Monday Madness: 1792 Bible of John Matthews

There's a beautiful old Bible in the family. The question is, "How does it fit in?"

Samuel Simmons (1788- c.1818) lived in Allegheny Co, PA, at the time of his death. Or at least that is where the trail on him vanished into thin air. His widow, Elizabeth MATTHEWS, is found in the 1820 census of Lower St. Clair, Allegheny, PA with the three children and an elderly female. We can surmise the elderly female is her mother as Samuel's mom died abt 1790 in NY. His dad was remarried and happily living in Washington Co, PA, at the time of Samuel's alleged death.

Elizabeth disappears after the 1830 census of Lower St. Clair, Allegheny, PA, never to be seen again. We know not where she is buried, but it is generally believed she could be in a long forgotten grave at the St. Clair Cemetery in Mt Lebanon, Allegheny, PA. Her known descendants are there and it was in the neighborhood.

Much research has been done on trying to tie down her family roots. There is a Thomas Matthews in the neighborhood who served with her husband in the War of 1812. There is a Thomas Matthews who died in 1795 in Pitt Twp, Allegheny, PA who left a widow, Elizabeth and eight children. One of the children is named Elizabeth, so this could be correct.

Robert Laughlin is named the guardian of this child Elizabeth, but I have not been able to find any more information on him.

Now, a Bible from 1792 has surfaced which has the name of John Matthews in it. This Bible is in the possession of a 3rd great grandson of my Samuel and Elizabeth. Who is this John Matthews? Is he the father of my Elizabeth, or another beloved relative? To date, no other evidence has surfaced on either of the two suspects for Elizabeth's father.

The clues are there. If only we could unravel them.