William R Matt

MATT

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/22/2010 at 20:18:59

William R Matt, a prominent real estate dealer of Boone, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, March 6, 1855, a son of Francis Silas and Mary Matt. His early boyhood was passed in his native state, but when he was eight years of age his parents brought him to Wisconsin, locating near Fond DU Lac. That country was then unsettled , and the father located on new land. William R Matt attended school until fifteen or sixteen years of age, enjoying the usual educational opportunities of the time and region. The family the removed to Boone county, arriving here in the month of March. Settlement was made on a farm Jackson township where the father purchased a half section. The has since added to it until he holds title to 240 acres of fertile land.
The home farm was wild land, and our subject helped to break the ground and to care of the crops when the soil had been prepared for planting and cultivation. Their region then abounded in game and our subject spent much of his spare time hunting prairie chickens, deer and wolves. He remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age and then purchased 120 acres of land near Story City, Iowa. His newly acquired farm was unbroken land, but he as undaunted by this and began its improvement immediately. He built a small shanty, which remained his home for some time. He did all of the work of the farm and also the work of the house himself, and so deficient was he that prosperity came to him, He retained ownership of the farm for eleven years, during which period his marriage occurred. Here turned to Boone in 1888 and here engaged in butchering. He was later for a time in the implement business conducted a livery and freed concern and coal and wood yard. Previous to this he had been appointed policeman by Mayor P Wells, serving for a year and a half. For the past twenty-six years he ahs been connected with the city fire department, being one of the older volunteer members thereof in point of length of service.
Mr Matt was married n 1882 to Miss Christine Hansen a native of Denmark, who was brought ot the Untied Sates by her parents when she was eight years of age. Six children have been born to the union of Mr and Mrs Matt as follows: Emma, a graduate of a parochial school, formerly a teacher in Boone and Hampton, for two years principal in Hampton and now a teacher in the high school of the Sisters of Charity at Lincoln. Jennie who was a teacher in the Boone county schools, but is now a Sister of Charity in Chicago, Alice a graduate to Sacred Heart school and for some time a stenographer in Bone, who married Paul Kelley, a conductor of the Northwestern Railroad, Mary, educated in at local school conducted by the sisters, and now a stenographer employed by means Brothers of Boone, Katharine fro a number of years a teacher in Boone county, and William at school. Mr Matt is a member of the Sacred heat church and belongs to the Knights of Columbus. He is a democrat, stanchly upholding the principles of that party and invariably giving it his support at the polls. He has proved himself thoroughly reliable, whether in the city’s service as a part of her defense against the ravages of fire, or in the capacity of a ma of business or as a private citizen, and as his fitting rewards he enjoys the confidence and respect of all who know him.

1914 Boone County History Book