BIO: Charles M. Matson, Jefferson County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens. 
Chicago, Ill.: J. H. Beers, 1898, pages 1092-1094.
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CHARLES M. MATSON, M.D., of Brookville, Jefferson county, is recognized 
as a leader in his profession in this section, not only among the 
people at large, but by the medical fraternity.  He was one of the 
founders of the Jefferson County Medical Society organized in 1877, and 
was its first president.  As one of three delegates, he represented the 
society in the State Medical Society for the first time, and in the 
1878 he was chosen as the first delegate to the American Medical 
Association.
  Dr. Matson was born July 22, 1833, at Brookville, Jefferson Co., 
Penn., the son of James C. and Harriet (Potter) Matson, and in early 
life he began to prepare for the medical profession, reading under the 
preceptorship of Drs. Dowling and Heichhold, of Brookville.  Later he 
attended lectures at Cleveland, Ohio, and on completing his course, 
located at Corsica, Penn., April 1, 1858, as a partner of Dr. Mark 
Rogers.  From April 1, 1859, to December, 1862, he was engaged in other 
business, but then resumed his practice as an assistant to Dr. John 
Mechling, of Brookville.  In February, 1863, he formed a partnership 
with Dr. Mechling, and in March of the same year he bought the 
practice, Dr. Mechling to remain as a partner, however, until he should 
find a satisfactory location.  Having been appointed army surgeon-in-
charge of the enrollment for the Nineteenth Congressional District of 
Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1863 Dr. Mechling was ordered to report on 
May 1, to Col. H. S. Campbell, at his headquarters in Waterford, Erie 
county, and Dr. Matson was thus left to continue alone the large 
practice established by Dr. Mechling.  He was fully equal to the 
occasion, and not only retained the old friends, but made new.  Dr. 
Mechling resigned his position in April 21, 1864, and Dr. Matson was 
appointed to succeed him, being ordered to report for duty May 1, 1864.  
At this time the duties of medical examiners for the army were very 
arduous, the number of volunteers, substitutes and drafted men being 
very great, while a constant stream of men liable to draft, seeking to 
the stricken from the enrollment list on account of real or physical 
disability for military service, still further increased the labors.  
Dr. Matson served until June 15, 1865, when he was honorably discharged 
by Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War.  During his term the Doctor 
examined nearly fifteen thousand men, of whom about the three thousand 
were twice examined.  At the close of the war he returned to 
Brookville, where he has ever since continued his professional work.
  On September 3, 1857, Dr. Matson was married to Miss Alice Johnson, 
only child of David S. and Naamah Johnson, and three children were born 
to the union, two of whom are deceased.  Eugene G., the survivor, is 
now professor of Histology and Bacteriology in the Western Pennsylvania 
Medical College at Pittsburg, and bacteriologist for the board of 
health in that city.  He is an Alumnus of Syracuse University, also of 
the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania after leaving 
which institution he proceded to Europe, and at Berlin, Germany, 
followed special study under Dr. Von Bergman, Dr. Schroeder and Dr. 
Henoch.
  Mrs. Alice (Johnson) Matson died May 2, 1863, and October 27, 1864, 
our subject wedded Mrs. Amanda Trudy, three children being born to the 
union; (1) W. W., a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 
New York City, and now practicing with his father in Brookville; (2) 
Claude W., a civil engineer, educated at the Western Pennsylvania 
University, Pittsburg; and (3) Caroline, who is at Miss Thurston's 
School for Young Ladies, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
  John Matson, paternal grandfather of Dr. Charles M. Matson, was born 
on the shore of Loch Swilly, near Fannet, Donegal county, Ireland, in 
1774, emigrating to America with this father, Uriah Matson, his mother 
Belle, and brothers and sisters, in September 1786.  The family settled 
first in Chester county, Penn., afterward removing to Indiana county, 
where, in 1803 or 1804, John Matson married Mary Thompson, and shortly 
after the birth of his first child removed to Jefferson county, which 
had been erected, by an act of Legislature, passed March 26, 1804, from 
the western portion of the Lycoming county.  He purchased a large tract 
of land northwest of, and adjoining that, on which the borough of 
Brookville was afterward located.  Out of a portion of this tract, one 
mile north of the town, now on the Clarington road, he cleared a farm, 
now owned by his son, Robert L. Matson, on which he spent the balance 
of his life, dying in 1866.  His oldest daughter, Isabella, was born in 
Indiana county before his removal to Jefferson county; the balance of 
his family, viz.: Jane, James, Clark, Ukiah, John W., Rebecca, Lydia, 
Robert L., William F., Harrison a. and Mary Ann, were all born on this 
farm, and here, Mary, his wife, died in 1876.
  Little is known of Uriah Matson (father of John) outside of the 
Church certificate, which he brought to this country with him, as 
follows:
  "That the bearer hereof, Uriah Matson, and Belle, his wife, have been 
members of this congregation from their infancy, and always maintained 
an honest, sober and industrious character, free from public scandal of 
any kind; and now intending to settle in some of the United States of 
North America, are therefore recommended as regular members of any 
Christian Society where God in His providence may appoint their lot.
 By "James Delay, V.D.M.
  "Dated at Fannet 11th June 1786, county of Donegall, Kingdom of 
Ireland."
  Joseph Potter, maternal grandfather of Dr. Charles M. Matson, married 
Rachel Jackson, August 15, 1777, the ceremony being performed by Rev. 
Johnston, pastor of the Harts Log and Shaver's Creek and Huntingdon 
Presbyterian Congregations.  Rachel Jackson was a daughter of George 
Jackson, who came from Wilmington, Del., and settled on the Swoop farm, 
on the Raystown branch in that part of Huntingdon county which was 
afterward, in 1766, erected into Jackson township.  In the course of 
some six years he settled on the Little Juniata, in the present 
township of Logan, below Jack's Narrows, on what was known in 1883 as 
the G. P. Wakefield farm, and here lived during the Revolution, forting 
At Anderson's, where he served as a member of a scouting party.  He 
died in 1806, and was buried in Shaver cemetery.  His children were as 
follows: Joseph, William, Thomas, Jane (who married Col. John Free), 
Mary (Mrs. John Beatty), Rachel (Mrs. Joseph Potter), Elizabeth (Mrs. 
William Spencer), and Prudence (Mrs. Samuel Keller).  Joseph was one of 
the first white children born in the country.  In 1791 he married 
Margaret Wilson, daughter of John Wilson, and in 1776 [sic] they 
settled at Herod's Run, on what is known as the Jackson homestead.  
Joseph Jackson settled there in 1792, and died in 1838.