JAMES C. MATTHEWS, farmer and undertaker, is a resident of North Strabane township of which he is a native, born July 20, 1843. James Matthews, his grandfather, was born February 17, 1785, in Ireland, and in a very early day immigrated to America, settling in Washington county, Penn., where he followed farming the rest of his life, dying February 18, 1853; in politics he was a typical old-school Democrat. James Matthews, father of James C., was also a prominent agriculturist of Washington county, where he was born. He was here married, in 1836, to Sarah Crawford, who was born February 6, 1815, by whom he had a family of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity, viz.: Nancy J., wife of Matthew Ross, a farmer of Washington county; Tamar M., wife of John B. Milholland, of Pittsburgh, Penn.; James C., subject of sketch; Elizabeth, wife of William Caldwell, a farmer in Allegheny county, Penn.; Leonard, a farmer, of Columbiana county, Ohio; Andrew, proprietor of grocery store, Canonsburg, Penn.; Levi, proprietor of a furniture store at Beaver Falls, Penn.; Sarah M., wife of J. H. McMurray, a farmer in Peters township, this county; Chatham G., a grocery merchant in Allegheny county, Penn.; and Martha A., now deceased. The father died December 30, 1885, the mother having some years preceded him to the grave. They were both active members of the United Presbyterian Church.
James C. Matthews was educated at the district schools of his native township, and was reared from boyhood to the Arcadian pursuits of the farm. On November 4, 1869, he was married to Miss Belle M. Thomas, a native of North Strabane township, born May 17, 1848, a daughter of Liverton and Mary A. (Glandon) Thomas, the former of whom was born in North Strabane township, May 12, 1808, the latter in Maryland, October 2, 1813, and moved with her parents to Harrison county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Liverton Thomas were married in 1834, in Ohio, and shortly afterward settled in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn. They reared a family of nine children, eight of whom are yet living, viz.: Edmund, a farmer in Saline county, Neb.; William, a farmer in Chase county, Neb.; James M., a merchant in the village of Thomas, Washington Co., Penn.; Rhoda L., wife of John Hodgens, in Des Moines county, Iowa; Liverton G., a physician in Philadelphia, Penn.; Belle M., wife of James C. Matthews; A. J., a farmer of North Strabane township, and Ida M., wife of William Kittle, of Rush county, Kans. (Caleb F. died in infancy). The father of this family is at present living with his daughter, Mrs. John Hodgens, at Middletown, Des Moines Co., Iowa; he is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics a stanch Democrat; his wife passed away December 10, 1873.
To Mr. and Mrs. James C. Matthews have been born six children three sons and three daughters as follows: Thomas C., born August 12, 1870, (he is a mechanical draughtsman in Barberton, Ohio); James F., born September 10, 1873 (engaged in the photography business), Ernest W., born November 17, 1875; Sarah E. and Mary A. (twins), born July 27, 1880, and Lena M., born May 16, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are members of the U. P. Church, in which he has been an elder for the past fifteen years and is superintendent of the Sabbath-school of Mount Prospect Church. He is a solid Democrat in his political preferences, and February 15, 1892, was elected township assessor. In his farming operations he has been eminently successful, and since 1875 has conducted an undertaking establishment in the village of Thomas.
Text taken from page 813 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]