Alexander F. Mathews
Alexander Ferdinand Mathews | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Frankford, Greenbrier County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | December 16, 1906 (aged 68) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, banker, university board member |
| Known for | Confederate officer; aide-de-camp to Brig. Gen. Henry A. Wise; co-founder of Mathews & Mathews law firm; West Virginia University Board of Regents member; founder of Greenbrier County's first bank |
Alexander Ferdinand Mathews (November 13, 1838 – December 17, 1906) was a prominent American attorney, banker, and university board member based in West Virginia. During the American Civil War, he held the position of Confederate officer and served as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Henry A. Wise.
Early life
Mathews was born on November 13, 1838, in Frankford, located in Greenbrier County, Virginia, to parents Eliza (Reynolds) and Mason Mathews. He attended Lewisburg Academy before entering the University of Virginia at the age of 15 in 1854. Demonstrating remarkable academic ability, he completed a Masters of Arts degree in less than two years, graduating prior to his eighteenth birthday—an exceptional accomplishment for that era. During his time there, he was affiliated with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In 1857, Mathews pursued legal studies at the University of Virginia School of Law and gained admission to the bar within the same year.
Civil War
With the onset of the Civil War in 1861, Mathews enlisted in the Confederate States Army and was commissioned as a captain. He acted as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Henry A. Wise throughout military operations in Western Virginia. Following the dissolution of Wise’s brigade, he assumed the role of first lieutenant and drillmaster for the 59th Virginia Infantry. In 1864, Mathews was designated Inspector of Conscription for Virginia's 8th congressional district, a position he maintained until the conclusion of the conflict.
Postbellum
On December 28, 1865, Mathews married Laura M. Gardner; together they had eight children: Mason, Charles Gardner, Mary Miller, Eliza Patton, Maud, Florence, and Henry.
Post-war restrictions initially barred Mathews from practicing law, prompting him to teach at Lewisburg Academy. After these limitations were removed, he partnered with his brother Henry M. Mathews to form the successful legal practice Mathews & Mathews.
Between 1871 and 1881, Mathews contributed to higher education by serving on the West Virginia University Board of Regents during its formative years.
In 1871, he played a key role in establishing Greenbrier County’s first bank—the sole financial institution between Staunton, Virginia and Charleston, West Virginia until 1888—where he held executive positions until his passing. Additionally, he assisted in founding the First National Bank of Ronceverte, West Virginia in 1888.
Mathews passed away on December 16, 1906, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was interred at the Old Stone Church located in Lewisburg.