Matthew Galloway (Gallaway / Galliway) is listed in the 1790 Monongalia Co, VA (then VA) tax list as Matthew GALLIWAY and again in a Sept. 1791 court case, but I'm hoping to find additional information.

These are the only two records I have found on him in VA / WV at all, so I have reason to believe he wasn't there long.

In the 1790 tax list I found online, on the same page as Matthew were Levi Morgan, a Robert Campbell and a William Anderson. My Matthew Galloway named 2 sons by his first wife Levi and William and a son by his 2nd wife, Anderson. A few grandsons have the middle name Campbell but I have not been able to ID our Campbell ancestor though it is rumored we have one. So those neighbors' names in particular stuck out at me.

Regarding the court case, this is all the information I have:

“12-1791. District Court, Monongalia Count. Daniel Shahan summoned to answer Matthew Galloway on a plea of trespass damages 200 pounds, 20 Sep 1791. Dismissed, no appearance.

I assume 20 Sep 1791 was when Matthew went to court to sue Daniel & perhaps it was to be heard in December & one of them did not appear so that it was dismissed in December 1791. Presumably that was Matthew that failed to appear since he was living in Wilkes Co, GA in 1790. (His father-in-law, James East, Sr. seems to have bounced around between 2 distant places in a short period of time, perhaps Matthew did as well?).


In 1764 he was an orphan listed in a guardianship record (being orphans of Thomas Galloway, Sr.) in New Hanover Co, NC with siblings Catherine, Thomas, and Sarah (though they presumably had adult brothers named John and William) & sometime in 1790, he was on a jury list in Wilkes Co, GA where he lived out the rest of his life until his death in 1824.

This 1790 Monongalia Co, VA Matthew is the 2nd oldest reference to ANY Matthew Galloway anywhere in the States that I have found, (the oldest being the 1764 orphan), so I suspect it must be him. The name was not as common as one might imagine.

He supposedly enlisted & fought in the Rev. War, but we cannot find a record other than a Family Bible ca 1776 he "procured" that is in another family line (& since misplaced) & a bond dated ca 1780 / 1781 which used to be in that Bible where he allegedly was trying to raise money to buy his freedom (from British capture) which named 5 citizens (bondsmen? witnesses?), all with ties later in 1790 to either Chatham Co, NC or New Hanover Co, NC. (It is unclear exactly what that bond was, but he was apparently trying to raise 50 pounds sterling for services rendered). One of those named men, by the way, was a William CAMPBELL.

Matthew married 1) Elizabeth Beaver ca 1780, probably in NC or perhaps SC then 2) Mary East ca 1790 probably in VA or GA (perhaps NC or SC).
Nothing more is known on wife Elizabeth or her family. One grandson has the Beaver name & that is the only firm evidence I have ever seen, though one early researcher somehow found her name but failed to document the source. More is known of Mary East's family. Her father was James East Sr. & mother was Eushan / Euphan or Ellphan & they lived in various Southern VA counties before moving to Wilkes Co, GA & Robertson co, TN where he & a son bounced back & forth for a bit. The Easts were found in Lunenburg, Halifax, Pittsylvania, Charlotte, Henry Co, VA - with the major emphasis (most time) & most recent time being spent in Henry prior to moving to GA & TN. James East was in Henry Co, VA from as early as 1787 to possibly 1790.

I am particularly interested in marriage records, military records & land records, & the court case, but anything would be a tremendous help.

I know there was a David Galloway living there in 1810 & there is no indication he is a relative. All Matthew's known siblings except for his sisters seem well documented & there is no known David, least of all one in VA / WV, however, I am not ruling out a connection. I think I have also seen references to a Robert Galloway in the area later or much earlier, but again, no known connection. At best, if there is a connection with either, I am thinking it must be more distant, perhaps an uncle or cousin.

Any and all help is most appreciated.

Thanks!

Briana