The Matthews Family

The earliest record of the Matthews family indicates that the family migrated from Virginia to Barren County, Kentucky, and settled near Glasgow prior to 1850. Among the children of this early Kentucky family who came to Marion County soon after the Civil War were: Jasper N., born Febraury 14, 1832, married Rebecca Ann _____, born May 10, 1835; Elizabeth who married Franklin Berry of Etoile, Barren County, Kentucky, and Sarah (Sally) who married Gabriel ( Gabe ) Gregory.

Jasper N. and Rebecca Ann settled on a tract of land near what is now the Fairview Church building. Children of this union were: Felix Newton Matthews, born near Glasgow, Kentucky, in Apri11863; F. N. married Dora Baldwin, daughter of a Methodist circuit rider; M. D. L. Matthews, who was born in Kentucky and came to Marion County with his parents, married Matilda (Matt) Bain, daughter of a farmer and owner of the Bain farm; James Matthews, married Paralee Poynter, a native of Marion County; Mary Matthews, who married John N. McCracken, a farmer and stockman of the pioneer McCracken family.

Jasper N. Matthews lived in the community where he settled and was a leader in the community then known as Center Point. He was a good farmer and was well-educated for his time. He served as postmaster at Stone for a time. He was a Democrat and took an active part in county politics. He died February 1, 1906 and his wife died June 19, 1909. They were buried in the Wild Cat Cemetery and their remains now rest in the Fairview Cemetery near where they lived for almost half a century .

Mary Elizabeth Matthews married Franklin Berry in Kentucky in about 1875. To them were born two sons -- Dink and Robert. Robert died in infancy .Franklin Berry died about 1881 and was buried in a cemetery near Etoile, Kentucky. Later that year the widowed Elizabeth Berry, with her three-year-old son, Dink, migrated to Arkansas to join her brother, Jasper N. near Fairview. After a few years she married W. C. {Doc) McCracken and to this union was born a daughter, Lola, who married Sol H. King. Elizabeth Matthews Berry McCracken died in 1905 and was buried in the Wild Cat Cemetery .

Sarah {Sally) Matthews married Gabriel {Gabe) Gregory and they settled what was known as the Gregory Place north of Fairview at the foot of Bull Mountain. Children of this union were Ealum, Newton, Arthur, Maude and perhaps -- others whose names cannot be recalled. Most of the Gregory children migrated to the Indian Territory and settled near the northeast corner of what is now the state of Oklahoma in the vicinity of Ketchum. Ealum became a wealthy man and was president of the Bank of Ketchum. He was killed by robbers of the bank. Members of the family still live in that area of Oklahoma.

Children of Jasper Matthews who spent most of their lives in Marion County mentioned earlier were: F. N. {Felix Newton) Matthews who married Dora Baldwin. To them were born three children: Bess, born in 1889 and married Bascom Patterson; Don, born in 1891 and married Chloe Ruddell of Batesville; Guy, who died in infancy.

F. N. became associated with W. R. Jones in the publication of the MOUNTAIN ECHO in 1893 and remained with the ECHO until about 1906 when he moved to Batesville and became associated with a Batesville paper. In 1914 he and his son, Don, purchased the MOUNTNN ECHO and returned to Yellville: F. N. was Editor and publisher of the ECHO until his death in 1935. He was a fearless defender of the things he believed and he stood for decency and honor .

After the death of F. N., Don, the son, continued as Editor and publisher of the ECHO until his health failed in 1954 and he retired. As Editor of the ECHO, Don carried on the same fearless editorial policy of his father. His wife, Chloe, preceded him in death. To them were born two children -- Don, Jr., who died in infancy and Ruth Marie Pye, who now resides in Rison, Arkansas.

M. D. L. Matthews, who married Matilda (Matt) Bains, was a farmer, teacher and later a doctor. Children of this union were: Della, who married Lee Wood. To this union were born two sons -- Jenks and Corbin -- both living in Marion County. Della Wood died at an early age; Dora, who married the former husband of her deceased sister -- Della -- Lee Wood. To them were born: Nin, Russell, Benard, Thurman, Earl, Ewell, Jack and Erma. Dora died a few years ago at an advanced age; Jay T., who practiced medicine at Flippin for many years before moving to Heber Springs to practice medicine and establish the Estille Hospital. He died in the late 1950's or early 1960's; Cressie married Seth Hurst of Flippin. To them were born the following children: Doyne of Washington, D. C.; Loyne of Flippin; Earlean who resides in California; Gertrude (Mrs. Ned Phillips) of Kansas City; and Elizabeth (Mrs. Lonnie Perry) of Kansas City. Cressie died in 1974, Etta (Etter) married Walter Stone. Later they moved to Oklahoma; Jessie married and later moved to Texas; James Matthews was a farmer and teacher and resided in Marion County until his death in the 1920's. He was the father of James R. (Raleigh); Emmett; and Eula (Mrs. Frank Hurst).

James R. (Raleigh) Matthews, son of James Matthews, was one of the best teachers in Marion County for a number of years. He later became a minister of the Christian Church. He married the former Nellie Johnson, a native of the Flippin Community. To them were born several children. The family moved to Kansas near Kansas City where James R. died a few years ago. Emmett Matthews, son of James, was a farmer, teacher and clerical worker. He married Lou Burch of Flippin. They had one son, Hollis. Emmett died in the 1920's. His son, Hollis, died a few years ago. Eula Matthews, daughter of James Matthews, married Frank Hurst of Flippin. To them were born several children. Later this family moved to Kansas where several of the children now reside. Mary Matthews, daughter of Jasper N. and Rebecca Ann Matthews, married John N. McCracken and spent practically all her life in the community (Fairview) where she grew up. She preceded her husband in death and was buried in the Flippiri Cemetery. To the union of Mary Matthews and John McCracken were born the following children: Joe, who married Winnifred McCracken; Johnnie, who married Ethel Sutton and to them were born: Lucy (Mrs. William Duggins); Maggie (Mrs. Edwin Galloway); Mary (married name unknown); Russell, who married May Briggs; and Frank, who married Vinita Hurst; Josie, a daughter of John and Mary McCracken, married John Lynch. To them was born a son, Hugh, who resides near Flippin; Bell McCracken married Dr. Pat Keeter. To them were 'born: Joe B., Madge and Patsy (now Mrs. Bob Briggs). Joe B. and Madge are deceased. Burton McCracken married Willie Wood of Flippin. They had one son, Arley, who died while a young man. Rex McCracken married Elizabeth Fee of Flippin. Two sons, Guy and Harold, were born to this union. Harold preceded his father and mother in death. Guy resides near Gainesville, Missouri. Martin McCracken married Pearl Lynch. They had one daughter, Louise, who resided in Oklahoma; Alice McCracken married Frank Flippin. No children were born to this union. Cora McCracken married Elbert Butler of Flippin. To them were born three daughters: Neville, (Mrs. Claude Lemons); Mary Dell (Mrs. Jay Treat); and Betty Jo (Mrs. Ewell Sharp). Ed McCracken, son of John and Mary McCracken, married Ernie Jones. They have no children and reside in Flippin.

Of the ten childien, descendants of Mary Matthews McCracken, only two survive: Cora, now an invalid in a Nursing home in Kansas; and Ed of Flippin. All of these children spent their entire life in the Flippin community.