BIO: Jacob H. MATTERN, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 123-124.
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  J. H. MATTERN, merchant, Warriors Mark, Huntingdon county, Pa., was 
born March 19, 1846, near Franklinville, on a farm now owned by Mr. 
Thompson, son of Jacob S. Mattern and Susan (Fetterhoof) Mattern.  His 
grandfather, George Mattern, was born in Maryland.  His father, Jacob 
S. Mattern, was born in Franklin township, Huntingdon county, October 
25, 1811, grew up on the farm and learned carpentry.  Before marriage 
he was principally engaged in farming, but after marriage he was often 
employed by turnpike companies to lay out pikes.  He died in 1851 on 
the farm on which he was born.  His wife some years later married again 
to Richard Wills and died in 1890, in Warriors Mark, Pa.  She was Miss 
Susan, daughter of George and Catharine (Gensimore) Fetterhoof.  Mr. 
Fetterhoof, her father, who was at one time engaged in hauling pig-iron 
to Pittsburg, was attacked by small-pox on one of his trips, and died 
on the way.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Mattern were:  Harriet (Mrs. 
Zacharias Lower), of Warriors Mark; John F., retired farmer, Warriors 
Mark; Adeline (Mrs. W. C. Patterson), of State College; J. H.; Eliza, 
deceased wife of C. H. York; and Amelia (Mrs. George S. Gray), of 
Centre county.  Mr. and Mrs. Wills had three children, all now 
deceased.
  J. H. Mattern lost his father when only five years of age.  He had 
attended the public schools a few years when his mother married Mr. 
Wills and removed to Warriors Mark.  At the age of eleven he began to 
work on John Gensimore's farm for his board and clothes, attending 
school during the winter months.  After staying here six years he 
farmed near Academia, Tuscarora valley, for six months, then went to 
school at Pine Grove Mills, Centre county, for one year.  The following 
year he taught school in Franklin township, and in the ensuing summer, 
a subscription school at Huntingdon Furnace.  The next winter he taught 
in Warriors Mark township.  At the close of this term, he embarked in 
the mercantile business with John I. Patterson at Yellow Springs, Blair 
county.  A year later he sold his interest to T. C. Waite, and with his 
brother bought out the store of Capt. William P. Dale, at State 
College, Centre county.  After two years they took into partnership 
their brother-in-law, W. C. Patterson, now superintendent of State 
College farms.  In the same spring J. H. Mattern moved to Warriors Mark 
with his family, where he and his brother bought property, leaving 
their brother-in-law in charge at State College.  Having bought the 
present site, J. H. Mattern & Bro. tore down the old building, and 
erected a new one.  J. H. Mattern & Bro. having been associated 
together a number of years, Samuel Gray bought the interest of J. F. 
Mattern and continued the business with J. H. Mattern until 1872.  
During this time, Mattern & Gray bought a store at Moshannon Mines, 
Clearfield county, but sold out during the panic of 1873.  Mr. Gray and 
J. H. Mattern had been together for two years, when Mr. Gray sold back 
to J. H. Mattern; some years after, Mr. J. H. Mattern bought him out 
again and has continued the business in his own name ever since.  He 
has been in mercantile for twenty-seven years.  In the summer of 1894 
he built his present beautiful residence.
  On March 19, 1868, he married Mary, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth 
(Keith) Waite.  They have two children:  Hayes W., born April 26, 1869, 
a graduate of State College, now a civil engineer on the Gettysburg 
Battlefield Corps; and Frank K., born in January, 1872, a graduate of 
State College, now a mechanical engineer in the draughting department 
with the Pennsylvania Steel Company.  Mr. Mattern owns real estate near 
the store, and is a director of the First National Bank at Tyrone.  He 
is an ardent follower of the Republican party, and an active member of 
the Methodist church, having been superintendent of the Sunday-school 
and class leader for the last seventeen years.

Note: Jacob Mattern, 34, Mary Mattern, 29, Hays W. Mattern, 11, and 
Frank K. Mattern, 9, are listed in the 1880 Warriors Mark, Huntingdon 
County census.