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The 'Big House', home of Neil and Annie Matthews in 1909“I wish someone would have a plaquehere about what this house meant to thecommunity … to Campbell University,” saidStewart, looking at what’s now an empty fieldof grass near the entrance of the Keith Hillscommunity. “There was just so much historyin this house.”“This house” was the birthplace of CorneliaPearson, who would become CorneliaCampbell, wife of University founderDr. James Campbell. It later became theMatthews Home, owned by Neil Matthews,father of 13 and the great grandfather ofStewart, an internal medicine physician whoin 2010 became the first medical director ofCampbell’s new Physician Assistant program.But that title is far from the only connectionStewart has with Campbell University. Hisroots go all the way back to the school’sfounding 125 years ago … and beyond.A modest monumentWith few trees to block the biting cold wind on a sunny December afternoon,Dr. Christopher Stewart looked down at the modest brick monumentdedicated to the wife of Campbell University’s founder and, face to the wind,thought out loud about the importance of the spot where he stood.It was Neil who helped build the Baptistchurch that still stands today on theCampbell campus, and it was Neil’s house —the one he rented from the Campbells andthat once stood within eye-shot of Campbell’shome — that served as a meeting place whereseveral discussions about the future of theschool were held.Great aunts and uncles attended, taught andsupported Campbell as it grew from BuiesCreek Academy to Campbell Junior Collegeto Campbell College.Stewart’s parents attended Campbell andmet there. And today, Stewart is part of aprogram that’s helping launch the schooltoward a future as a state leader in health careeducation.For every milestone at Campbell Universityover the past 125 years, a Stewart or aMatthews has been on hand to witness it. It’sa fact that’s not lost on Christopher Stewart,who grew up in Buies Creek but attended theUniversity of North Carolina partly to seewhat else was out there.Since he’s returned, he’s grown to appreciatehis family’s place in Campbell’s history a littlemore.“I realize that my family was here duringthe founding — and played a role in it —and here I am today the founding medicaldirector of the P.A. program,” Stewart said ashe escaped the wind and cold and climbed inhis Jeep. “I think about it sometimes — thefull-circle component of all of this — and it’sreally unbelievable to me.“I’m incredibly blessed to be here.”16 Spring 2012
NEIL'S WAY“Papa never kept up with the names of hischildren too well. When Papa wished toaddress the youngest, he would start the roll call.When his breath ran out, he would exclaim, 'Hey,You.' The family combined the words and gavethe last of the mob the name, 'Hugh.'"In 1978, Hugh Matthews — whoone year later would be named aDistinguished Alumnus by CampbellUniversity — published “Neil’s Way,” abook about growing up the youngest of 13children born to Annie Jane Stewart and NeilArchie Matthews.Much of the book takes place in theMatthews home (called the “Big House” orthe "Pearson Place"), which is also depictedon the book’s cover. Neil Matthews rentedthe house and the 200-acre farm that camewith it from Cornelia Pearson Campbell, alsoknown as “Miss Neelie,” for one 500-poundbale of cotton per year in 1909.But if there’s a point where Stewart’sfamily tree begins to weave through thetimeline of Campbell University, it isabout 25 years earlier — before that firstclass at Buies Creek Academy in 1887— when Neil Matthews befriended Dr.Campbell, described as “red-haired, tall andimmaculately dressed” in the book.The two men were polar opposites in almostevery way, according to Stewart.Campbell was the stoic leader, a man who“wherever he sat, he was the head of thetable,” according to another book on theschool’s history, “Big Miracle at Little BuiesCreek,” by the late Dr. J. Winston Pearce.Matthews, on the other hand, was ruggedand uneducated … a man who was morecomfortable in the cotton fields than in aroom full of people.— Excerpt from ‘Neil’s Way,’ by Hugh A. Matthews, M.D.man, Stewart said, who once asked Campbellto walk ahead of him so he alone could geta buggy unstuck from a muddy creek bed.The story goes — a story passed throughgenerations of Stewart’s family — Campbellwalked up a hill, and a few minutes later,saw Matthews walking behind him with thebuggy successfully freed from the mud.“Neil just cussed it out of the creek,” Stewartsaid with a grin. “I guess he just didn’t wantDr. Campbell standing there.”Despite their differences, the friendshipworked. And having Matthews by hisside proved to be beneficial to CampbellUniversity’s founder.According to the Harnett County historybooks, Matthews’ team of mules played aconsiderable role in hauling bricks for theconstruction of Buies Creek First BaptistChurch, which left the one-room woodenbuilding it had occupied when Campbelljoined to move to its current location acrossfrom the campus building that bears hisname.Stewart said as their friendship grew,Matthews became somewhat of a right-handman for the doc.“I was told that if Dr. Campbell neededanything done in the community for theschool, he went to Mr. Neil,” Stewart said.“I have heard of several instances where Neilcame to Dr. Campbell’s defense for importantissues at the time.”1945No Dancingat CAMPBELLWhen I was in school, dancingwas strictly forbidden.Once, when I was a sophomorein high school, some friends andI who were on the basketballteams went to a friend’s houseone Saturday night for a party tocelebrate our good season. Weplayed records and were sort ofplaying around — it wasn’t reallydancing.The basketball coach observedwhat we were doing, but saidnothing to us. The next night, thecoach walked home after churchwith my father and told him wewere “dancing” at the party.On Monday morning, we werecalled in by my father and wereseverely reprimanded for havingviolated the rules. We thoughtthe coach should have told us atthe party that he thought we werebreaking the rules.— Catherine Campbell King,granddaughter of J.A. Campbell,daughter of Leslie CampbellCampbell was a dynamic preacher andpastor who led several churches in Harnettand Sampson counties. Matthews, too, wasa man of God, but a man more known forlanguage that would make a sailor blush … aStewart said Matthews’ mules also helpedhaul the bricks and supplies for the KivettBuilding, Campbell’s signature structureconstructed in 1903 after a fire destroyedthe previous main building a few yearsCampbell Magazine 17
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Page 8: Big names on hand for proposed Scho
Page 12 and 13: around CampusIn BriefBusiness Schoo
Page 14 and 15: His great-grandfather was close fri
Page 18 and 19: 18 Winter 2012Patriarch Neil Archie
Page 20 and 21: 1927THE FIRST CAMPBELL CARA group o
Page 33 and 34: LukeFunemploymentCampbell grad find
Page 35 and 36: Senior Eric Griffin had a monster s
Page 37 and 38: athletic NotesMen's SportsCourtesy
Page 39 and 40: athletic NotesFlag forwardWomen’s
Page 41 and 42: You Asked.Spring 2012We Answered.Ge
Page 43 and 44: alumni Class NotesGuide for Pharmac
Page 45 and 46: alumni Class NotesClass of '06 Mich
Page 47 and 48: Be a part of Campbell’s story…O

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