css3menu.com

html menu by Css3Menu.com


WHO WAS - Samuel Matthews
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By Howard Strawbridge December 5, 1956

Samuel matthews, an early resident of the township, was born on Jan. 30, 1801. Not much is know of his earliest life.

He married Louisa Ambrose who was born in 1804. They began housekeeping in Westmoreland County where Samuel operated a tannery. Then they moved to Armstrong County, living there a few years.

About 1842 the family came to Plum Township, Venango County, in a covered wagon. The daughters rode in the wagon and the sons drove the cattle. Included in Mrs. Matthews' work was the churning of butter in the wagon.

They settled on a tract of 200 acres just south of Chapmanville. They had a terrible time digging a well on the place because of quicksand. Mrs. Matthews had to walk quite a distance to a spring to do her washing.

While living here Mr. Matthews made charcoal. He would dig a slight pit in the ground, place wood in an upright position therein, mound earth around it, and build a fire in the pit. Everything, including the draft, had to be just right to make this charcoal. He furnished a good share of the charcoal for the old Texas iron furnace which was located between Sunville and Cooperstown and was in blast from 1846 to 1852. When the operators of this furnace went bankrupt and closed the furnace down, Mr. Matthews never got his money for the charcoal.

The Matthews family resided south of Capmanville until 1854 when Samuel sold the place to Nick Sharp. Then the Matthews moved to the state of Ohio and lived there awhile.

They again moved back to this area, living a year or two on a farm situated south of Sunville. This farm in a much later time was where Miss Esther Hutchinson resided. Also the Matthews family lived awhile on a farm located somewhere between Cooperstown and Bethel. Finally they bought a farm of 119 acres for $550 which was located over a mile southwest of Chapmanville. This farm was later known as the Peter Bower farm. The Matthews family had not lived here very long when Samuel died.

Mr. and Mrs. Matthews had the following children: Mrs. Matilda McAlevy, Mrs. Mary Foster, Mrs. Lucinda Davison, Fred, David, John and William Matthews. William was a veteran of the Civil War. Today there is one grandchild of Samuel Matthews living. She is Mrs. Elma Bumpus, 90, of Bradleytown.

Samuel Matthews was a man of average size. He was an individual who didn't stay too long in one place. He united with the Sunville Presbyterian Church in 1847. Four of his children - Matilda, David, Lucinda and Mary - became members of this church, too. The girls used to walk to Sunday School barefooted until within sight of the church, then wipe the dust off their feet and put their shoes on. After the services they would get well started for home, then take off their shoes. A pair of shoes then had to last a person a long time.

During the harvest season it was generally the custom for Mrs. Matthews and her daughter Mary to do the evening barn chores because Samuel would work late in the fields. Then he would go into the house after work, sit on a trunk, and while some time away by playing with his two-year old granddaughter, Lettie Davison.

On Thursday, July 28, 1864, he cradled wheat on a two-acre piece, then went to the house this particular evening, as was his custom. When Mrs. Matthews and Mary went to the house after finishing chores, they were shocked to find Mr. Matthews lying dead on the floor. He had had a heart attack. Also, on this particular evening, two-year old Lettie was away with her mother. The family sid afterwards that they were glad Lettie was not there, for it would have been a frightful experience for her.

Among the possessions of Mr. Matthews at the time of his death were 4,000 staves, 3 wagons, two yearling steers, and a team of bay mares.

Mrs. Matthews, who was quite a heavy woman, died at the home of her daughter, Mary Foster, in Sunville village in 1885. She was buried in the Sunville Cemetery beside her husband following a Presbyterian Church service.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.