Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....De La Matter, Smith May 26, 1827 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com February 20, 2006, 6:58 am

Author: Bio/Gen Rec LaSalle/Grundy Counties 1900

In pioneer days Smith De La Matter came to Maine township, then Braceville 
township, and through many years has been prominently identified with its 
agricultural interests. He is descended from an old French Huguenot family, 
but for many generations its representatives have found homes in America.  
Isaac De La Matter, the grandfather of our subject, was a cooper by trade and 
resided in Dutchess county, New York, for many years. In old age he removed to 
Canada, where he spent his last days with his son Martin.  His children were 
Seymour, Smith, Martin, Cornelia and Elizabeth.

Martin De La Matter, the father of our subject, was born in Dutchess county, 
New York, September 8, 1795, received a common-school education and early 
became familiar with the labors of the farm. When a young man he removed to 
Canboro, Canada, and was there married, NoŽvember 3, 1818, to Sabina Smith, 
who was born in New York, August 6, 1797, a daughter of Matthew and Mary 
(Wright) Smith. Her father was born April 4, 1773, and died in Ontario, August 
16, 1834. Her mother was born March 18, 1777, and died February 2, 1846. They 
were married April 29, 1795, and had sixteen children: Ezra, who was born in 
New York, January 16, 1796, was married and had nine children and died January 
16, 1864; Sabina, born August 6, 1797, had nine children and died February 9, 
1835; Ferrand, born in New York, July 26, 1799, had nine children and died in 
Michigan, March 19, 1875; Martha, born in Port Erie, Canada, September 17, 
1801, had six children and died January 11, 1867; Sabrin, born in Canboro, 
Ontario, June 17, 1803, had nine children; Matthew, born April 8, 1805, in 
Ontario, and died September 2, 1871; an infant, who died unnamed; Mary, born 
in Canboro, Ontario, August 31, 1807, had seven children and died May 3, 1848; 
Joel, born September 25, 1809, in Canboro, Ontario, had two children and died 
October 12, 1832; Phoebe, born in Ontario, November 19, 1811, had eleven 
children and died November 8, 1873; Seth K., born in Canboro, August 2, 1814, 
had three children; Elizabeth, born in Canboro, April 26, 1816, had six 
children and died March 22, 1868; James W., born in Canboro, July 26, 1818, 
had one child and died October 30, 1898; Isaac, born July 31, 1819, had one 
child; Wesley, born in Canboro, April 5, 1822, had three children and died 
July 20, 1872; and Margaret, born in Canboro, April 18, 1825, had six children 
and died July 6, 1861. The father of these children was a millwright by trade, 
and with his family removed from New York to Ontario, Canada, in 1800. About 
1802 he located on a farm at Canboro, purchasing a tract of land and building 
thereon a mill. He settled in the midst of the primeval forest, cleared away 
the trees and developed rich and fertile fields, becoming one of the 
substantial and well known citizens of the community. His children settled 
around him and the, family was one of prominence there. In his religious 
belief he was a Methodist and died in that faith in Canboro, at a very 
advanced age.

After his marriage Martin De La Matter located on a farm at Canboro, where 
they lived for some years and then removed to Pelham, Ontario, now in Welland 
county, and there he purchased and improved a farm, securing two hundred acres 
of land, from which he cleared the trees. When it was placed under cultivation 
additional crops were planted and soon abundant harvests rewarded his labors. 
Ultimately he became one of the prosperous as well as enterprising farmers of 
his community. He and his wife were members of the Methodist church, in which 
he served as a class-leader, and to the support of the church he made liberal 
contributions and in his life he manifested its teachings. He held a number of 
township offices, and at the time of the Canadian rebellion served as a 
sergeant, being stationed at Fort Erie. By his marriage to Sabina Smith he had 
the following children: Cyrus, who was born in Canboro, September 10, 1820, 
and died February 27, 1890; Ryan A., who was born May 5, 1822, and died May 
16, 1827; Eben J., who was born April 17, 1824; Cornelia, who was born 
December 10, 1825, and died October 25, 1863; Smith, who was born May 26, 
1827; Ferrand, born May 25, 1830, and died September 5, 1831; Peter M., who 
was born in Pelham, February 14, 1833; and Martin, who was born December 13, 
1834, and died March 26, 1835. The mother of these children died in Pelham, 
February 10, 1835, and on, the 15th of September, of the same year, Mr. De La 
Matter was married in Pelham to Mary M. Vanderburgh. She was born in Ontario, 
June 20, 1806, and died September 11, 1885, and was of Dutch lineage. The 
children of this union are: Sabina, who was born in Pelham, June 27, 1836; 
Henry, born July 23, 1838; Ira, born January 29, 1840; Robert H., who was born 
March 19, 1842, and died June 4, 1899; Isaac, who was born March 24, 1845, and 
died July 3, 1869; Mary E., who was born March 13, 1847, and died January 18, 
1867; and Frances E., born February 28, 1850. The father of these children 
died in Pelham, December 19, 1874. He was a leading and influential citizen of 
the community, whose upright life commended him to the confidence and respect 
of all with whom he came in contact. He reared a highly respected family, and 
the children of his second marriage all received college educations. Robert H. 
became a physician; Henry is a teacher in the high school; Ira was educated 
for the bar; and Isaac also prepared for the legal profession but died in 
early manhood.

Smith De La Matter, the subject of this review, acquired his education in the 
common schools of Pelham and early became familiar with the work of the farm, 
assisting in the work of field and meadow through out the summer months. He 
aided his father in the cultivation of the homestead until twenty-two years of 
age, and in 1849 he came to Illinois, locating in Millington, on the Fox 
river. There he was employed as a farm hand by his uncle, Seymour, and 
afterward worked in a wagon shop. In 1854 he returned to Canada, where he 
worked at the millwright's trade in Pelham and other towns. He was married in 
Manchester, New York, April 30, 1859, to Margaret A. Marron, who was born in 
Belfast, Ireland, May 6, 1832, and was of English and Scotch lineage, her 
parents being James and Catherine (McGrain) Marron. Her father was the only 
son of a wealthy man. His wife was a daughter of William and Ellen McGrain, 
the former a merchant of Edinburg, Scotland, in which city he died. James 
Marron and his wife died in early life, leaving their daughter Margaret an 
orphan at the age of three years. She lived with her uncle, William McGrain, 
in Edinburg, Scotland, until eight years of age, when she accompanied him on 
his emigration to America. Three years later he returned to the land of hills 
and heather, leaving Margaret to the care of his friend, William Aikens, and 
soon after his arrival in Scotland Mr. McGrain died. Unto our subject and his 
wife have been born three children: James, who was born February 29, 1860, and 
died on the same day; Truman M., who was born March 14, 1861; and Martin S., 
who was born September 8, 1863, and died May 2, 1869.

In May, 1869, Mr. and Mrs. De La Matter came to Illinois and purchased eighty 
acres of wild land in Maine township, Grundy county, paying four hundred 
dollars for the tract. This amount he had saved from the proceeds of his own 
labor, and upon the new farm he began life in the west. Long years of untiring 
activity followed, in which he greatly improved his property, erecting a 
pleasant home and substantial outbuildings and adding other accessories and 
conveniences of a model farm. He has also extended the boundaries of his 
property until the homestead now comprises one hundred and sixty acres, and in 
addition to this he owns two hundred acres of rich and fertile land in 
Greenville township, all under a high state of cultivation. All of the 
improvements upon the place stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise, 
for his possessions have been acquired entirely through his well directed 
efforts. His activity in the affairs of life has brought to him a handsome 
competence and his example should serve to encourage others who are forced to 
enter upon a business career empty-handed, for America offers unlimited 
possibilities to her citizens if they be possessed of energy, ambition and 
resolution.

His son, Truman M., has operated the farm for a number of years. He acquired 
his preliminary education in the district schools and afterward attended the 
high school of Normal, Illinois. Subsequently he engaged in teaching in Maine 
township, but has had charge of his father's property for some time, thus 
relieving Mr. De La Matter of much care and labor. He was married, in Maine 
township, March 14, 1895, to Jennie M. Williams, who was born in Cook county, 
Illinois, March 9, 1866, and is a daughter of Edmund J. and Mary (James) 
Williams. Her father was born in Manchester, England, December 4, 1833, and 
received a common school education. In 1852, when nineteen years of age, he 
crossed the Atlantic to New York and resided in the Empire state for two 
years. He was married in that state, January 1, 1856, to Mary James, who was 
born in Manchester, England, March 4, 1835, and came to America on the same 
ship in which Mr. Williams took passage. She died March 12, 1900, in Gardner, 
from the effects of an accident. Their children were as follows: Mary E., born 
April 14, 1857, in Cook county, Illinois, died July 22, 1893; George H. was 
born in the same county, February 18, 1859; John B., born January 8, 1864, 
died January 18, 1891; Jennie M. was born March 9, 1866, in Cook county; Ida 
B. was born in the same county May 5, 1868; Andrew J. was born in Kankakee 
county, Illinois, August 3, 1869; Albert was born October 15, 1872; Lillie L. 
was born May 12, 1874, and died November 27, 1890; and Fred, born January 22, 
1876, died in childhood. Soon after his marriage Mr. Williams removed to Cook 
county, Illinois, locating on land in Norton township. In February, 1868, he 
removed to Kankakee county, Illinois, locating on a farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres there. He prospered, becoming one of the substantial farmers of 
the community. In 1869 he took up his abode in Gardner, Illinois, and from 
there removed to Mazon township, where he purchased two hundred and eighty 
acres of land, upon which he lived for some years. He then returned to 
Gardner, where he now resides. His wife was a lady of many virtues and her 
death was deeply deplored by her family and a large circle of friends. Mr. 
Williams has always lived an industrious and upright life and is respected by 
all who know him. In his political views Truman M. De La Matter is 
independent. He is an honored member of the order of Knights of Pythias of 
Gardner and has filled all of its offices, including that of chancellor. He is 
also connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and in his local camp has 
served as venerable counselor. A practical farmer and well known citizen, he 
is straightforward in his dealings and honorable in all life's relations.

Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p584-588

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