The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-06
CITY ASSESSOR
MATTHEWS DEAD
Passed Away at the City Hospital After
Six Months Illness--Leaves Wife
and Two Children in France,
A Son Being in French
Army.

Oliver J. l.. Matthews, member OF
the municipal board of assessors and
for ~ years a prominent man OF affairs
in Barre. died at the City hospital this
morning at 2:30 o'clock. The end was
not unexpected, as Mr.. Matthews had
been in failing health for the past six
months and latterly his illness had TAX
en- very critical turn. Almost until the
last he retained consciousness and talked
with his colleague on the assessing board,
Augustus M. Rossi, concerning matters
of business Mr.. Matthews aided in COM
pleting the years work of the asses
sors in June. A few weeks later he
entered the hospital and remained a pa
| tient there until his death
The deceased was born in Aberdeen
shire, Scotland, June "a, 1858. As youth
he attended the public schools Of Aber-
deem and afterward served his appren-
ticeship at the banker In young man
hood he crossed the channel and took
up his. residence in France, where he con-
tinued his occupation of granite cutting.
There he met and married Miss Theresa
Legare. After residing for several years
in France, he came to America, aecompa
MED by Mrs. Matthews, in 1889. Coming
TO Barre in the same year, Mr. Matthews
began work as a granitecutter for Mari
& Gordon. During the early years of
their residence here, two sons were born
to Mr.. and Mrs. Matthews, one of whom
died in Barre.
After completing term of service
with Marr & Gordon, Mr.. Matthews be.
gan work as a bookkeeper for Maekie,
Hussey & Co., continuing in this avoca !
tion afterward in the grocery store of
the late Michael Marion. Latterly, for
seventeen years, he was engaged as
well, Milne & Varnum, Shortly after |
severing his connection with the quarry I
ing company, he was elected a member
of the assessing board. For upward of /
twelve years he had belonged to the
city's board of auditors and his observa-
tions while serving in that capacity en-
abled him to begin his duties as an as
SCISSOR with a good deal of first hand
of city affairs.
Mr.. Matthews was linguist whose
ability was far greater than that of 4
the average person who can converse in
more than one language. He was a deep Il
student of current affairs and was es-
pecially well versed in history. Many
1f his attainments were acquired through
home study and In a program of self I
education which he followed assiduously
throughout the later years OF his life, he
was aided by remarkably retentive ]
memory. He was member OF the Elks {
ind belonged to the Vineitia club.
Assessor Matthews is survived by his {
rife and two children 0Fe, his son. 1
is with the colors' somewhere I
n France. Not long ago the father re- S
eiyed a letter saying that the son had q
,een brevetesl for bravery on the field. e
Is near as can b. learned Mrs. Matthews
md her daughter, Alice, are in Lille, e
which was the storm center of the war d
or some months. Mr.. Matthews aunt a
ives in Quincy, Mass. h
Deferring to the request of the de- t
ca sed, funeral services in the mortuary L
hapel of b. w Hooker & Co. Monday h
fternoon at o'clock will be of SIM o
lie nature. The Elks will have charge t
+ the funeral and the ritual of the or r
er will be read at the chapel. Inter h
lent win be made at Elmwood eeme-
cry. L