| Notes |
- NOTE 1./ <<http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/wilkes/bios/matthews.txt>>
The senior James Matthews, a Virginian by birth, was a prominent Baptist minister of Wilkes
County, Georgia, where he resided when his son James was born. The father brought up his children
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and manifested a peculiar anxiety for their salvation.
His hope in this regard, however, was delayed until they were all grown and chiefly settled in families.
James, the son, was the first of the household in whose conversion these parental solicitudes found
their fruition. He united with the Clerk's Station church, in that county, in 1825. His mind was
drawn to the ministry from the earliest stages of his Christian experience, and his ordination occurred
four years later in 1829. For ten years he prosecuted his pulpit labors with faithfulness and success,
in the bounds of the Georgia Association. He moved in 1839 to Stewart County, and resided there until
his death in March, 1848, being one of the most prominent and influential ministers in the Bethel
Association, and for three sessions proceding his demise, its Moderator, namely in 1844, 1845 and 1847.
He was pastor of the Lumpkin Church for several years, of the Eufaula Church for two or three, and of
Benevolence Church, Randolph County, from its constitution until his death. His removal to Stewart
County led to a great increase of his zeal in the ministry. There were then but few churches in that
part of the State, and the vast amount of destitution impressed him with the importance of engaging at
once more fully in the work of preaching and organizing new churches. He delighted in holding protracted meetings, was always ready for whatever evangelistic service he could render for the diffusion of saving truth, and saw the crown of a marked blessing from the Lord placed on his humble but earnest life.
NOTE 2./ JamesJr Newton Mathews, Rev
Rev. James Mathews entered the ministry when a young man, and for a time preached in "Wilkes county. Moving from there to Stewart county, he bought a plantation in the vicinity of Lumpkin, and for many years carried on farming with the help of slaves. He held pastorates in Lumpkin and Benevolence, and served as one of the first moderators of the Bethel Association. He died whenbut fifty years old, on his home plantation. He married Kiturah Pope, a descendant in the sixth generation from Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Pope, who was styled "A Gentleman of England," the line of descent being as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel [2] Pope, Nathaniel [2] Pope, Nathaniel [3] Pope, John [4] Pope, John Henry [5] Pope, Capt. John [6] Pope, and Kiturah [7] Pope.
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1791 - 1848 (56 years)
