Matthew Nathan Culpepper of Chickasaw Co. MS

Male, #1563, (1825 - Mar 1865)

Parent*James Culpepper Jr., of Darlington, SC (c 1771 - bt 1830 - 1840)
Parent*Elizabeth (?) (17 Nov 1786 - 4 Oct 1886)
Matthew Nathan Culpepper of Chickasaw Co. MS|b. 1825\nd. Mar 1865|p1563.htm|James Culpepper Jr., of Darlington, SC|b. circa 1771\nd. between 1830 and 1840|p1417.htm|Elizabeth (?)|b. 17 Nov 1786\nd. 4 Oct 1886|p1562.htm|James Culpepper of Nash Co. NC|b. say 1728\nd. before Nov 1799|p1413.htm|Elizabeth (?)|b. say 1736\nd. after 1800|p1414.htm|||||||

Birth*1825 Matthew was born at North Carolina in 1825.1 
 He was the son of James Culpepper Jr., of Darlington, SC and Elizabeth (?). 
1850 Census*1 Jun 1850 Matthew was listed as the head of a family on the 1850 Census on 1 Jun 1850 at Darlington District, South Carolina.2 
Marriage*1855 He married Elizabeth F. Long at Mississippi in 1855. 
1860 Census*1 Jun 1860 Matthew was listed as the head of a family on the 1860 Census at Chickasaw Co., Mississippi.1 
Death*Mar 1865 He died at Richmond (city), Virginia, in Mar 1865. 
Research note*12 Jun 2004 Matthew Nathan was by himself in the 1850 census in Darlington District, SC, and was listed as age 30, born in NC. Around 1855 he moved to the Coleville area of Chickasaw Co., MS, and about that same time married Elizabeth F. Long, a native of NC.

The 1860 census shows Matthew and Elizabeth with two children, James, aged two, and an unnamed three month old daughter. Also in the household were three older children, Wash, aged 12, born in NC, and George, aged 8, and Gaston, aged 5, both born in MS. These older children may have been visiting relatives, or may have been Matthew's children by a prior marriage. No futher record of them has been found. The only other Gaston Culpepper in the Culpepper family was John Gaston Culpepper, born 1822 in Anson Co, NC, son of Benjamin Culpepper (later of AR) and grandson of the Rev. John Culpepper of Anson, several times a U.S. Congressman.

Matthew's Civil War service began in 1863 when he enlisted in Rasey's Brigade, Co. E., of the 48th Mississippi Regiment, and ended with his death in March 1865 in Howard's Grove Hospital, Richmond, VA.

No record of Matthew's parentage has survived among his descendants. One grandson recalled, however, that Matthew had a sister, Sally, and a brother, James. From the 1850 and 1860 censuses, we know that Matthew was born in NC around 1820-1825, and may have lived there until at least 1848. We have no record of what county Matthew was from in NC. The names "Matthew" and "Nathan" were used in both the Culpepper and other families in Nash Co, NC, so he most likely was from Nash County.

The only Culpeppers in Nash County in 1830 with sons born in the 1820's, if one can rely on the 1830 census, were William and Jeremiah. William's children are known, so perhaps Jeremiah Culpepper was Matthew's father.

The 1830 census shows Jeremiah with two sons born between 1820 and 1825, and the 1840 census shows two sons, one born 1820-1825, and one born 1825-1830. One of these two sons was almost certainly Alexander J. Culpepper. He and Jeremiah both show up in later censuses in Jackson Co, TX. The "J" in Alexander J. could stand for James, so that this could be the brother "James" that Matthew's grandson recalled. The sister Sally the family recalls remains unaccounted for. But the evidence supporting Matthew Nathan Culpepper as one of the two sons of Jeremiah Culpepper and Polly Vick is slim. The names Mathew and Nathan occurred in the Erasmus Culpepper family in Nash County, but Erasmus was not closely related to Jeremiah.

Perhaps Matthew Nathan was named for someone on his mother's side of the family. There was a Nathan Vick in Nash County, for instance, who had a son Matthew Vick, about the time that Matthew Nathan Culpepper was born.

Matthew Culpepper, son of Erasmus Culpepper, might be a logical choice for Matthew Nathan's father, but he did not marry until late in life, and no children are listed for him and his wife, Abiah (Whitehead) Culpepper (formerly Mrs. James Battle) in any census. Abiah's children were apparently grown by the time she married Matthew. Curiously enough, Abiah's paternal grandfather was Nathan Whitehead. Her paternal grandfather was Benjamin Culpepper, so she and her husband were first cousins.

There were other Culpeppers in the 1830 NC census with sons under age ten but these seem less likely as possible parents for Matthew Nathan. Warren and Sally Culpepper of Camden Co, NC had two sons under age ten in 1830. Willis Culpepper of Camden had one son under age five. Hardy Culpepper of Currituck Co. had two sons under age ten, but the names of most of his children are known. Archibald Culpepper's widow Polly was also in Currituck with one son under age ten.

Finally, since Matthew Nathan was in Darlington District, SC, in 1850, perhaps he was a son of James Culpepper there, who was originally from Nash County. James does have a son unaccounted for, and although Matthew Nathan does not fit the age of James' missing son, perhaps the census taker made an error. Matthew Nathan does fit into the general range of ages of James' other children, and the name James was used in Matthew Nathan's family. Also, the name Matthew was used in the family of Henry Culpepper of Darlington, James' brother. And James of Darlington did have a son James H. Culpepper, and some daughters who are unaccounted for. So this would explain Matthew Nathan's grandsons' recollection that he had a brother James and a sister Sally.

Given Matthew Nathan's physical presence in Darlington District, SC, in 1850, this writer currently believes that he was most likely the son of James Culpepper of Darlington (ID: 1417), and grandson of James Culpepper, died 1799, of Nash County, NC.

Your help with this person will be appreciated. Contact Lew Griffin (see footnote for details).3 

Family 1
Children

Family 2

Elizabeth F. Long (May 1834 - after 1900)
Children

Charts Descendants of Robert Culpepper, Jr. of Lower Norfolk Co., VA (Six generations)
Last Edited 24 Apr 2008

Citations

  1. 1860 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 63, Family 500, Lines 6-12, Division 1, Chickasaw, MS
    Mathew Culpeper, 34, M, Farming, RE=$0, PE=$100, NC
    Eliza Culpeper, 30, F, Wife, SC
    Wash Culpeper, 12, M, SC
    George Culpeper, 8, M, MS
    Gaston Culpeper, 5, M, MS
    James Culpeper, 2, M, MS
    Not named, 3/12, F, MS.
  2. 1850 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 323B, Family 850, Third Division, Darlington District, SC
    M. N. Culpepper, 30, M, Laborer, $--, NC.
  3. Lewis W. Griffin Jr., 4307 North 34th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018, e-mail address, Phone: (602) 955-2597.