John Mather 1833-1917

MATHER, WITTER, KNUDSON, NEGUS, SIMONDS, RALEY

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/10/2018 at 08:36:46

4 October 1917 - West Branch Times

John Mather, son of Samuel and Lydia Evans Mather was born near Salem, Ohio, Nov. 12, 1833 and died at Springdale, Iowa Sept. 27th, 1917, aged 83 years, 10 months and 15 days.

In 1851, when 17 years old, he came to Iowa with his parents and his five sisters and five brothers, across the country with three teams, requiring six weeks and four days on the road, and settled in the vicinity of Springdale, Cedar county. Coming to this country at that early date he endured the privations of pioneer life and was industrious in helping to develop the county from the time of the ox-cart and breaking plow to the present time of the auto and tractor.

Of his brothers and sisters the following preceded him in death: Rebecca Mather, Philip Mather, Lydia Witter, Hannah M. Knudson and Rachel E. Negus. Those surviving him are Anna M. Simonds of West Branch, Ia., William Mather of Tipton, Ia., Samuel Mather of Springdale, Ia., Daniel Mather of Indianapolis, Ind., and Chas. E. Mather of Springdale, Ia.

He was united in marriage with Asenath Raley in 1864. To them were born two children, Joseph Elbert and Anna Eliza, the latter deceased at the age of twenty-two years.

His early religious training was with the Society of Friends in the state of Ohio, and he continued in the principles of this faith until the day of his death. He was one whose words never spoke louder than his actions, and his thoughts during his last sickness often reverted to the penitent thief on the Cross, his last quotation, an hour before his death, being, "This Night Shalt Thou Be With Me In Paradise."

In his later years he was well cared for at the home of his son and wife and their four boys, Robert K., John Winford, Merlin Eugene and Donald E. The latter was a companion and a great comfort to his grandpa in his declining years and failing sight.