John Pitt Matthews, M. D., one of the oldest and most prominent
practitioners of medicine in Macoupin County, is a resident of
Carlinville. He has attained high distinction
in medical circles, and is widely known throughout the county. Dr. Matthews
was born at "Hampton Court" farm in Herefordshire, England, September 2,
1835, and is a son of John and Caroline Myra (Cooper) Matthews. He with his
father migrated to America in 1844 and soon after located in Mercer County,
Pennsylvania, later removing to Sharon, where he was living at the time of
his death in 1864. His wife died in 1863.
John Pitt Matthews spent
the first 18 years of his life living upon the farm, during which time he
spent the winter months in study and attending district schools, the summer
months being devoted to work about the farm. At the age of 18 years he
attended Sharon Academy and the following year entered Duff's Mercantile
College at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and pursued a mathematical course. He
then taught school for one year, and during the two succeeding years was in
attendance at Allegheny College at Meadville, Crawford county, Pennsylvania.
He then removed to Greene County, Illinois, and taught school at Saulsbury
one term and at Kane one term. He was principal of Greenfield Academy one
and a half years. Having decided to enter the medical profession, he began
preparation by reading under the instruction of Dr. P. Fenity of Kane,
Illinois, and afterward took a course of study in the medical department in
the University of Iowa at Keokuk. He then began practicing in Scottville,
Macoupin County, Illinois, and continued there until 1862 when he passed the
examination before the State Examining Board and entered the United States
Army as assistant surgeon in the 122d Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf. He remained
in active service one year, then resigned because of ill health and returned
to Carlinville in the fall of 1863. He resumed practice, associating himself
with Dr. E. E. Webster in Carlinville, Illinois, in 1863, and subsequently
attended a course of lectures and was graduated from Long Island College
Hospital, New York. Returning to Illinois, he engaged in practice at
Carlinville, where he has since continued with uninterrupted success. He is
a thorough student and believes in keeping abreast of the rapid advance
being made in medical science. He is a member of the county, State, national
and international medical associations, and has had his share in raising the
standard of the profession. He was elected 1st vice-president of the
Illinois State Medical Society in 1890 and president in 1891, and in 1890
spent three months abroad, attending the International Medical Congress at
Berlin, Germany, and the British Medical Association at Birmingham, England,
and visiting at the same time many of the leading hospitals in Europe. While
abroad, he visited the place of his birth. In 1865, Dr. Matthews was joined
in marriage with Miss Betty Palmer, a daughter of Ex-Governor John M. Palmer
of Springfield, Illinois, and to this union have been born the following
children: John Palmer, a prominent young physician and surgeon who is
associated in practice with his father; Lucy Myra (Mrs. Haydon S. Gaines);
and F. Webster, an electrical demonstrator who is now in England and is
connected with the Thomas A. Edison Phonograph Indestructible Record
Company. In 1858 Dr. Matthews was made a Mason, joining King Solomon Lodge,
of Kane, Illinois. He served one term as alderman in the city of Carlinville
and ha's served on the Board of Education. In 1903 Mrs. Matthews spent five
months in London, England, the guest of her son, F. Webster Matthews; being
a lady of refinement and a talented writer, her letters were most
interesting and have been sought for publication by a number of the leading
papers. She has devoted much of her energies to literature and is at present
employed by a number of the leading periodicals of the country. She is now
preparing a work which promises to gain much favor in the world of
literature. Dr. and Mrs. Matthews have many friends throughout this section
of the State who hold them in highest esteem.
Extracted 2018 May 04 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 16-18.
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