McDonough ILGenWeb

MATTHEWS, James Monroe, Superintendent of the County Farm of McDonough County, Ill., was born in Bethel Township, that county, April 22, 1849. He is a son of Jacob and Abigail (Dunsworth) Matthews, natives of Tennessee. His grandfather. Benjamin Matthews, was also a native of that State. At an early period Grandfather Matthews came to Bethel Township, where he was an extensive landholder. Jacob Matthews, the father, owned and operated a grist-mill at Fandon, in that township, where he died in 1859. James M. Matthews, who is the oldest of a family of four children, lived with his parents until the spring of 1866, after which he worked out until his marriage. He was occupied in farming, running a threshing machine and engine, and making pottery. In April, 1903, he bought a farm of twenty-three and one-half acres in the northeast part of Macomb, which he has since sold. In 1901 Mr. Matthews was appointed Superintendent of the County Farm for one year, after which he was for two years engaged in farming. In March, 1904, he was again appointed to his former position for two years. The County Farm comprises 160 acres of land, and contains a substantial brick building of ninety-two rooms.

On May 21, 1872. Mr. Matthews was married to Joanna Shutes Boyd, who was born in Colchester Township, McDonough County, in 1851, and in girlhood attended the public schools. One child, Howard, born in October, 1873, is the offspring of this union. Politically, Mr. Matthews is a Democrat, religiously, belongs to the Christian Church, and fraternally, is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. and the M. W. A.

---

Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 946, extracted 12 Sep 2019 by Norma Hass.