Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

continued for about four years. Selling
his interests in this line, he removed to
Fairmont, Nebraska, where he conducted
real estate operations, two years later lo-
cating in Trenton, that State, where, in
addition to dealing in property, he founded
the first bank. He remained in this place
two years, and in 1890 was the pioneer
settler in what is now Brady, Nebraska.
He was the owner of the first store and
bank, brought many families to the town,
and was the principal factor in its large
growth and development. He built the
bridge across the North Platte river to
connect the rich farming country to the
south with Brady, then a small village.
This bridge saved the farmers of this section
a journey of thirty, miles to North
Platte, and fifteen miles to Gothenburg,
and was the determining cause of Brady's
rise to importance. Mr. Mathewson re-
tired from business in 1906 with a record
of extreme usefulness that had benefited
large numbers of pioneer settlers in the
West. He made his home in Denver,
Colorado, until his death in 1920. He was
a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, donated land for the church and
school in Brady, and was a man of great
public spirit, although avoiding diligently
personal publicity.
Albert W. Mathewson married Mattie
J. Mack, a native of Illinois, and they
were the parents of: Ernest Linn, and
Clifford E., of whom further.
(VIII) Cliflford E. Mathewson, son of
Albert W. and Mattie J. (Mack) Mathewson,
was bom in Iowa City, Iowa, December
I, 1879. He obtained his education
in the public schools of Trenton,
Brady, and North Platte, Nebraska, and
as a young man entered the bicycle busi-
ness in Denver, Colorado. From 1899
to 1902, during the boom in the bicycle
business, he engaged in racing, and held
many track and road records, and in the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
latter year became general manager of all
the twelve Pacific coast branches of the
Diamond Rubber Company, manufacturers
of automobile and bicycle tires. While
serving in this capacity his headquarters
were San Francisco, California. He developed
this business to the point where
a volume of many millions of dollars
worth of business was done yearly. In
1914 he decided to go into business for
himself and the Norwalk Tire and Rubber
Company was organized by a number
of the head men of the parent com-
420
pany. Mr. Mathewson becames sales
manager and secretary of the new com-
pany, an ofifice he holds to the present
time. This company has gained wide
reputation in its line, and has enjoyed
successful and prosperous continuance.
Mr. Mathewson has borne a full share in
the shaping of its policies and the upbuilding
of its interests, and is widely
known in the tire trade. He holds the
thirty-second degree in the Masonic or-
der, his lodge Mt. Moriah, No. 44, Free
and Accepted Masons, and he is also a
member of Islam Temple, Ancient Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of
San Francisco, California. He was at
one time the youngest thirty-second de-
gree Mason in California.
Mr. Mathewson married Marie A. Hall,
daughter of William Hall, of San Fran-
cisco, and they are the parents of: Clif-
ford E., Jr., born April 27, 1917; and Joan
Marie, born December i, 1918. The mem-
bers of this branch of the family now live
in Stamford, Connecticut.
MATHEWSON, Herbert A.,
Mannfaotnrer, Fnblie Official.
The origin of the name of Mathewson
is similar to that of Williamson and John-
son and many other names of that order.
They were derived from the combination