John Pitt Matthews

As printed in 1879

JOHN PITT MATTHEWS, M.D.,

Was born at Hampton Court, Herefordshire, England, September 2d, 1835. His father, John Matthews, was a farmer. He married Caroliue Myra Cooper. He emigrated to America in 1844, and settled in Mercer county, Pa., where he remained until his death in 1864. His wife died in 1863. The subject of our sketch is the third in a family of ten children, eight of whom have survived the parents. Dr. Matthews spent the first eighteen years of his life as a farmer boy, giving his winters to study at the country schools and his summers to the laborious tillage of the soil—a succession of employments that has given stamina to the very best of American citizens. At the age of eighteen lie entered Duff’s Mercantile College at Pittsburgh, Pa., and took a mathematical course. After that he taught school for one term, and then entered Allegheny College at Meadville, Crawford county, Pa., where he remained two years and finished his mathematical course. He then came to Greene county, Illinois, aiul taught school at Saulsbury one winter term, and one term at Kane, and also taught a year and a half at the Greenfield Academy in Greenfield. During the term at Kane he commenced reading medicine under the instruction of Dr. P. Finnertv, of Kane. He afterward took one course in the Medical Department of the Iowa University at Keokuk, and then commenced the practice of his profession in Scottville, Macoupin county, and continued in the practice until 1862, when he passed examination before the State Examining Board, and entered the service as assistant surgeon of the 122d regiment, Illinois volunteers. He remained in active service one year, when from reasons of ill-health he was forced to resign. He came home, and in the fall of 1863 resumed practice in Carlinville in connection with Dr. E. E. Webster. In 1865 he attended a course of lectures and graduated at Long Island College Hospital, New York. He returned to Carlinville, and since that time to the present has been industriously engaged in the practice of his profession. Dr. Matthews belongs to the progressive school of physicians, as may be readily known by his connection with the different county, state, and national medical associations, which are organized for the promotion and larger development of the science of medicine. He in this community deservedly takes front rank in his profession. Personally and socially Dr. Matthews possesses rare qualities, and by his upright and many life has won an honorable name, and endeared himself to a large circle of friends. In 1865 he was united in marriage with Miss Bettie, daughter of Ex-Governor John M. Palmer, of Springfield, Illinois. Four children have been born to them, three of whom are living—John Palmer, Lucy Myra, and Frederick Webster Matthews.

The present editor and manager of the Carlinville Democrat, was born at Plainfield, Massachusetts, February 12th, 1833. His father was the late Rev. David Kimball, who edited and published the “ Christian Panoplist,” at Concord, New Hampshire. He removed with his family from Plainfield to Concord, when the subject of this sketch was two years of age. He remained in the latter place a number of years, then moved to Franklin, afterwards to Hanover, New Hampshire, where he resided until his removal to Rockford, Illinois, in 1863, where he remained until his death in 1875. He married Miss E. E. Carter, of Newburyport, Mass. She still resides at Rock ford. Henry M. is the fifth in a family of seven children, three of whom are living. He at an early age entered a printing office and learned to “ set ” type. The first money he earned as a printer was on the “ Herald of Freedom,” an Anti-Slavery paper, published by John French. He afterwards received an academic education in Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, and in 1851 he entered Dartmouth College, and graduated from that institution of learning in 1855.

In the fall of the same year he came to Illinois and taught school for six months in Byron, Ogle county. In May of 1856 he, in company with others, removed to Kansas for the purpose of aiding in making that a free state.

He was employed on George Washington Brown’s “ Herald of Freedom,” at Lawrence, until the office was pitched into the river, and the town sacked and burned by the border ruffians. He afterwards, in partnership with a friend, purchased a farm and left his partner in charge of it, while he came east and stopped for a short time at Alton. After Mr. Kimball’s return to Illinois his partner became sick, and he too left the farm, after which other parties jumped the claim and they lost it. His first venture in real estate in the west may be regarded as a flat failure.

In September of 1856 he came to Carlinville, and went to work on the “Free Democrat.” He soon after became a partner of W. C. Phillips in the publication, and in 1859 purchased Phillips’ interest, and remained sole proprietor and editor until 1867, when Major A. W. Edwards was taken in as a partner. He withdrew in 1872, and from that time to the present Mr. Kimball has been both editor and manager.

The “ Democrat ” under his management has become one of the most influential journals in Central and Southern Illinois. (For a more elaborate history of the rise and progress of the “ Democrat,” the reader is referred to the “ History of the Press of Macoupin county ” to be found elsewhere in this work.) In 1861 he was appointed postmaster of Carlinville by Abraham Lincoln, and in 1869 was re-appointed by U. S. Grant. He held the office for nearly ten years. In politics he has always been a republican. At an early age and while it was yet unpopular, he attached himself to the party of freedom and human rights. He aided with his pen to hasten the time when the foul blot and stain of slavery was wiped out of the land.

On the ist day of March, 1860, he was united in marriage with Miss Fanny M., daughter of Rev. E. J. Palmer, an elder brother of Ex-Governor Palmer. This marriage has been blessed with six children, three sons and three daughters; all but one, (which died in infancy,) are yet beneath the parental roof. Mr. Kimball in his manners is a quiet, unobtrusive gentleman. With his friends and acquaintances he is kind and social; as a citizen he is much respected, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of the entire community.

As printed in History of Macoupin County, Illinois (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.