Such an interesting and fascinating story to add to our Crittenden County History and Legends.
This article appeared in The Crittenden Press, December 22, 1880
A Niece of Thomas Jefferson
In the quiet little village of Marion, where the eyes of the people have never fallen upon a President from father Washington down to Jas. A. Garfiled and where the vintage of the lineage of either of the illustrious has never been knowingly looked upon, the discovery of a descendant of the “Sage of Monticello” might awaken a riffle of astonishment.
Yet within the walls of a poorly chinked, ill constructed log cabin in the suburbs of our out-of-the-way village may be found an ancient woman through whose veins the blood of Thomas Jefferson is slowly ebbing. “Aunt” Matilda Threlkeld is verging upon the age of four scores. And Old Time has pressed his blightening fingers upon her until the aged woman can no more leave the miserable hovel she calls home.
According to her own testament she was born in Albermarle County, Va., and is a daughter of Charles Lewis whose mother was a sister of Thomas Jefferson. The brothers, Randolph, Charles and Lilburn immigrated to this State when “Aunt Matilda” was but a child.
After remaining in Gallatin County a short time, they permanently settled in Livingston County, where “Aunt” Matilda was raised, being hired out as a servant girl. Subsequently she came to Marion which has since been her home. Fluent in conversation, with an active mind and a memory unshattered by time, she relates many historical events in a well delineated manner that indicates a parentage above the mediocrity.
She remembers well the soldiers of Gen. Jackson, and can relate incidents connected with the War of 1812. She told the writer which illustrates the longevity of her mind about as follows:
When Jackson was fighting, I was living in old Salem, a number of his soldiers took dinner at my masters one day, when whiskey begin scare, one of the soldiers drank during the meal, thirty cups of coffee. I remember distinctly of handing him that number for I was waiting upon the table and counted every cup. My arms ached when I was done passing it.
Among other things she remember the Lewis tragedy that occurred about five miles from Smithland, when she was twelve years old and account of which was published in the Cumberland Wave some sever years ago, and which we will republish if a file of the Wave containing it can be obtained.
(On the Crittenden County, 1850 census, the name is spelled Threlkill. Matilda died after the 1880 census, no information on her actual death date or place of burial. Her burial location might possibly be in the Old Marion Negro Cemetery located at the end of Weldon Street. She had three children Howell, Zerilda and Fredonia Threlkill/Threlkeld, listed on the 1850 census.)
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