 During the latter part of his life and after his death, Matthews was nicknamed the "patriarch of Washington" due to his contributions to the religious and civic worlds of the city.On his gravestone in Mount Olivet Cemetery, the Serra Club placed a bronze plaque in 1973, commemorating his life.In his will, he bequeathed monies to St. Vincent's Asylum, enabling the construction of a larger school on G Street in 1857.