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From: "Jeff Armstrong" <>
Subject: [DALE COUNTY] Essay on the "History of Southeast Alabama" by W.E. Andrews Part 5
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 23:12:17 -0500


John Matthews, eldest son of Moses Matthews lived to be an old man, having
raised a large family. He was captain of a company in the War of 1836, but
afterwards contented himself on the farm, near where his father first
settled until his death. His children
and their posterity are scattered over southeast Alabama and all make good
citizens. Millie, wife of Benjamin Andrews, died at the age of 83 years on
Nov. 8, 1879, and is buried in the cemetery at Ozark. Rachel, married Benson
Hughes, and both are long since
dead. Their sons Seaborn and Nelson Hughes moved to Texas soon after the
war. Nelson died about 1882, but Seaborn Hughes is still living in Freestone
County, Their brother, Capt. Needham Hughes served through the war as
Captain, and was at one time in command of the Regiment, After the war he
settled in Ozark, where he married Miss Elizabeth Dowling, daughter of
Edward and Ann Dowling. In 1876 he was elected high sheriff and served one
term. Then he engaged in the mercantile business, and afterwards moved to
affirm. In the year 1900 he sold out his interests in Dale and moved to
Nachedoches, Texas, where he resides at this time. William Matthews after
marrying, settled a half-mile south of his father and opened out a farm. He
raised a large family, mostly daughters. Edmund Matthews one of his sons, is
a respected citizen of Covington County; Sheridan, the second son, lives in
central
south Texas; and the third son, Rev. Elbert Matthews, a minister of the
Baptist faith, lives near Ozark. Harriet, the oldest daughter, married Ames
Johnson, whom she survives and lives near where she was raised. Two other
daughters, Rebecca end Mary, married
Richard and George Martin, and moved out of the county. John Calvin Matthews
married a Miss Unity Yelverton, and succeded Thomas Bullard as a member of
the firm of Matthews and Bullard are old Ozark about 1856. In 1857 he sold
his interests in the firm to his brother and opened a store in Newton, then
the county seat. When the war broke out he entered the service as an officer
in his company. At the close of the war, he returned end made a settlement
near Westville, and entered public life. Among the positions of public trust
occupied was a seat in the constitutional convention of 1868. He is survived
by his widow who is a citizen of the city of Montgomery. Three sons and
several daughters were born of this union. California, the eldest daughter,
married William Mobley and both are dead. Their son now lives in Montgomery.
Rev. C.L. Matthews, the eldest son, a prominent Baptist minister, now a
citizen of Ozark. C.L. Matthews, Esquire, is a respected citizen of Newton
and C.C. Matthews, their brother is a citizen of Pinckard.. Balma, the
youngest daughter, married Sidney Goff, a prominent druggist of Ozark.,. but
death loves a shining mark, and soon the doting husband was bereaved of his
loving companion. M. Gordon Matthews married Martha, daughter of William Fox
and settled at the Mill's old place on (the Daleville road four miles
Southwest of Ozark. When the county seat was brought to Ozark in 1870, he
left the farm and built the first hotel in Ozark and kept open house until
his death. His widow still resides at the same place. He raised a large
family before whom he set the example of a Godly life, being Deacon in the
Union Baptist Church for many years, and died in full triumphs of the faith
he had lived. He raised three sons and several daughters. William C.
Matthews, now of Ozark, R. L. Matthews, who moved to Texas in 1900, and J..
Asbek Matthews, who died some years ago,
were his sons. His eldest daughter Sarah married Crawford Yelverton, and
the second daughter, Davannah, married J.J. Fain, one of Dales' able county
commissioners. Spencer H. Matthews married Miss Marion Yelverton and they
raised a large family.

Soon after the war they all moved to East Texas, where they still reside.
Sarah Matthews married Robert Oates, a member of the distinguished Henry
County family of that name. They moved to Newton County, Texas soon after
the war, where they completed the raising of a large family. Robert Oates is
dead, but his widow and children are still in the west. Sinai Matthews
married Alexander Fields and settled between Ozark and Newton. Only one son,
Clayton Fields, was born to them. At this time no representative of this
branch of the family is living. Mary, daughter by the first wife, married
Seaborn Gray and succeeded her father in his first Alabama settlement. She
was left a widow soon after the war and the care of the family and farm left
in her charge. When her father died without leaving a will it was decided to
settle the estate by casting lots. The sand ridge embracing the Union Church
district fell to Mrs. Gray and she felt disappointed. The next year the
county seat was moved to Ozark and located on Mrs. Gray's old homestead, and
it proved to be the most valuable piece of land in all the surrounding
country. She soon built a residence on her elegible lot, where she lived
until her death. Their eldest son, William Gray, moved to South Texas about
the first of the late struggle between the states, where he reared a large
family in efficient circumstances.

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