John Willis Simeon married Margaret Clarinda Richardson settled in Jones County after living in Florida, Alabama, and Geogia where he was born to William Trapnell Musgrove. He seemed to have many residences in those three states. Given reputation of Musgroves, one can only specalate the reasons for so many moves. They had eight children five boys and three girls. All five boys and the the girls carried the first name of John. In her book Echo of The Black Horn (the legend of Newt Knight), Ethel Knight wrote about the character of the Musgroves as they had been part of Newt's band of merry men. "John Willis Musgrove waved his whiskey bottle by the neck, and announced the bright idea. Le's ride in the court house and take over the sheriff's office. The five Musgroves spurred their horses up the courthouse steps and through the wide halls from one office to another chasing everyone out every exit, even the windows, of the courthouse." Truly a rowdy bunch they were, but they were a close nit family showing honor to a brother by naming a son(s) after a brother of the same name. In 1858 John Mattison (Matt) married Flavella Claritta Rivers (1842 - 1896). It is said that John Matt met his wife through his very good friend Mark Rivers who was Flavella's uncle. John Matt named two of his sons after two of his brothers; John Gordon and John Jefferson and vice-versa. Tracing back, it's hard to keep track; like the bible: begat, begat, begat until you are so confused you begat what your own name was. Many of the Jones county Musgroves are from the John Mattison branch of the family. John Matt must have been a colorful character. Below are some interesting articles in which John Matt was involved:
Be it remembered that the plaintiff in the above stated case did on the first day of January A.D. 1859 file his bill of complaint in the clerks office of said court which is in the words and figures following to wit
The State of MississippiHumbly Complaining therewith unto your honor your orator Mark Rivers. That your orator and Catherine Rivers late Catherine Hancock intermarried in the State of South Carolina about the 23rd day of February 1840 that your orator faithfully discharged all the duties of a kind and affectionate husband to the said Catherine and spared no pains to render her happy that your orator and the said Catherine continued to live and cohabit together until about the 15th day of November AD 1858 when to the astonishment of your orator he discovered that the said Catherine had violated her marriage vows by committing adultery with divers persons. That your orator is advised and believes and so charges the truth to be that the said Catherine did commit adultery with John M. Musgrove on or about the 15th day of November AD 1858. That upon the discovery of said incontinence your orator ceased to cohabit with the said Catherine as his wife that your orator has since heard that the said Catherine has long been unfaithful to his bed. Your orator and the said Catherine are and have been citizens of the County of Jones and State aforesaid for many years.
Life goes on and John Madison and Flavelia continue living together and continued to have children. Between 1860 and 1885 they would conceive 10 children; 5 daughters and 5 sons.
This was not the only act of infidelity for John Madison “Mat” Musgrove and you can read about one case below.
On 12 November 1887 John Madison “Mat” Musgrove was shot and killed.
Flavelia Clarilla Levinia Rivers Musgrove lived another 9 years and died on June 1st, 1896. She and John Matt are buried in Sharon Cemetery, Sharon, Jones County, Mississippi.
Rose Holifield was born a slave in January, 1845, in South Carolina. In 1880, Rose lived with Ike Ward (her common law husband) on a farm owned by John “Mat” Musgrove, the brother-in-law of her former slavemaster, Jonathan Holifield. Mat Musgrove was the father of Rose’s children: Sam, age 13; Frank, age 11; Jack, age 8; John, age 5; and Bija, age 3, although they had not yet begun using the surname Musgrove at the time the 1880 census was taken.
I have read two different accounts of how he died. The first, Mat Musgrove was shot and killed while breaking into a store in Sandersville. The Musgrove family says that he was accidentally shot by the owner, who mistook him for a burglar; others think that the murder was neither an accident nor a mistake. The second version is that J.M. Musgrove was shot and killed by a Mr. G. W. Cowley during an argument and fight which occured in the city streets and that JJ was present when this took place. If the second is true, it's highly likely that one of my gg grandfathers killed the other gg grandfather as the southern accent for Corley was pronounced Cowley. According to Ethel Knight's Echo of the Blackhorn, the Corley's (Cowley's) lived near Ellisville just north of the Ridge Road. An article written in the Times-Democrat news paper dated November 12, 1887 (on the left) appears to confirm the second account. I have reprinted the atricle (on the right) as the original is difficult to read without magnification: