Matthew Williams was born on May 11, 1828, in Burke County, Georgia. He married Rosella Nunis, a descendant of one of the first Jewish families to arrive in the colony of Georgia from Portugal. She was formerly with Robert Stringer and had one son (Samuel) before she married Matthew. They were married May 16, 1858, in Augusta, Georgia.

Within Pre-Civil War Era and Post Civil War Era, they both had 6 children together ranging from birth years of the late 1850’s to the 1870’s.

• Rosella Nunis Williams 1837–1900 (Wife)
• Samuel Stringer 1852–1929 (Stepson)
• Augustas Williams Abt: 1859
• Rev. John J Williams 1859–1945
• Charles Williams Abt: 1863
• Sarah “Dinkie” Williams Abt: 1866
• Benjamin Franklin Williams 1868–1929
• Frances Williams 1872-1945

In the time frame of The Civil War, Matthew decided to join arms with the Confederates and enlisted in the 48th Regiment Company C – Georgia Light Guards Richmond County on February 8th, 1862.

–48th Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Macon, Georgia, during the winter of 1861-1862. Its companies were recruited in the counties of Burke, Glascock, Warren, Richmond, Jefferson, Emanuel, and Harris. Ordered to Virginia, the 48th was brigaded under Generals Ripley, A.R. Wright, and Sorrel. It served on many battlefields of the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days’ Battles to Cold Harbor, then was involved in the long Petersburg siege south of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign. This regiment reported 33 casualties at Mechanicsville, 44 at Malvern Hill, 61 at Second Manassas, and 72 at Chancellorsville. It lost more than fifty-five percent of the 395 at Gettysburg, and there were 32 disabled at Manassas Gap. On April 9, 1865, it surrendered 13 officers and 193 men. Colonels William Gibson and Matthew R. Hall, Lieutenant Colonel Reuben W. Carswell, and Major John R. Whitehead were in command.–

He was discharged after 9 months of enlistment. In December of 1962, he was taken to a hospital in Columbia, South Carolina due to having Typhoid Fever which left him in a condition unable to return.

After the war, Matthew and his family moved to Burke County, GA and his occupation at that time was a Farmer.

Sometime after June 23, 1870, Matthew had moved to Warren County, GA with his family. He would stay in the area until about 1897. A few sources claim Matthew’s occupation was a Farm Laborer & Peddler.

Pension records indicated that between the years of 1895-1898, Matthew had owned the property of a wagon, horse, and cow in which he sold to live off of. He moved back to Augusta, GA in 1898.

In 1900, Matthew is working as a Keeper for The Rollersville Cemetery. His wife Rosella passes away the same year.
Matthew died on April 4, 1907, living to the age of 78 years, and was buried in Rollersville Cemetery which is now abandoned in Augusta, Georgia.