Matthis, Fleet, Farm
Why it's listed
Set on a slight knoll amid fields and woods near Taylors Bridge, this two-story center-hall farmhouse was built around 1830 for Fleet Cooper Matthis, a grandson of Edmund Matthis, whose twenty-two children founded much of Sampson County's Matthis and Matthews family. Its east gable is the standout feature: a pedimented end with modillioned and dentiled cornices, carved pilasters and an elaborate three-part attic window, regarded as the finest Federal-period woodwork in the county. Enclosed end bays on the second-floor porch give the house an unusual profile. Matthis lost the property at auction in 1857, and David J. Knowles, who had married a Matthis niece, bought it in 1874. The farm also holds a Knowles family cemetery, a shed, a packhouse, a tobacco barn, a tenant house and the mapped sites of at least fifteen former outbuildings. These remains, together with the house, illustrate the county's agricultural history before and after the Civil War.
Significance in brief: The house has the most elaborate Federal-period exterior woodwork in Sampson County, especially its east gable with a carved three-part window, and an unusual gable-end profile found nowhere else in the county. It is the earliest and most substantial surviving home of the prominent Matthis family and reflects the county's 19th-century plantation agriculture. Mapped outbuilding sites may also yield information on farming practices.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86000569, listed March 17, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 421 S of SR 1146, Taylors Bridge |
|---|---|
| County | Sampson County |
| Listed | March 17, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal (late Federal, vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is described as vacant or unoccupied and in need of attention; the tobacco barn is deteriorated, and the kitchen and dining ell was removed years ago. |
| Acreage | 297 |
| Coordinates | 34.86713, -78.27675 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86000569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986986
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.