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History
in a Cotton Boll
John Matthews is the community's namesake.
Arriving in 1827, Matthews bought land from one of Stephen F. Austin's original
colonists and established a plantation.
The 140-slave plantation prospered
prior to the Civil War and following the war, Matthews' freed slaves and those
of other nearby former plantations created a market for goods and services. The
community formed around the former plantation and by 1880 the town had a gin,
blacksmith and general store. The town briefly had a post office in operation
from 1895 to 1905. Thereafter it was routed through nearby Eagle
Lake. By 1900 Matthews had a population of 100 with a school and four businesses
in operation. The same population was given for the next six decades.
Matthews appears on detailed county maps - but no population figures are available.
The two nearest cemeteries to Matthews are the Union Hill cemetery and the Mt.
Zion cemetery - both on county roads within two miles of town. |
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1940s
Colorado County map showing Matthews SE of Columbus,
S of Eagle Lake. Courtesy Texas General Land
Office. | |
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