Matlock Family History
by Gary TelfordThe Matlock Clan was brought to Woodruff County by James M. Matlock and his son, John Authur. This move came in the fall of 1886. James M. settled in DeView Township south of McCrory and John Authur settled just down the road in Cache Township, just east of "Pop City" also south of McCrory. The remainder of the Clan came to Woodruff County in the fall of 1887, settling in the Beards, Tip and DeView communities.
James M. Matlock was born in 1813, Lincoln County, Tennessee. He was the son and second child, born to Moses M. and Francis Cantrell Matlock. Moses M. Matlock was born about 1775, in Botetouri County, Virginia. Moses M.'s father was Littleberry Matlock. Littleberry was born January 1758 in Halifax County, Virginia. One of the many sons of Moore Matlock, Sr., born about 1732 in Goochland County, Virginia. Moore Matlock, Sr. and his wife Nancy Jane Powell are the ones who brought the Matlock's into what is now Washington County, Tennessee, in 1787. Moore Matlock, Sr.'s sons began to spread into other counties in Tennessee as new areas were opened up. One son went to Illinois in 1816. His son Littleberry stayed in the Washington County Tennessee area. Sons of this Littleberry, Moses M., Zachariah, and Littleberry, Jr. head for north Alabama before 1820.
James M. Matlock married Mary Ann Floyd who was born about 1827 in Tennessee. They show up in the 1850 Census in Phillips County, Arkansas. Their oldest son, M.T. is shown to have been born 1847 in Mississippi. Page F. is shown born 1848 in Arkansas. Later census and family information say Nancy Jane was born in 1851 in Arkansas. James DeUtley born 1850 in Arkansas. At this point the westward migration stopped and James M. went east back across Mississippi. The next three children, John Authur, born 1854; M. Elizabeth "Eliza," born 1860, and Lavina, born 1863, are born in Mississippi. The youngest child Samuel Jefferson, born 1861 in Stantonville, McNairy County, Tennessee.
This brings up the Battle of Shilo which was fought in the east McNairy, west Hardin County, Tennessee, area on April 6 and April 7, 1862. In this area 45,000 Federal Troops and 25,000 Confederate Troops fought for two days. The battle is described by James Lee McDonough in his book SHILO as "Being in Hell before Midnight," published in 1977 by the University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee.
James M. and Mary Ann Floyd Matlock had the following children; (1) M. T. born 1847 in Mississippi, no other information; (2) Page Franklin born about 1848 in Arkansas and married Margaret Ann Weaver March 9, 1872 in McNairy Co., TN. They had two known children who migrated to Paris, Lamar Co., TX in 1913, George N. Matlock, born July 1876 in Hardin Co., TN who married Fannin Lackey, and Martha Lavina Matlock born January 7, 1878 in Hardin Co., TN who married Mr. Davis. (3) Nancy Jane born 1851 in Arkansas; (4) James DeUtley "Dee" born January 25, 1850 in Arkansas; (5) John Arthur born January 1, 1854 in Mississippi; (6) M. Elizabeth "Eliza" born May 30, 1860 in Mississippi; (7) Martha Lavina born January 7, 1863 in Mississippi; (8) Samuel Jefferson born March 17, 1861 in Stantonville, McNairy Co., TN.
Nancy Jane Matlock, (3) above, married James Nathanial Fowler June 20, 1870 in McNairy Co., TN. He was born July 1847 in Mississippi. Nancy died 1910 in Arkansas and James N. Fowler died after 1920. They had the following children of which the first six were born in Tennessee and the last two born in Arkansas; (1) James Z. Fowler born 1870 and married Fannie E. He died 1936 in Woodruff Co., AR and is buried in Beards Cemetery; (2) William T. born 1873; (3) Edward Martin born October 20, 1874 and married Margaret Eula Woods on September 27, 1896; (4) John W. born 1877; (5) Christina born 1879; (6) Liza A. born February 1885; (7) Andrew F. born May 1890; and (8) Wesley Fowler born May 1893.
James DeUtley Matlock, fourth child of James M. and Mary Ann Floyd Matlock married Martha Roseanna Hance Cook. She was born August 1852 in Mississippi and died 1924. James D. died May 14, 1924. Both are buried in the Woodman Of The World Cemetery near McCrory. They had the following children all born in Tennessee except the last who was born in Arkansas; (1) John Allen born March 25, 1876 and married Lavadie McCarver and Addie Crawford. He died March 6, 1924 and is buried in Stoddard Co., MO. Lavadie died August 23, 1962 in Searcy, White Co., AR and is buried in White County Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
John Allen Matlock and Louvada McCarver, 1905
John and Lavadie had a son, Elvin Matlock born February 4, 1919 in Patterson, AR and married Mabel Watwood who was born 1924 and died September 9, 1994 and is buried in Woodman Cemetery. Elvin Matlock was the oldest Matlock attending the Matlock-Fowler reunion; (2) Malinda born about 1877; (3) James N. born 1879 and married Maddie Johnson; (4) Susan E. born February 1880 and died a child; (5) Thomas Franklin born August 1881 and married Rosie Pigrin and Maude Long. He died March 1958 and is buried in Mobeetie, TX; (6) Luther B. born January 17, 1888 and married Cleo Wright March 12, 1911 in Woodruff Co., AR. He died October 1971 and is buried in Independence, Missouri. Cleo died January 28, 1916 in Woodruff Co., AR and is buried in Beards Cemetery. (7) J. Baldon was born July 1889 and died young; and (8) William Author Matlock who was born February 5, 1891 and married Ada Irene Massey on May 29, 1921. He died November 12, 1933 in Woodruff Co., AR and is buried in Woodman Cemetery. Ada died April 25, 1979.
James Arthur Matlock, fifth child of James M. and Mary A. Matlock, married Sarah Elizabeth Barnett January 6, 1880 in Hardin Co., TN. She was born October 5, 1857 in Alabama. John died February 10, 1910 and Sarah died November 13, 1927, both in Arkansas. They had the following children with the first three being born in Tennessee and the last three in Arkansas; (1) Idella born December 5, 1880 and she married William Henry Burns December 25, 1898 in Woodruff Co., AR. Idella Burns died April 20, 1956 and William Henry Burns died February 20, 1964. Both are buried in Whitehall Cemetery; (2) Martha Jane born January 30, 1883 and married John McNeely. She died December 4, 1960 in Woodruff Co., AR; (3) James "Jim" Washington born June 23, 1885 and married Sally Ann Weaver September 18, 1904 in Woodruff Co., AR. He died July 30, 1971 and Sally died June 24, 1956. Both are buried in the Cotton Plant Cemetery, Woodruff Co., AR; (4) Edward Marvin born April 5, 1892 married Maggie Bratcher. He died October 15, 1971 and Maggie died April 12, 1934. Both are buried in Whitehall Cemetery; (5) Robert was born January 1894 and married Lee Hankins and Kittie Duncan. He died February 4, 1935 in Arkansas; and (6) LeElla "Rillie" Melvina Matlock was born December 8, 1898 and married Jack Porter and Amos Ford. She died April 1986 in Tennessee.
M. Elizabeth "Eliza" Matlock, sixth child of James M. and Mary Ann Matlock, married James Robert Cook who was born December 1838 in Mississippi and died 1913. Elizabeth July 2, 1938 in Woodruff Co., AR and is buried in Whitehall Cemetery. They had three known children; (1) Martha B. Cook born January 1884 and died 1917 in Arkansas. She married John McNeely; (2) Frances E. Cook born August 1888; (3) Verna Cook born August 1892 in Arkansas and married James Herbert "Jim" Clayton born October 31, 1882 and died October 5, 1939. Verna Cook Clayton died 1957. Both are buried in Whitehall Cemetery, Woodruff Co., AR.
Martha Lavina Matlock, seventh child of James M. and Mary Ann Matlock, married John Riley M. Barnett August 2, 1884 in Hardin Co., TN. He was born May 1, 1863 in Alabama and died January 3, 1910. He is buried in Beards Cemetery. Martha died January 17, 1934. They had the following children; (1) a daughter, Ronnie Barnett born July 14, 1886 in Tennessee and married Edward Kirksey; (2) J. Nathanial Barbett born August 5, 1888 in Arkansas and married Ethie Marshall; (3) William H. Barnett born January 8, 1890 and married Minnie Bratcher. He died February 10, 1956 in Woodruff Co., AR and is buried in Woodman Cemetery; (4) Robert Barnett born April 1891 in Arkansas and married Ada Jones; (5) Nancy Barnett born September 1892 and married Jack Collier who was born about 1890; (6) Lillie Barnett born October 1895 and married Nathan O'Neal; (7) Edgar Barnett born October 1899; (8) Rosa Mae Barnett who married Hollis Ford, Les Crittenden and C. E. Stokes.
Samuel Jefferson Matlock, eighth child of James M. and Mary Ann Matlock, married first Sarah Elizabeth "Sis" Rouse. They had the following children; (1) Mary C. "Mollie Matlock born July 11, 1889 and died June 25, 1954. She married Cleve Carter who was born 1887 and died March 21, 1935. Mary is buried in Pumpkin Bend Cemetery and Cleve is buried in Whitehall Cemetery, unmarked. Second husband of Mary was Allen McWilliams; (2) Minnie Bell Matlock born September 1891and married Lawrence Collier; (3) Samuel Hezakiah "Bud" Matlock born February 1893 and married first Ola Dewitt who was born March 3, 1903. Second he married Mealie Fraze; (4) Nellie Leoda Matlock was born September 10, 1895 and died September 4, 1958. She married Andrew John Murray who was born February 17, 1885 and died December 2, 1964. Both are buried in Clarendon, AR.
Second wife of Samuel Jefferson Matlock was Emely Alberta "Bertie" Miller who was born November 16, 1873 and died March 13, 1959. Both are buried in Woodman Cemetery. They had the following children; (1) Lossie Matlock born February 12, 1903 and died November 1983. She married Fred E. Wyatt born June 24, 1899 and died December 12, 1935. Both are buried in Woodman Cemetery; (2) Gracy Matlock February 14, 1906 and married Troy P. Wyatt who was born November 15, 1901 and died April 24, 1969 and he is buried in Woodman Cemetery; (3) Pauline Matlock born September 13, 1908 and married Delma Sorrells; (4) Katie Matlock born November 23, 1911 and died October 23, 1990. She married Harold Davis.
Published in the Woodruff County Monitor
August 27, 2003
By Gary Telford
Family Roots