A memorial service for Mattie Clyburn Rice, a Real Daughter of the Confederacy, was held at Hillcrest Cemetery, Monroe, North Carolina, on Saturday, October 18, 2014. The following excerpts from the program from the memorial service tell this amazing story:
A real daughter of the Confederacy, Mattie Clyburn Rice, known as “Ms. Mattie” to many who knew her, made her journey home on September 1st, 2014, to be with our Father in Heaven. She was a gracious Southern woman who meant so much to everyone who had the blessing of meeting her. She was born in Marshville, North Carolina, on September 15, 1922, and she leaves behind an astonishing story and historical legacy.
Mattie Clyburn Rice devoted her life to seeing that her father, Weary Clyburn, was honored for being a proud soldier in the South Carolina Troops of the Confederate States of America. She would experience success in this personal goal because of her courage and dedication. She said it best, “My father was born a slave but he died as a hero for his honorable service as a Confederate soldier.”
As a child growing up on a Union County farm, she listened to her father’s stories about the war. She told me that her father, who was in his late 70’s when she was born, was too old and she was too young to work on the farm, which made him her babysitter. Their time together was a precious memory for her and she cherished their special relationship. She would pretend she was playing, but stayed in listening distance of the older men sharing stories from their lives, including their years as soldiers during the war. She enjoyed their stories, but had particular interest when she would hear her father talking about his experiences as a soldier for the South.
Weary Clyburn was born about 1841 on the plantation of Thomas Clyburn in Lancaster County, South Carolina. Weary was best friends with Thomas’s son Frank while they were growing up. In 1861, Frank would join what would become Company E of the 12th South Carolina Volunteers. Soon after, Weary would run away from the plantation to join his friend and would serve as his bodyguard during the war.
Ms. Mattie was proud that her father would save his friend’s life on two occasions during the war. Frank was wounded in a battle near Charleston, South Carolina, and later during a battle near Petersburg, Virginia. Her father had carried him from the battlefield both times under fire from the enemy. She described her father as an expert marksman and said he had talked of performing personal services for General Robert E. Lee. Though documentation has not been located in records to date, it is a fact that Frank served as an officer under Commander General Lee throughout the war. After Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Frank and Weary would walk back home together to Lancaster County, SC. Weary would name one of his sons Lee later in life.
In 1926, when he was 85, Weary applied for and received a Confederate pension.
He died on March 30, 1930, and was honored by being buried in his beloved grey uniform at his final resting place in Hillcrest Cemetery in Monroe, North Carolina.
Mattie Clyburn Rice would spend decades searching for documents that supported her father’s war stories, despite those who tried to tell her there was no way her father, being a man of color, would have been a soldier for the South. This courageous lady did not ever give up, because she knew what her father had told her was true. This determination was rewarded when she discovered her father’s application for pension and records verifying his service as a Confederate Soldier.
In July 2008, the Sons of Confederate Veterans honored her father with the unveiling of an official Veterans Administration Confederate marker at his grave in Hillcrest Cemetery in Monroe.
On December 8th 2012, she had the honor of unveiling the Union County Confederate Pensioners of Color Marker. This marker, placed in front of the Confederate Monument of the old Union County Courthouse in Monroe, honored her father, nine other Confederate Veterans of Color of Union County, and all Colored Confederates for their service.
The Memorial Service was a beautiful tribute to this wonderful, courageous lady. Mr. Ronald Perdue, Chairman of the Mattie Clyburn Rice Memorial Dedication Committee, welcomed everyone to the event and presided over the ceremony. The service was well attended by members of Ms. Mattie’s family and many of her Confederate friends from North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and other parts of the country. The 16th South Carolina Color Guard of Honor presented the colors and stood guard over her grave throughout the ceremony. Mark Evans, Past Chaplain-in-Chief, Sons of Confederate Veterans, gave the invocation. Proclamations were read by the Honorable Bobby Kilgore, Mayor, of the City of Monroe, NC and by Lynn Salsi, Order of Confederate Rose, from the city of High Point, NC. Resolutions were read by Shellie Rudisill,from the North Carolina Society of the Order of Confederate Rose; by R. Kevin Stone, Lt. Commander, North Carolina Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; and by former Congressman Ben Jones, from the National Headquarters, Sons of Confederate Veterans. A wreath of remembrance was jointly presented by Teresa Roane, member of Richmond-Stonewall Jackson UDC Chapter 1705 and Countee Hall, grandson of Weary Clyburn. Special greetings were brought by: Jerry B. Simpson, Vice Chairman of Union County Board of Commissioners; Order of Confederate Rose representatives Laura Stallard, State President, NC Society; Lisa Graham, State President, SC Society; Liz Groszer, Chapter President, Maryland Society; Teresa Wells, State President, Virginia Society; Yvonne Brown, Secretary, National Black Rose Society; Children of the Confederacy representative Chandler Tucker, II Vice President SC Division CofC and Vice President, Caroline S. Coleman Chapter 537, CofC; United Daughters of the Confederacy representatives Teresa Roane, Archivist, General Headquarters; Lois Marlow, past President, North Carolina Division; Ann Shugart, President South Carolina Division; Joanne Sharpe, President, Guilford Chapter 301; Military Order of Stars & Bars representatives Rodney Williams, Past Commander, NC Society and Byron Brady, ANV Department Councilor, National Headquarters; and Sons of Confederate Veterans representatives Danny Bolick, Commander NC Division and Jamie Graham, Chief of Staff, SC Division. Mr. Terry Grissop, Past Commander, 16th Regiment, Camp 36, Greenville, SCV, sang “Amazing Grace.” Keynote speaker for the ceremony was Teresa Roane from the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Order of the Confederate Rose. The grave marker for Ms. Mattie was unveiled for her family by two members of the 16th South Carolina Color Guard of Honor: Sergeant Major Rossie Meadows, 16th Regiment Camp 36,Greenville, SCV, and Drummer Boy Jackson Tucker, Caroline S. Coleman Chapter 537, Children of the Confederacy. Ms. Mattie’s remains had been interred, according to her wishes, at the foot of her father’s grave. The family and friends of the family laid roses on her grave. Numerous wreaths were placed at her grave site. The Confederate Memorial Honor Guard, SCV, rendered a military muskets salute, followed by a military cannon salute,performed by the Confederate Memorial Cannon Crew, Military Order of the Stars & Bars. Mr. Terry Grissop sang “Dixie.” Black roses were placed on the grave. Final thoughts were given by R. Michael Givens, Past Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The Rev. Dr. Herman White, Chaplain of the Army of Northern Virginia, SCV, pronounced the benediction. The colors were retired by the 16th South Carolina Color Guard of Honor.
These words from the program sum up the feelings of those who were in attendance:
Ms. Mattie will be missed, but we are blessed to have the great memories that we will all cherish for the rest of our lives. We will miss the many interesting stories she would share and her great sense of humor. As fellow descendants of Confederate Veterans, we need to honor her legacy by having the courage she had to take a stand against those who try to take our heritage away. She was a blessing to us all and we are thankful that we had the honor of knowing her.