Civil War Losses

Many cousins fought in the Civil War. Of Joseph Calhoun Mathews' grandsons, at least five gave their lives for the southern cause. Hardest hit was his daughter Nancy Ann Mathews Burns, who lost two of her three sons in the conflict. Joseph Calhoun Burns (her father's namesake and her oldest) died at the age of 25 at the battle of Sharpsburg (Antitum) in September 1862. James Thomas Burns died at the young age of 18, at the battle of Seven Pines in June 1862. Ezekiel Waddell Mathews lost a son early in the war at the battle of Belmont in April 1861, this was 18 year old Andrew N. Mathews. Thomas Jefferson Mathews also lost his oldest son to the war, 18 year old John Lewis Mathews died in a military hospital in Columbus, Mississippi, in 1862. Margaret Eliza Mathews McGaw's son John Joseph McGaw died in a military hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.

Ezekiel Waddell Mathews

Ezekiel Waddell Mathews was born in Abbeville SC, August 28, 1808, and married on August 13, 1829 to Cathrine Finnie (or Finley) in Abbeville SC. They migrated to Fayette Co. TN in the early 1830's. On the 1850 census it shows Benjamin born 1832 in SC and Elijah born 1834 in TN, therefor I would think the move was made btwn 1832-1834.

Ezekiel was the oldest child of Joseph Calhoun Mathews and Margaret Brough. There was a preacher in the area whose last name was Waddell, that might be from where the middle name was taken.

1840 Fayette Co, TN census shows Zichiel Mathews, (m)220001 - (f)100001. This would be - 2 males under 5 (Elijah and John), 2 males btwn 5-10 (Jospeh and Benjamin), 1 male btwn 30-40 (Ezekiel), 1 female under 5 (Lucretia), 1 female btwn 30-40 (Cathrine).

1850 Fayette Co, TN census taken 26 Nov 1850 for Civil District #12, (1466-678) shows:
EW Mathews, age 44, born SC, Farmer, 630
Cathrine R., age 37, SC
Joseph S., age 20, SC
Benj T., age 18, SC
Elijah W., age 16, TN
John F., age 13, TN
Lucretia D., age 11, TN
Andrew N., age 9, TN
E. David, age 7, TN
Margaret L.W, age 5, TN
Lawrence C., age 2, TN
Alexander B., age 2/12, TN
Joseph A. Mathews, age 20, SC, Farmer (Note: This would be Joseph Alexander, Ezekiel's younger brother)

1860 Fayette Co, TN census taken 14 June 1860 for Civil District #1, (29-419) shows:
EW Mathews, age 54, born SC, Farmer, 3,396 (real estate), 3,200 (personal)
Cathrine R., age 48, SC
John F., age 23, TN
Andrew, age 19, TN
Ezeakel, age 16, TN (same as E. David in 1850)
Lucy, age 14, TN (same as Margaret L.W. in 1850)
E.W., age 12, TN (?Lawrence C. in 1850?)
Mary, age 8, TN

Plats for SC Land Grants 1784-1868

Isaac Mathews
19 July 1784 - Plat for 200 acres on Savannah River, 96 Dist, SC. Surveyed by Patrick Calhoun.
6 Aug 1784 - Plat for 50 acres on Clarks Creek (Long Cane Creek), 96 Dist, SC. Surveyed by Patrick Calhoun.
10 Nov 1786 - Plat for 120 acres on fork of Long Cane Creek, 96 Dist. Surveyed by Patrick Calhoun.
3 Aug 1799 - Plat for 95 acres in Abbeville Co, 96 Dist, SC. Surveyed by Abel Pearson.

Joseph Mathews
25 Nov 1803 - Plat for 452 acres on Rocky Creek, Abbeville Dist, SC. Surveyed by Abel Pearson.
29 June 1808 - Plat for 410 acres on Clarks Creek, Abbeville Dist, SC. Surveyed by Peter Gibert.
26 Jan 1821 - Plat for 71.5 acres on Clark Creek, Abbeville Dist, SC. Surveyed by P.B. Rogers.

Thomas Brough (father of Margaret Brough, who was the wife of Joseph Mathews)
20 July 1784 - Plat for 200 acres on Sadlers Creek, 96 Dist, SC. Surveyed by Patrick Calhoun.
17 May 1785 - Plat for 240 acres on branch of Swerengams Creek, 96 Dist, SC. Surveyed by William Lesly.

Note: Isaac Mathews and Anne Calhoun married 12 Oct 1784.

Joseph Alexander Mathews

The following is from HARDEMAN COUNTY TENN - BIOGRAPHIES dated 1887.

Joseph A. Mathews, planter of Hardeman County, is a native of Abbeville County, S.C., born January 15, 1830, the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Joseph C. and Margaret (Brough) Mathews. The father, of Irish descent, was born in Abbeville County, S.C., and his occupation was farming and tanning. He was a Democrat in politics and an elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years. He died in his native county in about 1854. The mother was also .a native of Abbeville County, S.C., and a member of the Presbyterian Church, and her death occurred in 1860. Joseph A. secured by his own efforts a practical education and for several years followed the tanner’s trade in South Carolina, but in 1848 immigrated to Tennessee and settled in Fayette County. He here followed the same business for four years but in 1852 bought four horses and began teaming from West Tennessee and northern Mississippi to Memphis. In the summer of 1860 he took a prospecting tour through Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana, but did not buy and soon returned to Fayette County and gave his attention to farming. In 1865 Mr. Mathews purchased the place where he now lives in Hardeman County, where he moved the next year, and now owns 850 acres of laud in this county. September 15, 1857, he married Miss Ellen Morrow, a lady of highly respected family, born in Greenville County, S.C., June 22, 1822. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and died February 27, 1880, leaving two children:William M., a young lawyer of much promise, and Jennie, a young lady of many accomplishments. December 1, 1881, Mr. Mathews married Miss Fannie Campbell, a most worthy lady, born in Mississippi, May 15, 1800. Mr. Mathews is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. --- end of article ---

Note: Joseph and Ellen's children were Margaret Jane, born in March 1860 and William Morrow, born 13 Nov. 1863. Ellen was the daughter of Col. William Morrow, a veteran of the War of 1812, and the Tennessee State Militia, and Jane Reid originally from Greenville, South Carolina.

Joseph is listed in the Fayette Co TN 1850 census as living with his brother Ezekiel W. Mathews and family in Civil District #12. In the 1860 census he is in Civil District #1(as is Ezekiel). The 1860 census list:
J. A. Mathews, age 31 male, born SC, farmer 1,000 real estate, 4,000 personal property
Helen, age 35 female, born SC
M. J., age 3/12 female, born TN

Since Joseph was in the 'teaming' trade for a period beginning in 1852 (about the time his brother Thomas migrated to Pontotoc, Miss.) in North Miss and West Tenn., did he come into contact with his brother Thomas and his family in North Mississippi? Thomas' son William was in a similar trade of hauling goods. Was this where William got his start?

When did they arrive?

In attempting to ascertain when John and/or Isaac Mathews first appeared in South Carolina, the following information is available.

An Isaac Matthews and Isaac Edward Matthews (** see bottom of msg) are listed in 96 District Census 1779, as are a Joseph, Victer and two Williams.

Isaac Mathews listed as one of the estate administrators of Joseph Greer's estate dtd 12 Mar 1783 (also listed is John Ewing Calhoun, a 1st cousin of Anne Calhoun).

Isaac Mathews married Anne Calhoun 12 Oct 1784.

Isaac Mathews listed in 96 District SC (in the area that would become Abbeville County) in 1790 Census with (a) 1 male 16>, (b) 1 male less than 16, (c) 3 females. Isaac would be (a), Joseph Calhoun would be (b), and Anne, Mary and Nancy would be (c).

There is a Philip, William, Saml (Samuel), Joseph, Victor and William Mathews also listed in 96 District in 1790 (note: NO John) in the area that would become Abbeville County.

Isaac Mathews is listed in the 1800 US Census in Abbeville County SC (a) 1 male 9<, (b) 1 male 10-15, (c) 1 male 45+, (d) 2 females 10-15, (e) 1 female 45+. Isaac would be (c), John would be (a), Joseph would be (b), Nancy and Mary would be (d) and Anne would be (e).

Isaac Mathews died in 25 March 1801. The 1810 census list Ann Mathews with (a) 2 males 16-25 and (b) 1 female 26-44. John and Lewis would be (a) and Anne would be (b). Joseph Mathews married Margaret Brough 18 Sept 1807 and is listed as Joseph Mathues with (a) 1 male 9<, (b) 1 male 26-44, (c) 1 female 9<, (d) 1 female 16-25. Ezekiel Waddle would be (a), Joseph would be (b), Nancy Ann would be (c) and Margaret would be (d).

Janie Revill’s, a Compilation of the Original lists of Protestant Immigrants to South Carolina 1763-1773, list a John Mathews as a 30 May 1768 petitioner for a warrant of survey on the bounty for 100 acres between Savannah and Saludy Rivers (Council Journal 34, pg 148-151). Also listed as petitioners for 100 acres each were George Farquar, Charles Tais, Patrick Smellie, John Grelling, Robert Briggs, William Weer, Stephen Brown, James Stedman, Gilbert Chalmers, John Allardice and George Thomson. All listed EXCEPT John Mathews arrived from Great Britain in the Snow (type of ship) KINNOUL (Alexander Alexander – master). ? Was John Mathews already in Charleston SC or did he arrive on a different ship?

Bracketing Dec 1767 to May 1768, the 6 months prior to the council meeting in Charleston, David Dobson list 5 ships that arrived from Ireland to Charleston SC during that time period in his book, Ships from Ireland to Early America 1623-1850. They are the EARL OF DONEGAL, arrived Charleston from Belfast, 7 Dec 1767 with 260 passengers, the CHICHESTER, arrived Charleston from Belfast, 25 Dec 1767 with 130 passengers, the JAMES & MARY, arrived Charleston from Larne, 31 Dec 1767 with 150 passengers, the BETTY GREIG, arrived Charleston from N. Ireland, 1 Feb 1768 with 150 passengers, and the LORD DUNGANNON, arrived Charleston from N. Ireland, 1 Feb 1768 with 120 passengers. ? Could John and Isaac Mathews have been aboard one of these ships if in fact the John Mathews listed is ‘our’ John Mathews?

The South Carolina Assembly had passed an act in 1761 to encourage settlers to come to the colony and settle Upper South Carolina, the frontier. A bounty of 4 pounds sterling would be paid “for the passage of every poor Protestant brought to SC from Europe.” The bounty system came to an end on the last day of the General Assembly session in July 1768. Hence, the 30 May 1768 session was one of the last that granted this bounty.

** Isaac Edward Matthews/Mathews b. 1736 VA, d. 25 Mar 1791, 96 Dist, SC. Was the son of Isaac and Mary Mathews. Isaac b. abt 1700 King & Queen Co, VA, d. 1767-69 Old Charles City, SC. Isaac's children were Moses, Thomas, Samuel, Reap, Robert, Peter, Susannah, isaac Edward, Jean, Mary and Sarah. Isaac was the son of Thomas Mathews of VA. This line of Mathews was an old Virginia line originally from England. This is probably the Isaac Edward Matthews referred to in the 1779 Census. His father Isaac would have already died by 1779, so the other Isaac listed could very possibly be 'our' Isaac. Another idea is that the other Isaac could be Isaac Matthews son of Victor Matthews from York County, PA. Victor is listed on a jury list for Abbeville in 1776-77, and on the 1790 Census for Abbeville Co., SC. Victor's will was dated 1796 Abbeville, SC and names his wife Isabell and a Joseph Matthews (thought to be his brother) as executors . Victor's children are listed as John, James, Isaac, Esther, Ann, Elizabeth & Rebecca in the will. Note: the names Joseph, Victer (Victor) and Isaac are all listed in the 1779 Census.

William Henry (Billy) Mathews

Born 1 Dec. 1846, William Henry (Billy) Mathews migrated with his family to Mississippi from his birthplace of Abbeville, SC, as a young boy of about five years old. He grew up in the hill country of Pontotoc MS, helping his father on the farm.

Inheriting his fathers land, William ‘Billy’ Henry took on the duties of a mercantile in addition to those of farming. With a couple of team of oxen and two wheel carts, Billy would make the trip to Memphis and pick up supplies and whisky to sell in his store located on his farm. On one such trip he was accosted by Indians, set to rob and possibly murder him. After getting them good and drunk, he simple drove off his carts, leaving the Indians to sleep off their whisky, and saving his precious cargo.

Coming from a small family, William was to have a large brood of children to pass on his legacy. He married Harriett Ann “Hattie” Roye in 1871, the daughter of a Confederate Veteran [7^th MS Inf], Lemuel Roye, and grand-daughter of Henry Roye, a veteran of the War of 1812. By their 10th year of marriage they had produced four children: John Joseph, Lemuel Newton, Mary Jane and Euzella, and went on to have 11 children, 6 boys and 5 girls. One of which was born in 1884 and named Henry Thomas, my grandfather.

Billy farmed his entire life. A cousin, Delaine Matthews, stated just a few years ago, "Grandpaw Billy made a crop of cotton behind a pair of mules at age 92." Billy outlived his wife by 35 years. He is buried at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Pontotoc County on Hwy 15S, as are so many of the Mathews'. His tombstone reads: William H. Mathews, Dec 1 1846-Apr 22 1938, "He died as he lived, trusting in God."

Thomas Jefferson Mathews

Thomas Jefferson Mathews was born in the middle of the pack of 14 kids on 25 December 1819. Obviously his parents were supporters of President Jefferson to name their son after him. His older brother, Ezekiel, who was born on 28 August 1808, was the first child of Joseph and Margaret, and his younger brother, Joseph Alexander, was next to the youngest child, born 15 January 1830.

There were almost 10 years between each of the boys. By the time of their father's death in January 1854, none of the boys were living in SC. Joseph Alexander had left home at the age 18 and ended up in Fayette/Hardeman County, TN. Ezekiel left before 1850 and his family shows up in Arkansas, and Thomas with his second wife and two sons, migrates to Pontotoc County, MS in ca. 1852.

"Thomas first saw Jane Christopher at the time of his sister Jane's wedding (married George Ambus Christopher, Nov. 1844). He went to see her and asked her to marry him, the next time he saw her he married her," or so goes the lore of TJ's courtship of Jane. TJ and Jane married in late 1843 or early 1844.

Their first child, John Lewis was born in 1844. My great-grandfather, William Henry, was born 1 December 1846, and they had twins that were born dead around 1848. The likelyhood that Jane died while attempting to give birth to the twins is strong, for by the 1850 US census Jane has died and Thomas is listed as a widower, living with the two boys in Savannah River Regiment of Abbeville County, SC.

TJ, the last of the Mathews boys remaining in Abbeville, loaded up his two sons and new wife, Mary Jane Fortescue, and headed for Pontotoc, MS about 1852. TJ would have been 32 and Mary Jane would have been 19 years old in 1852. The boys would have been 8 and 5 years old. They travelled by wagon, pulled by oxen. (William Henry (Billy) would tell his grandchildren about trampling down brush in the gullies in order to level the ground for the wagon to cross on this journey.)

Upon moving to Pontotoc Co., Mississippi, Thomas and his family took up farming on a track of land south of the town of Pontotoc (Note: Homestead located south of Pontotoc, 1 mile south of Pleasant Grove Cem. on Hwy 15, take right on gravel road (Lon Mathews old house on the corner), 1.1 miles take left onto dirt road, old homestead about 1/2 mile up in stand of white oaks (nothing remains of home, burned in 1948).

Records indicate that in 1860 TJ is farming in Pontotoc County, MS. In addition to his family, he has his 24 year old brother-in-law, Richard Fortescue, living with him (Richard probably came to MS with TJ when he moved).

By the time the Civil War erupted, John Lewis was a teenager and enlisted in the CSA. He died in the hospital at Columbus MS of measles in 1862, having never married. Young Billy (Wm Henry) was eager to follow in his brother’s footsteps but the family was able to hang onto him for the duration. Legend has it that Billy saved the records from the Pontotoc courthouse when the Union soldiers, in one of their regular acts of pillage and destruction, torched the courthouse.
In correspondence to relatives in SC, TJ writes of farming cotton, corn, wheat and oats. He mentions that the watermelons are so plentiful "we have more than we can destroy." His patch of watermelons numbered well over 100 weighing from 16 -20 pounds each. TJ writes on 30 July 1861, "We planted about six acres of corn in new ground and some little in old land on the 4th or 5th of July, and now it is from waist high to as high as my head, and it never has been worked until now."

The mood had changed by 1864. In a letter from Mary Jane to her mother on 12 Feb., she writes, "Wheat crops are badly injured from the freeze. The big white wheat is all killed and the little red Alabama wheat is injured... haven't enough seed to sow it all over." Food was scarce and the war was at their 'backdoor'. John Lewis was dead and most of the men folk in the area were away serving the Confederacy.

Reconstruction hit Mississippi hard and they write in April 1865 that they have heard from Lucretia and that Ezekiel's boys in Arkansas met with 'misfortune' during the war, and the Yanks destroyed everthing they had. "They have turned all the men out of office at Pontotoc and appointed just such as they want," they write of the carpetbaggers. As for the crops... "Too wet to plow. Planted 3 or 4 acres of cotton. I want to make 2 bales and that will make it if nothing happens to it. We want to have 10 acres of cotton if we can get it planted. Garden... peas and beans are in bloom, beets, etc. look fine. We want to set our cabbage plants and potatoe slips today. My chickens are doing no good. "

Three families down the road from the Mathews' lives Samuel Roye (Roy) and family. His youngest daughter from his first wife, Harriett Ann Johnston, is Harriett Ann Roye. The daughter, Harriett is 5 1/2 years junior to Billy, but they hit it off and start a courtship that cuminates in marriage 1 Nov 1871, when they are 19 and 25 years old. Billy and Harriett Ann are my great-grandparents.

Joseph Calhoun Mathews

Joseph Calhoun Mathews was born 11 July 1785 in Abbeville, SC. He was the oldest child of five. His father, Isaac, died on 25 March 1801, when he was 15 years old and he became the 'man of the house.' On 18 September 1807 he married a Scottish lass named Margaret Brough, the daughter of Thomas and Nancy Brough. They had a large family and were lifetime members of Hopewell Presbyterian Church. Joseph cared for his mother, Anne, throughout her life and was there by her bedside when she passed away at age 75, on 19 December 1830.

Joseph held the rank of Captain in the militia and was the Parsecutor at Hopewell Church. It was his duty as parsecutor to parcel out the lines of the hymns to be sung by the congregation. His trade is listed as tanner and cobbler on some census records.

Joseph and Margaret had 14 children, three boys and 11 girls. The boys were Ezekiel Waddell, Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Alexander. The girls were Jane Brough, Nancy Ann, Eleanor Caroline, Jane Adeline, Mary Louisa, Rachel Calhoun, Elizabeth, Margaret Eliza, Martha Laura, Amanda Catherine (died at age 1), and the youngest Lucretia Ann.

True to the era, the children of Joseph and Margaret would marry and venture west. Of the 14 children, I can only confirm of two that remained in Abbeville, Rachel, who married James Patrick McCaslin, and Margaret Eliza, who married Samuel Clark McGaw. The descendants of Joseph and Margaret ventured west to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas.

Beginnings

I have started this blog to communicate with others who may be researching or interested in one of the four main surnames listed for this site: Cole, Davis, Lambert and Mathews.

MATHEWS: Family history has the Mathews coming to America from Ireland sometime prior to 1750. (They probably came from county Down or Antrim in Ulster Ireland between 1720-1750) John Mathews with son's John Jr. and Isaac are the first Mathews I have found. Lore has it that they came to America from Ireland and that their port-of-entry was Charleston, SC. These men settled in Old 96 Dist of the South Carolina frontier, which later became Abbeville County.

I descend from Isaac. Notes say he bought his homeplace located fourteen miles southwest of Abbeville Court House within two miles of Little River on which Calhoun Mill was situated. He had close ties to the Calhoun family, having married Anne Calhoun, the daughter of William Calhoun and Agnes Long (who had immigrated from Ireland in 1733). Neither were 'spring chickens' by the time they wed. Anne was 29 and Isaac was at least in his mid-thirties when they wed on 12 October 1784 in Calhoun Settlement, Abbeville District, SC.

Anne had been captured by the Cheroke Indians at the Long Cane massacre 1 Feb 1760 and held for a period of years (some say three years, others say as long as fourteen years). She was freed sometime after the end of the French and Indian War. Her own personal account leads one to believe it was three years.

Isaac was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, having served as a Private before and after the reduction of Charleston by British forces.

Isaac and Anne had five children: Joseph Calhoun, Lewis, Nancy Ann, Mary and John. Joseph, the oldest child, was named after Anne's older brother. Her brother Joseph served in both the House and Senate of South Carolina; he was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1807, serving until 4 Mar 1811 when he declined to run again for reasons of health and was succeeded by his cousin, John C. Calhoun (who went on to be Vice-President under two US Presidents -- Adams and Jackson). My line runs through Joseph.