DeSoto Parish, Louisiana; Biography: Hugh A. Matthews - m320

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Submitted by Gaytha Carver Thompson
Typed by Trudy Marlow
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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives



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           Hugh A. Matthews.
         
            They shunned not labor when 'twas due;
            They wrought with right good will;
            And for the homes they won for them,
            Their children bless them still.
         
           The first of the Matthews family to come to
         this section of the country was William Matthews,
         the father of the immediate subject of this sketch.
         He was born in Georgia in 1812, and when a
         young man he determined to seek a home for him-
         self in the far west, and accordingly settled in
         De Soto Parish, La., and here made his home
         until his death in 1875, improving several good
         plantations in this section, and otherwise assisted
         in clearing up and improving the parish.  He was
         one of the best citizens this section has ever known,
         for he was enterprising, industrious and public
         spirited, and his death was a great loss and a
         source of much sorrow to all.  He was the first
         one of his family to come west, and the only one
         for a long time, but after a while a brother came,
         but remained only a short time, returning to his
         native State.  Mr. Matthews was married in De
         Soto Parish, La., to Miss Adaline Swan, who was
         born in Alabama in 1817, her death occurring in
         1880, both having been worthy members of the
         Missionary Baptist Church.  The father was a
         soldier in the Florida War, was a member of the
         A. F. & A. M. at Mansfield, and inherited Scotch-
         Irish blood from his father, William Matthews,
         the latter dying in Georgia.  The mother's father
         died when she was a child.  Hugh A. Matthews
         was the eldest of five children, three sons and one
         daughter now living, and all are residing in De
         Soto Parish.  He early became familiar with farm
         life, but in 1861 enlisted at Mansfield in Company
         F, Ninth Louisiana Infantry, Army of the Vir-
         ginia, and was under Gen. Stonewall Jackson. He
         was in the engagements at Winchester, Harper's
         Ferry, seven days' fight around Richmond, An-
         tietam, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chan-
         cellorsville, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Malvern
         Hill, and many minor engagements in the Shenan-
         doah Valley.  He surrendered at Appomattox
         Court House, having been wounded twice during
         his service, once at Manassas and once at Hamilton
         Crossing, but was only in the hospital for about
         five days during his entire service, and never
         received a furlough.  He was married, in 1873, to
         Miss Martha, daughter of John and Martha Par-
         ham, from Tennessee and Georgia, respectively,
         their settlement in De Soto Parish taking place in
         1849, after their marriage, their deaths occurring
         here since the war, Mr. Parham being a farmer.
         Mrs. Matthews was born in Georgia, and of ten
         children born to herself and husband, one son and
         eight daughters are living.  Since the war Mr.
         Matthews has resided in Ward 5, and for the past
         six years has been on his present farm, which is
         situated fifteen miles southeast of Mansfield, and
         comprises 1,000 acres.  He raises about seventy-
         five bales of cotton per year, and is the owner of
         a good steam cotton-gin, saw-mill and grist-mill.
         This property has been acquired through his own
         endeavor, and he may justly feel proud of the suc-
         cess he has made of his life.  He belongs to
         Shady Grove Lodge of the Farmers' Alliance, and
         his wife is a Methodist.