Death of John C. Matthews
‘Squire Matthews is dead! Another link in the chain that binds the present with the early history of the Poudre Valley, is broken; another intrepid spirit, freed from early attachments, has joined the silent majority. For thirty years ‘Squire Matthews has been a familiar figure in this valley, known of all and admired by many. He came here from his Missouri home in 1867, and at once became a factor in the upbuilding of his adopted home. Locating at Laporte, he at first engaged in teaching school. While thus employed he was made county jailer and also appointed deputy county clerk, discharging the duties of all three positions with the strictest fidelity. In the county clerk's office he brought order out of chaos and opened for the county its first regular set of record books. Shortly afterwards he engaged in the mercantile business at Laporte in partnership with the late A.H. Patterson, the first subsequently moving its stock of goods to Collins where the business was continued several years. Then Mr. Patterson sold out to W.C. Stover and the firm of Stover and Matthews carried on the business until 1876, when Mr. Matthews disposed of his interest in the firm to Mr. Stover and retired. Until the big brick building, now occupied by the Mansion Livery Stables, was completed in 1874, Stover & Matthews occupied the Old Grout building which stood where Frank Stover's drug store now stands. He was twice elected to the office of county clerk in this county.
Mr. Matthews' greatest claim to recognition lies, perhaps, in his gift of eighty acres of land to the state agricultural college which comprises a part of the present college farm. Through his generous gift the promoters of the college were able to secure the location of that institution in Fort Collins.
Having, through a generous nature and a number of unfortunate investments, lost his property, he has for several years lived a quiet, retired life, doing such odd jobs of clerical work, for which an excellent education and a good business training had amply equipped him, - as presented themselves. He lived alone in an upper room of the Jefferson block. He was never married.
On Monday, while preparing his dinner, he was stricken with paralysis and fell to the floor, cutting a gash in his head on a tin can in the fall. The noise of his fall aroused people in the adjoining from who rushed in and, placing the stricken man on his bed, called a physician. He was past help, however, but the Masons, of which order Mr. Matthews had been a member since 1870, took charge of him and provided him a nurse and attendants.
On Tuesday morning he was removed to more comfortable quarters in Chris White's hospital, where everything was done that could be done for his relief and comfort. He died at 7:15 on Tuesday evening, without once recovering consciousness from the time of his fatal stroke some thirty hours before. He was a little past 72 years old and had no known relatives in the state.
The funeral and interment will take place this (Thursday), afternoon under the direction of the Masonic Fraternity.
Fort Collins Courier – November 11, 1897
‘Squire Matthews is dead! Another link in the chain that binds the present with the early history of the Poudre Valley, is broken; another intrepid spirit, freed from early attachments, has joined the silent majority. For thirty years ‘Squire Matthews has been a familiar figure in this valley, known of all and admired by many. He came here from his Missouri home in 1867, and at once became a factor in the upbuilding of his adopted home. Locating at Laporte, he at first engaged in teaching school. While thus employed he was made county jailer and also appointed deputy county clerk, discharging the duties of all three positions with the strictest fidelity. In the county clerk's office he brought order out of chaos and opened for the county its first regular set of record books. Shortly afterwards he engaged in the mercantile business at Laporte in partnership with the late A.H. Patterson, the first subsequently moving its stock of goods to Collins where the business was continued several years. Then Mr. Patterson sold out to W.C. Stover and the firm of Stover and Matthews carried on the business until 1876, when Mr. Matthews disposed of his interest in the firm to Mr. Stover and retired. Until the big brick building, now occupied by the Mansion Livery Stables, was completed in 1874, Stover & Matthews occupied the Old Grout building which stood where Frank Stover's drug store now stands. He was twice elected to the office of county clerk in this county.
Mr. Matthews' greatest claim to recognition lies, perhaps, in his gift of eighty acres of land to the state agricultural college which comprises a part of the present college farm. Through his generous gift the promoters of the college were able to secure the location of that institution in Fort Collins.
Having, through a generous nature and a number of unfortunate investments, lost his property, he has for several years lived a quiet, retired life, doing such odd jobs of clerical work, for which an excellent education and a good business training had amply equipped him, - as presented themselves. He lived alone in an upper room of the Jefferson block. He was never married.
On Monday, while preparing his dinner, he was stricken with paralysis and fell to the floor, cutting a gash in his head on a tin can in the fall. The noise of his fall aroused people in the adjoining from who rushed in and, placing the stricken man on his bed, called a physician. He was past help, however, but the Masons, of which order Mr. Matthews had been a member since 1870, took charge of him and provided him a nurse and attendants.
On Tuesday morning he was removed to more comfortable quarters in Chris White's hospital, where everything was done that could be done for his relief and comfort. He died at 7:15 on Tuesday evening, without once recovering consciousness from the time of his fatal stroke some thirty hours before. He was a little past 72 years old and had no known relatives in the state.
The funeral and interment will take place this (Thursday), afternoon under the direction of the Masonic Fraternity.
Fort Collins Courier – November 11, 1897
Death of John C. Matthews
‘Squire Matthews is dead! Another link in the chain that binds the present with the early history of the Poudre Valley, is broken; another intrepid spirit, freed from early attachments, has joined the silent majority. For thirty years ‘Squire Matthews has been a familiar figure in this valley, known of all and admired by many. He came here from his Missouri home in 1867, and at once became a factor in the upbuilding of his adopted home. Locating at Laporte, he at first engaged in teaching school. While thus employed he was made county jailer and also appointed deputy county clerk, discharging the duties of all three positions with the strictest fidelity. In the county clerk's office he brought order out of chaos and opened for the county its first regular set of record books. Shortly afterwards he engaged in the mercantile business at Laporte in partnership with the late A.H. Patterson, the first subsequently moving its stock of goods to Collins where the business was continued several years. Then Mr. Patterson sold out to W.C. Stover and the firm of Stover and Matthews carried on the business until 1876, when Mr. Matthews disposed of his interest in the firm to Mr. Stover and retired. Until the big brick building, now occupied by the Mansion Livery Stables, was completed in 1874, Stover & Matthews occupied the Old Grout building which stood where Frank Stover's drug store now stands. He was twice elected to the office of county clerk in this county.
Mr. Matthews' greatest claim to recognition lies, perhaps, in his gift of eighty acres of land to the state agricultural college which comprises a part of the present college farm. Through his generous gift the promoters of the college were able to secure the location of that institution in Fort Collins.
Having, through a generous nature and a number of unfortunate investments, lost his property, he has for several years lived a quiet, retired life, doing such odd jobs of clerical work, for which an excellent education and a good business training had amply equipped him, - as presented themselves. He lived alone in an upper room of the Jefferson block. He was never married.
On Monday, while preparing his dinner, he was stricken with paralysis and fell to the floor, cutting a gash in his head on a tin can in the fall. The noise of his fall aroused people in the adjoining from who rushed in and, placing the stricken man on his bed, called a physician. He was past help, however, but the Masons, of which order Mr. Matthews had been a member since 1870, took charge of him and provided him a nurse and attendants.
On Tuesday morning he was removed to more comfortable quarters in Chris White's hospital, where everything was done that could be done for his relief and comfort. He died at 7:15 on Tuesday evening, without once recovering consciousness from the time of his fatal stroke some thirty hours before. He was a little past 72 years old and had no known relatives in the state.
The funeral and interment will take place this (Thursday), afternoon under the direction of the Masonic Fraternity.
Fort Collins Courier – November 11, 1897
‘Squire Matthews is dead! Another link in the chain that binds the present with the early history of the Poudre Valley, is broken; another intrepid spirit, freed from early attachments, has joined the silent majority. For thirty years ‘Squire Matthews has been a familiar figure in this valley, known of all and admired by many. He came here from his Missouri home in 1867, and at once became a factor in the upbuilding of his adopted home. Locating at Laporte, he at first engaged in teaching school. While thus employed he was made county jailer and also appointed deputy county clerk, discharging the duties of all three positions with the strictest fidelity. In the county clerk's office he brought order out of chaos and opened for the county its first regular set of record books. Shortly afterwards he engaged in the mercantile business at Laporte in partnership with the late A.H. Patterson, the first subsequently moving its stock of goods to Collins where the business was continued several years. Then Mr. Patterson sold out to W.C. Stover and the firm of Stover and Matthews carried on the business until 1876, when Mr. Matthews disposed of his interest in the firm to Mr. Stover and retired. Until the big brick building, now occupied by the Mansion Livery Stables, was completed in 1874, Stover & Matthews occupied the Old Grout building which stood where Frank Stover's drug store now stands. He was twice elected to the office of county clerk in this county.
Mr. Matthews' greatest claim to recognition lies, perhaps, in his gift of eighty acres of land to the state agricultural college which comprises a part of the present college farm. Through his generous gift the promoters of the college were able to secure the location of that institution in Fort Collins.
Having, through a generous nature and a number of unfortunate investments, lost his property, he has for several years lived a quiet, retired life, doing such odd jobs of clerical work, for which an excellent education and a good business training had amply equipped him, - as presented themselves. He lived alone in an upper room of the Jefferson block. He was never married.
On Monday, while preparing his dinner, he was stricken with paralysis and fell to the floor, cutting a gash in his head on a tin can in the fall. The noise of his fall aroused people in the adjoining from who rushed in and, placing the stricken man on his bed, called a physician. He was past help, however, but the Masons, of which order Mr. Matthews had been a member since 1870, took charge of him and provided him a nurse and attendants.
On Tuesday morning he was removed to more comfortable quarters in Chris White's hospital, where everything was done that could be done for his relief and comfort. He died at 7:15 on Tuesday evening, without once recovering consciousness from the time of his fatal stroke some thirty hours before. He was a little past 72 years old and had no known relatives in the state.
The funeral and interment will take place this (Thursday), afternoon under the direction of the Masonic Fraternity.
Fort Collins Courier – November 11, 1897
Gravesite Details
According to cemetery records, the grave is unmarked.
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