He was born on September 15, 1815, in Franklin County, Kentucky.[1]
He served as mayor of Nashville from 1865 to 1867.[1] He believed the 1867 election was fraudulent, and was forced from the courthouse by armed federal soldiers, declaring "I want it understood, gentlemen, that I yield to the bayonet and that alone."[1]
He married Mary Jane Morton in 1844.[1] They had eight children, four of whom died infancy.[1] Their four surviving children were William Matt Jr., Mrs. Carrie Rather, Mary Ellis Brown and Jeannie Brown.[1] He died on September 12, 1885, at his house on South Summer Street in Nashville.[1]
