The Mattingly Family

Paternal Ancestors of Agatha Mattingly Ransdell

and Sudie Bell Mattingly Wills

Origin of the Mattingly Name

            From Herman Mattingly’s book The Mattingly Family in Early America (1975) comes this introduction:  “The name Mattingly has its origin in Hampshire County, England.  It is derived from a Saxon chief, Matta, who belonged to a powerful tribe known as the Basingas who colonized the northern part of that county in the latter part of the 5^th century.  The tribe had pushed northward from the coast and into the Whiteriver valley.  It was there that Matta settled his family who became known as Matta-inge-leagh, people-of-Matta’s clearing.  The small community became known simply as Mattingley, and exists as a village by that name to this day.”

NOTE:  There are numerous researchers of this family who disagree on significant details.  I have attempted to give conflicting points of view whenever possible.  There are many Mattinglys who came from Maryland to Kentucky, most of them apparently Catholic.

          According to researcher Melissa Alexander[1], who cites Herman Mattingly's The Mattingly Family in Early America, the following Mattingly family line became Protestant, and I agree with her that this is the most likely line.

1^st generation

Thomas Mattingly
(?-1664)

Elizabeth (?)

The First Mattingly Family in America

            According to Herman Mattingly’s The Mattingly Family in Early America, the first Mattingly family is first found in Maryland in 1664.  This researcher believes they had just arrived in 1663 or 1664, but has no record from passenger lists of their passage.    The family included Thomas Mattingly, his wife Elizabeth, and four children:   two sons Thomas and Cezar, and two daughters, Judith and Elizabeth.[2]  Thomas died in early 1664 without making a will.  His widow Elizabeth was given letters of administration and she signed an executor's bond 24 Jul 1664.  Livestock, a still, tools, personal clothing, and houseware were listed in the inventory.  Meanwhile, Elizabeth married Walter Pake, a widower.   The Thomas Mattingly family was not indentured but paid their own passage from England, therefore was immediately entitled to 50 acres of land for each member of the family.  Thomas Mattingly fell sick and died not long after arriving in Maryland and did not make application for the 300 acres to which his family was entitled.  Walter Pake made the application for the 300 acres.

3^rd generation

John Mattingly

 (1690-1744)

Grace Brewer

(b. about 1690)

            John Mattingly (1690-1744) married Grace Brewer (b. about 1690).  That Cezar Mattingly, son of the immigrant Thomas Mattingly, had a son named John would seem to be evident from Land Records which show him paying taxes on a parcel of land, "The Thames" about 1706.  The first available rent rolls of St. Mary's Co. show that Cezar Mattingly paid taxes on this parcel of 150 acres.  The next entry on the rent rolls for this property gives John Mattingly as the possessor. ... Inventory of the estate of John Mattingly submitted for recording May 1, 1744.  On June 5, 1744, Grace Mattingly made oath to the truth of the inventory.  No will of John Mattingly has been found.... The residue of the estate was divided among John Mattenley, Ignatius Mattenley, Richard Mattenley, Luke Mattenley, Joseph Mattenley, Eliza Mattenley, and Susanna Mattenly, all orphans of the deceased. ...  Debt books of St. Mary's Co. reveal that a John Mattingly paid taxes on 3 parcels of land including The Thems" and "Mattingly's Addition."  It is presumed that he was the son of the above named John Mattingly and one of the "orphans" named above.[5]

4th generation

John Baptist Mattingly (I)
(1715-1759

Elizabeth Brewer

(1712/25-after 1760)

        John Baptist Mattingly (I) was born 1715 in St. Mary's Co., MD, died 3 Apr 1759 in St. Mary's County, MD.  He was the son of John Mattingly and Grace Brewer.  He married Elizabeth Brewer (born 1712/25-died after 1760).

          Debt books of St. Mary's Co. reveal that a John Mattingly paid taxes on 3 parcels of land including “The Thems" and "Mattingly's Addition."  It is presumed that he was the son of the above named John Mattingly and one of the "orphans" who divided the residue of his estate.... John Mattingly of St. Mary's County wrote his will Feb 20, 1759, bequesting "The Phems" to his son John Baptist Mattingly.  This John Mattingly whose will was proven April 3, 1759, left his widow, Elizabeth, and 9 children, all named in the final accounts and distribution book.  The children were the above named John Baptist who was 18 years of age (b. Nov 1741), James (b. 1743), John (b. Nov 25, 1745), Jane (b. July 7, 1746), William (b. Oct 1747, Henry (b. July 3, 1751), Margaret (b. Aug 1753), Elizabeth (b. Oct 19, 1755), and Bennett (b. Sept 7, 1757).[6]

5th generation

John Baptist Mattingly (II)
(1741-about 1761)

Elizabeth Venable
( ? )

         John Baptist Mattingly (II) was born Nov 1741 in St. Mary's Co., MD, died about 1761.  He married Elizabeth Venable who died in Dumfries, VA.[7]

6th generation

John Baptist Mattingly (III)
 (1759-1824)

Dykander Bozwell
(1758-1844)

          John Baptist Mattingly (III) was born 15 Feb 1759 in Prince William County,  VA, died 23 Feb 1824 in Prince William Co., VA.  He married  Dykander Bozwell on 6 March 1781 in Prince William Co., VA.  She was born 15 Nov 1758 in Prince William Co., VA; died 22 Feb 1844 in Occoquan, Prince William Co., VA.  John Baptist Mattingly served in the Revolutionary War;  information from pension applications.[8]

7^th generation

Barnett (or Bernard) Mattingly

(1780-1844)[9]

Priscilla Cash

  (died after 1850)

            Barnett (or Bernard)  Mattingly was born between 1775-1790 in Prince William County, VA, the son of John Baptist Mattingly (1759-1824) and Dykander Bozwell (1758-1844).  He married Priscilla Cash, daughter of Caleb Cash and Elizabeth (last name unknown), on 25 April 1808 in Washington County, KY.

          According to William Mattingly’s Ancestry.com website:  “A few sources show his name as Bernard but his name appears as Barnett on early census records.” 

          According to an article in the 1992 Washington County, Kentucky Bicentennial Book, Barnard Mattingly was the son of John Baptiste Mattingly, and he was married to Elizabeth Cash.  No dates for either of them were listed in that article. 

          Another researcher, Charley Moore, says Barnard's wife's name was Priscilla Cash with the note that they were married in Beech Fork, Washington Co., KY.; he also gave Barnard's birth and death dates, and a list of their children.  He says Barnard is definitely NOT the son of John Baptiste Mattingly who left a will in 1815 in Washington County, KY.  (A Mattingly website posted by William Mattingly also indicates this.)

          Charley Moore says Barnard and Priscilla were the parents of the following children:

          i.        Unknown son bc. 1815 m. Lucretia[10]

          ii.       John Thomas Mattingly (abt 1819-1899) m. (1) Delila Keeling

                             (2) Elizabeth Keeling

          iii.      Caleb William Mattingly b. 1825, m. (1) Jane Hardesty, (2) Mary

          iv.      James Jeremiah Mattingly, b. 1827, m. (1)  Savilla Keeling (sister of

                   Delila Keeling), (2) Elizabeth Kennedy, (3) Martha Ann Dennis

          William Mattingly also believes there was an older son,  Benedict.

          Charley Moore says Barnard died in about 1844.  He was unable to give the source of that information.

          The 1850 Washington Co., KY census shows this family as follows:

          Mattingly, Priscilla 74 (born c. 1775)  (this age is probably too old)

                   Lucretia, 38 (bc 1822; this is believed to be the widow of an older

                   son of Priscilla)

                   John 28, bc 1822 (this is most likely John Thomas)

                   Caleb 25, bc 1825 (m. Jane Hardesty 26 Jan 1852)[11]

                   James 23, bc 1827

                   Susan M. 6, bc 1844 (dtr of Lucretia & unknown oldest son)

                   Sarah J., 3, bc 1847 (dtr of Lucretia & unknown oldest son)

          There is simply no other documentation that John Thomas Mattingly belongs with this family besides this census record.  Mattingly family researcher William Mattingly[12] wrote to me:  "If you're asking for proof that this was John Thomas living with his mother in the 1850 census, I can't oblige.  However, I've been hard pressed to find another John of the right age range or any other reason for him to be there except as her son.  There's a serious amount of confusion when looking at birth dates on nearly everyone in the family during the times they lived."

          William Caleb Mattingly married Jane Hardesty in 1852 and they had two children, but by 1860 Jane had apparently died and William was married to Mary.  Here is the family as recorded in the census:

1860 Washington  Co., KY census,  Ancestry.com image 58:  W.C. Matingly 36, Mary 19, James B. 8, Charles F. 7.

1870 Washington Co., KY census, Ancestry.com image 41:  William Matingly 46, Mary 30, Charles 16, Barnett, James 17, Anna 9, Richard 7.  [The way this is written, it appears that James' last name is Barnett, but this is almost certainly the same James B. as in the 1860 census.]

1880 Washington Co., KY census, Ancestry.com image 17:  William K. Matingly 54, Mary M. 43, Annie J. 17, dau Nellie G. 6 dau, Samuel Ryan 23, Mary Kenidy 17 niece.

          The fact that William Caleb Mattingly named his elder son James Barnett is a possible indication that William’s father was Barnett (rather than Barnard) Mattingly.

          The next son, James Jeremiah Mattingly, according to William Mattingly's website, married Sevila Keeling (sister of Delilah Keeling, John Thomas Mattingly’s first wife) who died before 1855 and then James married Elizabeth Kennedy 18 Oct 1855.[13]

          James and family were not found in the 1860 census.

1870 Washington Co., KY census:  James Mattingly 45, Elizabeth 32, Samuel 14, Naomi 13, Mary 9, Elizabeth 4, George 1. 

          Elizabeth died before 1880 and then James married Martha Ann Dennis Keeling, widow of Savila Keeling’s brother James.[14]

1880 Willisburg, Washington, KY census, p. 420B:  James Mattingly 45, Martha 33, Milton 16, Mary 15, Bettie M. 14, George H. 12, Sarah 7, Daniel 6, Ada C. 1, William H. Keeling 18 stepson.

          Finally, Lucretia Mattingly who appeared in the 1850 census, and is believed to be the widow of an older son of Barnett and Priscilla Mattingly, married in 1856 Tempton Keeling, a brother of Delilah and Savila Keeling.[15]

1860 Washington Co., KY census, p. 73:   Tenspt (Tempton?) Keeling 24, Cretia 36, Margaret 3.  (living next door to Tempton's mother Fannie Keeling)

1870 Washington Co., KY census, Ancestry.com image 7:  Tant Keeling 33, Lucretia 50, Mag 13.

1880 Washington Co., KY census,  Ancestry.com image 13:  Temton 44, Lucricia 50.

And one more instance of the Mattingly-Keeling intermarriages:  Susan M. Mattingly, 7-year-old daughter of Lucretia Mattingly in the 1850 census, later married Granderson Keeling, brother of Tempton Keeling and Elizabeth Keeling (John Thomas Mattingly’s second wife).[16]

1860 Washington, Ky census, p. 73:  Grandison Keeling 30, Mary 17, Sarah 3, Tessa 5 mos, living next door to his mother Fannie Keeling.

1870 Jefferson Co., KY census,  Ancestry.com image 39:  G. Keeling 50, Mary 30, Caroline 11, Louisa 9, Martin 7, John  6.

1880 Jefferson Co., KY census, Ancestry.com image 5:  Granderson Keeling 56, Susan M. 37, Caroline 19, Louisa 18, Martin16, John R. 15, Henry 8, Susan 7, Jane 4.

          Since none of these people (William Caleb Mattingly, James Jeremiah Mattingly, or Lucretia Mattingly Keeling) were found in the 1900 census, it is assumed they died between 1880 and 1900.

          James Barnett Mattingly, son of Caleb William Mattingly, married Nannie Hobbs[17].   Their marriage record gave his name as Barney Mattingly which caused some researchers to believe he was actually John B. Mattingly, son of John Thomas Mattingly.  The census record for both men clearly supports the fact that they were cousins, and definitely not the same person.

1880 Springfield Courthouse, Washington Co., KY census,  Ancestry.com image 3:  James Mattingly, Nannie 22, dau Maud 1/3 Feb. 

1900  Washington Co., KY census (Soundex):  James Mattingly 46, Nov 1853, married 22 years; wife Nannie 42, Sept. 1857, 3 children, all living; dau Maud  A. 10, Dec 1889; dau Eliza 8, Sept, dau Rosa A. 8, Dec 1891. [This information from the Soundex card; the actual census page was too dim to read]

1910 Washington Co., KY census:  Barney Mattingly 58, 1st marriage, 31 years; wife Nannie 62, 5 children, 3 living; dau Claudie 27,  widow, 2 children, 2 living.

1920 Washington Co., KY census, Ancestry.com image 12:  Jim B. Matingly 67, wife Nannie 62, dau Claud Spalding 34 widow.

8^th generation

John Thomas Mattingly

(1819-1899)

Delilah M. Keeling

(1829-1855)

John Thomas Mattingly was born about 1819 in Washington Co., KY, believed to be the son of Barnett (or Bernard) Mattingly and Priscilla Cash.[18]

He married, first, on 19 November 1851 in Washington County,  Delilah M. Keeling[19], daughter of William Keeling (b. about 1795) and Nancy Hardin Keeling (b. about 1801) who were married in Washington Co., KY on 27 Jan 1823.[20]  (see KEELING and HARDIN)

John and Delilah had two sons:

i.        William Lloyd Mattingly, b. 1853, m. Sylvia Baker

ii.       John B. Mattingly, b. 14 Jan 1855, m. (1) Rose Emma

                   Silcox; (2) Sarah T. Barnett, d. 16 Aug 1920

A few weeks after giving birth to her second son, Delilah died on 1 March 1855.

Two months later, on 10 May 1855, John married Delilah's cousin, Elizabeth Keeling, who was born in 1839, the daughter of Benjamin Keeling and Frances (Fannie) Hardin.  Benjamin Keeling and Delilah's father William Keeling were sons of Thomas Keeling and Rose Barlow.[21]

John and Elizabeth had eight children:

i.        Mary Jane Mattingly, b. 1856, m. John W. Baker

ii.       George Robert Mattingly, 1859-1936, m. Alice Reddick

iii.      Susan Mattingly, b. 1861, m. John T. Neale

iv.      Thomas Franklin Mattingly, 1863-1949[22], m. Lula

          Reddicks

v.       Miltie Mattingly, b. 1864 (may not belong to this family)

i.        Martha (Mattie) Mattingly, 1869-1897, m. Richard

           Sales Hardin

vii.     Daniel Boone Mattingly, 1870-1959[23], m. Sallie

          Burkhead

viii.    S. K. (Sadie) Mattingly, 1875-1923[24], m. James T. Yaste.

Photo-thanks to C. Rote!

Sadie Mattingly Yaste

          This family was difficult to find in the 1860 census because the name was badly misspelled as Mally[25]:

          John T. Malley, 37

                   Elizabeth 24

                   Mary J. 5

                   Loyd 7

                   John 6

                   Robert 3

                   Ann 3 mos.

          Barba Keeling 17 (Elizabeth’s sister)

          They were living next door to Elizabeth’s widowed mother Fannie Keeling and several of her children.

          The 1870 Washington Co., KY census shows the family as follows:

          Matingly, John, 41, farmer

                   Lizzie, 29

                   William 17

                   John 15

                   Mary 14

                   George 12

                   Susan 9

                   Thomas 7

                   Martha 1

                   Miltie 5  (does not appear in 1880 at 15; may actually belong

                                      to another family)

          By the 1880 census the two oldest sons, William and John, and the oldest daughter Mary had married and left home. 

          Mattingly, John 53, b. KY, father b. VA, mother b. KY

                   Rosia 42 (apparently a third wife?)

                   George R. 22

                   Thomas F., 17

                   Mattie F. 10

                   Daniel B. 8

                   Sabe (Sadie) K. 5

          There is a record in the Hillsborough Baptist Church cemetery in Washington Co., KY, Elizabeth Mattingly, wife of Jno, was born 1839 and died 21 Jan 1889.  If that is our Elizabeth, then the 1880 census is in error, calling her Rosia.  But there were so many Johns and Elizabeths, it could be just a coincidence.  Or the transcriber of the cemetery records could have made an error in the date.

          John died in 1899, according to one researcher who gives no source for that information.

9^th generation

John B. Mattingly

(1855-1920)

1^st Marriage

Rose Emma Silcox

(1860-1881)

Photo, thanks to C. Rote!

Rose Emma Silcox Mattingly

John B. Mattingly was born January 14, 1855,[26] in Washington County, Kentucky, the second son of John Thomas Mattingly and Delilah M. Keeling.  His mother died not long after his birth, and his father married Delilah’s cousin Elizabeth Keeling.

John Mattingly's great-granddaughter J. Whittridge reports that his middle initial B stands for Benny.

1^st Marriage

 John's first marriage[27] was to Rose Emma Silcox (1860-1881), daughter of John Benjamin Silcox and Paulina Terhune, on 6 January 1880[28] in Mercer Co., KY.  (See SILCOX and TERHUNE.) John and Emma had two children (twins):

i.        Sudie Bell (4 Jan 1881-24 Dec 1953) m. Edgar G. Wills, 10

          children  (see WILLS)

ii.       John C. (Charley) Mattingly (4 Jan 1881-25 March 1882)

Photo, thanks to C. Rote

The twins, Sudie Bell and John Charles Mattingly 1881

John and Emma were married just a little over a year when Emma died 12 Jan 1881 when her babies were 8 days old, and their son died at 14 months.  The death of the child Charley Mattingly is listed in the family Bible of Charles F. VanArsdall and his wife Margaret.  Margaret is the aunt of Rose Emma Silcox.  John and Rose probably named their son after Emma’s brother-in-law Charles and their daughter after Charles and Margaret’s daughter Sudie who was born in 1874.[29]

9^th generation

John B. Mattingly

(1855-1920)

2^nd Marriage

Sarah Thomas Barnett

(1853-1910)

           Sarah Thomas Barnett was born August 16, 1853, in Burgin, Mercer County, Kentucky, the 8^th of 10 children of Dudley Barnett and Frances Cameron Barnett.  Her mother apparently died about 1862 when Sarah was about 9, after which her father married Malinda Hale Sadler, with whom he had two more children.[30] [31] (See BARNETT.)

          John Mattingly and Sarah Barnett were married on 26 September 1883 in Mercer Co., KY[32], Sarah becoming stepmother to John's two-year-old daughter Sudie.  John and Sarah had three children:

                   i.        Agatha Frances Mattingly (1884-1936)[33]  

                             m. Gilbert Sterling Ransdell (see RANSDELL)

ii.       John James Mattingly, b. 1887, d. 27 Sept. 1955,

           m. Cornelia Bolling 24 July 1909[34]; adopted one son

          Osborne (1924-1998)

                   iii.      George A. Mattingly, b. 17 July 1889; d. 27 Oct 1949

                             in DeWitt, Clinton Co., IA.  m. 9 May 1933 Edith

                              Lynch (1901-1970).

          These three children, along with Sudie Mattingly, were the 10^th generation of Mattinglys.  John James Mattingly’s adopted son Osborne was to be the only one of John B. Mattingly’s grandchildren to carry on the Mattingly name.

          Sudie, John's daughter by his first marriage, was apparently raised mostly by her mother's relatives, but she often spent time in the home of her father John and stepmother Sarah, and she told her daughter Margaret that Sarah, her stepmother, was a "nice sweet woman."[35]  (As Sarah herself was raised by a stepmother, it is hoped she learned to be a kind stepmother from her own.)              

          The 1900 Mercer Co., KY census shows this family as follows:

          John B. Mattingly b. 1/1855, age 44;

          Sarah 46

          Agatha 15

          James 13

          George 10.

          In 1900 Sudie Mattingly, age 19, is living with her aunt Susan Silcox Barnett, wife of Daniel Barnett (Sarah Barnett Mattingly's oldest brother).

          The 1910 Mercer Co., KY census shows:

           John B. Mattingly, 55

          Sarah, 56,

          George 20. 

Sarah died July 5, 1910, of breast cancer.[36]  She is buried in the Berea Christian Church Cemetery near Harrodsburg, Mercer County, KY.  As far as I know, no photographs of her exist.

Her obituary in the Harrodsburg Herald  reads as follows:

"Mrs. John B. Mattingly, an estimable lady, died at her home on the Dry Branch Pike Tuesday morning, after about a year of suffering.  Her funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at the Methodist church, of which she has long been a devoted member, conducted by Rev. Lon Robinson, the pastor, and the interment was made in Berea burying ground.  She was a lovable Christian woman, whom everybody admired and respected and her passing away has brought sorrow to many friends.  Besides her husband she leaves three children, Mrs. Sterling Ransdell, and Messrs. James and George Mattingly."                                                         

          After Sarah's death, their son George moved to Iowa where he remained the rest of his life.  He appears in the 1920 Clinton, Iowa census as age 30, living as a boarder in the home of John T. Reed.  He appears in the 1930 census living as a boarder in the home of two sisters, Leonna and Edith Lynch.  In 1933 he married Edith, and they were later divorced.  George died 27 October 1949.  His obituary in the Harrodsburg Herald stated, "He left Kentucky 43 years ago and made his home in DeWitt, Iowa, for the past 38 years."  According to the obituary, his wife and daughter predeceased him.  He is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in DeWitt, as is Edith Mattingly, wife of George, 1901-1970.  The cemetery has no record of a child of George and/or Edith being buried there.[37] 

          I have a very small Methodist Hymnal which belonged to Sarah Barnett, inscribed on the flyleaf in her handwriting:  “Miss Sarah Barnett, Her book, December 22, 1878."

          John Mattingly’s third marriage was to Theresa Cunningham Yeast (1851-1936)[38], widow of G.R. Yeast, on 26 May 1911,[39] which lasted only two weeks[40]. 

           There was also a fourth marriage, on 21 January 1914[41], to Etta Spears (1871-1923).[42]  No children were born of these latter two marriages.[43]

          The 1920 Mercer Co., KY census, taken January 3, 1920:

                   John B. Mattingly, 64

                             Etta 49

          John died August 15, 1920, and is also buried in the Berea Cemetery in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.  The tombstone is four-sided, and has on it the names of John B. Mattingly, Sarah Mattingly, Rose Mattingly, and Charles Mattingly.  His death certificate and obituary indicate he died of "paralysis."   Unfortunately, his death certificate is not completely filled out and does not give his parents' names or even his date of birth.[44]  

          His obituary appears in the Harrodsburg Herald on 20 Aug 1920, stating that "J.B. Mattingly, age 65, died at home Sunday afternoon of paralysis.  He had been confined for 11 weeks to his room.  His wife, two sons (Messrs. George Mattingly of DeWitt IA and James H. Mattingly of Harrodsburg, KY), two daughters (Mrs. E.G. Wills of Harrodsburg and Mrs. S. R. Ransdell of Somerset, KY) and grandchildren survive him.  He is also survived by four brothers and one sister in Washington County, where he was born in 1855."

 John and Sarah Mattingly Tombstone

          His surviving (half) sister was Sadie Mattingly Yaste who died in 1923.  Three surviving (half) brothers were George who died in 1936, Thomas who died in 1949, and Daniel who died in 1959.  I don’t know for sure who the fourth surviving brother was, but it might have been the youngest, James.

          Etta, John’s fourth wife, survived him by three years, dying 23 September 1923 at the age of 52 in McCreary, KY.[45]

Additional sources of information:

Letters from their granddaughter Beulah Ransdell Hopson (1916-1996) who remembered Sarah's brother George and two sisters, Eliza and Lucy.

Letter from his granddaughter M. Brown to my mother Beulah Ransdell Hopson dated 15 Jun 1975:  "He was married 4 times, first to my grandmother then to yours, and then to a mean woman called Thesa Yates or Yeast.  He only lived with her two weeks.  Then he married again and I've heard she outlived him and is buried here in Danville."

There are no known photos of John B. or Sarah Barnett Mattingly. 

Photos—thanks to C. Rote!

James & Cornelia Mattingly about 1910

George Mattingly as a teenager

George Mattingly

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