Matthew Washington was born May 3, 1803 in Virginia, the son of Margaret "Peggy" Tyler and William Augusta Washington. He died May 4, 1862 in Stevenson, AL from diphtheria and is buried in the Washington Cemetery in Stevenson, AL.

Matthew was an only child; his parents died when he was very young and he was placed in the guardianship of an Uncle David Washington in Virginia, who had only daughters. He left Virginia (some accounts say that he ran away) as a young man because of some misunderstanding with his uncle. He went first to Nashville where he had cousins living and then moved on the Jackson County, Alabama.

Information gathered by a Mrs. Christian while The Stevenson Story was being written says that Matthew Washington first came to Jackson County as a young man, where he was a "tailor at Martin in Bellefonte. He later married Catherine Walker and thereby came by money." Kate Bradford was interviewed for this book and she added: "Matthew Washington ran away from home and came to Alabama when he was about 16. He was reared by an uncle, I think. They never heard of his having any brothers or sisters. Never heard of his mother's given name. He did go back to Virginia and get some money and four slaves.

In 1831, he married Catherine Walker. Catherine was born September 30, 1810 in Tennessee and was living in Jackson County, AL when she met and married her husband Matthew Washington.

Matthew and Catherine were married for 31 years and had either 11 or 12 children. Most are buried in the Washington cemetery in Stevenson, and those who are not are buried in Jackson County. Of these 12 children, two of them died in infancy, two of them died of war injuries, and two died of illness and disease. Only three of them ever married: Amanda in 1860 before the war, Kate around 1966 immediately after the war, and Sallie in 1884.

It is ironic and sad that a family so rich in sons as that of Matthew and Catherine had no descendants who carried the Washington name. Matthew died relatively early in the Civil War, on May 14, 1862 under these circumstances, as recorded by Kate Bradford: "It was customary to kill many hogs in the winter months, over a hundred. They were prepared to take care of this meat with a two-story cedar log smokehouse. They had a store in the corner of the yard and sold meat. Also, there had to be enough meat to provide for the slaves. Anyway, he was afraid the northern army would take his meat, so he was moving it to a cave across the river. He was a rather heavy man, not used to much exercise; he got too hot, took diphtheria, and died."

Matthew is buried with his wife and many of his children in the Washington Cemetery in Stevenson. Note the Masonic emblem on his grave and see Catherine's biography for the impact his Masonic background had on the treatment of his family during Yankee occupation.