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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Izard County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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T. J. Mathews is a merchant and farmer, residing at Calico Rock, and was born in Benton County, Tenn., being a son of Capt. R. C. and Nancy (Migell) Mathews, who were also Tennesseans, and came to the State of Arkansas in 1860, settling in Izard County. Capt. Mathews embarked in merchandising in the house in which his son T. J. is now doing business, and he was also engaged in farming. In the spring of 1861 he moved to Pineville, where he conducted a general store for about one year, then joined the Confederate army, and was elected captain of his company. After serving for one year he was taken sick and returned home, and here continued during the remainder of the war. After the cessation of hostilities, he again embarked in merchandising, and continued this occupation with success for twelve or thirteen years, when he sold out to his son, S. E. Mathews, and turned his attention to farming and stock-raising, on the property where he now lives. His business ventures have been attended with good results, and the property he now owns has all been acquired since the war, as his losses during that time were very heavy. He was married about 1835, and his children’s names are as follows: Margaret E., wife of W. McNeil; S. E., a merchant of Pineville; Clarissa E., wife of Dr. J. A. Schanks; Mary A., wife of Rufus P. Jones; and T. J., the subject of this memoir. Mrs. Mathews died in March, 1879, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for many years, her death occurring on her birthday, at the age of sixty years. Mr. Mathews is a Democrat, and belongs to the F. & A. M. T. J. Mathew’s birth occurred on the 6th of September, 1855, and his early education was received in the schools of La Crosse, Prof. M. Shelby Kennard being his instructor, and at the age of twenty-five years he began life for himself as a merchant, this being the occupation to which he was reared. He has continued to follow this business up to the present time, and has been remarkably successful, for, on starting for himself in 1880, his stock of goods amounted to $160, and his annual sales now aggregate between $12,000 and $16,000, and he has an excellent tract of land, amounting to 538 acres, with nearly 164 acres under cultivation, all of which he has earned by good business management and industry, since the above given date, and with the aid and assistance of his worthy wife. Her maiden name was Mollie Wood, their union taking place on the 30th of October, 1879, and they have an interesting little family of four children: Henry H., born October 4, 1880; Shelby S., born December 15, 1882; Troy G., born February 3, 1885; and Winford F., born May 23, 1887. Mrs. Mathews was born in Izard County, on the 28th of November, 1863, and she and Mr. Mathews are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he belongs to the F. & A. M., and is a Democrat politically.

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This family biography is one of 98 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Izard County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Izard County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Izard County, Arkansas family biographies here: Izard County, Arkansas Biographies

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