Matthew D Underwood (1848 - 1932)

Born 10 Jan 1848 in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Died 26 Jun 1932 at age 84 in Riverbend Township, Gaston County, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Matthew was born on 2 January 1848 in the River Bend section of northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina. His parents were Jacob Underwood and Elizabeth Moore. His paternal grandparents were Reuben Underwood and Elizabeth Clubb, and his maternal grandparents were John Moore and Jane Reid.

The area where Matthew was born was settled in the latter third of the 1700s, mostly by Ulster-Scots and Germans, and he could claim descent from both ethnicities. His mother was a descendant of Ulster-Scot immigrants, and his paternal grandmother was the granddaughter of German immigrant, Peter Clubb. However, his direct paternal line was from England (Cornwall).

Matthew could also claim descent from both Patriots and Loyalists who participated in the American Revolution. Two of his ancestors were Loyalists: Henry Underwood and Gaspar Clubb. His great-grandfather, Alexander Moore fought at King's Mountain as a Patriot.

Matthew's first appearance in the records was in the 1850 census Gaston County. He was living on the farm of his father. Matthew was 2 years old, and there were eight siblings in the household of which he was the second youngest. His younger brother, Henry, was born less than two years after Matthew.^[1] The farm was likely land that the Clubb family once owned, and Jacob had more than one hundred acres as his farm. Matthew Underwood's uncles also owned substantial farms. With the size of Jacob's farm, the boys, including Matthew (who was now old enough), had plenty of work to do.

In 1860, with the American Civil War looming, another census was taken, and Matthew was now 12, too young to serve. He did have, however, four older brothers who would serve in the Army of Northern Virginia. The three oldest children, Jane, Caroline, and Rosanna, had already married by 1860 and had established, with their husbands, homes of their own.^[2]

In 1861, war broke out between North and South. The three older brothers, John, Jim, and Jede would join the Confederate Army within the first couple of years, along with two of their brothers-in-law. A fourth brother, Sid, would enlist in 1864. With every absence, the more difficult it would become to keep up the farm. Matthew, at 13, would have taken the brunt of the situation as, eventually, he would be the oldest son remaining at home. He would be joined in the effort by his two younger brothers, Henry and Robert.

In 1870, Matthew was 22 years old, living with his parents, five siblings, his grandmother, Jane Moore Reid, now 83 years old, and one nine year old child named Jane Underwood, who was not a sibling. It is yet to be determined who this Jane Underwood was. This post-war time was difficult for many in the South, particularly farmers, and Matthew, along with all of his siblings, would be called upon to help to keep the farm going.^[3]

Matthew, given that he never married, continued to live at the home of his elderly parents. Jacob was 63 that year, and Matthew's mother, Elizabeth was 56. Two younger sisters, Margaret and Mary Ellen would marry in 1873 and 1874, respectively, and be gone from the farm. His two younger brothers, Henry and Robert, would also marry in the 1870s and establish households of their own. The only older brother still at home was Jim, who would not marry until 1886, the year of Jacob's death.

On 17 February 1873, Matthew was a witness to the marriage of William H. Rumfelt and Mary A. McCall. Three of Matthew's brothers had served in Company C with William and, like William, Matthew was a carpenter, so they shared a knowledge of woodworking.^[4]

in 1880, Matthew turned 32 years old. His father's household now consisted of a much smaller family. Matthew was still living on the farm, the use of which had probably much diminished with most of the children having left to start families of their own. His occupation was listed as "Works on farm," what Matthew had been doing all his life. Matthew's brother, Jim, was still there, as was one of Jacob's grandchildren, James L. West, the son of Rosanna and Frank West. James West may have been living on the farm to help with the work as he was 13 at the time of the census.^[5]

Matthew's father, Jacob, died intestate in 1886. Due to this, he would have inherited one twelfth of his father's estate. It is known that Matthew's brother, Sid, sold his portion of the inheritance about 1900 when he (Sid) moved across the Catawba River to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.^[6] Did Matthew also sell his portion? No record of such a transaction has (yet) been found, but considering that Matthew was either living in a rented home or with his brother, Henry, indicate that Matthew did not retain ownership of this inheritance.

The census in 1890 was destroyed by fire, and because Matthew does not appear in the 1900 census, it is difficult to track his movements. More than likely, he remained in the area where he grew up, north of what is now Mt. Holly in the River Bend section of Gaston County.

In 1910, Matthew was living with his brother, Henry. He was 60 years old. His occupation was listed as carpenter. Whoever gave the census taker the report on the family said that Matthew could read, but could not write.^[7]

Matthew was living by himself in rented quarters in 1920 but also the employer on a melon farm. He was 70 years old. The census record does not indicate any of this brothers or other relatives living nearby.

In the last census in which he appears (1930), Matthew was living two houses down from his brother, Robert, and next door to another brother, Henry, on the Riverbend Road. He was 81 years old, retired, and single.^[8]

On Sunday, 26 June 1932, at about 1 o'clock in the morning,^[9] Matthew died of "organic heart failure" in the same rural area where he had lived his entire life. Matthew's brother, Henry, was the informant on his death certificate. Farrar Brothers handled the funeral arrangements.^[10]

Matthew was buried the day he died,^[11] at the old burying ground at the Castanea Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Lucia, Gaston County. He rested among many of his family including his parents and some of his siblings, cousins, and other relatives and community members. A stone was placed much later at his grave in Castanea by a kind relative that did not wish for his grave to go unmarked.^[12]

Additional Information

Ralph Sidney Underwood, a nephew of Matthew's, remembered an incident in the 1890s while he (Ralph) was still living in the Riverbend township. A father of a local girl came to Ralph's father's house and complained that Matthew had gotten his daughter pregnant. Ralph did not remember any other details of the incident, nor did he have any further information as to whether the girl carried the child to term or whether this child survived. Neither did he remember the name of the family.^[13] All searches for further information have been fruitless.

East Gaston News, The Gaston (North Carolina) Gazette, 29 August 1905:

Mr. Math Underwood went on the excursion to the Cliffs last Friday and says he had a nice time.

Obituary: The Charlotte (North Carolina) News, 27 June 1932:

Math Underwood Dies Suddenly In Gaston

Funeral services for Math Underwood, 84, of Gaston county, were held Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock by Rev. E. N. Crowell of Lowesville, assisted by Rev. W. C. Underwood of Charlotte. Burial was made in Gastonia [sic] Presbyterian cemetery.

Mr. Underwood died at his home Sunday morning at 1 o'clock following an illness of a few hours. Survivors are two brothers, H. W. Underwood and Robert Underwood, of Gaston county, and one sister, Mrs. Felix Beaty, of Mecklenburg county.

Sources

1. ↑ Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C. Image at: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8054/4181077_00417?pid=12735879
2. ↑ 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Image at: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7667/4237503_00163?pid=41245647
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWZ1-5H3 : 12 April 2016), Martha Underwood in household of Jacob Underwood, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 44, family 287, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,637.
4. ↑ "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9G-WHKP : 28 November 2018), William H Rumfelt and Mary Anne E McCall, 17 Feb 1873; citing River Bend Township, Gaston, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC6T-QHN : 20 August 2017), D Mathus Underwood in entry for Jacob Undeerwood, 1880; citing enumeration district ED 88, sheet 107C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d), roll 0964; FHL microfilm 1,254,964.
6. ↑ Gaston County, North Carolina, Deed Book ?, p. 176.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML91-3MW : accessed 20 March 2019), Matth D Underwood in household of Henry W Underwood, River Bend, Gaston, North Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 62, sheet A, family 18, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1112; FHL microfilm 1,375,125.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X333-PFM : accessed 20 March 2019), Mathew D Underwood, River Bend, Gaston, North Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 38, sheet 12B, line 81, family 243, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1692; FHL microfilm 2,341,426.
9. ↑ Obituary: The Charlotte (North Carolina) News, 27 June 1932
10. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Image at: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1121/S123_1084-1455?pid=687625
11. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Image at: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1121/S123_1084-1455?pid=687625
12. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2N-KXWY : 13 December 2015), Matthew D Underwood, 1932; Burial, Lucia, Gaston, North Carolina, United States of America, Castanea Presbyterian Church Cemetery; citing record ID 71561837, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
13. ↑ The story of the possible child was told to Pip Sheppard in the 1970s by Matthew's nephew, Ralph Sidney Underwood.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Timothy Alan Sheppard for his research assistance into the life of William Rumfelt.