Durham, N. N. "Spokane and the Inland Empire: History of the City of Spokane and Spokane County Washington." Vol. 2. S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. JOHN MATTYSHOCK The hardware and implement business of Hillyard finds a worthy representative in John Mattyshock, who is also largely interested in mining and is known as one of the substantial men of the community. He was born near Breslau, Germany, June 12, 1877, a son of Frank and Agnes (Smichly) Mattyshock. The father died in 1903 and the mother passed away one year previously. John Mattyshock passed his boyhood under the paternal roof and in the public schools of his native land secured the rudiments of an education. At the age of fourteen he emigrated to the United States and after landing at New York proceeded directly to Labolt, South Dakota, where he secured employment as a section hand on the Great Northern Railway. After working for a year, he went to Thompson, North Dakota, and followed the same work, proceeding a year later to Benson, Minnesota, at which place he filled the position of section foreman. He performed his duties so acceptably, that after two years he was promoted to the position of inventory inspector of the Breckenridge division, but occupied his new office only two months, when he was sent to Breckenridge as yard foreman. Perceiving the importance of additional education, he became a student in a business college at Sauk Center, Minnesota, and after one winter at this institution returned to the railway service as section foreman at Kerkhoven, Minnesota. Once more he gave up outdoor labor and entered a business college, and after completing a course at Minneapolis he went to Murdock, Minnesota, to fill a position as section foreman. He occupied the same position for six months at Browns Valley, Minnesota, and at the end of that time went to Havre, Montana, and for ten months was stationary engineer at the roundhouse. His next employment was as handy man at the roundhouse at Hillyard, Washington, a position which he filled for three years. Having decided to give up the railroad business, he located on one hundred and sixty acres of land near Jennings, Montana, but after five years' residence returned to Washington and for two years was engaged in government service in the navy-yard at Bremerton. In 1909 he returned to Hillyard and associated with M. H. Gordon in the hardware and implement business. The firm has been highly successful and as the partners are both men of good business judgment and understand the wants of the public in everything pertaining to hardware and implements, the outlook is indeed bright for a steady increase of prosperity. In 1910 Mr. Mattyshock filled the office of secretary and treasurer of the Idaho Consolidated Mining Company and he is interested in a number of mines in this part of the country. On January 2, 1911, Mr. Mattyshock was married at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to Miss Mamie Edwards, a daughter of pioneer farmers of this country. Politically Mr. Mattyshock is independent. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the Elks and can claim many friends in those organizations as well as outside of secret societies. He is an active, industrious and progressive man and is now fairly launched in a successful business which gives promise of gratifying returns in years to come. He is honored and respected wherever his name is known and ranks as one of the popular citizens of Hillyard—a man who has been true to every obligation and whose word is to him as binding as his bond. ******************* Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in June 2017 by Diane Wright. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.