Over many years it has been assumed that everyone with the Surnames of Mathena, Matheny, Metheny, Matheney, Metteneye and other adaptations find their roots in Mediveal France, in the small village of Mathenay. This village is located southeast of Paris, and about 100 miles west of Berne, Switzerland. The first person known to use the name was Count Guy de Vaudrey, Chevalier, Seigneur de' Mathenay, b 1080. It was customary during the period of the Middle ages, and the declining of the Christian Roman Empire, that the local lands, Manors and Castles were under the direct influential rule of the Roman Catholic Abbeys of the area. As the Empire was declining there were Wars erupting between the local Nobles, and Royalties. These regional/local wars were waged against the Abbey Domination. So it was with the Abbey de' Rosserie and it was taken over by Guy de Vaudrey's father, and according to custom the Manors captured were given to a trusted friend or relative. Thus Guy de Vaudrey was awarded the Manor of Mathenay. Thus the Origin of the name: Count Guy de Vaudrey, Chevalier, Seigneur de Mathenay.
The following account was published in the Boston Evening Transcript March 22, 1937, in answer to an inquiry made by Raleigh Lee Mathena, Mesa, Arizona.8555 (old series) 1. Matheny, R.S.M. May 20, 1934. In this query R.L.M. asked for the ancestry of John Wilson Matheny (Nov. 17, 1812-Nov. 7, 1893) of Tazewell Co., Va., who married on Sept. 21, 1835, Mary Havens.
John Wilson Matheny was born in Virginia (Federal Census, 1860), not in Pennsylvania; and was the son of Stephen Matheny of Rockingham Co., Va., whose will was poved in May 1848. (Rockingham Wills, Book A.) who married Aug. 23, 1809, Susana Argebright (Wayland's Virginia Valley Records); and served in the war of 1812 in the regiment Virginia Militia (Adj. General's Office, Washington, D.C.)
Stephen was the son of Archibald Matheny who served in the Virginia Militia during the revolution (Wayland, op. cit., militia vouchers, 1778, and his wife Jane Curry, (Morton, History of Highland Co., Va., pages 240, 318). Aricibald appears to the been a son of William Matheny of "Hope" plantation, Stafford Co., Va., by his second marriage, Sept. 10, 1747, to Ann, daughter of Job and Ursula Sims (Boogher, Overwharten Parish Register, Old Stafford Co., Va., 1720-1760.
Since the Mathenys of America are descended from the Mathenys of "Hope" plantation, Stafford County, Va., the following brief genealogy of the family may be of general interest.
The ancient arms of the Mathenys were those of the Count
de Vaudrey,differenced by a change of tincture:
De sable au chef eumanche de trois pieces d'argent (Bonvallet,
Armorial de la Franche-Conte; page 40). The present arms of
the family, adopted in the fourteenth century, are described by
Riestap as: "De gucules au chevron d'argent, accompagne do
trois tours d'or, curvent d'azure. Casque couronne. Crest: uno
cygne issant et essorant d'argent, basque de gueules, tenant
en son bec un annelet du me meme. Lambrecquins d'or et de
gueules.
The lineage of the Mathenys of "Hope" in the direct male line
is as follows:
1. Nughes, de Thoire, who ruled the country of Bugey, France,
in the year 1080.
2. Guillaume de Thoire, ( who ruled the country) Chevalier,
Sire de Vaudrey. who assisted in the founding of the Abbey
of Rosieres in the year 1130 and was the first of the Counts
de Vaudrey to bear the name.
3. Aimon de Thoire, Chevalier, Sire de Vaudrey who engaged
in a war against the Abbey of Rosieres from 1180 to 1193,
married ponce de_____________.
4. Guy de Vaudry, Chevalier, Seigneur de Methenay and Rosieres,
who engaged in the said war in 1180 and was the first of the
Seignours de Methenay to bear the name.
5. Julian, Seigneour de Methenay, who was living in the year 1233.
6. Jean, Seigneour de Methenay, Rosieres and St. Jean d'Autun,
Chevalier, who went to Bruges in the service of the Count of
Flanders in 1233 and in 1261, sold the lordships which he had
inherited from his father.
7. Paul de Methenay, who accompanied his father to Bruges in
1233, married at Bruges, N______ de Coquelaere, daughter of
Gauthier, Seigneur de Coquelaare, Chevalier.
8. Roland de Matteneye, Chevalier, who flourished around 1250,
was slain in the battle of Walckeren in the time of Count Guy
of Flanders.
9. Jean de Metteneye, Chevalier, who was the founder of the first
Forestier, in 1320 of the Societo Noble et Chevalersque de l'Ours
Blanc; married Marie Allacrt.
10 Paul de Metteneye, Echevin of Bruges in 1337; married
Catherine, daughter of Laurent Donacs.
11. Jacques de Metteneye, Siegneus de Nieuwenheve, Conseillar
to the Count of Flanders in 1347; married Marie, daughter of
Nicolas Bonin, Chevalier, Seigneur de M__keulebake.
12. Jean de Metteneye, Ecuyer, Seigneur de Nieuwenheve, Master
of the Horse of Philip the Bold; married Elizabeth, daughter of
Jean Breydel and his wife Claire de Pynckere.
13. Philippe Metteneye, Ecuyer, Consciller and Chamberlain to
the Duke of Burgundy; Married Catherine van Ysendycke.
14. Pierre Mettenneye, Chevalier, Seigneur de Marcko and
Marquillios,Conseiller and Chamberlain to Phillip the Good,
Duke of Burgundy; married Adrienne, daughter of Jean van
Watergawghe, Chevalier.
15. Pierre Vetteneye, Ecuyer, Seigneur de Marck, Marquillios
and Poelvoorde, Pannetier to the Duke of Burgundy and to
Maxmillien, King of the Romans; married Marquerite,
daughter of Louis de Baenst, Chevalier de Jerusalem, Seigneur
de Saint Georges.
16. Jean Metteneye, Chevalier, Seignour de Marck, Marquillies
and Poelvoorde; Consciller, Chamberlain, Premier Pannetier
and Maitre-d"Hotel to the Emperor Charles V.; died in Spain
in or before the year 1532.
17. Richard Metteneye, Ecuyer; married, first in Flanders, ____;
married, second, July 29, 1566 at Christ Church, Newgate
Street, London, Margaret Vellham. He was a refugee in London
as early as May 23, 1550.
18. Jean Metteney (Mathenye and Matyney in English), born in
Flanders and baptized May 28, 1550, at Christ Church, Newgate,
London; Married 1568, Katheryne_________. a Burgundian, and
removed to Bishop GateWard, St. Botholph's Parish, London,
about this time.
19 Charles Metteneye, Born about 1569 in St. Botolph's Parish,
London; Married ____________.
20. William Metteneye, who removed to Rossenden, near Dunkirk
on the Faversham Road five miles from Canterbury County,
Kent, before 1640; married Elizabeth ____________.
21. Daniel Metteneye, Born about 1638, emigrated to Surrey Co.,
Va., before 1663 in company with his brother Michael (Michael
had no descendants) and settled in Charles Co. Md., in 1663;
married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, Gent., of
"Wentworth-Woodhouse" and "Wentworth's Rest" plantations.
Daniel Mathenia, as he was called, acquired "Portowne,"
Wentworth-Woodhouse", "Fernes", "Mathena'a Folly", "Cowland"
and Hope" plantations. In 1681 he removed to "Hope", which
was in Stafford Co, Va., and resided there until his death in 1689.
22. William Matheny of "Hope" plantation, died November, 1705
leaving a will; married 1691, Frances, widow of the first Colonel
George Mason.
23. Daniel Matheny of "Hope" plantatio, died about 1747; married
Mary _______, and left among others, William and James
Matheny, Sr., who was father of James Matheny, Jr., Ensign in the
Revolution.
24. William Matheny of "Hope" plantation married, first Sarah
Jones, on March 22, 1744; married , second, Sept. 10, 1747, Ann
daughter of Job and Ursula Sims; sold "Hope" and moved to the
Shenandoah Valley in 1756, leaving many descendants.
REFERENCES; William Blake Metheny, "Metheny Family:" The origin of the Seigneurs de Methenay, " Philadelphia, 1937, 40 pages and chart, ten carbon copies typed (for numbers 1-9, inclusive.) Samuel Guichenon, "Histoire de Bresse et Bugay", published 1659, page 213 etc. M.-B. Prost, "Histoire de l'Abbye de Rosiores." in "Bulletin de Sec. d'Arg., sc et arts de Poligny, "Vol. X, pages 331, 332, 367 Loys Gollut, "Memoirea Historiques de la Rep. Sequanoise," ed by Ch. Duvernoy, 1846, pages 440, 1817. A. Rousset, "Dictionnaire Historique de Franche-Comte." Vol. IV, pages 121-123; article Vadans, Vaudrey, Montdidier, Rosieres, etc. Philipon, "Dlet. Toporg de l'Ain." 191 Pages. (Almost a third of the work concerns the principality of Thoire-Villars and the genealogy of its sires.) De La Chenaye-Desbois, "Dictionnaire de la Noblesse," Vol. XIX., pages 541-546. E.E. Reverend du Mesnil, "Armorial Historique de Bresse, Bugey, etc., Vol. 1, pages 23 etc. Jean Jacques Caillard, "Brugeset le Franc," Vol IV, page 157, etc. (Complete Metteneye genealogy from no. 6-16 inclusive.) F.V. Gosthals, "Dictionaire de Families Nobles an Belgique," Vol 1, pages 472-473. (Nos. 16 & 17.) J.J. Gaillaird, "Inser. Funer, et Monum, de la Flandre Occidentale, "two volumes. "Christ Church, Newgate Street, London, Registers 1538-1754." Hugvenot Society of London Publications," Vol. X, Part II, pages 218, 272; part III, page 343, etc, part I page 429. Virginia State Land Office, Richmond, P.B. No. 6, page 58. J.M. Cooper, "The Registers of St. Pauls Canterbury", 1562-1800, page 26. Charles County, Md. court records, 1663-1682. Stafford County, Va., County Court Records. "Maryland Archives," published volumen from 1681-1685. Virginia State Library military and tax lists. Morton, "History of Preston County, W. Va., " two volumes. E.T. King, "Some Early Settlers of Preston Co., W. Va., 1933. Register-General, "Sons of the Revolution", lineage of William Blake Metheny, W. Va., petition of 1934, giving descent through nos. 21,22,23,etc. (member of basis of service of Ensign James Metheny, Jr., Later of Preston Co., W. Va.) Boston Transcript, March 22, 1937. COAT-of-ARMS ARMS: Gulles with bars of silver accompanied by bands of gold, background of blue. Helmet with wreath CREST: A half-swan of silver on the point of rising. Beak of gull bearing a small ring of silver. Mantling of gold with green.
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