Today, Calhoun Community College, in partnership with local community leaders and historians, held a ceremony to unveil a new headstone for Private Hiram Matthews, a U.S. Colored Troop soldier who is buried on Calhoun’s campus. This remarkable discovery was made by Calhoun history instructor John Gaines and his colleagues, who regularly organize students to clean up the cemetery on the south end of campus once a semester.

The journey to uncover Private Matthews’ identity began a couple of semesters ago when Gaines and his team were trying to find the cemetery owners to get permission to repair some of the headstones, many of which were fallen over or broken. Their search led them to Reynolds Funeral Home in Decatur, where Reverend Wylheme Ragland identified Matthews as an African American Union soldier and a former pastor of King’s Memorial United Methodist Church in Decatur. This revelation prompted further research into Matthews’ life and contributions.

Private Hiram Matthews was born in Limestone County, Alabama, circa 1846, and was enslaved by the Matthews family. In his quest for freedom, he escaped slavery and enlisted in the Union Army on November 3, 1863, in Nashville, Tennessee. Matthews served with distinction in Company H, 13th United States Colored Infantry (USCI), and participated in the Battle of Nashville. After his honorable discharge, he became a Methodist Episcopal Church minister, preaching in Decatur and other Alabama communities. Matthews passed away on January 12, 1895, and was buried in what is now the Oakland Cemetery on Calhoun’s Decatur campus.

Reflecting on the discovery, Gaines said, “Several of us were involved in this effort, but I feel that Matthews should serve as an inspiration to our students and the community at large. Following his self-emancipation and enlistment in the Union Army, Matthews began learning to read and write. His story is a powerful example of the importance of education and how it can be an incredible force for change in one’s life. I believe that

local history helps place our national story into a more accessible light, and Matthews’ story has already been featured in my classes for a couple of semesters.”

The gravesite, now adorned with a decorative fence and river rock, was funded through private donations to the Calhoun Foundation. Alabama Senator Arthur Orr covered the cost of the granite block beneath the marker, while the Veterans Administration provided the bronze marker. Reverend Wylheme Ragland and his sons donated a bronze medallion recognizing Matthews’ service as a Methodist minister.

The unveiling ceremony included a TAPS performance and was attended by Senator Arthur Orr, historian and author Peggy Allen Towns, the Old Town Decatur Historical Research Team, representatives from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and other local community leaders.

The gravesite is accessible to the public and located at the south end of Calhoun’s Decatur campus, directly across the street from the larger cemetery in a grove of pines. Visitors are welcome to come and pay their respects to this remarkable figure who played a significant role in both local and national history.