Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 355.
 
HON. JOSEPH DE WITT MATLOCK

     The life history of the Hon. Joseph De Witt Matlock forms a connecting
link between the primitive pioneer past and the progressive present.  He came
to Oregon when all this district had every evidence of frontier life; he also
lived and conducted business in Alaska during that period when it was just
entering upon the commercial and industrial activity that has wrought such
marvelous changes there in the past two or three decades.  He has been no mere
idle witness of all that has occurred but a most helpful factor in the work of
progress and improvement of the northwest in a material way, while upon its
political history he has also left the impress of his ability and
individuality.  He is now living retired in Eugene, well meriting the rest that
crowns his former labors.  He has passed the seventy-third milestone on life's
journey, his birth having occurred in Benton county, Tennessee, March 8, 1839.
His father, Edward Lane Matlock, was a farmer of that locality for many years
although a native of the state of Georgia.  In the fall of 1839 he removed with
his family to Dade county, Missouri, where he not only continued in the
occupation of farming but was also prominent in the public life of the
community, serving for one term as county judge.  In 1853, attracted by the
glowing stories of the golden west, he came to Oregon, settling north of
Goshen, in Lane county, upon a donation claim of two hundred and ninety-six
acres.  For nine years thereafter his time and labors were devoted to the
cultivation and improvement of that tract of this section, however, he
attempted to win a fortune in the mines, following the discovery of the rich
mineral resources of the state.  In 1862 he went to the mines at Florence and
the following year to the Boise basin, but in the latter year contracted lung
fever, which caused his death, July 1, 1863, when he was forty-six years of
age, his birth having occurred April 18, 1817.  He had served as a wagon master
in the Rogue River Indian war of 1855-56 and in many ways was prominently and
helpfully connected with the pioneer development of the state.  His wife, who
bore the maiden name of Susan C. Fry, was born in North Carolina, December 3,
1815, and died in Heppner, Oregon, May 11, 1896.  In the family were seven sons
and a daughter:  Caswell John A., who was a soldier of the Rogue River Indian
war and is now owner of a ranch in Morrow county, Oregon;  Joseph De Witt, of
this review;  James W., formerly sheriff of Marion county and now a resident of
Heppner;  Edward Lane, who died in Heppner while serving as sheriff of the
county;  William F., a capitalist of Pendleton, Oregon, who served for two
terms in the state senate and was a major general of the Oregon National Guard;
Thomas J., a ranchman of Heppner;  Benjamin F., who died in Morrow county;  and
Sarah, who became the wife of Lee Greenwood and died in Eugene.
     Joseph De Witt Matlock began his education in the schools of Dade county,
Missouri.  His father was a man of public spirit in that community and had
borne half the expense of maintaining a school in his district.  The son was
fourteen years of age when the family started across the plains in April, 1853.
They traveled with ox teams and had a large number of loose cattle, which the
boy drove, walking the entire distance from the Mississippi valley to the
northwest.  The family brought with them six or seven wagons and completed the
journey with no unusual occurrences save the incidents and hardships which
always featured in such a trip.  They followed the old Oregon trail until they
reached Fort Boise and thence came by Meek's cutoff, which led along the
Malheur river to the big lakes. Two weeks were consumed in going around the
lakes.  They also crossed the desert, where their supply of water became
exhausted.  They afterward crossed the Deschutes river and at length reached
what is known as the Military road.  While en route they were forced to cross
the Willamette river nineteen different times but at length reaches their
destination on the 26th of October, 1853.
     In his boyhood days J. De W. Matlock worked on his father's farm for
several years.  At times he had the opportunity of continuing his education in
the common schools of Goshen and in the Eugene high school.  He next entered
Columbia college but the school building was destroyed by fire while he was
still a student there.  He afterward continued his studies in the high school
at Cornelius, Oregon, this ending his work in the classroom.  In 1862 he went
to the mines at Florence, where he met with fair success, after which he
returned to Lane county.
     In the fall of that year Mr. Matlock wedded Elizabeth E. Rutledge, who was
born in Illinois, November 9, 1844, and was brought to Oregon in 1853.  The
young couple began their domestic life on a farm seven miles southeast of
Eugene, Mr. Matlock purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he
cultivated until the death of his wife in 1864.  He then took up the profession
of teaching, which he followed for two years, and within that time he was
elected county superintendent of public instruction, in which capacity he
served for a term.  He preferred commercial interests, however, and on his
retirement from office engaged in pork packing and in general merchandising at
Pleasant Hill, Lane county.  After twenty months, however, he again took up his
abode upon a farm, selecting eight hundred and fifty acres in the vicinity of
Pleasant Hill, whereon he carried on general agricultural pursuits and
stock-raising for fifteen years.  He met with excellent success in that
undertaking and within the period of time designated had won a very gratifying
little fortune.  He then sold his property and removed to Eugene, but he did
not retire permanently at that time from business life.  On the contrary, he
became identified with commercial interests, purchasing the store of T. G.
Hendricks in 1884.  Two years afterward he erected at the corner of Willamette
and Eighth streets a handsome three-story business block, to which he removed
his stock of goods, there successfully continuing in business until 1896, when
he sold out and prepared to go to Alaska.  He was en route for that country in
January, 1898, going first to Skagway, after which he engaged in business at
Lake Bennett, British Columbia, for two years.  He sold out there with the
intention of moving his stock to Dawson and proceeded down the Yukon river,
taking his goods with him on flatboats.  While en route he lost about two
thousand dollars through the sinking of a boat in a storm, for, although he
succeeded in raising the boat, the stock was almost worthless.  In Dawson he
again embarked in general merchandising but after eighteen months closed out
his store there and returned to Eugene, making the trip down the Yukon river to
St. Michael and thence to Nome.  He is now practically living retired, although
he owns valuable property interests in this part of the state, including five
hundred acres about five miles from Eugene, which is devoted to stock-raising.
For many years he was interested in the Eugene Lumber Company as one of its
directors.  In business matters his judgment has ever been found to be sound
and reliable and his enterprise unfaltering.  Prosperity has crowned his
labors, enabling him to live retired in the enjoyment of rest which has been
truly earned and is richly deserved.
     Having lost his first wife, Mr. Matlock married her half-sister, Louisa
Rutledge, who was born in Illinois, April 1, 1851, and died in Eugene, July 17,
1891.  He later wedded Mrs. Sarah Durant, the widow of William Durant.  She was
born in Indiana, August 15, 1843, and became a resident of Oregon in 1874.  Her
father was Samuel Lowe, a native of Ireland, who, on coming to America,
followed farming near Omaha, Nebraska, for a considerable period and after he
retired made his home in that city until his death .  The first husband of Mrs.
Matlock was a merchant of Eugene, who died in 1887.  Of the six children born
of their union five are now deceased, while a daughter, Jennie, is the wife of
Robert M. Pratt, of Eugene.  Mr. Matlock is the father of twelve children:
Elizabeth, the wife of S. C. Smith, of Eugene;  Edis De Witt;  Caswell C.;
Lulu S., who died in Eugene;  Louisa C., the wife of George Randebusch, of Los
Angeles;  Bertha, the wife of E. E. Emmons, of Dawson, British Columbia;  Mary
M., who died in Eugene;  Joseph Frye;  Frankie and William, who have passed
away;  Eugene;  and Hazel, also deceased.
     Mr. Matlock is well known as a member of the Masonic fraternity, holding
membership in Eugene Lodge, No. 11, F. & A. M.; Eugene Chapter, No. 10, R. A.
M.; Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 2, K. T.; the consistory; and Al Kader Temple of
the Mystic Shrine.  He is also a past noble grand of Spencer Butte Lodge, No.
9, I.O.O.F.; and belongs to Wimawhala Encampment.  His religious faith is
evidenced in his membership in the Christian church.  He has always taken an
active part in public affairs and is a broad-minded citizen, whose efforts have
been an effective force for progress and improvement in the communities in
which he has lived.  In 1874 he was elected on the democratic ticket to the
state legislature and he was chosen mayor of Eugene for two terms, or six
years.  He also served as a member of the city council for ten years more and
has been chairman of the street commissioners and health commissioners.  He was
mayor and the moving spirit when the power plant on the McKinzie and waterworks
of Eugene were put in, and laid the foundation for the city electric lighting
system, all of which the city now owns.  It took him eight years, as mayor and
councilman, to accomplish these things, owing to the opposition of capitalists
and corporations who owned these public utilities.  He was instrumental in
having a committee appointed to look after these various measures and was the
chief factor in bringing to pass the movements which have proved beneficial to
the city.  He has acted as chairman of the Lane county democratic central
committee and was a member of the first congressional district committee of his
party.  his interests and activities have touched the various phases of life
which are factors in progress and improvement.  He has ever kept abreast with
the thinking men of the age, has held to high ideals and yet has utilized the
most practical methods in their accomplishment.  It would be difficult to
determine wherein has been the field of his greatest usefulness, yet all
acknowledge the value of his service along many lines, honoring him for what he
has accomplished and for the public-spirited devotion which he has displayed to
the city and state of his adoption.
 
 
Transcriber's additional notes:
 
Oregon Death Index
Joseph Dewitt Matlock
May 23, 1921; Lane Co, OR
Certificate # 179


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2005 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.