Matthew H. Anderson

Matthew H. "Pap" Anderson was born September 1, 1806. His parents were Stephen James Anderson and Margaret Jane R. Ballou. They were married in Sumner County, Tennessee on April 3, 1797. They had nine children:

Hiram Anderson b. 28 Feb 1798
James H. Anderson b. 8 Feb 1800
Ester M. Anderson b. 6 Feb 1804
Matthew H. Anderson b. 1 Sep 1806 d. 31 Aug 1873
Eliza Anderson b. 1 Jun 1808
Uriah Hurish Anderson b. 1 Apr 1810 (Also migrated to Texas)
Stephen S. Anderson b. 8 Mar 1813
Margaret R. Anderson b. 14 Oct 1814
Lucinda Anderson b. 30 Dec 1817

Matthew was born in Giles County, TN, so they had to have migrated to Giles Co., from Va., before 1806. Mattthew was a school teacher at the Wurtemburg Academy, in Pulaski, Giles Co., TN - Where he met his to be bride Phoebe Douglas Young, who was a student there. She was 15 years younger than he. They fell in love, and when her family heard of this, to try and separate them, they moved to Texas. Matthew followed.

Matthew came to Texas in the 1830's, but learning of his father's death on 9-23-1844, returned to Giles County to settle his father's estate, and then returned to Robertson County, Texas after doing so with his slave Ben. Matthew became a very wealthy man, and became good friends with a very well known Texas man named Sam Houston.

He is buried in Robertson County, Texas in his own cemetery. Buried next to him is his slave Ben. Matthew honored Ben, for Ben went to war (Civil War) with Matthew's son, James Posie Anderson. Matthew was very much against him enlisting, for Matthew was a wise man and knew the South could not win, and when James died of wounds suffered through the war near Holly Springs, MS, Ben made sure James was given a proper burial, and then returned to tell Matthew. Matthew was heart broken over the loss of his son.

See a photo of Matthew H. Anderson.

Submitted by Joy Boutwell McNally.