 adult male over 16 (Matthew himself), 4 younger males, and 5 females of varying ages, for a total of 10 people. 

Matthew’s exact death date is not recorded, but the surviving documents help me narrow it down. He wrote his will on September 18, 1807, and was still alive at the time of the 1810 federal census. By February 1, 1812, however, the Westmoreland County court had issued letters of administration for his estate, confirming that he had died by then. Most likely, Matthew passed away sometime between August 1810 and January 1812. Although he left a detailed will, the court appointed William Christy as administrator, backed by a $2,000 bond with Andrew Hindman as surety, to ensure the estate was properly managed. This step suggests that the executors named in the will were unable or unwilling to serve, and the court required formal administration to settle debts and distribute property. The large bond amount reflects the value of Matthew’s holdings.

Letters of administration

In May 1813, the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas reviewed Matthew’s earlier land sale to William Gillespie. William Christy appeared in court to testify that he had witnessed Matthew sign the 1800 agreement, and that Gillespie had occupied the parcel ever since. The court accepted Christy’s testimony and validated the contract, ensuring Gillespie’s title was secure.

On March 19, 1817, the state issued a patent to his son Samuel Gordon for the 430 acres surveyed under Matthew’s warrant, confirming that Matthew’s purchase had matured into a permanent land. In March 1852, James Christy and his wife Polly sold a 39‑acre parcel in Franklin Township to William G. Elwood. The deed traced the land back to Matthew’s 1784 warrant and the 1817 patent to Samuel Gordon, showing how portions of the tract were gradually subdivided and conveyed into the wider community.

On April 6, 1824, Samuel Gordon conveyed part of the land to his brother John. Twelve years later, on April 1, 1836, John and his wife Eleanor sold 181 acres to John Rubright, marking the first time property tied to Matthew’s warrant moved outside the family.

With the March 19, 1817 patent issued to his son Samuel for the 430 acres surveyed under Matthew’s warrant, Matthew’s original claim was secured as a permanent land title, ensuring that his name remained among Pennsylvania’s earliest landholders and that his purchase continued to shape the Gordon family’s legacy.

There is much more to learn about Matthew and his family, but thanks to his will I have a clearer picture of his household. Even if he is not Jane’s father, his records anchor the Gordon presence in Westmoreland County and may yet connect to our line in ways still to be discovered. To any researcher who can use this information—you’re welcome.

References

• Deed Book: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Books 1812–1813, image 233, FamilySearch.
• Deed Book: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Books 1815–1816, image 104, FamilySearch.
• Deed Book: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Books 1799–1803, image 339, FamilySearch.
• Mathew Gordon, Pennsylvania, U.S., Septennial Census, 1779–1863.
• Matthew Gorden, Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768–1801.
• Matthew Gordon, Pennsylvania, U.S., Land Warrants and Applications, 1733–1952.
• Matthew Gordon, Pennsylvania, U.S., Tax and Exoneration, 1768–1801.
• Matthew Gordon, Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683–1993.
• Pennsylvania, Tax Records 1798, image 433, FamilySearch.
• U.S. Federal Census, Franklin Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1790, 1810.
• U.S. Federal Census, Washington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1800.
• Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Warrants 1957, image 1304, FamilySearch.
• Will books; will indexes: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Will Books 1773–1819, image 115, FamilySearch.
• York, History Records 1886, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Biographies 1997, History Records 1886, image 312, FamilySearch.