Transcribed by Janette West Grimes

May 21, 1953 - Reprinted March 3, 1977

* CAL’S COLUMN *

We continue with some additional Matthews information. In the City Cemetery at Nashville is the grave of a member of the family, but we do not know his connection. The inscription shows: W. W. Matthews, born in 1828, died January 12, 1846, aged 17 years, four months and four days.

M. H. Matthews was buried in the old Catholic Cemetery in Nashville in 1869. Later he was removed to the Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Nashville. We have no additional information on M. H. Matthews.

In Spring Hill Cemetery near Nashville we find the following Matthews buried there, with some additional information: John H. Matthews, born August 14, 1846, but date of death is not given: Ellen J. Matthews, presumably wife of John, born June 6, 1852, date of death not given: Maud L. Matthews, February 19, 1886 - July 24, 1904; Arthur Matthews, presumably a brother of Maud, October 9, 1883 - September 24, 1891.

In Cedar Grove Cemetery, at Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee, are buried the following members of the Matthews family: James L. Matthews, July 29, 1862 - November 23, 1881; Gideon R. Matthews, April 27, 1860 - July 29, 1887.

In Friendville Cemetery, Blount County, Tennessee, lies buried Sussannah Matthews, October 8, 1759 -April 25, 1802.

In United Presbyterian Church Cemetery, and we may add that we do not know exactly where it is, but presume it is in East Tennessee, we find Matthews buried there as follows: James Matthews, January 26, 1821 - December 11, 1901; Sarah Matthews, 1816 - July 10, 1871; Joseph Matthews, July 10, 1871, aged 56 years, (supposedly the husband of Sarah); Harlin Matthews, April 5, 1816, aged 78 years; Nancy Matthews, July 9, 1863, aged 63 years; Mary McCall Matthews, 1858 - 1921; Madison Lafayette Matthews, 1852 - 1919; S. Matthews, 1828 - 1893; and Artie Ann Fortner Matthews, wife of J. H. McCaslin, 1873 -1916.

In Zion church yard is buried a Revolutionary soldier, David Matthews. Mr. Cooper Frierson said that this was the soldier who roasted potatoes that were served to General Marion and a British officer who was conferring with him in camp. The officer said when he went back to his company that men who lived on such fare could not be beaten. This story is in many histories and Mr. Frierson is authority for the story of David Matthews.

Zion church yard is located in Maury County, Tennessee, not far from Mt. Pleasant. In the same cemetery lie the mortal remains of additional members of the Matthews family: John James Matthews, son of E. M. and S. E. Matthews, March 17, 1842 - January 17, 1845; Elizabeth Adeline Matthews, daughter of E. M. and S. E. Matthews, December 1, 1837 - July 7, 1842.

Six miles south of Columbia, Tennessee is a cemetery known as the John Matthews Cemetery. It is the burial place of many of the members of the Matthew family of that section. The list was compiled more than 40 years ago by Mrs. Lizzie J. Hart, 73, daughter of James W. and Sarida Katherine Matthews. Matthews dead in this cemetery include: Margaret Matthews, died in 1811; Agnes Matthews, March 2, 1792 - October 7, 1847; Jennie Matthews, December 12, 1792 - May 24, 1864; sacred to the memory of James Matthews, August 12, 1739 - March 15, 1825. In the same cemetery are buried, Mary Matthews, James Washington Matthews, Robert Matthews, murdered in 1867 by some unknown party; Sarah Matthews, Joseph Matthews, W. D. Matthews, John Matthews, James Matthews and many others. Also in the same cemetery ar buried a number of members of the Davis family to which the Matthews family of Smith County is related. Among the members of the Davis family buried in the Matthews Cemetery, six miles out of Columbia, Tennessee, are: Sarah Tennessee Davis, died on October 4, 1847; Israel P. Davis, Robert C. Davis, William J. Davis, James S. Davis and perhaps others. Of Israel Davis, we have the following information: "Sacred to the memory of Israel P. Davis, of Waxhaw, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, who on returning home from visiting th western district of Tennessee, departed this life November 5, 1826, aged 45 years." Squire John Matthews gave the ground for the cemetery know now by his name. We find the following said of Israel P. Davis: " The traveling companion of Mr. Davis was my father, Richard Peeples, of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The two friends had traveled through the mountains of western North Carolina and through Tennessee to the Chickasaw Bluffs, the present site of Memphis. On their way home they stopped on a Saturday night at the home of their mutual friend and former neighbor, John Matthews, to rest and resume their journey on Monday morning. But here, far from his home and family, Mr. Davis was taken seriously ill; and, after some days, in spite of the tender care of friends, true and tired, he died, and his remains were laid to rest in the cemetery nearby, there to rest until the resurrection. With feelings of sadness and loneliness that can be easily imagined, but cannot be expressed, my father resumed the homeward journey alone, taking with him the horse and saddle and saddle-bags and other valuables of his deceased friend, to break the sad news to the family."

We know from the record given last week that the earlier members of the Matthews family were born in North Carolina. We also know that John Matthews, of Maury County, in the long gone years, had been a citizen of Mecklenburg County, N. C. We also know that the Davis family was connected with the Matthews family. So here would appear something of the nature of a confirmation of some of these facts. Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, was related to the Matthews who formerly lived on Peyton's Creek in Smith County, Tennessee. Much of the information above given is from Tombstone Inscriptions and Historical Manuscripts, copyrighted in 1933 by Robert Acklen, and credit is hereby extended.

We find the following record of Matthews in the old family Bible which belongs to the heirs of George L. Matthews, deceased, formerly of Franklin, Tennessee.

Luke Matthews, born March 15, 1739; Lucy Matthews, daughter of Richard and Joanna Fox, born November 28, 1747, and the wife of Luke Matthews, whom she married January 26, 1766; Angelila Matthews, daughter of Luke and Lucy, born June 28, 1767; Hannah Matthews, born September 25, 1768; Elizabeth Matthews, born May 14, 1772; Lucy Matthews, born October 27, 1774; John Matthews, born March 9, 1777; Luke Matthews, Jr., born August 22, 1779; Isham Matthews, born April 2, 1782; Nancy Matthews, born October 11, 1785; Drury Matthews, born September 4, 1788.

Luke Matthews, husband of Lucy Matthews, departed this life April 7, 1788. Lucy Matthews, wife of Luke, Matthews, departed this life February 12, 1831. It should be added that most of these names were spelled Mathews, in the old family Bible above referred to.

In Knox County, Tennessee, on November 19, 1796, William Matthews married Mary Taylor. In the same county on September 26, 1801, Britton Matthews married Patsy Browder.

The information about the Matthews family in the four preceding paragraphs was gleaned largely from Bible Records and Marriage Bonds, by Jeanette Tillotson Acklen, and credit therfore is hereby given.

While we have been giving quite a lot of time to the Matthews family history, we are not unmindful of one of the greatest needs among the Baptists of Middle Tennessee. We need a late history of our churches, Associations and ministers. Elder J. H. Grime, of blessed memory, gave us 50 years ago an outstanding contribution to our history from a standpoint of Middle Tennessee. However, this work has long been out of print and should be brought up to date and re-published. The writer has been asked by various interested parties to undertake the work. But we feel unequal to the task, nor do we have time, with the many, many tasks that are ours already. But we would be glad to lend a helping hand toward such a worthy aim.

We desire to publish our records of family history, but we are hard pressed for both time and information. But we will strive to continue this work as we have opportunity, amidst the many cares of life, will take a lenient view of our efforts to preserve the history of our various families.