Matthieu became involved in the 1837–1838 armed rebellion against British rule in Canada, for which he was forced to flee his native Quebec for safety in the United States, where he worked as a carpenter and a fur trader.
During the 1837–1838 rebellion against British rule in Canada, Matthieu became involved in the conflict and was forced to leave his native Quebec for safety in the United States. There, he supported himself by working as a carpenter and a fur trader.