Mathews Cemetery, Orleans-Arnold Township Morgan County Illinois

Cemetery transcription by members of the Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society


An early township burying ground in Section 4, Township 15 North, Range 9 West of the Third Principal Meridian. Because of the devastation of time, wild animals and modern farming methods, the remaining tombstones in this ruined cemetery known as Mathews Cemetery were moved to Antioch Cemetery, about 1 1/4 miles south. Because of their deterioration, the burials were left where they were, in a cultivated field about 7 miles northeast of downtown Jacksonville. The deed for Mathews Cemetery is found in the Morgan County clerk's office in Deed Record Book NN, page 338. Samuel T. Mathews and Sarah A., his wife, quit claimed the land to the Trustees of Schools in the Township, for the uses of a burial ground for the inhabitants of said Township, being "a part of the East half of the SE 1/4 of Sec. 4, T 15 North, R 9 West, etc." Anyone interested in Mathews family history may also refer to the burials listed in Greenwood, or Crum Cemetery for persons with identical names as some of the people buried in Mathews Cemetery. Some of the bodies may have been moved to other cemeteries, as has been the custom many times.

* = No Stone Found
** = Soldier

Words in brackets [ ] or parenthesis ( )are not on stone.

* ADAMS, Elijah Died prior to 1872 Aged over 80 Yrs

(No tombstone for this man was found here but page 75 of the 1872 "Atlas Map of Morgan County" tells of his death at the residence of his daughter, Sarah Ann, and her husband, Col. Samuel T. Mathews.)

MATHEWS, Margaret S. Wife of R. Mathews
(Marriage Record B, page 31, in the Morgan County Clerk's office, shows that Richard Matthews and Margaret Ann Layton took out A marriage license on Dec. 14, 1841.)

________ Died 4 Aug 1833 19 Yr 1 Mo 5 Da (This broken tombstone undoubtedly marks the grave of Mrs. Cyrus Mathews.
On a list of Jacksonville's cholera victims published in the "Illinois Patriot" on Aug. 21, 1833 is found this entry: Aug. 4, Mrs. Cyrus Mathews.)


* MATHEWS, Mamie Died 24 Apr 1880 Age 2 Yr (No tombstone was found for this burial. Death Register 1 on page 69 gives her name as Mary Mathews. The following news item (as well as others) appeared in the newspapers of the time: The Jacksonville Journal". CITY AND COUNTY [Saturday, April 24, 1880] Mr. John Mathews, County Commissioner, has three children ill with scarlet fever, one being dangerously. DEATH [Sunday April 25, 1880]
We regret to learn of the death of Mamie, three year old daughter of Mr. John Mathews. The funeral will be from the residence at 1:00 o'clock today, the services being conducted by Rev. W.N. Steele.)

Richard Died 7 Aug 1833 57 Yr 11 Mo 19 Da (Page 82 of "Atlas Map of Morgan County, Illinois" published in 1872 shows that ". . .Richard and Sarah Mathews . . .emigrated to Morgan County -- from Kentucky ---about the time of its earliest settlement. He entered a tract eight miles east of Jacksonville, where his time was devoted to agricultural pursuits. He was one of the prominent citizens of that day, and, with many others, he became a victim of cholera, and died in August of 1833. His widow survived him until April, 1853.)

Sarah Wife of R. Mathews Died 9 Apr 1854 81 Yr 5 Mo 19 Da Wife of R. Mathews (Note the discrepancy in the year of death as shown in the biography "1853", and as it appears on her tombstone "1854". Sarah and her husband were illiterate when, on June 5, 1832, they "made their mark" on the deed when they sold 40 acres in Section 3 Township 15 North Range 9 West to Cyrus Mathews for $50.)

Richard Born Green Co., Ky. 5 Dec 1815 Died 22 May 1878 62 Yr 5 Mo 17 Da "In life beloved, in death ______" (His death cert. is recorded twice in the County Clerk's office, once on page 9, and
again on page 20, both times in Death Record Book 1. The following news stories are from the sources indicated: PROBABLE PATRICIDE. [ Jacksonville Journal Tuesday, May 21, 1878]. A Young Man Shoots His Father. The startling news reached this city last night that Mr. Richard Mathews, residing in the neighborhood of Orleans, had been shot by his son, Samuel Mathews, at about five o'clock in the evening, and so badly wounded that his recovery was thought doubtful. As told to us by a gentleman residing near where the occurrence took place, it seems that young Mathews came home in a state of intoxication and was putting his horse away in the barn when his father approached and they began quarreling about some trivial matter. One word brought on another, and both parties are said to have become quite abusive, when the young man drew his revolver, and its contents were discharged at his father, making a bad wound and lodging in the lower part of his bowels. Young Mathews, soon after the shooting, seemed to fully realize the horribleness of the deed he had committed, and became so delirious with grief that persons present had to take his weapon from him to prevent his committing self destruction. Whether he shot his father intentionally or whether while he was flourishing it around to frighten the "old gentleman", the revolver was accidentally discharged with the result stated, is not fully known, as both sides of the question are discussed, as the cause of the much regretted affair. Whisky was no doubt at the bottom of the whole of it, and had the young man been sober, the chances are nothing of the kind would ever have occurred. Dr. Prince went out last night to dress the wound, but fears are entertained that the man is too badly injured to be benefitted by a physician.)

MATHEWS, John M. Died 30 Sept 1846 Age 15 Da Son of R. & M.S. Mathews

*Samuel T. 21 Jan 1799 - 23 June 1875 (No tombstone for Colonel Samuel T. Mathews was found in this cemetery but it is very likely this man was buried here. An extensive biography of Col. Samuel T. Mathews appears on pages 74 and 75 of the 1872 "Atlas Map of Morgan County."

SALLEY, Elijah Died 8 Aug 1852 Age 20 Yr Son of J. & M. Salley

Margery Died 20 Jan 1854 56 Yr 6 Mo 19 Da Wife of John Salley

UNKNOWN (A remnant of stone has the inscription: Jany. 5, 1___ 32 Yr 11 Mo 4 Da

FOOTSTONES M.J.M S.T.M.

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