Biography - George Mathis
GEORGE WASHINGTON MATHIS. Many of the men who have been instrumental in
keeping the agricultural standard high in Johnson county have started their
careers in other vocations and have been unable to resist the call of the
soil even though they have attained success in different lines. There is a
certain fascination in the life of the farmer to those who come of families
whose main occupation has been the tilling of the soil, and one who has
returned to farming and achieved considerable success is George Washington
Mathis, of Bloomfield township, who was for many years well known as an
educator. Mr. Mathis comes of an old and honored Johnson county family, and
was born not far from his present residence, July 18, 1869, a son of Robert
D. and Lucinda (Fairless) Mathis.
John Mathis, the great-grandfather of George W., was a native of Virginia,
and one of the original pioneers of Trigg county, Kentucky. He married
Margaret Brown, and in 1846 they migrated to Randolph county, Illinois,
where both passed away. Among their children was William Mathis, who was
born and reared in Kentucky, and was there married to Cynthia Scott, of
Trigg county, daughter of William and Mary (Moore) Scott, and to them were
born five children, namely: Robert D., Elizabeth E., John B., Margaret A.
and James P. William Mathis accompanied his father's family to Randolph
county, Illinois, in 1846, but in 1849 migrated to Johnson county by
ox-team, purchased Government land in Bloomfield township, and there built a
log cabin and settled down to clearing his farm. He spent the remainder of
his life in farming, and died November 22, 1860, his widow surviving until
June, 1888. They were well known all over Bloomfield township, and Mr.
Mathis had the reputation of being an excellent farmer and progressive,
public-spirited citizen.
Robert D. Mathis was also born in Kentucky, and was a lad when he
accompanied his parents to Randolph county. He was brought up there and in
Johnson county, and his education was secured in the district schools of his
day. When he was married he settled on rented land, but after six years was
able to purchase a farm of forty acres, to which he added from time to time
until he was the owner of a finely-cultivated tract of one hundred and forty
acres. He was active and influential in local Republican politics, and his
fellow citizens manifested their confidence in his integrity and ability by
electing him collector of taxes two years, township treasurer for ten years
and justice of the peace for a long period. He was successful in his
agricultural operations, and the same enthusiasm and conscientious labor
that give him a position among the substantial men of his district were
brought into play in his public service, and the manner in which hie
discharged the duties of his various offices stamped him as a man who had
the best interests of his community at heart. Mr. Mathis married Miss
Lucinda Fairless in 1858, daughter of Robert and Matilda (Buchanan)
Fairless, natives of Gallatin county, Illinois, and they had a family of
four children: John P., George W., Olonzo F. and Lillian V.
George W. Mathis was brought up to the life of a farmer, and his education
was secured in the Bloomfield township and Vienna public schools. At the age
of nineteen years he began teaching in Bloomfield, and in all followed that
profession for thirteen years, the greater part of this time being spent in
Johnson county, and seven years of it in Bloomfield. He also had a school
for one term in Oklahoma. During all this time Mr. Mathis had carried on
farming during the vacation periods, but it was not until 1903 that he began
to give all his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1893 he had purchased
a tract of one hundred acres situated in section 16, Bloomfield township,
one mile north of the homestead, but in 1896 he sold this and secured twenty
acres adjoining his present property. He subsequently disposed of the latter
tract and bought forty acres, which adjoined thirty-three and one-half acres
owned by his wife, and he now has the entire tract in a high state of
cultivation. Mr. Mathis has carried on general farming and his operations
have been very successful. His land is highly productive and he finds a
ready market for his cattle in the nearby cities, his stock being of a
superior grade. Although his own interests have kept him busily employed, he
has found time to engage in local politics, and he is a member of the
Republican County Central Committee, and an influential worker in his
party's ranks in this section. Fraternally he is affiliated with Vesta
Lodge, No. 340, I. O. O. F., at Vienna.
On August 23, 1893, Mr. Mathis was united in marriage with Miss Minnie E.
Morray, daughter of J. B. and Gussie (Haley) Morray, both of whom are
deceased, and eight children have been born to this union, namely: Gussie
V., a graduate of the county high school; Alvin, a student in the eighth
grade of public school; and Mabel E., Kate Lucinda, Archie, George, Wayne
and John H.
Extracted from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 655-657.
