Masaki MATSUDA who was born into a goshi (country samurai) family and had been engaged in business was adopted by a feudal retainer of domain Shichiemon MATSUKATA who appreciated his ability, and when Shichiemon died in 1818, he inherited the position as the head of the MATSUKATA family, and changed his name to ''Masaki MATSUKATA'' which he had used ever since.
郷士の家に生まれ商業に従事していた松田正恭は、藩士松方七右衛門に見込まれ養子となり七右衛門が没した1818年、松方家の家督を相続し、名を改め以来、"松方正恭"と名乗った。