John Duke Mathews
The following biographical sketch of the life of
Rev J.D. Mathews,
whose death was chronicled in the News last
week, was written by himself in 1914.
I was born in Dallas County, Alabama, on July 26, 1831. I remember living in Saratoga County until I was about three years old, where father worked in a gin shop. We then removed to Sumpter County, Alabama, where I got acquainted with the Choctaw Indians. We lived there two years, then moved back to Dallas County. On that trip I saw the first steamboat at Demopolis, Ala. We settled about eight miles south of Slema, Ala where we lived until 1844, when we then moved to Loundes County. My father was overseer for William R. King for two years, during 1844 and 1845. I went to the country school during those two years. In the spring of 1846 we moved again to the western portion of Dallas County, and farmed for two years, near Cahawba, the county seat. We moved to H.J. King's landing in the spring of 1848, and took charge of the warehouse at that place. I had a spell of cholera while living there.
On the second Sunday in June, 1849, I united with the Primitive Baptist Church, with which church I have lived in full fellowship up to the present time. I began preaching in July, 1859, and have been continuously in the ministry since then, contending for the old line; and my desire is to leave the church just as I found it. On the second Sunday in June, 1916, I will have been a member of the church 66 years and a minister 56 years. I took the pastorate of the Sand Hill Church in 1885, where I have preached once a month ever since. I have had several close contentions with the brethren for the old line and faith as I understand it. In almost all hard questions that have come up in my church and in neighboring churches, I have been called on to help settle the matter, all of which has kept me pretty well employed.
We moved in the winter of 1849 to Snow Hill, Wilcox Co., Alabama, and lived there for five years, and on the 13th day of June, 1854, I was married to Miss Sarah Ann Francis Routon. I went into the sawmill business in the winter of 1854. I built a circular saw mill and used a Winters engine, 10x18 (twins), which was the first round log circular saw mill in Southern Alabama.
In September, 1857, my wife and I and our two children started for Texas, traveling in an ox wagon. We landed in Freestone County, Texas, in November, 1857, and went into the sawmill business in Houston County in 1858, which calling I followed until 1862, at which time I volunteered in the Confederate army. I went from Freestone County with Captain J.C. Means' company, which was mustered into Randall's Regiment, a part of Henry E. McCullough's Brigade, Walker's Division, in Camp Nelson. I served three years; never received a reprimand, never was called into direct line of battle and never fired a gun.
After the war closed I returned home and built three water mills, after which I removed to Palestine and built the first iron foundry at that place. In 1881, I moved on a farm in the southern part of Houston County, and followed farming there for five years. I then sold out there and moved to Angelina County, where I have lived ever since. We have had ten children born to us; five boys are still living and doing very well, but my wife and I live alone. Mrs. Sarah Ann Francis Mathews was born in Butler County, Ala., on February 14, 1837.
Source:Murray Wilson
Texans in the Civil War
The General Store