"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chapman 
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 1216.
 
STEWART MATEER

     The city of Eugene is one of those prosperous and promising places which
can afford to offer a hearty welcome to the stranger within her gates, confident
that his mission will be of mutual benefit, and that close contact with her
manifold money-making and social advantages will win him to the ranks of her
most enthusiastic advocates and promoters. Stewart Mateer came here in February,
1901, with years of farming and mercantile experience behind him. He purchased a
residence, and established himself as a partner with T. H. Garrett, in well
equipped real estate offices at 584 Willamette street. Both Mr. Mateer and Mr.
Garrett come from South Dakota, and are primarily representing lands in the
northern middle state, having ample facilities for either buying or selling. In
addition, they are dealing in Eugene and Willamette Valley property, farm,
timber, or residence, and they also represent several reliable fire insurance
companies, including. the Caledonia Insurance Company of Scotland.
     Mr. Mateer comes of a family possessing large landed estates around
Belfast, Ireland. Both his father, Thomas, and his grandfather, Alexander, were
born in Belfast, and the grandfather especially was very well to do. Thomas
Mateer married in Pittsburg, Pa., Sarah J. McMasters, a native of Belfast, and
daughter of William McMasters, who early came to America and bought a large
tract of land at Reeds Landing; Wabasha county, Minn. He was a shoemaker by
trade, but retired from active life soon after coming to America. Thomas Mateer
came to the United States as a young man, and for a time was proprietor of the
Eagle Hotel at Pittsburg, Pa. While there he became interested in the discovery
of gold on the coast, and in 1849 came to California by way of Panama, and
engaged in mining in the Sacramento Valley for three years. Returing to the east
the same way in 1852, he located in Wabasha county, Minn., bought new land and
improved it, and became a successful farmer. In 1883 he removed to South Dakota,
and near Pierre, Sully county, stocked a large farm upon which he lived until
his retirement to Monroe, Jasper county, Iowa, his present home. He is
eighty-three years of age. His wife died October 3, 1894.
     In his younger days Stewart Mateer worked hard on the paternal farm where
he was born January 8, 1864. In 1883 he accompanied the family from Wabasha
county, Minn., to Sully county, South Dakota, where he in time became an
independent land owner, and engaged in stock-raising on a large scale. He had
the advantages of the public schools of Minnesota, and in spite of
irregularities and interruptions, managed to secure a practical business
education. In 1898 he sold his farm and engaged in a mercantile business at
Okobojo, Sully county, S. Dak., and at the same time served as postmaster under
President McKinley. Resigning from the postmastership in December, 1900, he made
arrangements to represent the vast aggregate of available lands in South Dakota
in the far west, and in February, 1901, established his business in Eugene,
Ore., as the most likely center of activity. He has taken a keen interest in the
organization of the Eugene Real Estate Exchange, is a charter member thereof,
was the first secretary and is now serving as its treasurer. He is a stanch
believer in Republican principles, an takes a hearty interest in local and state
affairs. Various fraternal organizations profit by his membership, among them
the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, of which he is consul,
the Women of Woodcraft, and the Royal Neighbors. The wife of Mr. Mateer was
formerly Alice Brownlee, and the marriage occurred in Okobojo, S. Dak., Miss
Brownlee was educated in Scotland, although she was born in Charleston, Ill. One
child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mateer, Ruth Marian.
     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2008 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.