Stewart County Georgia - Biography - James Matthews d. 1848 ********************************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ********************************************************************************************** This file contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Charlene Parker" Oct 2002 The senior James Matthews, a Virginian by birth, was a prominent Baptist minister of Wilkes County, Georgia, where he resided when his son James was born. The father brought up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and manifested a peculiar anxiety for their salvation. His hope in this regard, however, was delayed until they were all grown and chiefly settled in families. James, the son, was the first of the household in whose conversion these parental solicitudes found their fruition. He united with the Clerk's Station church, in that county, in 1825. His mind was drawn to the ministry from the earliest stages of his Christian experience, and his ordination occurred four years later in 1829. For ten years he prosecuted his pulpit labors with faithfulness and success, in the bounds of the Georgia Association. He moved in 1839 to Stewart County, and resided there until his death in March, 1848, being one of the most prominent and influential ministers in the Bethel Association, and for three sessions proceding his demise, its Moderator, namely in 1844, 1845 and 1847. He was pastor of the Lumpkin Church for several years, of the Eufaula Church for two or three, and of Benevolence Church, Randolph County, from its constitution until his death. His removal to Stewart County led to a great increase of his zeal in the ministry. There were then but few churches in that part of the State, and the vast amount of destitution impressed him with the importance of engaging at once more fully in the work of preaching and organizing new churches. He delighted in holding protracted meetings, was always ready for whatever evangelistic service he could render for the diffusion of saving truth, and saw the crown of a marked blessing from the Lord placed on his humble but earnest endeavors. His Association, on his death, recorded its conviction that "he was faithful, zealous and indefatigable laborer in the vineyard of the Lord. Though without the advantages of a liberal education, by dint of industry and close observation, he was enabled to store his mind with a large fund of useful knowledge, which, aided by his native good sense and practical piety, rendered him a useful and prominent minister of the cross of Christ. He was a liberal patron and ardent friend of ministerial education, missionary operations, and all the benevolent enterprises of the day." His consecration to Christ, and his genial, social qualities, made him popular and beloved wherever he labored; while the sound doctrine of his sermons, their methodical arrangement and their unction, gave him much more than ordinary power in the pulpit. We regret that more explicit details as to his life are not within our reach; but the day comes, if we are the Lord's when we shall hear from his own lips the story of all the ways in which Divine Providence led him through the wilderness of this world. Oh, the joyful interchanges of personal experience between the glorified, when they meet on "the shining shore," and mingle in the city of which the Lamb is the light forever!" Matthews, James State: Georgia Year: 1840 County: Stewart Roll: Township: Turnbull District Page: Georgia Marriages Stewart County Grimes, Mary - Matthews, James Marriage Date: 29 Aug 1837 Will of James Matthews of Wilkes County recorded Sept. 1828 mentions son James http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/wilkes/wills/mathewsj.txt 1820 Wilkes Co. Ga page 292 1m 10-16, 1m 26-45; 3f 0-10, 1f 26-36 1820 Wilkes Co. Ga page James Mathews 1m 45 up; 2f 10-16, 1f 16-26, 1f 45up Isaac N. Mathews 1m 16-26, 1f 16-26 1830 Wilkes Co. GA page 320 James Matthews 1m 0-5, 1m 20-30, 1m 30-40; 1f 0-5, 3f 10-15, 1f 30-40 Wilkes County GA Marriages Mathews A. C. Dr Wootten Eliza J. 25-Nov-1880 Mathews Jesse M. Norman Frances 21-Dec-1842 Mathews R. J. Arnold Emma 17-Dec-1893 Matthews Abraham M. Eason Eliza 24-Dec-1811 Matthews George W. Cade Mary A. 13-May-1834 Matthews Griffin Sherrer Nancy 30-Jun-1831 Matthews Henry Louis Kirkland Delila 05-Jan-1924 Matthews Isaac N. Ruddell Catharine 08-Mar-1820 Matthews John W. Dowdy Virginia M. 14-Jan-1864 Matthews Thomas Runnells Rachael 11-Nov-1799 Matthews Walter Smith Jane 28-Apr-1792 Matthews Elizabeth Bird Robert 16-Oct-1792 Matthews Mary Ann Childers Levi G. 18-Nov-1835 Matthews Polly (col) Stark Mansfield (col) 18-Jul-1875 Matthews Polly (col) Stark Mansfield (col) 18-Jul-1875 Mathews Annie Fling John 16-Apr-1807 Mathews Malinda Irvin Josiah R. 22-May-1831 Mathews Martha C. Davant James 08-Aug-1822 Mathews Mary Conner John 23-Jan-1825 Mathews Mary Lawson John 30-Nov-1819 Mathews Mary W. Daniel James 20-Jan-1824 Mathews Matilda A. Cain Whitfield H. 06-Jun-1832 Mathews Sarah Smith Loyd 14-Aug-1922 Mathews Virginia B. Aycock Boyd E. 30-Oct-1895 1850 Randolph Co. Ga page 367 23-Mary Mathews 44 NC f Christianal 44 " f John 23 " m Sarah 18 " f Andrew 16 " m Nancy 14 " f Sophia 12 " f Jane 11 " f 24-Allen Mathews 26 NC m Louisa 27 " f Columbus Pane 11 Ga m James 10 Ga m