Mason Mathews

Mason Mathews
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Greenbrier district
In office 1859–1865
Preceded by	Thomas Creigh
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	December 15, 1803 Lewisburg, Virginia (now West Virginia)
Died	September 16, 1878 (aged 74) Lewisburg, West Virginia
Resting place	Old Stone Church, Lewisburg, West Virginia
Political party	Whig
Spouse(s)	Eliza Reynolds Mathews
Relations	Mathews family
Occupation	Merchant Politician

Mason Mathews (December 15, 1803 - September 16, 1878) was an American politician. A Whig, he was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for Greenbrier County during the American Civil War.

Raised in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia), Mathews was a merchant by occupation. He represented Greenbrier County as its Virginia Delegate throughout secession of the American South and the American Civil War, despite it being taken into the Union on the formation of West Virginia in 1863. The seat was abolished from the House at war's end. In 1877 his son Henry M. Mathews was the first ex-Confederate elected to a governorship when he became governor of West Virginia. This event represented the rise of the Bourbon Democrat.

Mason Mathews was born on December 15, 1803 in Lewisburg, Virginia to Mary (née Edgar) and Joseph Mathews.Archer Mathews, his father's uncle, was a founder of Lewisburg, and Joseph moved his family to the city soon after its formation in 1782. Mason was educated by his mother, and when his father became disabled after an injury he worked as a store clerk to support the family. He married Eliza Shore Reynolds and had eight children: Mary Edgar, Sally Ann, Henry Mason, Virginia Amanda, Alexander Ferdinand, Joseph William, Eliza Thomas, and Sally Patton.

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