Mussenden Ebenezer Matthews

Mussenden Ebenezer Matthews (1750–1830) was an early settler in Iredell County, North Carolina, military officer in the American Revolution, speaker pro tem of the North Carolina House of Commons, plantation owner, and elder in the Fourth Creek Congregation Presbyterian Church.

Early life Mussenden will sometimes appear in historical documents misspelled as Mussendin, Mussendine and Mussentine. He was born in 1750 or 1751, reportedly born in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland. His parents were James Matthews and Mary McGill. He immigrated from Ireland to the American colonies and appeared in Rowan County, North Carolina in 1778. In 1780, "Mussentine Matthews" was one of seven Elders at the Fourth Creek Presbyterian on the records of the Orange Presbytery to which the Church belonged.

Military service Matthews was a known Lieutenant in the NC State Cavalry-Western District in 1780 under Capt. John Reid. He was also referred to as "Major" Matthews.

"During this expedition two of his men were taken prisoners. As he could not recover them by force of arms, he made their case a subject of prayer, both in private and in public, with his men. In a few days they rejoined the company, having made their escape..."

After the war In 1786, Mussenden was given a Land Grant consisting of 274 Acres on Station Camp Creek just northeast of Nashville. This land was in Davidson County (now Sumner County), Tennessee and was given to him by the State of North Carolina for his service during the Revolutionary War.

In 1788 Iredell County was created from part of Rowan county, and in 1789, Mussenden was one of the first two representatives from Iredell County to the North Carolina House of Commons. He was elected to serve 13 times between 1789 and 1803. In 1796, he served as speaker of the house,

His residence was a plantation on Third Creek near Statesville where Third Creek Elementary School is located today. He had married Ann Sloan (1751-1805) before 1780 in Rowan County. Ann was the daughter of Fergus Sloan who donated the land for the Fourth Creek Congregation church. After Ann died, he married Jane Knox (1768-1833) in Iredell County.

Mussenden died on March 17, 1830 "in the 79th year of his age" and was buried in the Old Fourth Creek Cemetery in Statesville.