Ruth Jones (Matthews) Tull (1794 - bef. 1860)

Born 1794 in Surry County, North Carolina

Ancestors

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Biography

Ruth was born in 1794 in Surry (Now Yadkin) Co., NC. She was the daughter of Aaron Matthews and Mollie Lester. Aaron's parents aren't known, but the Matthew Matthews and James Matthews living next to him on the 1790 Surry Co. Census are said to be his brothers. Mollie's parents may be Jesse Lester, the justice-of-the-peace at Rockford in Surry Co. whose tavern still stands, and his first wife, Mary "Polly" London.

In 1802 Jesse Lester sold land to Aaron Matthews, and in 1830, Ruth, along with her sisters Mary and Morning, gave part of that land for the organization of Prospect Methodist Church in Yadkin County.

Ruth and Atha were in Van Buren Co., Missouri by 1840, and on the 1850 census they are in Cass Co., Missouri. Atha is said to have died in California in late 1850, I assume he was taking part in the Gold Rush.

Atha was part of the Quartermaster Dept. during the Mexican War and for his service, he recieved a land grant in Anderson Co., Kansas. However, he was dead by the time the land was granted, and Ruth had to claim it. It is unclear if Ruth died in Missouri, Kansas, or California, but she probably died before 1860.

Sources

• Research from J. Hobson, summarized in the Matthews Family Genealogy.com forum