Columbia-Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Matthews, Albert Hugh March 2, 1839 - January 1, 1910
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com June 12, 2009, 7:39 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     ALBERT HUGH MATTHEWS.  Among the worthy citizens of Oregon who, having 
performed their allotted tasks in life, have passed to their eternal reward, 
one of the most highly respected was the late Albert Hugh Matthews, who was 
numbered among the early pioneers of the state, contributed his full share to 
its development and realized in his own affairs a due measure of success. Mr. 
Matthews was born in Galesburg, Illinois, on the 2d of March, 1839, a son of 
William and Attla (DeWitt) Matthews, the former born in Kentucky, of Welsh 
ancestry, and the latter in Tennessee, of French descent. His father was a 
well-to-do planter in the south, owning a large tract of land and many slaves, 
but later in life moved to Illinois, where he and his wife died.

     Albert H. Matthews was reared at home to the age of fourteen years, when 
in 1853 he joined an emigrant train bound for Oregon. He drove an ox team 
across the plains to pay for his board and remained in Oregon about a year 
after his arrival. Going then to California, he spent a year in mining for 
gold, and on his return to Oregon followed mining near Jacksonville, in the 
southern part of the state. On the outbreak of the Rogue Indian war he 
enlisted, while yet a boy, and fought until the Indians were subdued. He then 
resumed his mining operations in southern Oregon, which he followed 
successfully for many years, after which he moved to Portland, where for about 
nine years he engaged in the livestock business. Selling out there, on June 
22, 1878, he moved to the Nehalem valley in Columbia county, where he took up 
a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, on the Nehalem river, four miles 
from Vernonia. He built his first house of split cedar boards and a shake 
roof, and in the course of time cleared much of the land, which he developed 
into a valuable farm. He lived there until July, 1900, when he sold the ranch 
and moved to Houlton, Oregon, where he bought a lot and hotel, which he ran 
until his death, which occurred on January 1, 1910, at the age of seventy-one 
years. He is survived by his widow, who now resides in Portland.

     In 1869, in Portland, he was married to Miss Kate Conley, who was born in 
San Francisco, California. Her parents who were natives of Ireland, went to 
California during the historic gold rush, and thence came to Portland in the 
early '60s. To Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were born four children: Mrs. Attla Lee, 
of Rainer, Oregon; Mrs. J. H. Peck, of Longview, Washington; Albert H., 
deceased, and Ethel A., who graduated from the State Normal School at 
Bellingham, Washington, and is now teaching in the public schools at 
Multnomah, Oregon. Mr. Matthews gave his political support to the democratic 
party and was greatly interested in local public affairs, being a strong 
advocate of improvements in roads and schools. He was a member of the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He lived a long and useful life, 
characterized by sterling integrity in all of its relations, and, because of 
his splendid personal qualities and his friendly manner, he commanded the 
esteem and friendship of all who knew him.

     Attla Matthews received her educational training in the district school, 
which was conducted in a log schoolhouse on Nehalem prairie which her father 
had helped to build, and for which he carried the windows on horseback from 
St. Helens, a distance of thirty miles. Attla Matthews taught a few terms of 
school in Washington and Columbia counties and in 1895 became the wife of W. 
C. Lee. To this union was born a son, William H., who is married and lives in 
Rainier. Mrs. Lee has also raised two other children, Mrs. Sophie Lee Terry, 
who was born in Alberta, Canada, and now lives in Portland, and Joseph W. Lee, 
who was born in Yamhill county, Oregon, and now lives with his mother in 
Rainier. Mrs. Lee owns and operates the Hotel Lee at Rainier, in which 
business she has met with well deserved success, and also owns a nice home in 
this city. She is an active supporter of the democratic party and takes a deep 
interest in the lodge and civic affairs of her community, being a member of 
the Daughters of Rebekah, the Women of the Mooseheart Legion, the Women of 
Woodcraft and the Woman's Benefit Association. She is a member of the city 
council of Rainier and has shown capability in everything she has undertaken. 
Because of her success and her excellent personal qualities she is very 
popular among her associates and has many warm and loyal friends.

Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 864-865

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