George W Matlock was born abt 1784. George married Sarah Lee. George died the 10th of

November 1826 Hendricks Co IN. Sarah married 2nd John Thompson. John subsequently died

in Lee County in 1857. George's will was probated there on 16 October 1827.

1811 Franklin Co IN Tax List George Matlock

1818 Feb 27 Orange Co IN Land Deed

1818 June 1 Monroe Co IN Land Deed

1820 MATLOCK GEORGE Delaware Co IN 033  100010-30010

Hendricks County's First Murder Trial: 1885 “History of Hendricks

County” (p. 289) Submitted by Wanda

Hendricks County, Indiana, has had its share of famous persons…and its infamous ones. 

The first to be accused and brought to trial for murder was Samuel K. Barlow, who is

believed to have lived about two miles east of Belleview on the Old National Road

(U.S. 40). According to the grand jury indictment, filed on February 24, 1827, Samuel

K Barlow, "Not to having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced

by the instigation of the devil " on October 16, 1826, "with a certain axe of the value

of two dollars...in and upon the hinder and upper part of the right thigh of...George

Matlock, then and there feloniously, willfully and unlawfully did strike, giving unto

him...one mortal wound of the length of five inches and of the depth of four inches of

which mortal wound, he the said Matlock did languish and languishly did live (until) on

the twenty-fifth Oct...he the said George Matlock of the mortal would aforesaid, died."
 

The defense attempted through cross examination of Thomas Matlock, a prosecution witness,

to establish that the deceased had “told the witness a few days previous to the day on

which the wound was given … that the deceased had just returned from the Southern country

and that he had left his saddle bags at the house of his mother, some 8 or 10 miles from

the residence of the family of the deceased .. informing his mother that she must have his

saddle bags ready at a minutes warning for that the deceased would probably have to leave

the country in haste." When the court would not permit the prosecution witness to reply

this cross examination, the defense asked, “that the same might be sealed and signed and

made a part of the record…which was done.”…
 

The defense also tried to justify the blow which caused the death of the deceased by

introducing testimony that the defendant had been summoned by the family of the deceased

to protect them against “imminent danger of loosing their lives and receiving some great

bodily harm from the deceased.” David Matlock and others testified that two days prior to

the day the blow was given the deceased threatened to “drive his wife from his home (from

which the said deceased had been absent for a year and had just returned to the country

but not to his house) and if she would not leave he would whip her to the holler (?).”…
 

According to the 1885 History of Hendricks County (p. 289) this was the first important

criminal case tried in the County.  It states that the verdict was guilty of manslaughter;

the sentence was one year in the penitentiary … also that the defendant was “respited”

from the sentence until the first day of the next term, with Samuel Jessup, John Ballard,

Abel Stanley posting bond for his appearance in the sum of $300…

(2)Two of George’s brothers, Thomas and David, had to testify in the trial.

(3)Samuel K. Barlow his (his brother-in-law).  There was no blood relationship. Samuel’s

wife was Susanna Lee, sister to George’s wife Sarah .   

(4)Samuel's conviction for manslaughter was later pardoned by the Governor.  Samuel's friends,

and some of Matlock's own family, claimed he acted in self-defense. Samuel only struck Matlock

in an attempt to prevent him from harming his own wife and children. On 6 December 1827,

Governor Ray pardoned him [Indian Executive Proceedings, Pardons and Remissions].  Samuel and

Susannah moved from Hendricks County to the state of Oregon.

1828 Oct 28 Petition for Certiorari Matlock vs Tho Littleton. Writs agreed 1st May 1828.

Thomas Littleton showeth that in 1825 George Matlock sold him 2 horses and he was to pay

total sum of $50 on 17th Oct 1826, $48 on 25 Oct 1826, then $15 due 27 Oct 1826. He said

that the horses were not what Matlock said they were to be. He also states that the reason

he did not appeal was due to a certain Eli Lea from the state of Ohio or Indiana (perhaps)

when Matlock deceased was in the county. He petitions at that time he was not advised there

was any irregularity in the proceedings - but is now advised the whole is utterly void, and

he believes said Lea has no legal right to control said suits in any way whatever. Sworn to

in open court on May 1st 1828. Sig: Thomas Littleton

George Matlock vs Thomas Littleton: In the three suits ages upward of twenty three years.

Thomas Kitchen makes oath that George Matlock the plaintiff in the above suit departed this

life about the 10th of November in the year 1826 and that he saw him buried in the county of

Hendricks in the state of Indiana. Sig: Thomas Kitchen. Sworn to Oct 28, 1828

1830 MATLOCK WIDOW Hendricks County IN 127  0101-001001

1840 THOMPSON JOHN Lee County IA 361  01310011-0001001

1850 THOMPSON JOHN Lee County IA  304

John Thompson  65 M Farmer VA

Sarah          54 F        SC

Naomi          40 F        SC

James          40 M        SC

Gordon         32 M        SC

Preston        30 M        SC

Bloomer        28 M        SC

Sarena         26 F        SC

Polly          24 F        SC

Martha         22 F        SC

Milton         18 M        SC

Martin         20 M        SC

Jo?? Ha???     14 M        SC

John           16 M        SC

  Children:

 1 SUSAN LEE MATLOCK born abt 1809 IN. Susan married Aaron Marshall Jan 31 1828

   Hendricks Co IN.

   1860 MARSHALL AARON Marion Co IA Pleasant Grove 72

   Aaron Marshall 56 WM Farmer NC

   Susan          47 WF        IN

   Sarah F        20 WF        IN

   Mary M         14 WF        IN

   Leander N      12 WM        IN

   1870 MARSHALL AARON Marion Co IA Pleasant Grove 212

   Aaron Marshall 67 WM Farmer NC

   S              58 WF        IN

   David Wilson   27 WM Farmer IN

   Mary           24 WF        IN

   Bettie?         3 WF        IA

   Effie           1 WF        IA

   1880 MARSHALL AARON Marion Co IA Pleasant Grove 561

   Aaron Marshall Head WM 79 M  NC NC NC Retired Farmer

   Susan          Wife WF 68 M  IN TN SC

 2 THOMAS JEFFERSON MATLOCK born Dec 1814 IN. Thomas died Feb 24 1834 Marion Co IN.

   Thomas never married but inherited some of the land when his father died. When

   Thomas died he left his land and worldly goods to his mother Sarah, and his

   brother George W Matlock.

 3 MATILDA MATLOCK born Jan 1816 IN. Matilda married William B Thompson Oct 15 1836

   Hendricks Co IN.

       1850 THOMPSON MATILDA Lee Co IA Fort Madison 304

   Matilda Thompson 33 F    IA

   Perry            10 M    IA

   John              8 M    IA

 4 NANCY MATLOCK born 1817 IN. Nancy married George W Carson Oct 17 1829 Hendricks

   Co IN. 2nd David Wilson Nov 11 1879 Benton Co OR.

      1850 CARSON GEORGE Mahaska Co IA 185

   George Carson 44 M Farmer NC

   Nancy         34 F        IN      

   Sarah         19 F        IN

   Susan         18 F        IN

   Isaac         17 M        IN

   Mary          13 F        IN

   Elizabeth      7 F        IN

   Thomas        11 M        IN

   George W       3 M        IA

   Henry Pope    21 M        OH

   ??            26 M        NC

  1870 CARSON NANCY Lane Co OR Lancaster

  Nancy Carson 55 WF Keeping House IN

  William Edis 38 WM Farmer        PA
  Mary M       32 WF               IN

  Lena F        4 WF               CA

  Lola          2 WF               CA

  Samuel Swift 42 WM               IN

  George       15 WM               IN

 5 GEORGE WASHINGTON MATLOCK....................NEXT