The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-02-03

Death Of Ex-GovsrnOr @A''''0A'
Tho Hon Joel A ifatteson, ex-Gover- !
Inc I n,oh. "V i'll yesterday noon, at the
nor OF i,','io's, IN. law, r. 4. GOodel, No
n noe NJ ~ ~, avenue, in this city Cover
oVo Mn,,eson settled In this State many
NJ, ~ 80. and was engaged as one Of the
sso",ractors ON the Illinois and Michigan
canal. Subsequently he served one or
two terms in the State Senate, and in
November, 1852, waS elected Governor
Of the State, which office he assumed IN
January, 1858. He Immediately address
himself 10 the business Of restoring the
State credit, and 20 the liquidation and
pavment OF the State debt His service
as Governor was marked with great ability
and untirinr energy During his term
the State entered upon that prosperity
and increase which have marked ITS recent
history When he retired from oihce, no
man in Illinois enjoyed public confidence
in a higher degree than Goyernor Mat
tesOu.
BEFORE his election he had amassed con
siderable wealth, which had increased by
iudcious investments, After he had re
tired from Office he engaged largely in
the purchase Of outstanding indebtedness
Of the State relating On the canal IN or
der 20 have the same funded In so >
II was discovered that among much Lald
canal scrip there had been funded an
amount which the State had previously
maid The ex.Gnvern0r was charged with
intentional fraud, which he met by u
prompt surrender oi property T. cover
what was adiudged to have erronenusly
funded and in few years paid back to
the State every penny OF the money.
Ills explanation was, that n he was buy
ing all the scrip that was offered him,
aud unconscious that there was any in
circulation that was not genuine, he was
himself the victim.
II will not he considered inappropriate
90 give a brief retrospective view OF his
early life lie was horn August . lSOS,
at WATERFOWL, in jefferson county, New
y ork lie was the only son Of Elnathau
Mattesou, who migrated in the year 1905
to NatertOwu from Manchester, Benning
ton county, Vermont The elder Matte
son was a farmer In easy circumstances
In 1851, he removed with his family e
Joliet Illinois, aud died there in 1854, full
Of years and simple hOnors. His sou re
ceived only a common school education
and like most young Americans, lctt The
parental roof early % push his own for
tunes Associated with young gentle
man OF about his own age, and from III,
same neighbnrhoud, he engaged fnr a Will,
iu the grocery business lt Prescott I p
per Canada, hut hi. health falling b,
was Obliged o. return home ~ Waterfront
after brief prri'd soon ailcrwIrd, w.
attended school 40 iirowuvillc, y T., ET
single seaSnn acquiring a sufficient mom
OF education in that time 10 quality hin
for the occupation of teacher, which h,
pursued in that village for one wear Iii
health failing him, in 1880, he visited the
larger towns u' hi, native State, and the
following autumn extended his tour
south Carolina, where ne found employ
mcnt with railroad contractors ror nv
months THIS was about the time Of tn
Georgia gold fever, and young Nlattesou
then % years of age. found his way tn th
aurilrruu- regions by such poor means a
those parts ni the country nj that tim
4 furnished The precious metal was n
found in such abundance ~ a. delay me
ct sense aud discernment aud he spccdil
found his way a. ST Louis passing thrnur
Nashville, aud descended the Cunlhorlan
River From 81 Louis he returned I
WATERFOWL where he married Mis- FISH
daughter ct Calvin Fish. uf JcifersD
A''NilNA NAN IAfNlAN'l iIl lcb-s aNlifI
brief effort at agricultural subjugatinn %
farm in that inhospitable locality, h
purchased a farm IN laSalle County i
this State, and moved on IN it IN l.3-
There were hut two ncighbOrs within te
miles Of his place, aud not more tina
three or four houses between him and Gu
cage. Iii, early experiences with agu
rattlesnakcs, and other prairie disadvanti
ges were such as were common 10 all Il
pioneers of that day. The farm on whic
Mr. Nlattesou lived was sold in 1896, an
he moved to Joliet, where he resided unt
he was elected Governor IN 1882 Viii
residing az Joliet he was elected Magi
trate and for several years was the on
official OF that dignity in the county. 4
took the heavy contracts on the Illinois
Michigan Canal mentioned above and Il
state failing ~ pay him, be bought all Il
iron that the Commonwealth had on har
for public improvements, and sold it
such advantage as u pay all his debts an
have left n balance Of several thuusar
dollars In lSi2-f3, he erected a woolt
mill in Joliet most creditable enterpris
Ills public life, after he became a memb,
ui the Legislature, has been sketche
above IN which It may be added. "a il
cmded IN the line Of his public labors an
benefits, that he built the railroad betwe,
this city and Joliet for the Rock Islal
. Railroad. Ele built the road from Joli
10 the connection Of the Michigan Centri
TINS was commonly known as MattesoI
Cut-Of He was a candidate against Ii
coin for the United States Senate duril
his Governorship. Matteson who was n
the first candidate of his party IN the lie
stature, but was put on the course after
was seen that Shields could not be electe
would have gained the Senatorshi
mad not Lincoln, seeing that
own success was impossible, owing
the stubborn refusal of four Sn
Nebraska Democrats 20 vote for him, wit
drawn from the contest in favor of TYur
bull who carried tho day The names
these four intiexible men whose stern a,
herenco u their convictions of dut
'hanged the whole course Of Illinois mol
TICS ami exercised "a remarkable infuen,
upon the constitution Of the United Sta,,
senate at q most critical period Of our hi
Tory were Norman Il Judd. John
Palmer, Il. G. Cook and W. T. Plat
Governor MattesOn engaged in hea
venture at White Pine, Nevada. where
erected large smelling mills which inyoly
him deeply IN losses, although the ont,
prise was locally beneficial Fer seva,
wears he was President Of tie 81 Louis
Alton Railroad. In $50 he went to i
rope. and remained several years abroa
visiting all plotes of interest. About
year ago ne was thrown from a buggy, a
suffered ne fracture Of several ribs
"a Consequence, he was unable 10 sic
except in an easy chair. Still, whene,
his extreme suffering gave him suffice
ease, he attended actively u busine
which he still carried on in Springfe
About three weeks ago he came 10 Cl
cago. and stopped at Mr. Goodells inten
ing ~ remain short time and then retur
The destruction Of his magnificent DIVE
ing, it is thought shattered him somewl
and hastened his dissolution. For the i
four days he seemed failing, and yesterd
morning fell into a stupor, not being a
to recognize his friends, or understand
words Of affection addressed to him NJ
Howk, Of Joliet, his daughter, had b,
with him for several days, and about
clock yesterday, while she was render