Creel

Annie Jane Creel Corbit Glover Mathison

2. JOHN WESLEY² MATHISON, SR. (MALCOLM¹) was born December 31, 1841 in Henry County, Alabama, and died March 28, 1928 in Dale County, Alabama. He married ANN JANE GLOVER December 10, 1867 in Henry County, AL. She was born November 27, 1841, and died December 17, 1905.

Notes for JOHN WESLEY MATHISON, SR.:

Enlisted at Henry County, Alabama in January 1862 and served as a Private in the 37th Alabama Infantry / Company H and served until he was paroled at the close of the war at Eufaula, Alabama.

- 1921 Census of Confederate Soldiers

"...Let me say of the fruitless struggle made by the Thirty-Seventh Alabama Regiment...I believe no truer, braver soldiers were to be found in the Confederate army, and I ask that those noble sons of Alabama shall not be forgotten while the deeds of others are often sung in loudest praise."

- Brigadier General John Creed Moore, C.S.A., retired

On a Civil War battlefield near Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, John promised that if God brought him home safely, he would give his life to God's cause. After the war, John forgot about his promise and found himself busy raising a family and making a living on a farm in Skipperville, Alabama. However, according to John, one day he had plowed out to the end of the row and was turning the old mule around when the Lord spoke to him saying, "John, don't you think it is about time?" Though the sun had not yet set, he unhooked his plow and headed home. Soon after this incident John began his itinerant mission work through visitations and prayer meetings.

During the summer of 1882, he helped to organize a series of meetings which were held under a brush arbor that was located near the present day Skipperville United Methodist Church. Interest in the brush arbor services increased and Skipperville became a mission in the Eufaula District later in the year of 1882. In a short time, the people organized Sunday School and church services that were held in the homes. For the next several years, John and his brothers, George W. Mathison and James Levin Mathison, were active in the establishment and leadership of the church. Although John was not a preacher, he served ably as a leader of prayer services and superintendent of Sunday School. Brother George W. Mathison was the preacher in charge of the mission that year, but it was Brother James Levin Mathison who had the distinction of being the first pastor at the church in Skipperville.

- taken from a 1984 publication THE LENGTHENING SHADOW: A Brief History of the United Methodist Church at Skipperville, Alabama

John W. Mathison was initiated into the mysteries of free and accepted Masonry on December 28, 1889, passed January 11, 1890, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason January 25, 1890.

On Sunday, March 28, 1928, he passed away. After many sympathetic talks and fitting ceremonies conducted by the Masonic Fraternity, Brother Mathison was tenderly laid to rest in Skipperville Cemetery amidst a throng of sorrowing friends and loved ones on March 29, 1928.

- taken from a memorial written by the Clinton Lodge

Children of JOHN MATHISON and ANN GLOVER are:

7. i. JOHN WESLEY³ MATHISON, JR., b. January 11, 1869, Henry County, Alabama; d. August 15, 1935, Defuniak Springs, Walton County, Florida.

8. ii. CHARLES EDGAR MATHISON, b. January 26, 1880; d. July 16, 1970.

9. iii. JAMES LEVIN MATHISON, b. August 03, 1887; d. November 15, 1955, his home near Ozark, Alabama.

iv. MARY MATHISON.

v. ELLA MATHISON, b. January 26, 1880; d. October 25, 1916.

Generation No. 3

7. JOHN WESLEY³ MATHISON, JR. (JOHN WESLEY², MALCOLM¹) was born January 11, 1869 in Henry County, Alabama, and died August 15, 1935 in Defuniak Springs, Walton County, Florida. He married MALDRA CLYDE DOWLING February 17, 1904 in Defuniak Springs, Florida, daughter of MARION DOWLING and URSULA ATKINSON. She was born April 15, 1883 in Newton, Alabama, and died November 1973 in Sanger, Denton County, Texas.

Notes for JOHN WESLEY MATHISON, JR.:

Rev. J. W. Mathison helped to establish the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in Defuniak Springs, Florida. With a membership of sixteen, Rev. Mathison helped to build the new church near the Court house in 1902.

- Source: an article from an old Defuniak Springs newspaper

The following is John Wesley Mathison's obituary as recorded on the front page of the Defuniak Springs newspaper, "The Breeze" on Thursday, August 22, 1935 - under the title "Walton Loses a Good Citizen"

"Rev. John W. Mathison, 66 years of age, died Thursday night, August 15, at eleven o'clock, at his home on Palmer avenue, just outside the city limits, after a period of invalidism which had lasted for a dozen years, which confined him to his bed for the past year, and a critical condition which existed for a week or more.

Funeral services were held Saturday morning at the Methodist church, interment following in Magnolia cemetery. Services at the church were in charge of the pastor, Dr. W.H. McNeal, assisted by Rev. J. F. McLeod of Pensacola, formerly a pastor of Defuniak Methodist church. A quartet, composed of Mrs. W. H. McNeal, Mrs. T. D. Bailey, Judge A. G. Campbell and Wavey Wadsworth, sang "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," and "Saved by Grace," Mrs. C. E. Swank presiding at the piano.

John W. Mathison was born in Henry county, Ala., on January 11, 1869, moving shortly afterward to Skipperville, in that state, where he received his early education in the public schools. Later he attended the Southern University at Greensboro, Ala., near where he taught school for some time, and after coming to Defuniak Springs taught both in Palmer College and Thomas Industrial Institute.

He entered the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, early in life, and was licensed to preach in 1892, and until ill health put a stop to his church activities a dozen years ago, he labored early and late in the church of his choice. He joined the Alabama conference in 184, serving churches in West Florida and Southern Alabama during the remaining years of his active life.

He was instrumental in the building of a Methodist Church in Defuniak Springs on a site across Nelson avenue from the courthouse, and was that institutions first pastor. In addition to his church activities, he found time to serve Walton county for a number of years as county agricultural agent, and gave much benefit to the farming interests of the county, through the practical agricultural knowledge which he possessed.

Mr. Mathison was elected county judge in 1928, by what amounted to an overwhelming majority, and filled that office for the term of four years for which he was elected, but ill health during the latter part of the term interfered much with his official duties, and he was not a candidate for re-election at the end of that period.

Mr. Mathison was united in marriage in 1904 to Miss Maldra C. Dowling, who, with five of the six children born of the union, survives him -- one daughter, the eldest, Lois, -- dying some half-score years ago. Remaining relatives include a brother, C. E. Mathison, of this place; another brother, J. L. Mathison of Skipperville, Ala., and a sister, Mrs. Mary Searcy, likewise of that city. A half-sister, Mrs. Lou Sowell, lives in Defuniak, and a half-brother, A. G. Glover, resides at Daleville, Ala.

Mr. Mathison, through his indefatigable work along church, sociological, and welfare lines, left an indelible imprint for the betterment of the people of this section of the state that will not soon be effaced. In his going, Walton loses a good citizen, on whom was heaped deserved affection, credit and honor, and who bore it all modestly and humbly.

Notes for MALDRA CLYDE DOWLING:

The following letter was written by Maldra Mathison on December 5, 1955 and sent to Mr. Mosely. The handwritten original is in the files of the Franklin S. Mosely Depository at the Huntingdon College Library in Montgomery, Alabama:

"My dear Mr. Moseley: Si sent me your letter last week and the form to be filled in in regard to Mr. Mathison's life work. I am very happy to help you all I can for he was indeed one of the most ambitious persons I ever saw and never satisfied with anything but his best - and that had to exceed others.

I have filled in about our wonderful family of six children. Our oldest is our representative in heaven with her dad. No finer girl ever left DeFuniak Springs was the comment of our local news paper.

Of course I'm very proud of Si and his efficient work in the ministry as well as his son who was licensed to preach last year - age 17. Howard is a pharmacist here in Fort Worth - with whom I live since he lost his first wife in 1951 leaving him with a baby of 3hrs. old. I kept the baby till he (Howard) married again in 52 on August 30th but I continue to make my home here since they make it so pleasant for me.

Rufus, a fine Christian man is successful in insurance business. Helen's husband is doing well in our business with his brother here. Nettie is with Census Bureau in Washington D.C. - has been with Civil service for 12 years and holds a very responsible position. Her husband, a college graduate, is also with the Govt. in Washington.

Both girls were in Washington together when Nettie married so since I was left alone, they would not agree to my staying at home in Florida, so I had to break up house keeping and go to Washington where I lived about 8 years. This was such a sacrifice so far as what we had accumulated was concerned. and I left to drive to their home in such confusion that I had to leave so many valuable books and and things that were my husband's except what Clyde could use in his work that I'm afraid I have nothing in the way of old Conference minutes, diaries or anything of value. I placed a nice marker in the center of the lot where he and Lois wait for me to join them in Magnolia Cemetery, DeFuniak Springs, Fla. It's with a great deal of pride that I list a lot of his accomplishments in the Ala. Conference. He loved to build churches and I'll try and list them. a church at Cypress, Fla. on his first work. and maybe one at Shady Grove - This was before I knew him. In 1902, he built a southern Methodist in Defuniak Spgs. where there was a North - and they united a very few years later. He built churches in Florida at Panama City, Millville, Blountstown, and added to the church at Samson, Ala. I am sure I've said more than you need to know perhaps but didn't know how well you knew him. I have forgotten to say he built an industrial school at DeFuniak with two nice 2 story buildings with full basements. Girls dormitory had 22 rooms, and had farm and dairy for the ones who wanted to work.

He lived a full life - spent 4 years as County Judge after located and taught school one or 2 years in the Presbyterian Palmer College in our town. He spent 18 months during 1925 - 26 in hospitals in Montgomery, Mobile, Ashville, N.C. and finally to Rochester Minn. to Mayo Clinic struggling with pernicious anemia. We built a home the latter part of 1926 where we lived till he passed away. Our children were quite young at this time so you can imagine my position. Lois was critically ill for 6 mo. the year before his illness began, and died in Oct. but God was so real and wonderful to me through it all and I've never been sent to a Hospital ..I've been so fortunate.

I do thank God for my five children, but they keep me quite busy getting ready now for xmas and "eleven grandchildren"

Thanks for your interest in Mr. Mathison and all our great Ministers. It's the greatest calling on earth.

Sincerely your friend,

Maldra Mathison

In a family history form filled out by hand for the Alabama Conference Historical Society, Maldra gives her birthplace as Newton, Ala.

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11/04/2009 Last updated