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Allen J. Mattison |
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Allen J. Mattison |
Allen J. MATTISON was born in Rensselaer County, New York in 1798, son of Allen MATTISON and wife Jemima JOHNSON, Rhode Island Quakers, the former a native of Scotland and the latter a native of England.
The elder Allen Mattison was a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War, a member of General Greene's command, and a participant in the Battle of Bunker Hill. His family in Scotland spelled the name Mathewson, but upon coming to America, he altered the spelling to the form which ever since has been followed by his descendants. Upon coming to this country, he and his wife first settled in Providence, Rhode Island, but in about the year 1818, they established their home in Rensselaer County, New York, where the remainder of their lives were spent, his death occurring in 1854. They were the parents of four sons: David MATTISON, Job MATTISON, Ebenezer MATTISON, and Allen J. MATTISON.
The last-named was born and reared in Rensselaer County, where he married Lucy P. THOMAS, daughter of Dr. Samuel THOMAS and wife Dorcas, also natives of New York state, four of whose children grew to maturity: Samuel THOMAS, Rowland THOMAS, Towner THOMAS and Lucy THOMAS MATTISON.
Following his marriage, Allen J. Mattison settled on a farm in the neighborhood of his old home in the vicinity of Troy, and there he reared his family. In 1867 - influenced by the good word that his son, William MATTISON, who had come to Michigan several years before, had sent back regarding the possibilities of this region (Ionia County, Michigan) - the elder Mattison and his family came to Ionia County. They settled in Ronald township, where Mr. Mattison bought a farm of 300 acres in partnership with his son, Daniel MATTISON, who still owns the old homestead. There, Mr. Mattison and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, long being regarded as among the foremost residents of that community.
Allen J. Mattison held several public offices and was a man of much influence for good in that section of the county. He and his wife were earnest members of the Christian church and were active in the various beneficences of the same. They lived to celebrate their "golden wedding", the death of Mr. Mattison occurring in 1882, he then being 84 years of age. His wife survived him for some years, she being 91 years of age at the time of her death, having been born 17 December 1800. They were the parents of seven children:
