Mrs. Margaret D. Mathews is a granddaughter of Thomas Lindsey, who immigrated from Scotland to Pennsylvania in the latter part of the last century, and comes of an old Scotch family which traces its ancestry to Sir David Lindsay, a fifteenth century nobleman. Her father, Thomas Lindsey, was born in Pennsylvania, and her mother, whose maiden name was Sarah McGuire, was also a native of that State. Mrs. Mathew's father emigrated to Illinois and settled among the pioneers of what is now the City of Rock Island in 1835. He was born in Pennsylvania and was thirteen years of age when the family came west. As a child she witnessed the ceremony of locating the County seat at Rock Island. Her father owned the land on which the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific depot now stands in Rock Island, and had at the time one hundred and sixty acres in that location and a tract of eighty acres near Rock Island. Under the loose land laws of those days, however, he was deprived of his possessions and a large estate was thus lost to his family. Mrs. Mathews was first married to Lucius Moss, who was a very early settler in Pleasant Valley and operated a saw- mill there for many years. To this union two children were born, one daughter now Mrs. Orville Welch — and one son, Joseph, now dead. After the death of her first husband Mrs. Moss married John B. Mathews, and four children were born to them. Sarah married Harley Anderson and lives in Dakota; Mary M. is a teacher at Sinsinawa Mound, Wisconsin; John died in infancy. Mrs. Mathews has been a resident of Scott County since 1839, and is a lady of high standing in the community.
BIOGRAPHIES