diff --git a/include/cantera/numerics/GeneralMatrix.h b/include/cantera/numerics/GeneralMatrix.h
index 10083904f..195dbf608 100644
--- a/include/cantera/numerics/GeneralMatrix.h
+++ b/include/cantera/numerics/GeneralMatrix.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include "cantera/base/ct_defs.h"
 #include "cantera/base/ctexceptions.h"
+#include "cantera/base/global.h"
 
 namespace Cantera
 {
@@ -25,15 +26,13 @@ class GeneralMatrix
 {
 public:
     //! Base Constructor
-    /*!
-     *  @param matType  Matrix type
-     *       0 full
-     *       1 banded
-     */
-    GeneralMatrix(int matType);
+    explicit GeneralMatrix(int matType=-1) : m_factored(false) {
+        if (matType != -1) {
+            warn_deprecated("GeneralMatrix", "Integer argument to constructor "
+                "is deprecated and will be removed after Cantera 2.3.");
+        }
+    }
 
-    GeneralMatrix(const GeneralMatrix& right);
-    GeneralMatrix& operator=(const GeneralMatrix& right);
     virtual ~GeneralMatrix() {}
 
     //! Duplicator member function
@@ -207,13 +206,6 @@ public:
      */
     virtual size_t checkColumns(doublereal& valueSmall) const = 0;
 
-    //! Matrix type
-    /*!
-     *      0 Square
-     *      1 Banded
-     */
-    int matrixType_;
-
 protected:
     //! Indicates whether the matrix is factored. 0 for unfactored; Non-zero
     //! values indicate a particular factorization (LU=1, QR=2).
diff --git a/src/numerics/BandMatrix.cpp b/src/numerics/BandMatrix.cpp
index 435bfdb9f..51dc341dc 100644
--- a/src/numerics/BandMatrix.cpp
+++ b/src/numerics/BandMatrix.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ namespace Cantera
 {
 
 BandMatrix::BandMatrix() :
-    GeneralMatrix(1),
     m_n(0),
     m_kl(0),
     m_ku(0),
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@ BandMatrix::BandMatrix() :
 }
 
 BandMatrix::BandMatrix(size_t n, size_t kl, size_t ku, doublereal v)   :
-    GeneralMatrix(1),
     m_n(n),
     m_kl(kl),
     m_ku(ku),
diff --git a/src/numerics/GeneralMatrix.cpp b/src/numerics/GeneralMatrix.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 937b4d3aa..000000000
--- a/src/numerics/GeneralMatrix.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-//! @file GeneralMatrix.cpp
-
-/*
- * Copyright 2004 Sandia Corporation. Under the terms of Contract
- * DE-AC04-94AL85000 with Sandia Corporation, the U.S. Government
- * retains certain rights in this software.
- * See file License.txt for licensing information.
- */
-
-#include "cantera/numerics/GeneralMatrix.h"
-using namespace std;
-
-namespace Cantera
-{
-
-GeneralMatrix::GeneralMatrix(int matType) :
-    matrixType_(matType),
-    m_factored(0)
-{
-}
-
-GeneralMatrix::GeneralMatrix(const GeneralMatrix& y) :
-    matrixType_(y.matrixType_),
-    m_factored(y.m_factored)
-{
-}
-
-GeneralMatrix&  GeneralMatrix::operator=(const GeneralMatrix& y)
-{
-    if (&y == this) {
-        return *this;
-    }
-    matrixType_ = y.matrixType_;
-    m_factored = y.m_factored;
-    return *this;
-}
-
-}
diff --git a/src/numerics/SquareMatrix.cpp b/src/numerics/SquareMatrix.cpp
index 9e595d0a7..6e78735f5 100644
--- a/src/numerics/SquareMatrix.cpp
+++ b/src/numerics/SquareMatrix.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ namespace Cantera
 {
 
 SquareMatrix::SquareMatrix() :
-    GeneralMatrix(0),
     a1norm_(0.0),
     useQR_(0)
 {
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@ SquareMatrix::SquareMatrix() :
 
 SquareMatrix::SquareMatrix(size_t n, doublereal v)  :
     DenseMatrix(n, n, v),
-    GeneralMatrix(0),
     a1norm_(0.0),
     useQR_(0)
 {
@@ -37,7 +35,7 @@ SquareMatrix::SquareMatrix(size_t n, doublereal v)  :
 
 SquareMatrix::SquareMatrix(const SquareMatrix& y) :
     DenseMatrix(y),
-    GeneralMatrix(0),
+    GeneralMatrix(y),
     a1norm_(y.a1norm_),
     useQR_(y.useQR_)
 {