Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Album of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-Hon. David Matteson
Portrait and Biographical
Album of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
HON. DAVID MATTESON, the efficient
Mayor of Abilene and a dealer in real estate
and loans, was born in West Greenwich, R. I.,
on the 17th of September, 1839. His parents,
Philip and Ann (Andrews) Matteson, were
both natives of the same State, and when our subject
was a year old they removed to Luzerne County, Pa.,
where his mother died in 1841. He remained there
until sixteen years of age, and then became a resident
of Delavan, Wis., where the death of his
father occurred in 1866. He worked upon a farm
and in a sawmill until 1861, when he enlisted at
the first regular call for three-year troops, becoming
a member of Company A, Tenth Wisconsin Infantry.
He was in the service for three years, two months
and nineteen days, and was in the Kentucky,
Tennessee and Atlanta campaigns. He participated
in the battles of Perryville and Stone River and
was in the Mitchell campaign before Corinth,
where with about two hundred men he aided in
burning the bridge at Bridgeport, where about
two thousand Confederate soldiers were stationed.
After the battle of Stone River, he served as
wagon-master until the expiration of his term of
service.
After being mustered out at Milwaukee, Wis., Mr.
Matteson returned to Delavan, Wis., and resided
upon a farm in that locality until 1870. In that
3'ear he started Westward by wagon and made
a location six miles east of Lamar, in Barton
County, Mo., but after improving one hundred
acres of land, sickness caused him to leave that
farm, and in 1873 he came to Kansas, making a
settlement fourteen miles northwest of Abilene, in
Flora Township, where he secured a homestead of
one hundred and sixty acres. He at once turned
his attention to its development and placed the
farm under a high state of cultivation, devoting
his energies to its improvement until 1884, when
he removed to Abilene, where he has since made
his home. His land comprised about seven hundred
and twenty acres divided into farms. During
eleven years he cleared about $15,000, making it
largely on a rise in the price of land.
On the 17th of September, 1860, Mr. .Matteson
married Miss Maryett Brown, of Delavan, Wis.,
and by their union have been born five children,
as follows: Charlie, who resides near Abilene; Hattie,
wife of Joseph Laney, a merchant of Talmage;
William M., attending school at the State University,
at Lawrence, Kan., preparatory to becoming
a civil engineer; Henry E., and Nettie. The family
is widely and favorably known in this community.
Since coming to Abilene, Mr. Matteson has engaged
in the real-estate and loan business. He
owns some valuable property, including a thirty-
five acre orchard, on which was raised twenty-five
hundred bushels of apples in 1891. He also owns
eighty acres of farming land and a one hundred
and twenty acre farm a mile and a-half east of
Abilene. He has some residence property in
the city, including his pleasant residence on Cedar
Street. He has a one hundred and sixty acre farm
in Clay County, near Manchester, eighty acres near
Enterprise, and forty acres near Carlton. These
farms give him a good income, and he is classed
among the substantial residents of the city.
In 1890, Mr. Matteson was elected Mayor of
Abilene, to fill the unexpired term of C. H. Leopold.
His opponent was A. W. Rice, a strong
candidate, but he won the election by a majority
of one hundred and forty. In 1891, with J. H.
Brady as opposing candidate, he again made the
race for Mayor and was elected by a larger majority
than he had previously received. Since he
has been in office considerable trouble has arisen
between the city and the Water Works Company,
and in his management of this affair, although
strongly opposed by some, Mr. Matteson has had
the support of the City Council and the greater
part of the residents of Abilene. He is a popular
man and by taking a decided stand for the people
and against monopoly, even when opposed by
most of the legal talent of the city, he saved to
Abilene thousands of dollars and made the city
master of the situation. Mr. Matteson well deserves
the respect and esteem of his fellow-townsmen.
He has been true to their interests and his
gentlemanly conduct and honorable life have won
him high regard.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP