JOHN P. MATTHEWS

The Sabetha Star, Thursday, Sept. 14, 1916, Pg. 8

Vol. XXI, No. 37

John P. Matthews.

  John P. Mathews, veteran mail carrier of this city and affectionately and familiarly known to everyone living in and around Sabetha as “Uncle Jack” Mathews, died at his home at 7:30 o’clock, Wednesday morning.  He was removed to his home from Sabetha hospital last Wednesday evening and for the past week has been failing until the end came peacefully this morning.

 Several weeks ago it became evident that Mr. Matthews was suffering from an obstruction in the kidneys which could only be removed by operation.  Owing to his advanced age physicians hesitated but as death was practically certain without an operation, he was taken to the hospital.  He stood the operation well and hope was entertained for his complete recovery until within the last ten days.  He longed to be at home again and during the week which he lingered after his removal from the hospital expressed his satisfaction in many feeble ways that he was again with his family.

  Wednesday morning after a night during which he rested easily with Richard Bottiger and Dr. Ben Miller at his bedside, a change was noticed in his condition.  His daughter, Mrs. Kimber, who had gone to the post office to carry the mail on her father’s rural route was called home and with her mother was at his bedside when he quietly breathed his last.

  Mr. Matthews was in a point of years and service the oldest rural carrier in this part of the state.  He was born, July 24, 1836, at Jamestown, N. Y.  He was a veteran of the civil war, serving with Company K, Ninth New York cavalry for three years and one month before being honorably discharged at the close of the war.  In 1855, he was married to Miss Mary Wimple, of Jamestown, N. Y.  Two sons, Charles H. and Jay E. Matthews of Sedan, Kansas, and a daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Shaeffer, of Hoxie, Kansas were born to this union.  He is survived by a sister living in Centralia.

  In 1867 Mr. Matthews came to Kansas and worked as operator and agent for the Central Branch at Centralia.  The next year his family followed him.  Forty-three years ago he moved to Sabetha and has since lived in the house where he died.  For six years he carried mail over the celebrated Star route between Sabetha  Pawnee City.  He left this work to engage in buying stock but later returned to the work of carrying mail for the Rock Island between the depot and the postoffice and followed this occupation for sixteen years.  During his service in the army he was mail carrier for the regiment in which he served and brought the homesick soldier boys letters from their wives and sweethearts.  Mr. Matthews spent probably thirty years of his life in the mail service and many days last winter when the younger men did not carry their routes because of bad roads he stuck bravely at his job and proudly pointed to his record with hardly a missing day, no matter what the weather.

  September 8, 1886, he was married to Miss Lottie Largent, of Rockford, Ill., in Sabetha, the ceremony being performed by Rev. M. D. Chilson, pastor of the Methodist church.  One daughter, Mrs. Mary Kimber, was born to them.

  No definite date has been set for the funeral, which will probably be held Friday afternoon from the Congregational church.