Mathew Ryburn Clark1

b. 29 January 1819, d. 17 August 1886
FatherJames Clark2,3 b. 21 Mar 1789, d. 6 Aug 1871
MotherAnn Ryburn2,4,5 b. 4 Oct 1792, d. 21 Dec 1869
Birth29 Jan 1819 Mathew Ryburn Clark was born on 29 Jan 1819 in Washington County, Virginia.6,7 
Childhood  He grew up on his father's land which spanned both sides of present day Prices Bridge Rd. north of the Middle Fork of the Holston River. 
Marriage6 Jan 1848 Mathew married Isabella Louisa Fullen, daughter of Andrew E. Fullen and Mary Buchanan, on 6 Jan 1848 in Washington County, Virginia.8 
  They were second cousins.  
Land-Sell1 Sep 1848  On Sept. 1, 1849 Mathew and Isabella sold their interest in a 9th share of several tracts that had belonged to Isabella's grandfather James Fullen. They received $60 as Isabella's one fifth part of her deceased father's share.9 
Land-Buy5 Oct 1848  The following month Mathew bought 220 acres on the waters of the North Fork of the Holston River from Rebecca Caywood for $2,500. 
Cens-18505 Aug 1850  A year and a half after their marriage, Mathew and Isabella appeared on the 1850 census together. Mathew was thirty years old and Isabella was twenty-one. Their first child, Robert, was listed as eleven months old.10 
Land-Sell4 May 1858  Mathew and Isabella appear to have suffered a financial set back in the late 1850s. On May 4, 1858 Mathew sold John W. Kreger his 3 tracts of land in trust to secure debts owned Buchanan, Preston and Dickenson.11 
Land-Sell10 Jun 1858  Two months later, in June 1859, Mathew and Isabella sold 80 acres to Ben K. Buchanan for $200. The land was described as near the Valley Road and Saltworks Rd.12 
Contract15 Oct 1858  And on Sept. 23, 1858, Mathew sold much of the family's personal property to Samuel Skinner for $90.94. The list included farm animals, two wagons, and various household items. However 3 weeks later Mathew's father James, along with Mathew Buchanan, repurchased the items and executed a deed loaning them back to Mathew.13  
Land-Sell4 Jun 1859  The following June James also purchased Mathew's remaining 140 acres for $1. James executed a deed in trust such that Mathew and Isabella could continue to live on the land and support their family from the profits of the farm. James also stated that should Mathew die the land was to be conveyed to his children, allowing Isabella her dower share.14 
Cens-Sum  Mathew and Isabella appeared on 3 additional Washington County federal census enumerations during their married lives. Mathew continued to farm. His 1860 census entry listed him as the owner of land worth $6,000 which was probably not entirely accurate. The agricultural schedule recorded the person reponsible for managing a given farm regardless of whether they actually owned it. Mathew was recorded with 100 acres of improved land and 50 acres of unimproved land. The 1870 census, following the Civil War, valued Mathew's holdings at $1,200. The couple's children appeared on census records as expected, with the exception of 1870 where William J. appears to have been recorded as Mary J. and James S. as Dan S. [many Washington Co. households were misrecorded that year]15,16,17 
15 Mar 1870 When Mathew's father, James Clark, wrote his will in March of 1870 he left Mathew's children the land on which they were living, but stipulated that Mathew's brother [James A. Clark] was to control it. The children were also to inherit their father's share of any other assets belonging to James, with the same stipulation. James released Mathew of the notes and accounts he held on him which probably included the indebtedness James incurred when he took over Mathew's land in 1859.3 
Court Record  James A. Clark was subsequently appointed trustee of the children's inheritance. His report to the Washington County court in March of 1880 showed payments of $125 to Andrew F. Clark, Mary E. Clark and Robert E. Clark. Andrew F. Clark also received $625 as the guardian of Fountain B., Wm J., James S., Ryburn B. and Rachel Clark who were stated to be the minor children of M.R. Clark.18 
Widowed  Mathew was widowed when Isabella died in June 1880. She was about 52. 
Death17 Aug 1886 Mathew died on 17 Aug 1886.6 
Burial He was buried at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.6 

Related Links and Images:

Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery
The 1850 Washington Co., Virginia census listed Mathew as the head of household number 250. Follow the link to see who lived nearby.

Family

Isabella Louisa Fullen b. abt 1828, d. 26 Jun 1880
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Descendants of James Clark and Isabella Breckenridge
Last Edited5 Sep 2013

Citations

  1. [S5] Elizabeth Kelly Allison, Early Southwest Virginia Families, p. 70-85.
  2. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 70-85.
  3. [S705] James Clark will (recorded 1871), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 18: 18. The will was dated 15 March 1870 and recorded at court on 28 Aug. 1871. Son, James A. Clark was executor; James C. Porterfield and James P. Clark witnessed the will.
  4. [S10] "Journal of Mary Jane Beaty (Davis) Moffett", p. 9.
  5. [S11] "Family notes of Mrs. Lizzie Ryburn."
  6. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 177. 29 Jan 1819-17 Aug 1886 (Judge Lusk record).
  7. [S2169] Donald Helton, compiler, "Washington County Virginia Abstracted Death Records 1912-1939" (manuscript shared by author), p. 57; Dr. Andrew Fullen Clark entry: b. 13 April 1857 Washington Co., Virginia, d. 21 Nov. 1926, s/o Mathew Clark, b. WCV & Isabel Fullen, b. Smyth Co., VA.
  8. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 14.
  9. [S1986] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 18: 40.
  10. [S367] Mathew Clark household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th District, p. 84b (stamped), dwelling 250, family 250, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 34 of 289. Mathew Clark, 30, farmer, real estate of $2,500; Isabella 21; Robert 11/12; all born VA.
  11. [S1045] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 24: 110.
  12. [S1045] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 24: 371.
  13. [S2846] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 25: 191.
  14. [S1045] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 24: 359.
  15. [S234] Mathew R. Clark household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 453 (added script), dwelling 633, family 618, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 91 of 361. Reported data includes: Mathew R. Clark, 40, farmer, owns real estate valued at $6,000, personal property at $2,000; Isabella 31; Robert 10; Mary 8; Andrew 7; Fountain 2; all b. VA.
  16. [S635] Mathew Clark household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., 1st Division, p. 194 (stamped), dwelling 132, family 147, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 387 of 426. Data includes: Mathew Clark 57, farmer, owns real estate valued at $1,200, pers. prop of $280; Isabella 41, keeping house; Robert 21, laborer; Mary 18; Andy F. 13; Fountain 11; Mary J. 10 (cannot read or write); Dan S. 8; Ryburn 6; Rachel 1; Callahan, Mary 43, domestic; all b. Virginia.
  17. [S165] Mathew R. Clark household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 16 (60D stamped), dwelling 141, family 142, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 16 of 54. Mathew R. Clark, 61, farmer; Isabella L., 52; Andrew F, 22, son, works on farm; Mary, 28, dau, suffering from cronic (?) dia; Fountain B., 21, son; Wm J., 19, son; James S., son, 17, son; Ryburn B., 14, son; Rachel B., 11, daughter; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  18. [S1983] James A. Clark account as trustee of children of Mathew R. Clark, Washington Co., Virginia Guardians Accounts Vol. 3: 177 (1880).
  19. [S2169] Donald Helton, compiler, "Washington County Virginia Abstracted Death Records 1912-1939" (manuscript shared by author), p. 70; Rachel Clark entry.