[1] According to Johan van Gool, Verheyden's mother died when he was two, leaving his father with seven children, of whom Mattheus was the youngest.

[2] The city orphanage regents sent him to The Hague, where he took lessons for a year from Hendrik Carré, and where he studied with and copied the works of Carel de Moor, and Augustinus Terwesten II (and the works of their fathers that they gave him).

[2] In 1722, he decided to make a trip to England, but stopped in Amsterdam first, where he painted several portraits.

[2] He made many portraits of the leading citizens of Breda and fell in love with a lady there whom he married instead of making his trip; Margareta Kraeimes.

[2] He kept a list of all the people he painted and Van Gool published a large selection of these names in his biographical sketch.