John G. Matthews House
Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
After coming to Texas with his parents in 1840, John G. Matthews (1824-1903) joined a Ranger company and fought in the Mexican War (1846-48). He married Nancy Leanorah Carothers (1838-93) and in 1872 built this hand-hewn native limestone house, which his family occupied until about 1885. Matthews' son, Joseph Neely Matthews (1866-1944), a teacher and justice of the peace, later enlarged the pioneer-style dwelling, now (1976) owned by his daughter, Myreta Matthews. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1976
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
John G. Matthews came to Texas as a teenager in 1840 and served in a Ranger company during the Mexican War before settling to farm in Williamson County. In 1872 he built this hand-hewn native-limestone house, a pioneer dwelling his family occupied and later enlarged. His son Joseph, a teacher and justice of the peace, extended the home that stayed in the family for generations.
Why it matters
Matthews's life traces the arc of Anglo-Texan settlement — from frontier Ranger and Mexican War soldier to farmer and family patriarch — that populated the central Texas hill country.
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Related people
- · John G. Matthews
- · Nancy Leanorah Carothers
- · Joseph Neely Matthews
Related events
- · Mexican-American War
Themes & tags
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