Born as Lydia Rebecca to parents Ira and Mary Clevinger Salyer, she preferred the use of her middle name. Rebecca married Rake Henry Matney, the son of Nelson and Cynthia Bingham Matney. The couple were the parents of Joyce, Mary and Clara Matney. Rebecca died in child birth in 1917, the baby girl (Virgie J.) also died. Rake Henry was faced with very difficult circumstances in 1917. He lost his wife and was raising their young children, alone. A few months later, on December 16, 1917, Moscoe Belcher shot and killed his father, Nelson Matney.
Moscoe had been courting Rake Henry's sister, Jane, against Nelson's wishes and had been ordered to stay away from their property. Rake Henry's uncle, E.S. Bingham, was on bad terms with Nelson, and he and Moscoe Belcher were drinking "hot drops" together and commiserating on their mutual dislike of Mr. Matney. The two walked from Ike Slone's store to the Matney property and entered the kitchen, where Jane was cooking supper. Nelson Matney was doing the evening milking and was unaware of their arrival.
Upon entering the house, he noticed the presence of the men and ordered them out. While ordering them out, he was carrying his shotgun. It was loaded, but broken, and lying across his arm. In the mountain region, this was a signal that the person would not shoot unless they had to, so the threat was not immediate, but was implied. The two men fled the house, but the argument continued in the yard. Moscoe Belcher was outside the fence and fired three shots, the third striking Nelson in his abdomen. Jane Matney rendered aid, while Nelson's son, Burt, the only other person home at the time, ran for help. Soon after, Nelson Matney succumbed to the effects of his wound. Belcher and Bingham were caught, arrested, indicted and convicted of willful manslaughter and sentenced to twenty-one years in the penitentiary.
Despite these circumstances, Rake Henry persevered. He married Narcissa Ramey and the couple raised his children from his first marriage, as well as having children of their own.
Moscoe had been courting Rake Henry's sister, Jane, against Nelson's wishes and had been ordered to stay away from their property. Rake Henry's uncle, E.S. Bingham, was on bad terms with Nelson, and he and Moscoe Belcher were drinking "hot drops" together and commiserating on their mutual dislike of Mr. Matney. The two walked from Ike Slone's store to the Matney property and entered the kitchen, where Jane was cooking supper. Nelson Matney was doing the evening milking and was unaware of their arrival.
Upon entering the house, he noticed the presence of the men and ordered them out. While ordering them out, he was carrying his shotgun. It was loaded, but broken, and lying across his arm. In the mountain region, this was a signal that the person would not shoot unless they had to, so the threat was not immediate, but was implied. The two men fled the house, but the argument continued in the yard. Moscoe Belcher was outside the fence and fired three shots, the third striking Nelson in his abdomen. Jane Matney rendered aid, while Nelson's son, Burt, the only other person home at the time, ran for help. Soon after, Nelson Matney succumbed to the effects of his wound. Belcher and Bingham were caught, arrested, indicted and convicted of willful manslaughter and sentenced to twenty-one years in the penitentiary.
Despite these circumstances, Rake Henry persevered. He married Narcissa Ramey and the couple raised his children from his first marriage, as well as having children of their own.
Born as Lydia Rebecca to parents Ira and Mary Clevinger Salyer, she preferred the use of her middle name. Rebecca married Rake Henry Matney, the son of Nelson and Cynthia Bingham Matney. The couple were the parents of Joyce, Mary and Clara Matney. Rebecca died in child birth in 1917, the baby girl (Virgie J.) also died. Rake Henry was faced with very difficult circumstances in 1917. He lost his wife and was raising their young children, alone. A few months later, on December 16, 1917, Moscoe Belcher shot and killed his father, Nelson Matney.
Moscoe had been courting Rake Henry's sister, Jane, against Nelson's wishes and had been ordered to stay away from their property. Rake Henry's uncle, E.S. Bingham, was on bad terms with Nelson, and he and Moscoe Belcher were drinking "hot drops" together and commiserating on their mutual dislike of Mr. Matney. The two walked from Ike Slone's store to the Matney property and entered the kitchen, where Jane was cooking supper. Nelson Matney was doing the evening milking and was unaware of their arrival.
Upon entering the house, he noticed the presence of the men and ordered them out. While ordering them out, he was carrying his shotgun. It was loaded, but broken, and lying across his arm. In the mountain region, this was a signal that the person would not shoot unless they had to, so the threat was not immediate, but was implied. The two men fled the house, but the argument continued in the yard. Moscoe Belcher was outside the fence and fired three shots, the third striking Nelson in his abdomen. Jane Matney rendered aid, while Nelson's son, Burt, the only other person home at the time, ran for help. Soon after, Nelson Matney succumbed to the effects of his wound. Belcher and Bingham were caught, arrested, indicted and convicted of willful manslaughter and sentenced to twenty-one years in the penitentiary.
Despite these circumstances, Rake Henry persevered. He married Narcissa Ramey and the couple raised his children from his first marriage, as well as having children of their own.
Moscoe had been courting Rake Henry's sister, Jane, against Nelson's wishes and had been ordered to stay away from their property. Rake Henry's uncle, E.S. Bingham, was on bad terms with Nelson, and he and Moscoe Belcher were drinking "hot drops" together and commiserating on their mutual dislike of Mr. Matney. The two walked from Ike Slone's store to the Matney property and entered the kitchen, where Jane was cooking supper. Nelson Matney was doing the evening milking and was unaware of their arrival.
Upon entering the house, he noticed the presence of the men and ordered them out. While ordering them out, he was carrying his shotgun. It was loaded, but broken, and lying across his arm. In the mountain region, this was a signal that the person would not shoot unless they had to, so the threat was not immediate, but was implied. The two men fled the house, but the argument continued in the yard. Moscoe Belcher was outside the fence and fired three shots, the third striking Nelson in his abdomen. Jane Matney rendered aid, while Nelson's son, Burt, the only other person home at the time, ran for help. Soon after, Nelson Matney succumbed to the effects of his wound. Belcher and Bingham were caught, arrested, indicted and convicted of willful manslaughter and sentenced to twenty-one years in the penitentiary.
Despite these circumstances, Rake Henry persevered. He married Narcissa Ramey and the couple raised his children from his first marriage, as well as having children of their own.
Gravesite Details
Source for the events of the day of Nelson Matney's murder are a synopsis from the appeal petitions of both convicts.
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