Timothy Walton MATHEWS

     Timothy Walton MATHEWS, son of John MATHEWS and Mary "Polly" BURT, was born on 20 July 1800 in Hancock County, Georgia.¹ Timothy Walton MATHEWS also went by the name of Watt.² He and James Burt MATHEWS, Martha Moore MATHEWS, Jesse Chambliss MATHEWS, Sarah Brinkley MATHEWS and Carolyn Harriet Byrd MATHEWS moved with Mary "Polly" MATHEWS and John MATHEWS from Milledgeville, Georgia to Autauga County, Alabama Territory, 24 March 1819 where they settled in the town of Washington on the Alabama River. Their children went to school there and were protected from Indians by their slaves.³

Timothy Walton MATHEWS received a gift of slaves from John MATHEWS on 19 November 1821 in Washington, Autauga County, Alabama. "...in consideration of the love, good will and affection which I have and do bear towards my loving son Timothy W. Mathews" he gave as slaves a negro boy named Isaac and a gal named Fanny, along with their increase. It was recorded 4 Dec 1821.⁴ He was a merchant and a riverboat pilot on the Alabama River. His riverboat was called the "Harriet".

Timothy married Sophia Weston BURT, daughter of Joseph BURT Jr. and Ann READ, on 16 July 1822 in Washington, Autauga County, Alabama.^1,5

Timothy saw military service on 7 August 1829 as captain of the 47th regiment, 15th brigade, 6th division of Alabama militia. His brother Jesse C. Mathews was adjutant. Timothy had been a lieutenant in the 23rd regiment on 22 Oct 1823.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS received a gift of property from Mary "Polly" MATHEWS on 30 November 1830 in Autauga County. For "the love, good will and affection which I have and bear towards my four grandchildren" Joseph J. J. Mathews, Timothy W. L. Mathews, James W. H. Mathews and Munson S. D. Mathews, being the children of my son, Timothy W. Mathews. The deed was signed by Mary and witnessed by William Burt and W. H. Cox.⁶

Timothy Walton MATHEWS moved from Washington to Wilcox County, Alabama, 1833 where he farmed for many years. In 1853 he moved to Mobile where he resided first in Toulminville and then in Mobile on Dauphin Way. He retired from steamboating at the start of the Civil War. About 1879 he moved to St. Louis where he was a minister.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS purchased a government land patent 12 June 1834 in Wilcox County, Alabama. From the Cahaba land office he purchased land in township 14-N, range 8-E. It contained 39.77 acres of northwest quarter of northwest quarter of section 31. His brother-in-law, Jarrott Vincent, also had land in this same township and range. Timothy also bought land in township 14-N, range 7-E. The southeast quarter of northeast quarter of section 36, containing 39.61 acres.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS purchased a government land patent 10 August 1835 in Wilcox County, Alabama. From the Cahaba Land Office he purchased 39.77 acres for $125 being the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 31, township 14, range 8.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS purchased a government land patent 19 September 1835 in Wilcox County, Alabama. From the Cahaba land office he purchased land in township 14-N, range 7-E. The east half of the southeast quarter of section 36, containg 79.22 acres. His mother also bought land in this section as did his brother, Jesse.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS purchased a government land patent 15 May 1837 in Wilcox County, Alabama. From the Cahaba land office he purchased more land in township 14-N, range 8-E. The northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 31, containing 39.77 acres.

He received appointments as justice of the peace for Wilcox county 25 Jun 1842, 1844, and 1847.

Timothy was appointed deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church South on January 1, 1847. He was also a justice of peace in Wilcox County in 1843.⁷

There was a river port in Wilcox County known as Upper Peach Tree or Clifton as it became known after 1845. Josephus and Martha Houston were the first to operate a landing facility at Clifton. In 1849 Timothy W. Mathews and his sons purchased the land, small warehouse and other buildings for $2,600.00. The Mathews men improved the property, enlarging the warehouses, cotton sheds, and upgrading the landing and ferry. Polly took charge of the operation of the hotel on the premises. In 1853 Timothy sold landing and all buildings to Henry S. Savage. Leonidas Ratcliffe, and George F. Watson.⁸

Timothy Walton MATHEWS and Sophia Weston BURT appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1850 in Wilcox County, Alabama. The household was listed as T. W. Mathews, a 48 year old farmer who born in Georgia. He owned real estate valued at $600. Sophia Mathews, his wife, was 46 years old and born in North Carolina. Children were James H., a 22 year old farmer; Robert W., age 18; Doctor E. [Issac?], age 13; Francis M., age 11; Fletcher, age 8; and Nancy, age 3. All were born in Alabama. Living with them was R. Taylor, a 25 year old merchant, born in Alabama. Living next door was Joseph Mathews, a warehouse keeper, and the son of Timothy and Sophia.⁹

Timothy Walton MATHEWS purchased a government land patent 2 February 1852 in Wilcox County, Alabama. At the Cahaba land office he bought 79.58 acres of the north half of the southwest quarter of section 4. Then on 27 Feb 1852 he purchased 79.01 more acres including the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 5 and the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 4.

From a Milledgeville, Georgia newspaper dated 25 July 1853: "...[died] at the residence of Rev. T. W. Mathews, in Toulminville, Alabama, on the 20th of June 1853, Mrs. Rebecca L. Bosworth, wife of Major William Bosworth, of Fort Pike, Louisiana. The deceased was the youngest daughter of Phillip Logan, late of Milledgeville, Georgia. She was born [about 1808] in Sandersville." Was there a family connection?¹⁰

Timothy Walton MATHEWS and Sophia Weston BURT appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 18 September 1860 in Mobile, Alabama. The household was listed as Timothy W. Mathews, a 60 year old minister, born in Georgia. He had real estate valued at $4,500 and personal property valued at $22,000. According to the slave census he owned 27 slaves. His wife, Sophia W., was 55 and born in North Carolina. Living with them were their sons Robert W., a 22 year old clerk, and Fletcher F., age 16. Living next door was their son Timothy L. Mathews and his family.^11,12

Timothy Walton MATHEWS appeared in a newspaper article 24 March 1865 in the Alabama Beacon, published in Greensboro, Alabama. "WHO WILL COME TO THE RESCUE-- One Million Dollars Wanted for the Army.-- The writer purposes to his fellow citizens to raise one million dollars to pay the Alabama soldiers now in the field, or at home disabled. He will be one of one thousand, to pay one thousand dollars each to create a fund for this purpose. All speak at once and speak quick. -- T. W. Mathews, Pine Hill, Wilcox County, Ala.

Thomas McPrince, of Washington Co., through a card in the Mobile Register, agrees to be one of the number proposed by Capt. Mathews. Who will be the next to promote this laudable object?"

Timothy Walton MATHEWS and Sophia Weston BURT appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 18 July 1870 in Ward 7, Mobile, Alabama. The household was listed as Timothy Mathews, a 64 year-old feed store operator, and his wife, Sophia, age 60. Timothy had real estate valued at $10,000 and personal property worth $2,000. They had two sons living with them, Robert, age 30, who worked in the feed store, and Fletcher, 23, a steam boat mate. The two boys owned real estate valued at $5,000 and $2,800 respectively. Also living in the household were a mulato cook, Nancy Thompson of Virginia, 39, and her sons Howard, 7, and William, 10, who were employed by the Mathews as domestic servants.¹³

From the 1870 Mobile City Directory Timothy and his son Fletcher lived on the northside of New Creek Road between Ryland and Ann. It did not include an occupation for Timothy, but Fletcher F. Mathews was a steamboatman.

In the 1871 and 1872 Mobile City Directorys Timothy W. Mathews was listed a steamboat captain. He lived on the westside of Julia between Dauphin Way and Brown. His sons Robert W. and Fletcher F. Mathews lived there as well. Robert was a clerk on a steamboat and Fletcher was first clerk on the steamboat "Hale". In 1872 Robert was now 2nd Clerk on the steamer "Prairie State.'

He appeared in the 1873 city directory for that year as Capt. Timothy J. Mathews, resident west side of Julia between Dauphin Way and Government streets. This is the same residence listed for Robert W. and Fletcher F. Mathews. By 1875 and 1876 no occupation was listed for Timothy, but he still lived at the same address. Robert was then clerk aboard the steamboat "Tally" and Fletcher was also a steamboat clerk.

In 1877 and 1878 was apparently retired as no occupation was listed. He lived at the Julia street address, but Robert and Fletcher were no longer listed.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS and Sophia Weston BURT appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 12 June 1880 in Julia Street, 8th Ward, Port of Mobile, Alabama. The household was listed as Timothy W. Matthews, 80, retired merchant, who was born in Georgia. His parents were born in North Carolina. Sophia W. Matthews, 76, his wife, was born in North Carolina as were her parents. Living with them as a domestic servant was Nancy Davis, a 45 year old white female, born in Virginia.¹⁴

Between 1882 and 1884 Timothy Walton MATHEWS lived in St. Louis, Missouri, with his son, Fletcher, a tobacco dealer. Fletcher had been there since at least 1879. They lived at 219 South 5th.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS died on 28 July 1884 in 308 S. Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri, at age 84. The cause of death was listed as senile debility.^1,15,16 He was buried in Mathews Cemetery, Toulminville, Mobile County, Alabama.

His obituary appeared 2 August 1884 in the The Daily Register, published in Mobile, Alabama. DEATH OF CAPT. MATTHEWS, the oldest Alabama River steamboatman. -- Capt. T. W. Matthews, one of the oldest steamboatmen in this country and the first one in Alabama, died in St. Louis Monday at the residence of his son. Capt. Matthews was a bargeman on the river before steamboats were used, and piloted the first steamboat on the Alabama river. From 1823 until about five years ago, went he went to reside in St. Louis, he was actively engaged in the river business, and no man in the State was more widely or better known than he. His acquaintance with the rivers was thorough, and he it was who a short tme ago furnished The Register with a full list of names of all the boats which ran in these rivers from the first up to the present time.

The remains were brought to the city by Mr. Fletcher Matthews, and were buried Wednesday afternoon. Rev. R. B. Crawford officiating. The pall bearers were Messrs. Thad. Partridge, A. G. Moore, Wm. F. Bullock, Wm. Turner, J. Frank, and Geo. E. Estes.

Timothy Walton MATHEWS appeared in a newspaper article 3 August 1884 in the The Daily Register, published in Mobile, Alabama. The Oldest Steamboatman. Further details of the life of Capt. Mathews -- Friday's notice of the late Capt. Mathews was not long enough to contain several interesting facts concerning his history.

He was born in Milledgeville, Ga., in 1800, and came with his father and mother to Washington, Ala. in 1818. Early in life her took to the river and engagd in pole barging. His assistants in this work were Indians and negroes. He made many trips to Mobile with country produce and returned with manufactured stuffs, poling his barges all the way up to Montgomery, and even further up the stream.

He was one of the first and perhaps the first to pilot a steamboat up the Alabama, and the first to pilot one up the Cahaba. The first Alabama steamboat to reach Montgomery was the Harriet, and her trip was made in 1821.

Captain Mathews often spoke of this boat and he piloted her at times. It is probable he was at the wheel on the initial trip. He certainly knew the river better than anyone at that time, and would naturally have been selected for this service. He commanded and owned many steamers in his day, and retired from active duty at the beginning of the war, being then over sixty years of age.

He had moved to Wilcox county in 1833, where he farmed for many years. In 1853 he moved to Mobile and resided first in Toulminville and later on Dauphin way. About five years ago he moved to St. Louis where he died. His last years were devoted entirely to the advocacy of religious thoughts and practice. He was licensed as a preacher, and gave his entire time and a great deal of his money to the good cause.

He was throughout life a stanch Democrat of the Jackson school and a patriot. Unable to serve in the armies of the South, he gave support in the most practical way by exchanging his gold for Confederate bonds, which bonds remain as heir looms in the family. He was ever ready to help the soldiers and an incident where he stood in the streets with his hands full of money, giving it away to the ragged warriors as they marched pass. Another evidence of his patriotism was the fact that he offered all of the brass about his house to the Confederate ordinance bureau, and surrendered his fire dogs and bells to be melted at the cannon foundry. He was in fact a thorough Southern gentleman, brave, generous, charitable and full of the milk of human kindness.

He leaves a wife and three sons to mourn his loss. One son, Capt. T. L. [Timothy LaFayette], died just one year ago. The surviving sons are James H., who lives at Grand Bay, Capt. R. W. [Robert], whose home is in Marengo County, and who is engaged in steamboating, and Fletcher, now in business in St. Louis.