Matthew known as John grew up in the Millville Community located in the North East end of Rusk, Co. TX. He was the sixth of ten children. At age 17 he married Ann Menshaw age 20. On the 1870 census they list their ages as being three years difference and on the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 census they show that they were the same age. However on their cemetery marker, they are again listed with Ann being three years older that John. A copy of Matthew John's death certificate dated Jan. 19, 1924. On the death certificate it list John as being widowed, Ann didn't die until 1825???

They continued to live in the Millville Community for the rest of their lives and are buried in the Millville cemetery behind the Millville Baptist church on F. M. 782 north east of Henderson, TX. In the 1910 and 1920 census they lived in the house with their son G.P. Watson and his family. The Census showed them to be 70 years old at the time. John was a member of the Masons (cemetery marker)

John became blind by 1889. He had a rope tied between the house and the barn, and another rope tied between the house and the out house. By hooking his cane over the appropriate rope, he was able to move about the farm yard unassisted. John died October 22, 1921 and Ann died February 20, 1925.