Tunstal Quarles Matthews
1807 - 1878 (71 years)Person ID: I1704 | Tree: Rudeen-Rademacher | Last Modified: 28 Dec 2023
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Name Tunstal Quarles Matthews Notes - (from Dennis Nicklaus)
Tunstal Quarles (or TQ) Matthews is probably the most interesting person I have encountered in assembling my family history. We have been fortunate to piece together much of his life through various writings. The starting point for a lot of what we know about the Matthews family is a letter that TQ Matthews wrote to his daughter Ruth listing several of his aunts, uncles, places of residence, how his first wife died, and other details. This letter was handed down through Ruth's granddaughter Ida Scott (daughter of Avesta).
TQ was apparently named after Tunstal Quarles, a leading citizen of early Pulaski County, Kentucky. Quarles was an officer in the war of 1812, founded the first bank, etc.
TQ Matthews moved with his family from Pulaski County to Ross County, Ohio, in about 1815 and then on to Fayette County, Indiana, where Jane Chlo's family already lived. About three years after marriage, TQ and Jane Chlo moved to Shelby County where they assisted in organizing the Church of Christ Brandywine and TQ was chosen one of the Deacons.
Records of the Little Flat Rock Church in Fayette Co. confirm TQ's recollections in his letter. The church records show TQ joined the church on May 22, 1830 and that he left that parish September 24, 1832 (which would be when they moved to Shelby Co.) The same records show John P. Thompson was the founder of that church April 16, 1830.
After Jane Chlo's death, TQ remarried and then moved to South English, Iowa in about 1853 and finally to Sterling, Nebraska in 1871.
We know even more about TQ from the book "A Ram in the Thicket'' which was written by TQ's grandson, Frank Robertson, who never met TQ and would have only known him through stories from TQ's daughter Mary.
According to a photo described (but not shown) in "A Ram in the Thicket'', TQ was tall and thin with a kindly benevolent face. He had a long flowing white beard and a clean-shaven upper lip. This book further describes him as a man of peace, but with the courage of his convictions. He belonged to the sons of temperance.
For many years, he had helped slaves escape to Canada over the underground railroad, because of his hatred of slavery.
On one occasion during the Civil War a large body of Southern sympathizers called copperheads,'' led by a man named Tally, invaded South English. As they paraded up the street three wagons abreast, Tally, a gun in one hand and a knife in the other, shouted, "Cowards! Cowards!'' The Union men rushed to a blacksmith shop where their guns were stored and a battle seemed imminent. Grandfather Matthews walked out unarmed between the two factions urging them to avoid trouble. As he turned his back on the copperheads to address his own people he heard a shot fired by Tally, then another fired by a disabled Union soldier, and Tally fell dead. The copperheads fled and the battle was over, but Grandfather had risked his life trying to prevent bloodshed.
There are more details about this Copperheads incident in the South English Bicentennial history, but it doesn't mention TQ's role.
South English wasn't yet a town when TQ moved to Iowa. It was just the name of a post office located in a farm house west of the present village. The town was platted in 1855. At the time, there were only buildings there: a general store run by a man name Post, and a tavern run by Hugh Rodman. A school house was built in South English in 1855. T.Q. preached there once a month, the Baptists, Methodists and Dunkards using the house the other Sundays. A union Sunday School was started in which he was prominent as leader and teacher, and where he made his influence felt to such an extent that a Christian church was established. T.Q. Matthews had a great influence on the community and helped transform it into a very moral and christian neighborhood.
This town history and some further description of T.Q. Matthews comes from H. H. Seerley, who grew up around South English and later became president of Iowa State Teachers' College (now UNI). T.Q. had a large influence on Mr. Seerley and encourraged him to go to college. Mr. Seerley remembers, "One half-mile east of the new village of South English there was a large farm house built of logs, with an old-fashioned brick fireplace at each end, large enough to burn cordwood. This dwelling consisted of two large rooms and on this account became the center of all activities of this pioneer community. The proprietor was a man past middle age whose name was Moses Hall. He was a generous, Christian man and welcomed the people who asassembled there each week for mid-week prayer meetings, Sunday School and preaching services. It was here that I first learned to know T.Q. Matthews, who was the volunteer pastor of this flock of Christians, made up of all kinds of denominations. He was active in the service and was the central figure in organized Christianity in that community. He was a man a little past middle age, was independent in his thinking, liberal in his views and decided in his standards. The men and women he met from Sunday to Sunday were all God-fearing people and they cooperated with him in a very cordial manner. There was an organization of those who were members of the Christian church, but all others were accorded a consideration that made them recognize the effort and organization as a community affair."
"T.Q. Matthews has a pleasing personality; he was a didactic, inspirational preacher of the Gospel and felt his true responsibility as a servant of his master. He was of medium stature, very spare in flesh, nervous in temperment and methodical in management. His sermons were simple enough for as a child to understand, yet they were of a progressive kind and character that appealed to the conscience and the intelligence of the conscience of the congregation."
"So far as I know, T.Q. Matthews received no remuneration as a pastor of this early congregation, as the people were all beginners in occupation and had very little incomes. He farmed on a small scale, followed the trade of a shoemaker and made boots for the men and boys of the community, having quite a fine patronage for that early day. He was justice of the peace, post-master and general legal adviser and servant of all the people, drafting their legal papers, such as deeds, mortgages and contracts as the business needs of the community required. He was trusted, appreciated and honored by everybody, because he believed in doing nobly and ably every duty that came as an opportunity."
The above article was written after its author was inspired to find out more about TQ from a speech Seerley gave Dec 5. 1920 at the dedication of the Christian Church in Cedar Falls. The speech was described in the "Christian Standard".
Here are some other passages from the speech description: "...Mathews was not only a good preacher, but that he was a man deeply interested in humanity, and greatly encouraged the youth publicly and privately to noble and lofty ideals. He was greatly beloved by the people, and, without financial compensation, he constantly and faithfully served the community. Seerley said he, could not speak too highly of the great and good influence this man of God had upon the life of the people, andthough long ago dead, he yet lives in the lives of others."
This same Homer (H.H.) Seerley wrote a letter which was published in a South English Bicentennial book in 1976. It contained much the same sentiments about TQ.
TQ was appointed as the seventh postmaster of South English on Sept. 23, 1863.
In 1861 T. Q. Mathes, South English'' was recorded as one of the preachers at the state convention of the Disciples of Christ church.
Trudy (Morrison) Heiman said that Ida (Scott) Medlin could remember her dad (Avesta Scott) having a picture of TQ's blacksmith shop which doubled as a church on Sunday.
As a minister in the Christian Church, there are a few mentions of TQ in early Church publications. These include
- A January, 1839 letter to the "Millennial Harbinger signed by T.Q. Matthews, Wm. Slaughter, Adonijah Morgan, and others, dated Nov. 22, 1838 from Brandywine, Shelby County, Indiana. This letter is a notification that one Dr. Spencer K. Milton has left town owing several hundred dollars and a horse, and abandoned his wife. The letter says, "we believe him to be a common liar, hypocrite, and impostor,'' and that they want his real character to be known to the public. In a letter published in the August, 1839 (p. 283) issue of the same publication, TQ writes again about this Spencer Milton to give a physical description of Milton since he has suppposedly changed his name. The reply by editor Alexander Campbell states that Spencer Milton is a disguised Universalist'' who started some Universalian controversy.''
- The Sept. 1839 "Millennial Harbinger" (p. 431) contains a
Query from T. J. Matthews'' (who I'm sure is T.Q. Matthews) as follows:
Should a brother be retained in the church who keeps a tippling house, or deals in ardent spirits?''
- In the "Christian Record" of June 1845 in an article titled Notes on a tour to Eastern Indiana the author mentions meeting
T.Q. Mathews of
Pleasant View''' at a Church meeting where the author lectured, on
Blue River, five miles southwest of Shelbyville'' March 26, 1845.
- The "Christian Record" of May 1855 which mentions TQ and the S. English congregation:
Keokuck Co., Iowa, March 19, 1855:
"Brother Mathes:/footnote{All the letters in the publication were addressed to Brother Mathes} We wish to inform you and the brotherhood, that we have a small congregation here, (South English,) numbering 24 members. We meet as often as we can to break the loaf, and are trying to live as becometh Christ's children. We organized about 11 months ago, with ten members, and under rather unfavorable circumstances. We have the labors of brother T.Q. Matthews, and would be glad if our brethren moving to Iowa would look at our Prairie, and if pleased, settle among us. We have good soil, and other advantages. J. Cain."
- The "Christian Record" of June 1855 has a letter from TQ talking about their new congregation as follows:
"South English, Iowa, May 10, 1855.
Brother Mathes:
The Church of Christ here numbers 23 and was organized Feb. 1854. Thirteen of the number formerly belonged to the Christian Church eight to the Free-Will Baptists, and we have immersed five. Brethren John Cain, and W. Harding, are our Deacons, and T. Q. Matthews, Elder. We are living in peace and love. It may be truly said here,
The harvest is great, and the laborers are few.''
Yours truly,
T. Q. Matthews"
- The "Christian Record" of March 1856 contains a letter from TQ dated South English, Iowa, March 4, 1856 telling of the death of a parish member Sarah E. Harding, wife of Wm. Harding.
- A history of early Christian Churches has a paragraph about the "Sterling, NE parish: Sterling, NE -- The first to preach the plea of the disciples of Christ for the restoration of the Apostolic church, in doctrine, life and fruits, at Sterling in Johnson County was T. Q. Matthews, who came from Iowa in 1871 and settled in that community. The next year in June, Mr. Barrows held a meeting and organized a church with T. Q. Matthews as elder and T. C. Lee as deacon. Mr. Matthews continued to preach every two weeks thereafter for some time."
The above correspondence firmly establishes the date when the S. English Christian Church was organized. The 1880 Keokuk Co. history said it was organized in 1856, with T.Q. Matthews as pastor and that the church building was erected in 1875.
In his will, T.Q. Matthews left half of his estate to his wife and half to his daughter Mary, who still lived with him at the time. According to his Johnson County estate papers, he still had his shoemakers tools, which were sold for $7.00 as part of his estate.
In 1996, Shirley (Anderson) Reed looked through the Fayette and Shelby county land records and found the following entries for TQ Matthews and his wives. (The following abbreviations are used here: S=Section, T=Township, R=Range, Q = Quarter.)
-Tunstal Matthews E. half SE Q. S 34, T 14, R 6E, 80 acres, 12-12-1831. This is in the very SE corner of Moral Twp.
- TQ Matthews recorded a mortgage to school comm. 12-29-1834. part of E. half of SE Q, S 10, T 13N, R6E Book E, pp 173-174 Brandywine Twp.
- TQ Matthews bought for $300 on 9-20-1836, Book F, page 620. 80 acres: W half NW Q, S 26, T 14, R 6E in Van Buren Twp. 40 acres: NE Q of NE Q, S 27, T 14, R 6E in Moral Twp. 40 acres: SE Q of NE Q, S 27, T 14, R 6E in Moral Twp.
- Harriet Stone bought 40 acres on 2-23-1836 in Hanover Twp., SE Q of SE Q, S 9, T 14, R 8, page 80.
- TQ and Jane Chloe Matthews sold for $237.50 on 10-13-1836 E. half NE Q, S 27, T 14, R6E. Book G, p. 401, Moral Twp.
- TQ Matthews bought from Adonijah Morgan for $250 on 10-13-1836 South Half of W. half of SW Q, S 9, T 13, R 6E, 40 acres Brandywine Twp. Book F, p. 619
- TQ Matthews sold for $237.50 on 1-19-1838 Book H, pages 386-7 W. half NW Q, S 26, T 14, R 6e, 80 acres, Van Buren Twp.
- TQ and Harriet Matthews recorded a mortgage to the school comm. on 9-6-1839. SE Q of SW Q, S 17, T 14, R 8 E 40 acres. Book I, p. 90, Hanover Twp.
- TQ Matthews sold for $262.50 on 11-21-1839, Book I, page 590 S half of W half of SW Q, S 9, T 13, R 6E, 40 acres, Brandywine Twp
- Adonijah Morgan bought from TQ Matthews for $150 on 1-19-1838 20 acres, part of E half SE Q, S 10, T 13, R 6 E in Brandywine Twp. Book H, p. 28.
- TQ Matthews sold for $350 on 2-6-1856, Book AA, p. 475, NE Q of SE Q, S 2, T 14 N, R 5E, 40 acres in Moral Twp.
TQ was issued a patent from the US Land Office in Indianapolis on 2 Sept. 1833 for the E. half of SE Q, Sect. 34, T 14N, R6E, 80 acres, in Shelby Co., Indiana You can find an image of this land patent on the WWW at % http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/IN/0610/379.tif. % That matches the 1831 land record found for TQ also.
Harriet Stone's family mostly lived in Hanover Township, so it looks like TQ may have moved to that part of the county when he married her.
From these transactions, we can see that TQ must have been primarily a farmer for his living in Indiana. This is in contrast to Keokuk County, Iowa, where he only owned 8 acres of land, as far as we know. So he may have depended more on his other trades such as shoemaking and blacksmithing in Iowa. Of course, he may have rented other farm land in Iowa, too. TQ's land in Keokuk County was in English River Township as follows:
"commencing at the S W corner of the S W 1/4 of the N E 1/4 quarter of Section Twenty three (23) in Township Seventy Seven, 77, North of Range Eleven (11) West and run North thirty five (35) rods and nine (9) links, then East thirty six (36) and five links, then South thirty (35) Rods and five links thence West thirty Six (36) rods and five links containing eight acres "
The courthouse record is sort of unclear, but apparently TQ acquired this land August 8, 1862, after he had already been living in Iowa for several years.
According to a newspaper index in Johnson Co., Nebraska, TQ bought the W one-half of the NW quarter of Section 36 and the NE quarter of the NE quarter of Section 36, Sterling township, in Johnson Co. That makes 120 acres.
The "Footprints'' family history WWW site is also maintaining an online research center on TQ Matthews % to act as a central gathering point for family researchers, documentation, etc.
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Census: 1830, Fayette Co.,Indiana
Census: 1840, Hanover Twp,Shelby Co.,Indiana
Census: 1850, Moral Twp, Shelby Co., Indiana
Census: 1860, English River Twp, Keokuk Co.,Iowa
Birth 23 Sep 1807 Pulaski, Kentucky, USA 
Gender Male Died 7 Nov 1878 Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA - (from Dennis Nicklaus)
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Parents
Father James Matthews (ID:I7334), b. 23 Mar 1779, Virginia, USA d. 16 Sep 1837 (Age 58 years) Mother Margaret Reed (ID:I7335), b. 1784, Pulaski, Kentucky, USA d. Dec 1824, Ross, Ohio, USA (Age 40 years) Children (Siblings) 1. John Harvey Matthews (ID:I7336), b. 1803, Pulaski, Kentucky, USA d. After 1855 (Age > 53 years)2. Mary C. Matthews (ID:I7337), b. Abt 1805, Pulaski, Kentucky, USA d. 20 Jan 1875 (Age ~ 70 years)+ 3. Tunstal Quarles Matthews (ID:I1704), b. 23 Sep 1807, Pulaski, Kentucky, USA d. 7 Nov 1878, Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA (Age 71 years)4. Lucinda R. Matthews (ID:I7338), b. 18 May 1809, Pulaski, Kentucky, USA d. Bef 1860, Wilton, Muscaine County, Iowa, USA (Age < 50 years) -
Family 1
Wife 1 Jane Chlo Morgan (ID:I1705), b. 10 May 1807, Pulaski, Kentucky, USA d. 7 Apr 1837, Shelby, Indiana, USA (Age 29 years) Marriage 25 Dec 1828 Fayette, Indiana, USA [1] Children + 1. Louisa Matthews (ID:I1154), b. 15 Oct 1829, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. Yes, date unknown+ 2. Ruth Matthews (ID:I1706), b. 21 Oct 1831, Fayette, Indiana, USA d. 21 Dec 1917, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, USA (Age 86 years)3. Sophronia Matthews (ID:I1707), b. 7 Dec 1833, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 8 Aug 1865, South English, Keokuk, Iowa, USA (Age 31 years)4. Nancy Jane Matthews (ID:I1708), b. 27 Jun 1836, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 23 Nov 1906, Kirksville, Adair, Missouri, USA (Age 70 years)Family 2
Wife 2 Harriet Stone (ID:I1709), b. 26 Mar 1808, Genesee, Allegany, New York, USA d. 12 Apr 1895, Esmond, Kingsbury, South Dakota, USA (Age 87 years) Marriage 13 Aug 1839 Shelbyville, Shelby, Indiana, USA Children 1. Alvin Stone Matthews (ID:I1710), b. 12 Jul 1840, Shelbyville, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 15 Oct 1862, Shelby Township, Shelby, Indiana, USA (Age 22 years)2. Permalia Matthews (ID:I1711), b. 23 Jun 1842, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 25 Jan 1890, Plattsmouth, Cass, Nebraska, USA (Age 47 years)3. Lucinda Matthews (ID:I1712), b. 6 Nov 1844, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 7 Jun 1818, Beadle, South Dakota, USA 4. Clarinda Matthews (ID:I1713), b. 23 Sep 1847, Shelby Township, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 15 Apr 1871, Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA (Age 23 years)5. Mary Matthews (ID:I1714), b. 16 Jul 1850, Shelby, Indiana, USA d. 4 May 1927, Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, USA (Age 76 years)6. Albert E. Matthews (ID:I7331), b. 1857, Iowa, USA 7. Ellen Matthews (ID:I7332), b. 1858, Iowa, USA 8. Living (ID:I7333) -
Other Personal Events
Occupation minister, shoemaker, farmer, blacksmith and postmaster Will 6 Jun 1875 Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA Probate 23 Dec 1878 Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA -
Correspondence 
At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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Event Map
Birth - 23 Sep 1807 - Pulaski, Kentucky, USA 
Marriage - 13 Aug 1839 - Shelbyville, Shelby, Indiana, USA 
Will - 6 Jun 1875 - Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA Died - 7 Nov 1878 - Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA Probate - 23 Dec 1878 - Sterling, Johnson, Nebraska, USA = Link to Google Earth 
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Source Citations
- [S25] Indiana Marriages, 1810-2001, Fayette County, Volume B, p.. 77 of 683.
T. Q. Mathews to Jane Morgan
Be it remembered that on the 25th day of December 1828 the following marriage license proved to wit. State of Indiana Fayette County. The State of Indiana to any person courthouse to solemnize marriage. Greeting: you are hereby authorized to join together T.Q. Mathews and Jane Morgan in Matrimony as husband and wife according to law.