John Dudley Mathews
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John Dudley Mathews (1816–1885)
John, the firstborn child of Ellender Penelope Mathews, was born on March 2, 1816 in Montgomery County, North Carolina. According to some family histories, he was taught to read and write by his father and slave owner, Byron Dudley Mask, despite the fact that teaching slaves these skills was specifically prohibited by law in North Carolina. John does not appear to be listed with his mother in the 1830 census and the assumption is that he and his brother may have been living elsewhere. Sometime after the family was granted their freedom in 1830, he moved to Tennessee. In October of 1837, he married Eliza Rachel Wooley. Although the records are inconsistent, it would appear that Eliza was white and they had 15 children:
John Dudley Mathews stands with a flute.
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- William C. Mathews (1838–1875)
- Drucilla Mathews (1840–1920); married Samuel Turman and second husband, William Brown
- Milla/Millie (1842–1856)
- Dudley K Polk Mathews (1844–1906); married Mary Aseneth Geary
- America H Mathews (1846–1938); married James Spear and second husband, Maurice Fitzgerald
- Rutha Mathews (1849–1863)
- Hezekiah “Ki” Mathews (1850–1920); married Elizabeth Ann “Lucy” Johnson
- Juda/Julia Rachel Mathews (1851–1917); married David W. Mayham
- Mary Ellen Mathews (1854–1934); married Andrew McNeil and second husband, Zera Dahack
- Elizabeth Jane Mathews (1856–1873); married Charles Wilson
- Martha Maria Mathews (1858–1902); married John Allen and second husband, Eli Dahack
- Green Banks Mathews (1861–1943); married Ida May Dahack
- Infant girl Mathews, (1863–1863)
- Lot Minerva (1869–1873)
- Champion Grant Mathews (1870–1953); married Martha Ada Wolary