CLIFFORD H. MATTHEWS

The following bio was taken from page 301 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteriee of Tx

Few people have loved Henderson more than Cliff Matthews did.  He was born May 16, 1903, in Marshall, Texas.  He moved to Henderson in 1932 when he married Antionette Redwine, daughter of Ras and Buena Redwine.  They were married in the newly-completed Redwine family home at 401 N. Marshall.

 Cliff Matthews served as mayor of Henderson from 1956 until his death December 6, 1962.  Under his administration the city enjoyed many improvements including: a modern accounting system, a tax revaluation program, a 700,000 dollar city sewer expansion, fire department improvements, creation of Yates Park, expansion of the police department, and a new city hall.

 Cliff Matthews was an avid golfer and a director of the international “Life Begins at 40” yearly golf event in Harlingen, Texas.  He was Vice-President of the Henderson Industrial Trust, a member of the United Fund, and a director of the Chamber of Commerce.

 Cliff and Antionette had two daughters: Martha M. Langhorne, born March 8, 1937; and Jean M. Gammel, born October 23, 1938.  Jean and her husband, J.W. Gammel, live in his hometown of Baytown, Texas, where he teaches at Lee College.  They have two sons, Cliff and Bill.  Martha lives with her four daughters – Nancy, Wendy, and Jean Langhorne in the Redwine-Matthews family home in Henderson.

 Submitted by Martha Matthews Langhorne