It has always been contended that the Mattices came from Holland. This is correct in so far as they were there for while before coming to America. The facts are as follows: In 1709 they left Wiesbaden and went to Holland, Later going to England, where they were under date of June 2nd, 1709 at St. Catherine's. Sailed for New York January 10, 1710. (This information from "The Book of Names", published in 1933) From Governor Hunter's Ration Lists. June 1710 to 1714. The Mattices are found to have been at what was known as the East Camp.
"Tacitus", the Roman historian, who wrote in the first century A.D. in his "Germania", Chap 29, in writing of the Rhineland people says, "Est eodem obsequio et Mattiacorum gens. Protulit enim." What it says is these Mattaci lived at the bend of the Rhine, on the north side, in the vicinity of maintz-- the district in later centuries being known as Kur-Pfalz, or the Palatinate, hence the early settlers in the Mohawk Valley and--adjacent regions were known as Palatines.
Of course the Mattiaci were "Gens" (in ancient Rome, a clan, or group of families of common stock) not just a family, but they were definite and distinct from the Chatti, Bavarians, etc., so that they come in for special mention by the ancient historian, because they were right on the front of the Roman Empire, directly across the river from a Roman outpost. In "Pliny", the Roman writer of about tile some time as "Tacitus", speeks somewhere of the Mattiaci fontes, Mattiaci�s Springs at Wiesbaden, which is the snme spot, and according to "Martial" the soap balls that presumably came from there and were used in Rome for shampoos were called Mattiaci pilae. All of the above shows that a certain gens, the Mattiaci, were identified with a certain locality, and must have been at that time the dominant folk thereabouts, else they would not have attracted notice of the Romans. While it conveys no distinction, it is interesting to know that the family name was known to the Romans, and is proof of the definite point of origin twenty centuries ago.
Paul B. Mattice, the family historian, was in this locality after the first World War, and located some of' the family still there at that time. He and Rex G. Mattice, of Cincinnati, Ohio, have furnished most of the accounts of the early records of the family.
More about Paul B. Mattice
Paul Brown Mattice, a direct descendant of John Nicholas Mattice and son of Garrett and Rachel (Cowen) Mattice, was born on the ancestral farm in Vromansland near Middleburgh, N.Y., Sept. 21, 1876. educted in Fulton grade school Middleburgh High School and Cornell University, he served in the Spanish-American War in l898-9, a special mounted messenger of Major General Graham; married Grace Macmillan of Vorhcesville 1904; editor and publisher of the Middleburgh Gazzette for several years.
Entered the army at Fort Niagara, N.Y. 1917, commisioned as first Lieu. of Infantry; trained troops at Camp Lee, Va., and Camp Wadsworth S.C. Over seas with 5lst Pioneer Infantry 1918; in St. Michael, Meuse -Arqonne Operations between the Meuse and Moselle rivers and occupation of Germany; retired Oct. 1919, but . retained as Major until Nov. 1929. Sales Dept. Beech-nut and Rothschild Stores appointed to staff of the U.S. Marshal Northern N.Y. 1935, retired 1947, age limit. Son Malcolm architect of buildings and grounds Cornell University. Son Paul Macmillan of Legal Dept. Guarantee Trust Co., New York City. Residence 1947, 1680 Neilson Street Utica, N.Y.