MATTISON, CHARLES W., M. D.

MATTISON, MENDENHALL, HIATT, SIMMONS, HOBBS

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 12/31/2003 at 10:33:00

Biography reproduced from page 253 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Dr. Charles W. Mattison, one of the enterprising and capable representatives of the medical fraternity of Swea City, of which he has been a resident for eight years, was born in the city of Oskaloosa, Iowa, on the 24th of July, 1874, and is a son of James and Martha (Mendenhall) Mattison. The father was born in Westmoreland county, England, in 1838, and when a child of six years came to the United States with his parents, who located in Ohio. There he was reared and educated, but in early manhood came to Iowa, settling in Springdale, Cedar county. When the call came for more troops during the early days of the Civil war, he responded by enlisting as a private in Company G, Forty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry. After the close of the war he removed to Oskaloosa and opened a general mercantile store, which he conducted for many years, becoming one of the prosperous and successful business men of the city. During the long period of his connection with commercial activities he acquired sufficient means to enable him to withdraw from business, and he is now living retired, making his home in Oskaloosa. The mother was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, and there she was likewise reared and educated. Her people, who were of English extraction, had been citizens of this country for three generations, and Mrs. Mattison could trace her descent back to William the Conqueror. She passed away while still in her early womanhood, her death occurring at Oskaloosa in November, 1878. The father remained a widower until 1881, when he married Miss Phoebe A. Hiatt of Lucas county, Iowa, who is still living.

Dr. Mattison, who was only four years old when his mother died, was reared in his native city. At the usual age he entered the public schools, completing his course upon his graduation from the high school in 1896. The following autumn he became a student in Penn College at Oskaloosa, from which institution he was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science with the class of 1900. The summer after he left college Dr. Mattison spent in travel in California, whence he returned to Oskaloosa in the early autumn to be married. Having decided to become a physician, he and his bride, after their marriage, went to Chicago, where he matriculated in the College of Physicians & Surgeons. There he pursued his professional studies for four years, being graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1904. After his graduation, Dr. Mattison came to Swea City, where he had contemplated locating for some time. On the same train with him was Dr. C. R. Van Voorhis, who was also looking for a location. They both decided to settle here, Dr. Mattison buying the practice of Dr. E. J. Kleinfelter and Dr. Van Voorhis that of Dr. Howard Moser. Dr. Mattison opened an office in the State Bank building, where he is still located, and engaged in the general practice of medicine and surgery. He keeps in close touch with the progress of his profession through the medium of the various medical journals and works, and in 1909 he took a course in the Post-Graduate School of Chicago. He has had many opportunities since locating here of manifesting his skill both as a general practitioner and surgeon, and has proven himself to be capable and efficient in both, and as a result he is enjoying a large and constantly increasing practice.

On the 19th of September, 1900, Dr. Mattison was united in marriage to Miss Catharine Maude Simmons, a daughter of Richard and Julia (Hobbs) Simmons of Oskaloosa. The father, who was born and reared in Ellensburg, New York, was early trained to agricultural pursuits, but he subsequently engaged in the general mercantile business at Manson, Iowa. Later he withdrew from this and settled on a farm near Lacey, Iowa, in the cultivation of which he was engaged at the time of his death. His widow then removed to Oskaloosa to educate her daughter, who was a schoolmate of Dr. Mattison, but she is now living in Chicago. Dr. and Mrs. Mattison are the parents of two sons: James, who was born on the 25th of July, 1901, and died on January 21, 1903; and Clarence Albert, whose natal day was the 7th of May, 1905.

Both Dr. and Mrs. Mattison are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of America, while they are both affiliated with the Rebekahs, the Royal Neighbors and The Homesteaders. In politics, Dr. Mattison is a republican, giving his support to the progressive faction of that body. He is a public-spirited man with high standards of citizenship and is always willing to assume his share of public service. He served as health officer in Harrison township for four years, and in 1907 he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mayor Harry Kruse, who removed to Tacoma, Washington, his duties in this connection covering a period of more than a year. All matters pertaining to the welfare or progress of his profession engage his attention, and he is an active member of the Kossuth County Medical Society and also belongs to the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Dr. Mattison is one of the prominent and highly esteemed citizens of the town, both by reason of his marked professional skill and his progressive and enterprising spirit, which he manifest by indorsing and cooperating in every movement that will in any way tend to advance local standards or improve existing conditions.