Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-07-16
Old Pioneer
Crosses Bar

The funeral services over the body
OF William Mathes, who died at his
| home on North Main last Sunday,
took place from the residence at
1870 Tuesday afternoon. His age
was "a years eight months and three
days. Rev. Carnahan of this city
and Rev. Bailee Of Phoenix officiated
at the services, which were very
beautiful.
Many flowers were brought by the
host of friends, and large number
afforded. Interment occurred in the
Phoenix cemetery. Mr.. Mathes was
an old pioneer of the Rogue River
Valley. The Centennial History of
Oregon gives one OF the best sketch
es of his life and career that it was
possible for us to obtain, and below
we print the outline in part:
THE life record of William NJ.
Mathes if written in detail would pre-
sent most interesting picture OF
pioneer times and experiences in Ore
gon, for after a long and arduous
| journey across the plains, covering
six months, he arrived in this state
in 1852. The territorial government
was still in force and the population
of Oregon was widely scattered, and
there were still large tracts of un-
claimed uncultivated land. The op-
portunities of this country at once
interested Mr.. Mathes and his energy
and perseverance have carried. him
steadily forward until now in the
evening of life he is in possession OF
handsome competence.
"He was born in Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania, November
ninth 1929. Following her husbands
death, the mother moved to Hunting
ton county, Pennsylvania and 1t was
there that William NJ. Mathes was
reared to manhood. In the spring Of
1851 he moved westward, arriving in
st. Louis during the great flood of
that year, the steamer on which he
flooded streets of the city. t,i.
"On account of the flood he re-
turned to Illinois for the winter and
in the spring of 1852 started from
i Knox county with an OK team for
Oregon. He journeyed by way of the
northern route and at Burlington
Iowa Joined a train of sixty wagons.
Six months they travelled day by day
westward until at length the; great
sandy stretches and mountain ranges
lay to the east of them instead of to
the west and the trip was over.
"As Mr.. Mathes proceeded west
, ward with the emigrant train some
little trouble with the Pawnee In
dians was experienced while they
were proceeding up the Platte river.
The red men stopped the party and
, demanded a yoke of oxen from each
team, but the Indians were at length
driven off by the white men firing
the high grass at that point. On
Rock river In Oregon they were again
= attacked by Indians and shots were
. fired on each side but no one was
killed. Such were some of the expert
ences through which the pioneers
= passed.
: "Mr. Mathes first located at Jack
r sonville in Jackson county Oregon
, where he engaged in mining-follow-
i ing that pursuit very successfully
5 through the winter. In the spring
: he took up a donation land claim oil
: one hundred and sixty acres. AS time
. passed he kept adding to his prop
. erty until he was the owner of four
: hundred and sixty-five acres in the
e home farm near Phoenix. There he
: continued to make his home until
1896, when he removed his family
to Ashland. For more than eighteen
years he had been extensively en-
a gagged in the sheep and cattle industry
8 on the little Applegate creek, herdine
his stock and each year selling 6
goodly number so that this branch oi
: his business also proved profitable
BY 1910 he had disposed of all of his
land with the exception of two hun
:. dred acres of coal land, which he still
retains, five miles east of Phoenix.
: "Mr. Mathes was married on thC
. twenty-third of October, 1861, to Mis-
Christina Riddell OF Lafayette coun
4 ty Wisconsin. He returned to tina
district for his bride and through the
intervening years they have Travelled
life's journey happily together, thei
mutual love and confidence increas
n ing dS lHe years nave BOHc Wy h
year 1911 witnessed the fiftieth an
niversary Of their marriage. The,
became the parents Of six children
Harry G. Mathes who resides at Ash
land, Mary the wife of William Val
DYKE of Ashland. George w. Mathe
who also makes his home at Ashland
Jessie. at home and Bertha and Don
aid deceased. Mr.. and Mrs. Mathe
are members OF the Presbyteria
church and throughout the commun
ity in which they live they are hel
in the highest esteem.
"Mr. Mathes is today one OF tn
valued citizens of the community, er
ergetic and capable although eighty
three years OF age. Time has deal
d kindly with him, and while the snow
OF many winters have whitened HI
hair, in spirit and interest he seem
a much younger man, keeping sti
In touch with the worlds work. II
has now lived in the northwest fc
six decades and relates many interes
ing Incidents of ninnaar tinaa IN