The Luke Matthews family joined the Methodist movement of Virginia whole heartedly (1780-1800). At least 15 descendants of Luke’s son, John and Isham, have been Methodist ministers.
Isham and John Matthews, sons of Lucy Fox Matthews and Luke Matthews and brothers to Hannah Matthews Holmes, had moved near Nashville, Tennessee, prior to 1808. Some time after that their mother, Lucy Fox Matthews, then about 61 years old, left her home in Virginia and joined her son John at Triune in Williamson county, TN. She undoubtedly made this long journey over the mountains by horseback. It had been 20 years since the death of her husband and some business connected with the division of the estate had to be left unfinished. It was would up by a son-in-law who was co-executor. In 1814 she wrote a daughter in Virginia to send her some garden bulbs and seeds by the next passage.
Family letters of that period show that Luke Matthews Holmes, a son of Hannah Matthews and Edward Holmes, went to Williamson County, TN, with his uncles, as they returned from a visit to Virginia in 1811. Williamson county records show that Luke Matthews Holmes married Lucy Sanford, Dec. 16, 1813.
John Holmes, a younger brother of Luke, joined his brother and other relatives in Williamson County some time after 1811. County records show that John Holmes married Elizabeth Price, December 24, 1817.
626Will of Luke (x) Matthews of Brunswick County, VA (noted that he was of Meherrin Parish)
To daughter Angelica Walker, Negro and a mare
To daughter Hannah Matthews, Negro, a mare, furniture
To daughter Betsey Matthews, Negro, a mare, furniture
To daughter Lucey Matthews, Negro, a mare, furniture
To son John, Negro, a colt, furniture
To son Luke, Negro, horse, furniture
To son Isham, Negro, horse, furniture
To daughter Nancey, Negro, horse, furniture
To unborn (noted he thought wife was pregnant) child, Negro, horse, furniture
To [wife] Lucy, remainder of real & personal estate
Extr: wife Lucy Matthews, son-in-law Wilson Walker
Wit: James Frame, Daniel Baugh, Mark Steed
Dated: 6 Apr 1788 Rec: 23 Jun 1788
Ref: Wills from Brunswick County from Brunswick County Virginia Will Books, Vol. 2
and 3, abstracted by Dr. Stephen E. Bradley, Jr., 1997
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