Matilda was born 1824 in Stokes Co., NC, the daughter of John Hunter and Elizabeth Jeans (her surname, not middle name). Her family came west to Lone Jack, MO in 1835. Her mother was "a very great lady", according to one of her descendants, "who arrived in a beautiful horse-drawn carriage with a matched pair of horses".

Matilda married 23 Jun 1844, Jackson Co., Missouri to David Owsley [b. 27 Feb 1823, Claiborne Co., TN]. His nickname was "Dana".

In 1850, they were living in Cass Co., MO.

In 1860, the eve of the Civil War, they were living in Lone Jack and had five children:

1860 Jackson Co., MO, Lone Jack, p. 247
David Owsley, 37, TN
Matilda, 30, NC
Andrew W., 14, MO
John W., 11, MO
Melchagy, 6, MO
Nancy E., 5, MO
Robert, 2, MO

David left home to serve as a Confederate soldier in Arkansas. He left his eldest son Andrew behind to act as man of the family, but seventeen-year-old Andrew was one of the six men arrested and executed by Federal troops on 6 Sep 1863 just as Matilda and children, along with almost all of their neighbors, were forced from their homes by General Order No. 11.

David himself died 20 Jun 1864 at Allatoona, GA from wounds sustained in battle. For more about him, see link:
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=tsmith&id=I47183

In 1870, Matilda was living with her five children still at home in Lees Summit:

1870 Jackson Co., MO, Lees Summit, p. 136
Matilda Ousley, 45, NC
John, 23, MO
Kija (male), 20,
Nancy, 16
Robert, 13
David, 8

1880 census, Jackson Co., MO, Van Buren Township, p. 180C
M.V. Owsley, 26, farmer, MO TN NC
S.A., 22, wife, KY KY KY
Matilda, 54, mother, NC -- --
D.S.J., 17, brother, MO NC NC

1900, she was living with her son, John, in Polk Township, Cass County:

1900 census, Cass Co., MO, Polk Township, p. 199
[indexed as "Omsley"]
John W. Owsley, b. Jul 1848, 51, MO TN NC, farmer
Matilda, b. 1822, 78, 7 chdn; 4 living, NC NC NC
Matilda Kemper, 18, single, MO MO MO

She died 13 Nov 1900, probably Cass Co., MO and was buried at Lone Jack cemetery, Jackson Co., MO.
Children:

1. Andrew Wilson Owsley, b. 1846, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; he d. 6 Sep 1863, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO, age 17, one of the six men shot by Union troops during the execution of General Order #11; buried Lone Jack Civil War Massacre Cemetery (Confederate Cemetery).

2. John Winfer Owsley, b. 1849, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; 1900 living Cass Co., MO. No known children.

1900 - he was unmarried and taking care of his mother:

1900 census, Cass Co., MO, Polk Township, p. 199
[indexed as "Omsley"]
John W. Owsley, b. Jul 1848, 51, MO TN NC, farmer
Matilda, b. 1822, 78, 7 chdn; 4 living, NC NC NC
Matilda Kemper, 18, single, MO MO MO [niece, daughter of David Owsley]

3. William Jean Owsley, b. 13 Dec 1851, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; d. by 1860, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; buried Lone Jack cemetery.

4. Malkijah Von Owsley, b. 3 Aug 1853, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; m. 18 Nov 1875 to Sarah A. Shawhan [b. Mar 1854, MO]; d. 31 Dec 1902, Jackson Co., MO; buried Lone Jack cemetery.

1900 Jackson Co., MO, Van Buren Twp., p. 230
[not very legible; indexed as Matthew]
Malkijah Owsley, b. Aug 1853, m'd 25 yrs, MO TN NC
Sarah, b. Mar 1854, 6 chdn; 6 living, MO MO MO
Charles D., b. Jun 1884
Claude E., b. Aug 1886
Clara M., b. Jan 1888
Nancy A?, b. Feb 1891
John H., b. Feb 1894
Laura L., b. May 1896

1910 Jackson Co., MO, Van Buren Twp., p. 293
Sally Owsley, 52, widow, KY KY KY
Claud E., 23, MO MO KY
Clara, 22, MO
John H.,17, MO
Laura L., 14, MO

Malkijah Owsley's children:

1) Charles D. Owsley, b. Jun 1884.
2) Claude E. Owsley, b. Aug 1886; m. Rosella ___ [b. 1889, MO]; 1920 he was living in Blue Springs, Jackson Co., MO with wife Rosella and children Claude G. [b. 1914] and Troy [b. 1919].
3) Clara M. Owsley, b. Jan 1888
4) Nancy A. Owsley, b. Feb 1891
5) John H. Owsley, b. Feb 1894; m. Virginia C. ___ [b. 1899, MO]; 1920 he was living in Blue Springs, Jackson Co., MO with wife Virginia and daughter Ruth E. [b. 1919].
6) Laura L. Owsley, b. May 1896

5. Nancy Elizabeth Owsley, b. 1855, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO.

6. Richard Zacariah Owsley, d. by 1870?

7. Robert Owsley, b. 1858, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; d. 1879, KS.
this from article by Larry Sullivan.
"Just before leaving, (Spring of 1879, left for KS) Bob spoke crossly to his aged mother. I said to him, "You shouldn't do that, you are going away and may never see her again;" his answer was, "Yes, I will, I am going to get rich and take good care of my mother." (Bob died in KS 3 months after leaving MO.)
from "Autobiography of John M. Tate"; written in 1943

8. David Stonewall J. Owsley, b. 1862, Lone Jack, Jackson Co., MO; m. 8 Dec 1890, Independence, Jackson Co., MO to Nettie A. Kemper; he and wife both died by 1900?

David Stonewall J. Owsley's child:
1) Matilda Kemper, b. 1892, MO; 1900 was living with her uncle and grandmother in Cass Co., MO:

1900 census, Cass Co., MO, Polk Township, p. 199
[indexed as "Omsley"]
John W. Owsley, b. Jul 1848, 51, MO TN NC, farmer
Matilda, b. 1822, 78, 7 chdn; 4 living, NC NC NC
Matilda Kemper, 18, single, MO MO MO