1850, October 11th - US Federal Census - Arkansas, Washington County, Illinois, District 9
MATTHEWS, John 39 m blacksmith TN
MATTHEWS, Elizabeth 35 f GA
MATTHEWS, Thomas 18 m farming AL
MATTHEWS, Daniel 16 m AR
MATTHEWS, Mary 15 f AR
MATTHEWS, Andrew 13 m AR
MATTHEWS, Julian 11 f AR
MATTHEWS, Commodore 8 m AR
MATTHEWS, Archibald 5 m AR
MATTHEWS, Jehoile 2 m AR

1860, July 9th - US Federal Census - Arkansas, Washington County, Illinois, District 9
MATTHEWS, John 54 m farmer AL
MATTHEWS, Elizabeth 52 f AL
MATTHEWS, Mary 22 f AR
MATTHEWS, Comidore 17 m AR
MATTHEWS, Johiah 12 m AR
MATTHEWS, Catherine 8 f AR
MATTHEWS, Leonidas 6 m AR

Death - The family legend is that he was shot in his own bed and killed during the Civil War by Union soldiers. This story was identified by Rex Matthews through living relatives and recorded in his book, “The Descendants of Lawrence Matthews and Nancy Ellen Lane”, 1979.