Notes |
- John Mateer "was reared to manhood by his grandparents, receiving such
education as the common schools of that day afforded. He removed (from
Rockbridge Co., Va.) to Ripley Co., Indiana, in the year 1828, and in 1835 was
married to Miss Susan Roberts of that county. ... In the fall of 1848 they
came to Mahaska Co., locating in Adams Township, of which they were among the
earliest settlers. He purchased a clam on which there was a little breaking
done, and upon which a small cabin, 15x12 feet, had been erected, into which he
moved his family until he could build a more substantial and suitable home.
The country was at that time wild and very sparsely settled, and their nearest
neighbors were miles away. Their trading-point was Oskaloosa, which at that
time contained but one general store.
"Mr. Mateer came to the county a very poor man, but by industry and economy has
accumulated considerable property. He removed to this city [Oskaloosa] in
1882, and is living a retired life. ... [He] had two sons in the late Civil
War, who enlisted in the 40ths Iowa Infantry, and served until the close of the
war, doing every duty imposed upon them in a most credible manner. Their
regiment was under the command of General Steele and participated in many of
the prominent battles of the Valley of the Mississippi."
The 1840 census of Ripley Co., Ind., lists John Mateer aged 40-50 years as a
resident in Johnson Twp.; He was engaged in agriculture; his wife was then
aged 30-40 years, and there were three children under five years, two boys and
a girl. This family does not appear in the 1850 census in either Ripley Co.,
Indiana, or Mahaska Co., Iowa. In the 1860 census of Adams Twp., Mahaska Co.
"Joseph" Mateer aged 65, born in Virginia, was listed with wife Susan and all
the children mentioned hereafter.
The will of John Mateer of Mahaska Co., Iowa, written 21 Aug. 1880, probated 5
Oct. 1897, bequethed to his wife Susan Mateer, one third in value of the whole
estate; to William H. Ankenny, $5.00; the remainder equally to his children
except that $150 should be deducted from the share of son Christopher C. Mateer
in consideration of money already given to said son. Executors: James Mateer
(son) and James S. Roberts, both of Mahaska Co. Witnesses: B. C. McClain, F.
M. Davenport.
On 5 Oct. 1897 James Mateer and John H. Mateer were appointed Executors of John
Mateer's estate, with William Mateer and C. C. Mateer as sureties. The real
estate included 180 acres located partly in Sec. 27 Twp. 76 Range 15 and partly
in Sec. 2 Twp, 75 Range 15 in Mahaska Co. The heirs were listed as William
Mateer, son aged 58; Christopher C. Mateer, son aged 56; James Mateer, son aged
54, George W. Mateer, son aged 50, John H. Mateer, son aged 48, and two
children of Samuel Mateer deceased, namely Nellie Mateer aged 18 and Albert
Mateer aged 15.
----------
Reference:
McTeer - Mateer Families of Cumberland County Pennsylvania, Frances Davis
McTeer, 1975, p 192.
|