While Bible names have been very popular in all branches of the Outten family, the name Matthew has never been a favorite, as this Matthew Outten seems to have been the only member of our family who was ever known by the name of Matthew. He was the eldest son of Abraham Outten and Rhoda Selby, his wife, and the grandson of John Outten, the Pioneer, and Mary Hopkins, his wife.
When his father made his last Will and Testament on April 22, 1747, he made the following bequest: "I give and bequeath to my well-beloved son, Matthew Outten, my plantation whereon I now dwell, with all the land that I bought of John Nelson, except what I have alienated out of the said two tracts of land to Capt. Robert King, to him and his heirs and assigns forever." Also, "I give and bequeath to my son Matthew Outten one Negro man called Samson, at his mother's decease, or when she shall marry again."
Matthew is also mentioned in the Will as sharing in his father's personal estate with his four brothers and one sister: William, John, Thomas, Abraham, and Sarah. At the time of his father's death Matthew was about twenty-five years old. The Will was probated and sworn to on June 5th the same year it was written, and Matthew received his share of the property at once, which consisted of the home plantation, and other things. He also purchased real estate as follows:
On April 15th in the year of our Lord God 1757, Matthew Outten of Somerset County, Maryland, purchased a tract of land containing 82 acres, called "Fairfield," 77 acres over and above warrant, and 23 acres were also taken up.
The deed for this property is written in full at the Record Office in Georgetown, but it is difficult to decipher, and does not seem clear. It probably means that Matthew Outten purchased 82 acres called "Fairfield," and received a deed for 77 acres more than he purchased, making 159 acres. Then he secured a patent for 23 acres of vacant land or adjoining territory, that was not claimed by any title which made altogether 182 acres.
On March 29th in the year of our Lord God 1760, Matthew Outten purchased a tract of land containing 56 acres, and added 62 acres of vacant ground making 182 acres besides his first purchase called "Outten's Good Luck."
This tract of land was situated about a mile above Swan Hill, where a landing called Aquango was located. That was the original landing. S 64 perches, E 200 poles, S 86 perches, W.N.W. 185 perches, right line to first boundary containing 118 acres now called "Outten's Good Luck."
The landing referred to as Aquango was afterwards called Phillips' Landing, and finally "House Landing." It is about a quarter of a mile below Outten's Landing, at the head of the Nanticoke River. These two tracts of land, which Matthew Outten purchased, one on April 15, 1757, and the other March 29, 1760, were probably adjoining properties.
We do not know how Matthew Outten disposed of his real estate. He probably moved away and lost it all, as there are not other facts stated in the records that are now existent except he was administrator for his brother Thomas of Barbados December 29, 1769, and paid taxes on a lot in Snow Hill in 1771.
Here ends the career of Matthew Outten in the records of Maryland, and the writer often wondered what became of him. But when he searched the records of Accomac County, Virginia, he found several references to him. In 1777, he filed a petition against Samuel Beavans, and on July 1, 1802, against Payton Taylor and others for 33 pounds, with legal interest. He probably never married, and we do not know when or where he died.