Charles Mathew Sr. was born in Roanoke, Virginia on Sep 9, 1899. He was the sixth of thirteen children born to Lula Venora Miller Sep 3, 1872 – Apr 25, 1954 and George Dunsmore Atkins May 28, 1863 – Jan 26, 1930; they were married on Dec 24, 1889 in Virginia.

Charles siblings were Robert Lee, William Henry, Mary Elizabeth, Thomas Lewis, Frank Evans, Lena Gertrude Bush, Elise Nora Wright, Sadie Viola Secrist, Beulah Juanita Campbell, Susie Alice Farris-Eubanks, Virginia S. Hare and George Calvin.

On Aug 9, 1919 he entered into marriage with Mamie Woods; daughter of Annie Susan Brown and William Henderson Woods; and from this union ten children were born; Charles Mathew Jr. 1921 – 1976, Christine Anita, 1923 - , Edna Mae 1925 – 1970, Reginald Carl 1927 – 1997, Cecelia Jacqueline 1930 - , Norma Jean 1931 - , Barbara Arlene 1931 – 2007, Audrey Marie 1937 - , Ronald Lee 1939 – 1997, Gloria Ann Camarillo 1941 – 2001.

Charles was a veteran of WW I having served with the US Army as a PFC in Company D, 112 Machine Gun BN, a member of the Disabled Americans Veterans Chapter 22, 29th Division Association, Company D -112, Roanoke Post 64 as well as a member of the Waverly Place Baptist Church in Roanoke.

During the earlier part of WW II, Charles ventured from Roanoke down to the Norfolk area and secured employment in the Naval Shipyards as a crane operator; traveling back and forth for visitation with his family. In about 1940 he was able to move his family down to a residence in Alexander Park. At the time of his passing he was employed as a painter in the Naval Shipyards.

From the stories I have been told he was a strict and to the point man and my mother; Barbara; to her death referring affectionately to him always only as "daddy".

Charles passed at 1:25 a.m. on Jan 2, 1955 with his remains being interned in Olive Branch Cemetery on Jan 5, 1955.
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