Caney Article - Handbook of Texas

Caney - Matthews Cemetery

Caney Newspaper Columns and Articles

The area of Matagorda County currently known as Caney was once known as Caney Crossing and took its name from Caney Creek, also called Canebrake River. Bamboo cane grew in an area 40 miles wide and 75 miles long. It grew as high as 35 feet. A person riding on horseback could not get through and a person walking would walk in circles and get lost. The cane was used for fishing poles, cattle feed, fencing, flooring and matting. After each season, the cane decayed and made the soil more fertile. The rich soil was the reason some of the largest cotton and sugar plantations were located there. The area along Caney Creek was part of the “Sugar Bowl” which was between the Colorado and Brazos Rivers.

Mail routes, established by the Republic of Texas in 1838, ran from  Matagorda to San Felipe and later to Columbus and used the name Caney Run. The bed of Caney creek was lined with brick in a shallow area so wagons  and coaches could cross.

Robert H. Williams had a plantation where the road from Matagorda to Brazoria crossed Caney Creek. He was one of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old 300” and had the first cotton gin in Matagorda County.

The first store at Caney was owned by Presley C. Evans and the post office was in his store building. The store was sold to John Matthews in 1861 and the area began to grow with several businesses. His store was just east of the 1936 Centennial Caney Post Office historical marker.

John Matthews and many members of his family are buried at Caney Cemetery, so it is also known as Caney-Matthews Cemetery. It was the early burial place for Caney settlers and their descendants continue to be buried there.

Mr. Matthews, a ordained Methodist minister, moved from Virginia to Matagorda County. He felt that the community should have a place of worship and built a church adjacent to the cemetery. It is believed that the cemetery had already been established.  Travelers passing through the Caney area were invited to worship at the church which was Baptist. Mr. Matthews kept a horse and buggy at the church building for circuit-riding preachers to use to visit the families in the area. In the community, the church building was known as the "Dirty House" because it was never kept clean inside. Mr. Matthews' brother lived in the building after he moved to Caney since the church was used infrequently.

Indian Legend Tells of Caney

There is an old Indian legend to the effect “long, long ago before the coming of the white man,” in all the country drained by the Brazos and Colorado there was but one river. It was a mighty stream, the Caney (Old Caney).

According to the legend the Great Spirit becoming angry with a tribe of Indians who lived in the coast country caused a great storm as punishment. This storm lasted for days and flooded the land. After the storm all was changed.

Where had been the great river was now but a small stream. “Caney Creek.” The great river was now two rivers, the white man’s Brazos on the east, the red man’s Colorado on the west.

Between the rivers were the hunting grounds of the Karankawas, the gift of the Great Spirit.

Taken from “Legends of Texas” by J. Frank Dobie and published by “The Texas Folklore Society.”

Matagorda County Tribune, Century of Progress Edition, August 26, 1937

Copyright 2005 - Present by Carol Sue Gibbs
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