Biography of Lewis I. Matson, pages 368 / 369.  History of Northeast 
Indiana; LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, and DeKalb Counties, Vol. II, under the 
editorial supervision of Ira Ford, Orville Stevens, William H. McEwen, and 
William H. McIntosh, The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago and New York, 1920.

   Lewis I. Matson, who spent his life in Northeastern Indiana, represents 
one of the pioneer families of DeKalb County, and  his own active career 
has been spent chiefly in Steuben County, where for upwards of half a 
century he has been a practical and progressive farmer, and today owns one 
of the best farms in the vicinity of Pleasant Lake.
   He was born in DeKalb County October 19, 1844, a grandson of Elijah 
Matson and a son of John Matson.  John Matson, who was born near Rutland, 
Vermont, February 3, 1806, at the age of twenty-one went to Onondaga 
County, New York, and in 1835 came to Indiana and entered 160 acres of 
wild land in DeKalb County.  He had a cabin built in section 30 of 
Franklin Township, and the following year brought his family, arriving at 
Hamilton on September 30, 1836.  He was a carpenter by trade and worked 
long hour after darkness fell on the fields to make doors and windows for 
the neighbors, taking his pay in work on his own land. In that way he 
cleared up 100 acres and achieved success as a farmer.  At the time of his 
death he had over 200 acres in DeKalb County.  He was as public spirited 
as he was industrious, and enjoyed the love and respect of his community 
all his life.  He died November 4, 1876.  September 10, 1833, John Matson 
married Margaret Waterman, a daughter of Elijah Waterman. They were the 
parents of ten children: Cordelia, Alvin, Chloe, James, Lewis, Lydia, 
George and Ophelia and two that died in infancy.  Cordelia married C.W. 
Taft. Alvin never married. Chloe became the wife of Professor Alonzo 
Collin, a member of the faculty at Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa. 
James married Frances Taylor, Lydia was the wife of Burley Albrook, George 
married Matilda Ridge, and Ophelia became the wife of M. A. Goodell. John 
Matson was a whig and republican in politics.
   Lewis I. Matson grew up on the old homestead six miles south of 
Hamilton in DeKalb County, attended public schools and also had a year of 
instruction in Cornell College in Iowa.  He was a teacher for two terms 
and in 1867 came to Steuben Township, Steuben County, locating at Pleasant 
Lake.  On March 4, 1867, he married Miss Orcelia R. Clark, who was born in 
Steuben County March 1, 1845, a daughter of Dr. Alonzo P. and Betsey (Bump) 
Clark.  The Clark family were pioneers of Steuben County, February 16, 
1852, son of Findben Township. Doctor Clark took up land near the Village 
of Steubenville, north of Pleasant Lake.  At that time it was supposed the 
county seat would be Steubenville. Doctor Clark was both a physician and a 
lawyer, and was a citizen of great influence in his locality in the early 
days.  He owned about 600 acres of land in Steuben Township.  He died in 
1867, at the age of fifty-nine, and his widow survived until March 26, 
1878, being then seventy years of age.
   After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Matson located on a part of the Clark 
homestead, and after a few years he started the first hardware store in 
the Village of Pleasant Lake and continued the business for twelve years.  
He then took up general merchandising with the firm of Chadwick & Ransburg, 
and was associated with those merchants for twelve years.   He then resumed 
farming and has a place of 300 acres a mile north of Pleasant Lake and is 
successfully engaged in general crop raising and livestock.  Mr. Matson 
has for twenty-five years been an active prohibitionist, and in early life 
was affiliated with the republican party. He was trustee of Steuben 
Township.  Mr. Matson and his wife are Baptist, and he ahs been affiliated 
with that church for forty years.
   Mr. and Mrs. Matson had four children. Clark A. P. is an attorney in 
Chicago. James L., is connected with the shipping department of the 
Overland Automobile Works at Toledo. Mabel is the wife of Henry G. Brown, 
of Lebanon, Indiana.  The youngest is John O. Matson. The mother of these 
children died January 29, 1906.  On Aug. 12, 1906, Mr. Matson married Ada 
(Clark) Shackford, widow of Charles A. Shackford.  She has three children 
by her first husband: Edna Grace, wife of William O. Driskell; Alice M., 
wife of Dr. J. R. Lacey; and Mabel F., unmarried.
   John O. Matson, who for a number of years has been one of the leading 
business men and merchants of Steuben County, was born in Steuben Township 
November 4, 1878, and was reared in Pleasant Lake, attending the high 
school there.  He acquired a business training as clerk with the firm of 
Chadwick & Ransburg for six years.  In May, 1903, he bought the hardware 
store at Pleasant Lake from H.A. Gish, and for over fifteen years has 
continued a profitable business as a merchant, gradually extending his 
lines to include furniture and agricultural implements.  Mr. Matson is a 
republican, but has never sought office, and is affiliated with the Masonic 
Lodge and Knights of the Maccabees.  He has been a member of the Baptist 
Church for over twenty years.
   July 31, 1900, he married Miss Bessie B. Lemmon.  She was born in 
Steuben County, a daughter of Riley and Lorana (Tuttle) Lemmon.  Riley 
Lemmon was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, November 26, 1839, and his wife 
was born in Steuben County, Indiana, April 15, 1840. The parents of Riley 
Lemmon were Maurice and Lucinda (Rathbun) Lemmon, who came to Steuben 
County in 1843, settling in Otsego Township, where they spent the rest of 
their days.  Riley Lemmon grew up on the old farm in Steuben County and 
afterward acquired the ownership of the place.  For sixteen years he has 
lived at Pleasant Lake. His wife died in 1899.  Riley Lemmon and wife had 
the following children: Maurice, Cora, Morton, Lora, Chaplin, Vira, Bessie, 
Ethel and Elsie.  Mr. and Mrs. Matson have two children: June Maurine, born 
March 22, 1904, and John Lewis, born January 31, 1916.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com