Matthew Niven was born in c.1859 in Carmunnock, Lanarkshire. He was a law student at the University of Glasgow from 1877-1885 , although he did not seem to graduate from the University, and only took classes there. From 1877-1879 he studied English Literature, Logic and Economics. For the first year of his Law degree, 1882-1883, he studied Scotch Law; during the second and third academic sessions, 1883-1885, he took conveyancing. Matthew Niven was later employed at Brownlie, Watson & Beckett, writers and notaries in West George Street, Glasgow as well as the Bank of Scotland in Barrhead.
He married in 1891 and died on 3 February 1899 in Barrhead.
From the guide to the Papers of Matthew Niven, c.1859-1899, arts and law student, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1883-1884, (Glasgow University Archives Service)
