WILLIAM MATHER

View Portrait of
William Mather and Mrs. William Mather

William Mather has been a resident of Cedar county for fifty-nine years and has not only witnessed the remarkable changes which have here occurred but has been a factor in the events which have marked the development and upbuilding of the county. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, November 11, 1844, but since June, 1851, has been a resident of Cedar county whither he came with his parents, Samuel and Lydia E. (Evans) Mather. The father was born in Pennsylvania in 1805, while the mother’s birth occurred in Ohio in 1808. Samuel Mather devoted his life to farming and died in Kansas in 1888, while his wife passed away in Cedar county in 1877. They had removed westward from Ohio in 1851 and settled a mile east of the village of Springdale, where for many years the father carried on general farming. In their family were thirteen children, eleven of whom came to Iowa in 1851, while two of the number died in infancy. Of the others Hannah and Rebecca are now deceased; John resides a half mile east of Springdale, where he carried on general farming; Philip died in 1868; Mrs. Anna M. Simonds is a resident of Gower township; Mrs. Rachel E. Negus is living two and one-half miles north of West Branch; Mrs. Lydia E. Witter died in West Branch in 1871; William is the next of the family; Samuel is living one mile east of Springdale; Daniel makes his home in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Charles E. is a resident of Springdale.

No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for William Mather in the days of his boyhood and youth save his advent in Iowa. He was six years of age when he arrived here and upon the old home farm east of Springdale he spent his youth, remaining with his parents until he had attained his majority. He supplemented his early education, acquired in the district schools, by two terms in a select Friends school. His education was pursued through the winter months, while in the summer seasons he worked on the farm, thus gaining a practical knowledge of the best methods of tilling the fields and caring for the crops. In early manhood he engaged in teaching school for five or six winter terms and for one term was teacher of the high school in Springdale.

Much of his time and attention, however, have been given to farming and from early manhood he has been the owner of property. He has today one hundred and sixty-one acres in the home farm, a part of which lies within the village limits of Springdale. He also owns a half interest in two hundred acres of land in connection with his brother Charles, situated half a mile north of the village. His agricultural interests have ever been carefully conducted, and his sound business judgment and sagacity, combined with unfaltering industry, have been strong elements in his prosperity. Moreover, in1874 he was elected secretary of the Springdale Mutual Fire Insurance Company and has since occupied that position. In 1876 he and his brother Charles established ageneral mercantile store inSpringdale under the firm name of Mather Brothers and continued the businesswith success until 1896, when they disposed of their stock of general merchandise but have since conducted a drug business under the old firm name. Since 1884 William Mather has been one of the directors of the Peoples Bank of West Liberty and in all of these different connections has displayed an aptitude for successful management together with a determined purpose that has enabled him to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles in his path.

Mr. Mather was married in 1871 to Miss Elma Negus, who was born in 1851 in Iowa township, this county, and is a daughter of Elisha and Elvira (Fawcett) Negus, both of whom were natives of Ohiowhere they were reared and married. They arrived here in 1849 and spent their remaining days in Cedar county. The father, who was born in January, 1825, passed away in 1884, and the mother, who was born in 1822, now makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Mather at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. They were the parents of five children: Mrs. Mather; Mary, the wife of J. T. Rood of the Isle of Pines; Rachel, the wife of Ebenezer Fogg, living one and one-half miles southeast of Springdale; Henry, who married Alice Heppenstall and lives in Iowa City; Esther, the wife of William B. Ellison, living a mile east of Springdale.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mather have been born two children, Mary and Carl H. The former is now the wife of the Rev. Sylvester Jones, who is doing missionary work at Gibara, Cuba, where they have represented the Society of Friends since 1900. Both are graduates of Penn College of the class of 1900 and in that year were married. Unto them have been born three sons: Robert C., Wilfred V. and Louis Edward. Carl H. Mather is a graduate of Penn College, Oskaloosa, of the class of 1900 and of the law department of the State University of Iowa City of the class of 1903. He practiced for a time at Clarence and for the past two years has practiced both inTipton and Clarence but makes his home in the former city. He is a member of the law firm of Hamiel & Mather. In 1903 he married Miss Jennie H. Hamiel, and they have one daughter, Maurine Elma.

As far back as is known the family have been connected with the Society of Friends. They hold membership in the church at Springdale and Mr. Mather has held official positions in the church and has also been a director of Penn College at Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the past twelve years, this school being conducted under the auspices of the Society of Friends. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and for twenty-two consecutive years he has served as township clerk, while for two terms he has filled the office of assessor. No public trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed in the slightest degree, and he is equally loyal to the ties of home and friendship. He is a dependable man under all circumstances and those with whom he has been longest associated and who have had the best opportunity to judge of this life speak of him only in terms of praise.