History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 282

282

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

the United States army, and served during
the Mexican war. He was principally engaged
in scouting duty, and now draws a
pension from the Government for services
rendered in that struggle. Mr. Matthews
was a member of a volunteer company during
the latter part of the Civil war, of which
he served as Lieutenant, and did duty on the
southern coast of the State. He now owns
one of the finest farms in Wlliamson county,
consisting of 250 acres, 125 acres of which is
cultivated. In his political relations he affiliates
with the Democratic party; socially, is a
Master Mason; and religiously an Elder in
the Cumberlalnd Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Matthews was married in Travis county,
in October, 1855, to Leoinore Caruthers.
1Her parents came from South Carolina to
Texas in 1853. To this union have been
born seven children, namely: Addie M., wife
of R. E. Allen, residing three miles from
Liberty Hill; Abner B., a merchant of this
city; Samuel H., who alo resides three miles
from Liberty Hill; Sidney J., a school-teacher
by profession; Neally, attending the Huntsville
Normal; and William Franklin and
Leonora, at home. The wife and mother
died April 1, 1892, having been a member
and prominent worker in the Cumberland
Prelsbterian Church.
B )IICHAEL 11. FLEMING comes of
Irish ancestry, his father, Patrick
Fleming, and his mother, whose
maiden name was Margaret Holland,
being natives of the Emerald Isle, born in the
county of Cork, the father in 1816 and the
mother in 1824. They were married in their
native country in 1853, and the fRllowing
year came to America, settling in N w York
city, where they resided until they died, the

father in 1864 and the mother in 1862. The
father was something of a merchant, being a
dealer in naval stores, at which lie earned an
honest livelihood for himself and family but
laid up nothing for the proverbial "rainy
day." He was a type of his race, generous,
impulsive, full of wit, not over-provident,
a Democrat in politics and a Catholic in religion.
The mother was an industrious, economical
house-wife, devoted to her husband
and children and attentive to all of her duties.
They had but three children, the eldest dy.ing
in infancy, the second being the subject
of this notice, and the youngest, a daughter,
Annie, now the wife of Patrick McCarty of
Chatham, Columbia county, New York.
Michael H. Fleming was born October 12,
1854, in the city of New York. His boyhood
until he was twelve was passed in that
city. Then, his parents having died, he
was sent up to New Lebanon in Columbia
county, where he was put to work on a farm.
Here he resided some three or four years,
working as a farmn hand in summer and attending
the local schools in the winter. Columbia
county continued to be his home for
twelve or fourteen years, which time he
spent as a lal)orer among the farmers of that
county and as a railway construction hand on
railway lines in that vicinity. In 1880 he
came to Texas and settled at Milano, where
he entered fhe employ of the Gulf, Colorado
& Santa Fe Railroad Company, with which he
has continued since. He began with this
company as a foreman at $55 per month, and
in 1884 was promoted to the position of road
master at a salary of $112.50 per month, but
in a few weeks resigned and again became
foreman of his section. In 1891 he was again
promoted to the position of road master, but
again resigned and still holds his old position
of foreman.