James M. Matthews came to Texas from Sumpter County, Georgia in 1860 leaving his wife
and two children there. He joined the Confederate States Army in 1861 and did not return to
Georgia until 1865, after the Civil War.  He returned to Polk County, Texas in 1869 with his
family and settled on 192 acres in the Midway Community.
    His first wife was Sarah Jane Waldrep whom he married on December 23, 1856 in Sumpter
County, Ga. Their children were: Martha Jane Matthews, b. 1858; Ada Victoria Matthews, b. 1860;
Joseph Hardy Matthews, b. 1867; and Thomas Jefferson Matthews, b. 1869.
    His second wife was a widow, Mrs. Susan Ada (Moss) Sutton whom he married on October 22,
1895 in Polk County. Their children were: William Jennings Bryan Matthews, b. 1895; Joseph M.
Matthews, Jr., b. 1898; Frances Matthews, b. 1901; Thora Matthews, b. 1903; and Dora Matthews,
b. 1905.

Burials in the Matthews Cemetery near the family homestead area were:

Matthews, Joseph Mallie  born:  Jan. 20, 1831, Sumpter County, Ga.
    died:  Feb. 19, 1905,
    Private, Co. C, 24th Texas Cavalry, Neyland's Regiment; Prisoner of War.
Matthews, William Jennings Bryan  born: Sep. 1895  died: ca. 1918 Camden/Polk/Tx.
    (No death certificate was issued in Polk County.)

Note: Mrs. Martha Jane (Waldrep) Matthews and Ada Victoria (Matthews) Waldrep were
    buried in the Waldrep Cemetery.  Joseph H. Matthews and Martha Jane (Matthews) Waldrep
    were buried at Center Grove Cemetery.  Thomas J. Matthews moved away from the county.

    In 1939 a deed was issued that divided the Matthews property among Mrs. Susan Ada
Matthews and her children. Mrs. Matthews had remarried to a Charles Burkhart of Sabine County.
The children were: Joseph M. Matthews of Tyler County; Frances Matthews Howard of Polk
County; Thora Matthews Horn of Jasper County; Dora Matthews Kelly of Sabine County, and L. B.
Matthews of Angelina County, son of William J. B. Matthews, deceased.

    Location: From Livingston go East on U. S. Highway 190 for 17.3 miles; turn left on Midway
Center Road and go 2.0 miles; turn right on Midway East Road and go .1 mile to Leon Dicken's
house in pasture; turn left on Abilene Road (formerly called Leon Dickens Road) and go 1.3 miles
to intersection on left with Patsy Dickens Road; the old wooden Waldrep Cemetery sign is on the
right side of Abilene Road; Walk .6 miles East behind the Waldrep sign in dense woods to the
Matthews Cemetery.