Sallie Reynolds Matthews (1861–1938)

Sallie Ann Reynolds Matthew was born at the Cantrell Ranch in Buchanan County (now Stephens County), Texas. Her family moved around Texas, often living near the Matthews family, whom they had known back in Alabama before both families headed west. In 1876, she married John Alexander Matthews, with whom she had nine children. She wrote an autobiographical account of her life on the Texas frontier entitled Interwoven: A Pioneer Chronicle, published in 1936. As the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of three generations of pioneer cattle ranchers, Sallie Reynolds Matthews traveled by wagon train, encountered Native Americans, and had to keep house under primitive conditions. Settling on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River — the Lambshead range — her family experienced tornadoes, droughts, disease, joy, and tragedy. The book served as a valuable reference on the life and customs of the pioneer period of west Texas. See also Lambshead Before Interwoven: A Texas Range Chronicle, 1848-1878, by Frances Holden.