Thomas married Nancy Adaline Barnett on 24 Feb 1842 in DeKalb County, Georgia. The couple had just three children, Viana (Matthews), second wife of John J. McDaniel; Henry B. Matthews, who married Olivia S. Mills; and Alice Matthews, who probably died young (she was born about 1863 yet doesn't appear with her family in the 1880 census).
The family lived first in Stone Mountain District of DeKalb County, but it seems that during the Civil War, they moved to Gwinnett County, where Thomas was mustered in as Sergeant in Company C, 10th Georgia Cavalry (State Guards), on 1 Aug 1863. After the war, the Thomas D. Matthews family lived in Sweetwater District of Gwinnett County, and in 1872 and 1873, Thomas was appointed Postmaster there.
In 1876, Thomas announced himself a candidate to represent Gwinnett County in the George House of Representatives, his motto "Retrenchment and Reform." There were eight other candidates, and Thomas lost. In 1878 however, he was named a Justice for Martins' District in the county. In 1880, Thomas was again a candidate, this time for Tax Receiver of Gwinnett County. It appears that he did not win though.
Thomas's death was mentioned in the Weekly Gwinnett Herald (Lawrenceville, GA) 23 Nov 1881, on page 3:
"We regret to learn that Mr. Thomas D. Mathews, of this county, died last Thursday after a protracted illness. Mr. Mathews was well known in the county as an upright, honorable man, a good neighbor and first class citizen, having served as justice of the peace for a number of years."
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A note about Thomas's birth year: On his tombstone, which was readable in 1932 when Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett did his survey of the cemetery, it was written that Thomas was born in 1824. This must have been an error. Henry and Charity Matthews, Thomas's parents, had just three sons, and Thomas was the oldest. In the 1820 census, they already had one son less than 0 to 10 years old. In 1830, they had one son 5 to 9 (Thomas) and two sons 0 to 5 (Henry and Uriah). Thomas himself said he was 30 years old in the 1850 census, 40 in 1860, 50 in 1870, and 60 in 1880. It all only makes sense if he was born in 1820, not 1824.
Also: On their gravestones, Thomas and Nancy's last name was spelled "Mathews." The spelling varied in records, but most of this family, including their son Henry B. Matthews, use the spelling "Matthews."
In recent times, those who photographed Bethesda Memorial Cemetery could not locate either of Thomas and Nancy's stones. They seemingly had disappeared, but thanks to Contributor Wayne J. Smith (#48380193), in 2023 they were found within the John J. McDaniel plot. Curiously enough, Thomas and Nancy's thin stones appear to be stuck together back to back, and they are very weathered. Enough writing is however still legible to identify them as the stones that Franklin Garrett read back in 1932.
The family lived first in Stone Mountain District of DeKalb County, but it seems that during the Civil War, they moved to Gwinnett County, where Thomas was mustered in as Sergeant in Company C, 10th Georgia Cavalry (State Guards), on 1 Aug 1863. After the war, the Thomas D. Matthews family lived in Sweetwater District of Gwinnett County, and in 1872 and 1873, Thomas was appointed Postmaster there.
In 1876, Thomas announced himself a candidate to represent Gwinnett County in the George House of Representatives, his motto "Retrenchment and Reform." There were eight other candidates, and Thomas lost. In 1878 however, he was named a Justice for Martins' District in the county. In 1880, Thomas was again a candidate, this time for Tax Receiver of Gwinnett County. It appears that he did not win though.
Thomas's death was mentioned in the Weekly Gwinnett Herald (Lawrenceville, GA) 23 Nov 1881, on page 3:
"We regret to learn that Mr. Thomas D. Mathews, of this county, died last Thursday after a protracted illness. Mr. Mathews was well known in the county as an upright, honorable man, a good neighbor and first class citizen, having served as justice of the peace for a number of years."
_______________________
A note about Thomas's birth year: On his tombstone, which was readable in 1932 when Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett did his survey of the cemetery, it was written that Thomas was born in 1824. This must have been an error. Henry and Charity Matthews, Thomas's parents, had just three sons, and Thomas was the oldest. In the 1820 census, they already had one son less than 0 to 10 years old. In 1830, they had one son 5 to 9 (Thomas) and two sons 0 to 5 (Henry and Uriah). Thomas himself said he was 30 years old in the 1850 census, 40 in 1860, 50 in 1870, and 60 in 1880. It all only makes sense if he was born in 1820, not 1824.
Also: On their gravestones, Thomas and Nancy's last name was spelled "Mathews." The spelling varied in records, but most of this family, including their son Henry B. Matthews, use the spelling "Matthews."
In recent times, those who photographed Bethesda Memorial Cemetery could not locate either of Thomas and Nancy's stones. They seemingly had disappeared, but thanks to Contributor Wayne J. Smith (#48380193), in 2023 they were found within the John J. McDaniel plot. Curiously enough, Thomas and Nancy's thin stones appear to be stuck together back to back, and they are very weathered. Enough writing is however still legible to identify them as the stones that Franklin Garrett read back in 1932.
Thomas married Nancy Adaline Barnett on 24 Feb 1842 in DeKalb County, Georgia. The couple had just three children, Viana (Matthews), second wife of John J. McDaniel; Henry B. Matthews, who married Olivia S. Mills; and Alice Matthews, who probably died young (she was born about 1863 yet doesn't appear with her family in the 1880 census).
The family lived first in Stone Mountain District of DeKalb County, but it seems that during the Civil War, they moved to Gwinnett County, where Thomas was mustered in as Sergeant in Company C, 10th Georgia Cavalry (State Guards), on 1 Aug 1863. After the war, the Thomas D. Matthews family lived in Sweetwater District of Gwinnett County, and in 1872 and 1873, Thomas was appointed Postmaster there.
In 1876, Thomas announced himself a candidate to represent Gwinnett County in the George House of Representatives, his motto "Retrenchment and Reform." There were eight other candidates, and Thomas lost. In 1878 however, he was named a Justice for Martins' District in the county. In 1880, Thomas was again a candidate, this time for Tax Receiver of Gwinnett County. It appears that he did not win though.
Thomas's death was mentioned in the Weekly Gwinnett Herald (Lawrenceville, GA) 23 Nov 1881, on page 3:
"We regret to learn that Mr. Thomas D. Mathews, of this county, died last Thursday after a protracted illness. Mr. Mathews was well known in the county as an upright, honorable man, a good neighbor and first class citizen, having served as justice of the peace for a number of years."
_______________________
A note about Thomas's birth year: On his tombstone, which was readable in 1932 when Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett did his survey of the cemetery, it was written that Thomas was born in 1824. This must have been an error. Henry and Charity Matthews, Thomas's parents, had just three sons, and Thomas was the oldest. In the 1820 census, they already had one son less than 0 to 10 years old. In 1830, they had one son 5 to 9 (Thomas) and two sons 0 to 5 (Henry and Uriah). Thomas himself said he was 30 years old in the 1850 census, 40 in 1860, 50 in 1870, and 60 in 1880. It all only makes sense if he was born in 1820, not 1824.
Also: On their gravestones, Thomas and Nancy's last name was spelled "Mathews." The spelling varied in records, but most of this family, including their son Henry B. Matthews, use the spelling "Matthews."
In recent times, those who photographed Bethesda Memorial Cemetery could not locate either of Thomas and Nancy's stones. They seemingly had disappeared, but thanks to Contributor Wayne J. Smith (#48380193), in 2023 they were found within the John J. McDaniel plot. Curiously enough, Thomas and Nancy's thin stones appear to be stuck together back to back, and they are very weathered. Enough writing is however still legible to identify them as the stones that Franklin Garrett read back in 1932.
The family lived first in Stone Mountain District of DeKalb County, but it seems that during the Civil War, they moved to Gwinnett County, where Thomas was mustered in as Sergeant in Company C, 10th Georgia Cavalry (State Guards), on 1 Aug 1863. After the war, the Thomas D. Matthews family lived in Sweetwater District of Gwinnett County, and in 1872 and 1873, Thomas was appointed Postmaster there.
In 1876, Thomas announced himself a candidate to represent Gwinnett County in the George House of Representatives, his motto "Retrenchment and Reform." There were eight other candidates, and Thomas lost. In 1878 however, he was named a Justice for Martins' District in the county. In 1880, Thomas was again a candidate, this time for Tax Receiver of Gwinnett County. It appears that he did not win though.
Thomas's death was mentioned in the Weekly Gwinnett Herald (Lawrenceville, GA) 23 Nov 1881, on page 3:
"We regret to learn that Mr. Thomas D. Mathews, of this county, died last Thursday after a protracted illness. Mr. Mathews was well known in the county as an upright, honorable man, a good neighbor and first class citizen, having served as justice of the peace for a number of years."
_______________________
A note about Thomas's birth year: On his tombstone, which was readable in 1932 when Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett did his survey of the cemetery, it was written that Thomas was born in 1824. This must have been an error. Henry and Charity Matthews, Thomas's parents, had just three sons, and Thomas was the oldest. In the 1820 census, they already had one son less than 0 to 10 years old. In 1830, they had one son 5 to 9 (Thomas) and two sons 0 to 5 (Henry and Uriah). Thomas himself said he was 30 years old in the 1850 census, 40 in 1860, 50 in 1870, and 60 in 1880. It all only makes sense if he was born in 1820, not 1824.
Also: On their gravestones, Thomas and Nancy's last name was spelled "Mathews." The spelling varied in records, but most of this family, including their son Henry B. Matthews, use the spelling "Matthews."
In recent times, those who photographed Bethesda Memorial Cemetery could not locate either of Thomas and Nancy's stones. They seemingly had disappeared, but thanks to Contributor Wayne J. Smith (#48380193), in 2023 they were found within the John J. McDaniel plot. Curiously enough, Thomas and Nancy's thin stones appear to be stuck together back to back, and they are very weathered. Enough writing is however still legible to identify them as the stones that Franklin Garrett read back in 1932.
Gravesite Details
Stone is within the John J. McDaniel family plot. Thomas's stone is on the other side of his wife Nancy's.
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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