John B Mathers

MATHERS

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 12:48:54

Although John B Mathers is one of the youngest busiess men of Boone he must be numbered among the most successful in the industrial circles of the city. He is the senior member of the contracting and building firm of Mathers & Addison, who conduct a most profitable and growing business in Boone, where Mr Mathers has now resided for about eight years. He was born in the town of Linlithgow, Scotland, December 23, 1882, and is a son of James and Ann (Baxter) Mathers.The grandfather, Robert Mathers was a native of Invernesshire, Scotland, he was a brewer and distiller and did an extensive businesss in his native district. His death occurred in 1904, at the age of eighty-one years. He was twice married and was the father of the following children: David, Nell, of Edinburgh, Scotland, Elizabeth of Glasgow, Mary of Boness, James the father of our subject and Alexander of Glasgow.
James Mather was born in Fettercairn, Invernesshire, Scotland, about the year 1856.His education was a meager one and he early began work in his father's brewery and distillery. Later he succeeded him in business, carrying on the same in his native district for a number of years. About 1878 he went to Middleton, County Cork, Ireland and has since been employed as a brewer and distiller by the Cork Distillery Company. His wife is also living and both are members of the Epsicopal church of Ireland. In their family were the following children: Robert, who died in infancy, Robert, second of the same name who also died when young, Margaret, who died in infancy, John B of this review, David of Middleton, Ieeland, Agnes who married James Henry of Lynn, Massachusetts, Nell of Newport, Rhode Island, Annite of Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina, and Mary of Lynn, Massachusetts.
John B Mathers attended the prochial schools of Middleton, Ireland for five years and then studied under the Christain Borthers of the same place until seventeen. After completing his education he entered the employ of the Cork Distillery Company, remaining with that concern for one year. He then crossed to Polmont, Scotland, where he leanred the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for six years. His next move brought him to the new world, when he sailed from Glasgow on the steamer Caledonia and landed in New York in March, 1906. His present partner, Thomas Addison, accompanied him to the eastern metropolis and they worked in New York for five months and subsequently in Newark, New Jersey, for five months. Mr Mathers then came to Boone, accepting a postion with Frank Henry, a contractor, with whom he remained for three years. Mr Addison being in the same employ. At the end of that time both returned to Scotland but after five months came back to Boone and founded the Mathers & Addison. They have since been very successful as contractors and have been entrusted with the building of numberous homes in the city and vicinity. Mr Mathers is a reliable workman of no mean business ability and enjoys in his community reputation which places him among the substantial business men of Boone.
He as married here June 21 1912, to Miss Mary Chalmers, a native of Boone and a daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Gillespie) Chambers, and to this union was born a son, James. They reside at No 1015 West Fourth street, in a comfortable home, where they often entertain their friends.
Fraternally Mr Mathers is a member of the Masons and the Odd Fellows, having joined the former by becoming affiliated with the St John Lodge of Polmont, Scotland. His membership with the Odd Fellows is in Boone Lodge, No 79. Politically he is republican, believing in the polocies of that party and supporting its measures and candidates at the polls. He is a progressive man of new ideas and can always be found in the front ranks of those who inaugurate new movements in order ot devolop the city and contibute to its betterment and growth.

1914 Boone County History Book