Born in Alabama and growing up in Ohio, Matthews joined the 10th Cavalry Regiment when he was only 15 years old, after having been recruited at a Lexington, Kentucky racetrack and having documents forged so that he appeared to meet the minimum age of 17.

He was later transferred to Virginia, where he took care of President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor's horses and was a member of the Buffalo Soldiers' drum and bugle corps.

Having experienced excellent health for most of his life, Matthews died of pneumonia aged 111 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

When he was only 15 years old, he met members of the 10th Cavalry, the original Buffalo Soldier unit, while tending to horses on a racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky.

"[1] During World War I, the battlefields of Europe were not conducive to cavalry; the 10th Regiment performed duty on the border with Mexico, including skirmishes with Mexicans and their German military advisors in the vicinity of Nogales, Arizona.

[1] While stationed there, Matthews and some of his troops were escorts for King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth when they came to visit President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House.

He spent much of his spare time fishing, reading the Bible, and recounting tales of his extensive military experiences, which made him a popular and respected figure within the community.

He was able to walk without a cane or walker, preferring not to use one, and was able to feed himself, including Cheerios for breakfast, his favorite vanilla ice cream with his other meals and a daily can of Ensure for energy.

While he enjoyed recounting tales from his military experience, he never emphasized the segregated nature of his unit, preferring instead to focus on his own exploits on the job.