Bio of MATCHAN, George L. (b.1853), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol II, pg 811-812
GEORGE L. MATCHAN
George L. Matchan, attorney at law, was born at Bilton, England, February 3,
1853, and is a son of George W. and Mary Ann (Shields) Matchan, who were natives
of Yorkshire, England. Crossing the Atlantic to the new world they settled in
Ontario, Canada, in 1858, taking up their abode near the city of Brockville. The
father was a dairy farmer and after about six years spent in Canada removed to
Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1864. In the fall of the same year, however, he came to
Minnesota, settling in Goodhue county and in 1865 he purchased a farm there,
residing on that place to the time of his death, which occurred in 1907 and
becoming widely recognized as one of the representative dairy farmers of that
locality.
George L. Matchan was but eleven years of age when brought to Minnesota by his
parents and here he largely pursued his education in the public schools. He
began the study of law when eighteen years of age in the office and under the
direction of the firm of Brown & Stocker at Lake City, Minnesota, and
subsequently he matriculated in the law department of the State University of
Michigan at Ann Arbor but did not graduate there on account of illness. However,
he had prosecuted his studies to such an extent that he was able to pass the
required examination that secured his admission to the bar in 1875, and in 1876
he entered into partnership with his former preceptors, Brown & Stocker of Lake
City, while in 1877 the firm became Stocker & Matchan. While there residing he
served as county attorney of Wabasha county and continued successfully in the
private practice of law in that locality until 1884, when he removed to
Minneapolis, where he has since resided, having made his home throughout the
period at No. 2801 South Lyndale avenue. Moreover, he has been a tenant of the
Globe building for twenty-eight years, twenty years of this time being
associated in law practice with F. B. Wright, under the firm style of Wright &
Matchan. He has long enjoyed an extensive practice of a distinctively
representative character and is a lawyer of acknowledged ability, whose devotion
to his clients' interests is proverbial and yet he never forgets that he owes a
still higher allegiance to the majesty of the law.
In January, 1875, Mr. Matchan was united in marriage to Miss Mary Doxie and they
have become the parents of three children: Glenn R., who is a physician of
Minneapolis; Lloyd C., who is with the Minneapolis Steel Machinery Company; and
Grace, the wife of M. E. Washburn, a druggist. The wife and mother passed away
in February, 1903. In March, 1904, Mr. Matchan was again married, his second
union being with Henrietta Preston Ellis, a native of Hornell, New York.
Mr. Matchan was chairman of the republican campaign committee from 1900 until
1904, or for a period of two terms, and has long been an earnest and consistent
worker in behalf of republican principles, for he believes that the platform of
the party contains the best elements of good government. He belongs to the
Lyndale Congregational church and also to the Masonic fraternity, being a life
member of Khurum Lodge, No. 112, A. F. & A. M. He is a member of the Hennepin
County Bar Association, with which he has been identified since 1882, and
likewise belongs to the State Bar Association, and enjoys in unusual degree the
confidence and respect of his fellow members of the legal profession.