The following is a partial transcription of a letter written by the hand of a Mrs.
Atkinson , a descendant of the Ezekial Matkin line.
The letter was in the possession of Joyce Petty in Marquez, Texas when she made a
photocopy for Charles D. Matkin of New Orleans. He points out several
errors of which he has personal knowledge:
It was Magnolia (Maggie)
Matkin Walston and not Margaret who raised his father, Lamar (called
"Lemer") . She was another sister (according to the mother of
Charles). Maggie Walston was called Danny by family members, and she
died in Evergreen, Ala. not Mobile. She is buried in the old
cemetary at Linden, Alabama next to her husband, Thad Walston. The
Lamar Matkin family moved to Mobile some years later. The 2nd wife of
Lamar was named ENNA Megginson, not Emma. The "Evergreen Courant" was
not a newspaper in Mobile, but in Evergreen, Ala. which he ran about
1930. By the union with Enna, Lamar had two more sons: James Grey
Matkin, born Oct. 31, 1926 and Charles Douglas Matkin, born April
15th, 1936.
There seems to be some confusion on the part of Mrs.
Atkinson regarding the children of James Moseley Matkin and Maggie
Hawkins. Roxie died at the same time as her parents, in 1876, as a
result of the same "food poisoning". Other sources have said the
family members who died were poisoned by their former slaves who were
unhappy about being taken from Alabama. The perpertrators were
reportedly hanged for the crime.
There is much scratching out and changing on the original letter:
The name James I. Matkin is changed to Frank (no Frank is known to
have been a part of that family). Mabel Gatton was married to James
Isaac Matkin, not Thomas and she was not known to be the widow of a
William Conrad. She was at one time engaged to Lamar, but Jimmy
talked him out of marrying her (she was Catholic), and then
married her, himself. Tommy was not believed to be married when he
died.
The letter is over 20 pages long and contains many names other
than Matkin (& Love). I have not yet transcribed most of the other
information, as I am mainly concerned with gathering information for
the Matkins Information Center and other close relatives of the Matkin
clan. Thus, there are many times where I put the phrase "to be
transcribed later".
Charlie Matkin
February 8, 1989
Our descent from the Matkin line is as follows-
I Ophelia Matkin married James Love & had son John A. Love born abt 1804
(56 yrs old in 1860 census) married Agnes Hensley (dau of Ichabod Hensley and Catherine Livingston)
in Morgan Co. Ala Oct 15, 1824. Agnes (Hensley) Love was born
abt 1808 in VA. John A. Love and wife Agnes (Hensley) Love moved to Cherokee
Co. Tex about 1850 with 4 children and settled in Jacksonville. With
them on their trip to Texas were forty or more families. All came
overland via covered wagons. One of their 11 children was:
John Rufus Love married Elizabeth Rachael Slover, daughter of
Rev. Geo. W. Slover and Adelia M_____ Wood, daughter of James Wood.
their daughter Mina Casin Love married Robert Calvin Mount
(son of R.C. Mount, Sr. and Sarah Cates. Their daughter
V Mabel Clare Mount married Sept. 27, 1913 Edward Spear
Atkinson, Jr. son of Judge Edward Spear Atkinson and Annette
Troy Russell. See Love, Slover, Hensley, Wallace, Mount, etc.
lines Ι !@ Ι (2)
It is known that James Love and wife Ophelia Matkin had twin
daughters, Lucinda G. Love and Malinda Love who married their twin
cousins Thomas Crowe Matkin and Durham Matkin sons of Ezekial Matkin,
s.o. Ezekial Matkin, Sr. & Ophelia (Matkin) _____.
John A. Love , son of James Love and Ophelia (Matkin) Love was
born 1804 in S.C. (56 yrs. of age in 1860 census of Cherokee Co.
Texas). It is a family tradition that John A. Love grew up in
Mecklenburg, Co. N.C. He married Agnes Hensley 1824 in Morgan Co.
Ala.She had a brother, Rufus Hensley who married Mary T. Matkin,
sister of Durham Matkin and Thomas Crowe Matkin (see Love and Hensley
lines) The 1830 census of Morgan Co., Ala. shows that Ezekial Matkin
was 50 to 60 years of age, so he was born 1770 to 1780. In his
household in 1830 were the following persons: 1 male under 5 yrs.
1 male 10 to 15 yrs. 1 male 15 to 20 yrs. 2 females 5 to 10 yrs.
1 female 10 to 15 yrs. 1 female 15 to 20 yrs. 1 female 20 to 30 yrs.
1 female 40 to 50 yrs.
Ezekial Matkin had 5 sons and 7 daughters. By 1830 two sons,
Durham and Thom. Crowe Matkin had married and apparently two daughters
had married, as only five females (other than his wife, aged 40 to 50
yrs.) were shown in the household then. The sons at home in 1830 were
probably James D. (under 5 yrs.) Ezekial M. (born 1816) and William
(born 1811). The order of birth of the daughters isn't known, but it
is probable that the two who had married by
(3)
1830 were Elizabeth and the daughter who married a Mr. Cooper. Both
of them had died by 1865 and left no minor children. The dau. Rebecca
had also died by 1865, but left minor children, so was probably
younger.
Date of death of Ezekial Matkin , Sr. isn't known. His name did
not appear in the 1840 census of Morgan Co. Ala. so he may have died,
or he may have moved elsewhere. His five sons and seven daughters
were Durham, Thomas Crowe, William, Ezekial M., James D., Elizabeth
(m. Siveley), _____ (m. Cooper), Martha (m. Barclay), Rua Ann (m.
Lavender), Eliza (may have married a Matkin), Rebecca (m. Morris) and
Mary T. (m. Hensley).
Ezekial M. Matkin (one record shows Ezekial W. Matkin) son of Ezekial,
died intestate 1865, leaving the following brothers, sisters, nieces
and nephews as his heirs: Wife - Malinda, residing Madison Co., Ala.
brothers - Durham Matkin, residing Morgan Co., Ala.
Thomas Crowe Matkin, residing Marengo Co., Ala.
James D. Matkin, residing in Mo.
sisters - Martha Barclay, residing Morgan Co., Ala.
Rua Ann Matkin, wife of William T. Lavender, residing in
Marengo Co., Ala
Mary T. Matkin, wife of Rufus Hensley, residing Limestone
Co., Ala.
nieces & nephews: (to be transcribed laterr)
(4)
Records show that James Robinson made deposition June 2, 1869 that
Durham Matkin had died and left the following surviving children:
John Matkin, residing in Texas
Thomas " " " "
Malinda " " " "
Levi Matkin, residing in Miss., 14 to 21 yrs. old.
Andrew F. " " " " " " " " "
Margaret " " " " " " " " "
Lucinda " " " " " " " " "
Ezekiel ". residing in Morgan Co., Ala. (over 21 yrs. old)
Apparently, Durham Matkin died before the estate of his brother,
Ezekiel M. Matkin , was settled and
(5)
his portion of it went to his surviving children. He probably died in
Miss., where his youngest ch'd were in 1867.
From Huntsville (Ala.) Advocate dated Aug. 31, 1869 is found (State
of Alabama, Morgan Col Probate Court): Morris K. Taylor,
Administrator of estate of Ezekiel M. Matkin, non-resident heirs:
James D. Matkin, Rua A. Lavender, and her husband William Lavender,
Mary T. Hensley and her husband Rufus Hensley, Wm. T. Morris, Eleanor
M. Morris, Drake Morris, Augustus T. Morris, Andrew H. Siveley, Eliza
Matkin, John Matkin, Thomas Matkin, Malinda Matkin, Levi F.Matkin ,
Andrew Matkin, Margaret Matkin, and Ezekiel Matkin .
The estate if Ezekiel M. Matkin, deceased in 1865, was finally
settled Sept. 6, 1872, with E.J. Ogden as Administrator (after the
minor heirs had all reached the age of 21 years).
Of the twelve children of Ezekiel Matkin, Sr., the following:
I. Durham Matkin, son of Ezekiel Matkin, Sr. was born in S.C. about
1805. He married Malinda Love Sept. 24, 1825 in Morgan Co., Ala. She
was his first cousin and was daughter of James and Ophelia (Matkin)
Love. Her birth date was Sept. 26, 1811 (bible record) and it is
probable that she was born in S.C. or Mecklenburg, N.C. She had a
twin sister, Lucinda G. Love, who married Thomas Crowe Matkin, brother
of Durham Matkin. The 1830 census of Morgan Co., Ala. shows that
Durham Matkin was 20 to 30 years of age and
(6)
had in his household: 1 female, aged 15 to 20 yrs. 1 male under 5 yrs.
The 1850 census of Morgan Co., Ala. shows: (to be transcribed later)
Apparently Durham Matkin's wife, Malinda Love (who was living in 1846
when dau. Malinda was born) had died between 1846 and 1850, as her
name isn't shown in 1850 census. It appears that the male under 5
yrs. of age in 1830 was John Matkin and that between 1830 and 1832
(probably after 1830 census was taken) another son, Thomas Matkin, was
born. Both John and Thomas (named in estate papers of Ezekiel M.
Matkin as sons of Durham and residing in Texas 1869) had probably
married before 1850, since they were not shown in the household of
Durham Matkin, in 1850.
The sons James, Jesse M., William and David G. Matkin had died
prior to 1869 as they were not mentioned among surviving children of
Durham Matkin. They were of the proper age to have been in service in
the Civil War and some, or all, of these four may have died in that
war.
Ι!@ !B Ι (7)
The daughter Lucinda, 8 yrs. old in 1850 could not have been the
Lucinda Matkin 14 to 21 yrs. old in 1869 as she would have been 19
yrs. old in 1869 (born 1842). It is probable that the daughter
Lucinda (8 yrs. old in 1850) died and that her father, Durham Matkin,
had another daughter by his second wife that was named for the
deceased daughter Lucinda, and was born about 1854 (18 yrs. old by
1872.
Evidently Durham Matkin married a second wife about 1850, soon after
census of that year was taken, since their four children were no
longer minors in 1872. The sons Levi and Andrew were probably born
about 1850 and 1851 and both were 21 in 1872 (?).
The daughters Margaret and Lucinda were probably born about 1852 and
1854 which would make both of age (i.e. 18 and 19 yrs. old) in 1872.
It is probable that John Matkin, son of Durham Matkin and his first
wife, Malinda Love, was the father of (3 children): Mrs. Nimmie (?)
Matkin Rudd, a son (Christian name not known) John (?) P. Matkin (of
Holmes Co., Miss.) who married Necie Ann Love, dau. of John A. Love
and Agnes (Hensley) Love and granddaughter of James Love and his wife,
Ophelia (Matkin) Love. (see Necie Ann Love, # 10 dau. of John A.Love
& Agnes Hensley)
II. Thomas Crowe Matkin, son of Ezekiel Matkin, Jr. (?) was 20 to 30
yrs. old in 1830 (census of Morgan Co., Ala.) so was born 1800 to
1810.
His wife was 15 to 20 yrs. old and they had a daughter under 5 years
of age. In 1840 census of Morgan Co., Ala. they were shown with a
daughter 10 to 15 yrs. old and two sons under 5
(8)
years of age.
Thomas Crowe Matkin married Lucinda G. Love April 15, 1826 in
Morgan Co. Ala. (Morgan Co. Ala marriage book A., page 102). She was
born Sept. 26, 1811, a twin sister of Malinda Love, wife of Durham
Matkin, and daughter of James Love and wife, Ophelia Matkin.
The father of Durham and Thomas Crowe Matkin was Ezekial Matkin, Jr. a
brother of Ophelia (Matkin) Love. Therefore, Thom. Crowe Matkin and
his wife, Lucinda G. Love were first cousins. Date of Lucinda G.
(Love) Matkin's birth is from the Matkin Bible now in possession of
his grandson, LEMER Matkin, in Mobile, Ala.
Thomas Crowe Matkin, his wife and all of their children, except a
daughter, Maggie, came to Cherokee Co. Tex. in 1850 with a covered
wagon caravan of forty, or more, families. Among these families were
those of John A. Love, brother of Lucinda G. (Love) Matkin and Rufus
Hensley who had married Mary T. Matkin, sister of Thomas Crowe Matkin.
Thomas Crowe Matkin was a wealthy planter and slave owner, but
lost all in the cause of the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, Thomas Crowe Matkin and his wife returned to
Marengo Co. Ala. in 1865, where his wife, Lucinda (Love) Matkin died
of shock after hearing the erroneous report that her son Marion had
died. Later, Thomas Crowe Matkin returned to Texas to live with his
son, Rollie Matkin. Rollie Matkin's widowed mother-in-law, Mrs.
Burdin, was also living in his household and, eventually, became the
(9)
second wife of Thomas Crowe Matkin. He had no issue by his 2nd
marriage. He died at, or near, Ft. Worth, Texas. Children of Thos.
Crowe Matkin and his wife Lucinda G. Love were: Margaret, Rollie,
Marion, James M., Watson, Thomas David, Augusta, America R. and
Cordelia. The order of birth of their children isn't known. Of these
nine, the following:
(1) Margaret Matkin, called "Maggie", married Thad E. Walston. She
died 1926 at the home of her nephew, Lemer Matkin, whom she reared, in
Mobile, Ala.
(2) Rollie Matkin, son of Thos. Crowe Matkin and Lucinda G. (Love)
Matkin, was born in Ala. (probably Morgan Co. Ala. He married Bettie
Burdin and they resided in Ft. Worth, Tex. For many years where he
was chief of the City Fire Dept. This writer remembers visiting in
his home there as a child. He died there in 1925 (or about that time)
Ι!B @ Ιand was survived by his wife. Their children were, as follows:
Ι @ Ι (a) Lula Matkin, born Feb. 22, 1860,, married about 1875 C.W.
Roberts. She died 1940 at Wellington, Texas at the home of her dau.
Bertie (Mrs. Herschel Atkinson) Mrs. Atkinson had two children, Elwyn
Ramona born 1916 and Winifred E. born 1917.
(b) Thad Rollie Matkin
(c) Burts Matkin
(d) Mae Matkin, married first a Mahoney from whom she was
divorced; she married 2nd Ben Wilson and her third husband was a
Hartman, resided Ft. Worth, Tex.1948
Ι !B Ι (10)
(e) Alma Matkin married a Mr. Soloman.
(3) Dr. Marion Matkin, (called "Shug") was born 1836, died 1895, son
of Thomas Crowe Matkin and Lucinda G. Love, married Louisa O. Garrett,
b. 1845 daughter of Dr. Charles C. Garrett and wife Louisa Ollie
Owens. Louisa Ollie Owens was dau. of George Washington Owens, Mayor
of Mobile, Ala. and wife Louisa Ollie Hollinger (she burned to death
at Calvert, Tex). At one time, Dr. Marion Matkin resided in Hearne,
Texas. Children were
(a) George Matkin, residing Houston, Tex. 1937
(b) Charles Matkin
(c) Louisa Ollie Matkin, married John C. Baldwin and resided,
1943, in Houston, Tex. with her daughter, Mrs. Herman M. Ragland.
(4) James M. Matkin, called "Bode" or "Boad", son of Thomas Crowe
Matkin and Lucinda G. Love, was born abt. 1838 in Marengo Co. Ala. at
Old Springhill. He married Margaret Hawkins and both died 1876 in
Red River Co. Tex. leaving four sons, the youngest, Lemer, being only
a few weeks old.
It is said that James M. Matkin and his wife died of food poisoning.
These four surviving sons were taken care of by an aunt and uncle.
America R. Matkin and her brother, Thomas David Matkin (both unmarried
and housekeeping together) for four years. After four years, the two
youngest ones, James and Lemer, went to live with another aunt, Mrs.
Walston (Maggie Matkin) who reared them. Children of James M. Matkin
and Margaret Hawkins were, as follows:
(11)
(a) Roxie Matkin, died at age of 16 yrs., prior to 1876
(b) Thomas Matkin (he was killed by railroad engine running over
him 2 days and 4 months after marrying the widow of Wm. Conrad)
married Mabel Gatten and they had Thomas residing in Houston, Tex.
about 1943.
(c) James I. Matkin (Frank?) married _____ (the widow of Wm.
Conrad). He was killed in a railroad accident in Monroe, La. six
months after his bro. Thos. was killed. James I. and his wife ___ had
a son (illegible). John Thomas Matkin (son of Thos. Matkin and Mabel
Gatten) who married Reba ____ and died about 1948 in Houston, Tex.
about 1948 (sic) at age (?) at the U.S. Naval Hospital. He was
survived by two sons - John Thomas Matkin, Jr. and Charles Michael
Matkin, his mother Mrs. William Conrad of Grand Canyon, Wyoming, an
aunt, Mrs. Jese (?) Fourney of Houston and an uncle, W.O. GATTON of
Ft. Worth. Mrs. Fourney and Mr. Gatton were apparently, his aunt and
uncle through his mother.
(d) William Gordon Matkin, died in Linden, Marengo Co. Ala. at
age of 37 years; it isn't known to this writer if he was married or
not.
(e)Lemer Matkin was born Feb. 12, 1876 in Red River Co. Texas.
He married, first, May 20, 1900 at Rembert, Ala. Bessie Thomas and his
second wife was Emma Megginson, whom he married June 30, 1915. He was
Editor and Publisher of the "Evergreen Courant" in Mobile, Ala. about
1930. Children by his first wife were Thaddeus W. Matkin (b. 1901)
and two daughters - Willie A. and Bessie T. Matkin. By his 2nd wife
he had four children, Lamar, Jr., Margaret, Ruth and Doris.
(6) Thomas David Matkin, son of Thomas Crowe Matkin and Lucinda G.
Love, married Addie A. In 1937, she was a widow, and was residing at
the old Matkin home in Linden, Marengo Co. Ala. (no further record).
(7) Augusta Matkin, called "Gussie", daughter of Thomas Crowe and
Lucinda G. Love, married William Benton and they had two children
(possibly others) as follows: (to be transcribed later)
(8) America R. Matkin, called "Meckie", daughter of Thomas Crowe and
Lucinda G. Love, married, first, Mr. Huckaby by whom she had one
child, Frank Huckaby. She married a second husband, William Hamilton
and they had a dau. (perhaps other chil.) who married G. E. Small.
Their daughter, Mrs. Small, was residing in Linden Ala., Marengo Co.,
at the old Matkin homestead
(13)
in 1937 with Mrs. Addie A. Matkin, widow of her uncle, Thomas David
Matkin (no further record)
(9) Cordelia Matkin, daughter of Thomas Crowe and Lucinda G. Love,
married Henry Williams and they had the following two children:
(perhaps others)
(a) Corrie Williams married Frank Walker
(b) Naomi Williams (to be transcribed later)
(no further record)
III. Elizabeth Matkin, dau. of Ezekial Matkin, Sr. married a Mr.
Siveley (probably prior to 1830) She had died be 1865, leaving
children, as follows: (to be transcribed later)
IV. William Matkin, son of Ezekial Matkin was born about 1811 in S.C.
He married Margaret McDonnell Mar. 8, 1834 in Madison Co., Ala. She
was daughter of Archibald and Elizabeth McDonnell. She died Mar. 8,
1849 and was buried
(14)
in the family cemetary on the McDonnelll-Matkin place on Triana Pike,
Madison Co., Ala. Her tombstone shows "Consort of William Matkin".
There is a mountain nearby called "Matkin Mt."
The 1850 census of Madison Co. Ala. (36th District, #58) shows:
William Matkin, aged 39 yrs., born S.C.
Martha J. " " 15 " " Ala.
Cornelia " " 12 " " "
Ann E. " " 10 " " "
Wilson A. " " 8 " " " (no further record)
V. ____ Matkin, daughter of Ezekial Matkin, Sr. married a Mr.
Cooper. She died prior to 1865, leaving two children as follows:
James (or Jane ?) Cooper, residing Morgan Co. Ala. 1865
Charles Cooper " " " " "
(no further record)
VI. Rua Ann Matkin, born in Ala., dau. of Ezekial Matkin, Sr.
married, in Ala. William T. Lavender. He was a Confederate soldier in
the Civil War. After their marriage, they lived awhile in Tenn. In
1865 they were residing in Marengo County, Ala. Later they moved to
Ft. Worth, Texas where both died about 1899 to 1901. He is buried
there in the Confederate Cemetary. They had three sons, viz. William
Brown Lavender, David Lavender, and John Lavender. Of these three
sons the following: (to be transcribed later)
VII. Ezekial M. Matkin son of Ezekial Matkin, Sr. was born in Ala.
about 1816 and died in Madison Co. Ala. 1865. He married Malinda Ford
Nov. 10, 1835 in Morgan Co. Ala. (marriage record shows his name E.W.
Matkin) They had no issue. The 1850 census shows
E. W. Matkin, 34 yrs. of age, born Ala.
Malinda Matkin, 32 yrs. of age, born Ala.
VIII. Martha Matkin dau. of Ezekial Matkin married a Mr. Barclay.
In 1865 she was residing in Morgan Co. Ala. (no further record)
IX. Rebecca Matkin dau. of Ezekial Matkin, married a Mr. Morris and
had died by 1865, leaving the following children:
(to be transcribed later)
X. Mary T. Matkin (called "Aunt Pop") dau. of Ezekial Matkin was
born in Ala. either 1820 or 1826. The 1850 census shows her age as
30 yrs. and the 1860 census shows her age as 34 yrs. It is probable
that she was born about 1820 as her husband was born 1815. She
married Rufus Hensley in
(17)
Morgan Co. Ala. Feb. 22, 1844 (Marriage Book A, page 457)
(next is listed many Hensley family members, etc.)
After transcribing all the preceeding pages, I notice I
constantly miss-spelled EzekiEl. I will try to find and correct all
of these. Forgive me for any I missed. CDM
