Cache County UT Archives Biographies.....Mathews, Alma M. 1881 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 23, 2011, 8:00 pm

Source: See below
Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher

ALMA M. MATHEWS.

    Among those who are filling public office in Utah is Alma M. Mathews, who is
county clerk of Cache county and makes his home in Providence. He has always
resided in this county, his birth having occurred in Providence, August 11,
1881. He is a son of the late Alma M. Mathews, who was a native of Merthyr,
Wales, whence he came to America and made his way to Utah In 1857. He was
brought to this state by his parents, Hopkin and Margaret (Morris) Mathews, who
became early colonizers of Utah. In 1859 they removed to Cache county, where the
grandfather took up farming, there residing until his death. Alma M. Mathews,
the father, was reared and educated in Cache county and devoted his life to
farming and stock raising. He was a breeder of thoroughbred cattle and he was
among the first to introduce the Clyde and Percheron horses into this section of
the state. He was very successful in the conduct of his business, which he
conducted on an extensive scale, and he did much to improve the grade of stock
raised in Utah. He belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
and filled a mission to Wales in 1888 and 1889. He also served as superintendent
of the Sunday school and was a member of the bishopric at the time of the
division of the Providence ward in May, 1909. Later he was appointed a member of
the high council of the Cache Stake, which position he held to the time of his
death, which occurred March 22, 1918, when he had reached the age of sixty-one
years, three months and one day. The mother of Alma M. Mathews was Mrs. Sophia
(Paulson) Mathews, a native of Copenhagen, Denmark. She came to Utah in the
early '60s with her parents, who settled in Cache county, and she was married In
the Endowment House at Salt Lake on the 11th of October, 1880. She is still
living and yet occupies the old homestead. Her family numbered four children,
three sons and a daughter, but the latter is now deceased. This was Margaret
Loretta, who died at the age of three days. She was the second of the famiiy,
while Alma M., is the eldest. The others are Newell M. and Hazen P.

    Alma M. Mathews began his education in the public schools of Providence and
spent one year as a student in the Brigham Young Academy at Logan, after which
he entered the Utah Agricultural College, pursuing the mechanical arts course.
After leaving college he took up the business of contracting and building with
Lehi Olsen, the business being conducted under the firm style of Olsen &
Mathews. This partnership was maintained for eight years and during that time
the firm erected some of the largest public buildings and residences in Logan
and Cache county. In January, 1913, Mr. Mathews entered the office of the county
clerk under A. B. Chambers as a deputy and on his death was appointed to the
vacant position. It was on the 6th of September, 1916, that Mr. Chambers passed
away and Mr. Mathews filled the unexpired term. He was elected on the 7th of
November, 1916, and served until November 5, 1918, when he was reelected to the
office, so that he served for two full terms by election and also for four
months in filling out an unexpired term. He is also a member of the city council
serving on the third term of a six year period in the office. He has likewise
been trustee and town clerk during the same period and In the discharge of his
duties displays the utmost fidelity as well as capability. He has ever regarded
a public office as a public trust and it is a well known fact that no trust
reposed in Alma M. Mathews has ever been betrayed in the slighest degree. His
political endorsement is given the democratic party and he has always been
keenly Interested in politics and civic matters. On the 11th of October, 1905,
Mr. Mathews was married in Logan Temple to Miss Hulda Erickson, a native of
Winoker, Sweden, and a daughter of Peter and Eva Erick-son. Mr. and Mrs. Mathews
have become parents of eight children, namely: Alma E., who was born October 18,
1906; Marva, born February 28, 1908; Adona, born October 17, 1910; Morris,
October 17, 1912; Elna, March 31, 1914; David, who was born May 22, 1915, and
died two days later; Margaret, born January 6, 1916; and Ruth, born May 18, 1918.

    The family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
and Mr. Mathews has served as chorister for the past twelve years of the first
ward of Providence and has been active in Sunday School work and in the Young
Men's Mutual Improvement Association. During the war he was a member of the
local draft board of Cache county, having been appointed to that position by
President Wilson in June, 1917, and giving his services in that connection
without pay. He is truly a self-made man in the best sense of the term, for he
started out in life empty-handed and provided not only for his interests in a
material way but for his education as well. Step by step he has worked his way
upward and his steady progression has brought him to an enviable place in the
ranks of citizenship in Cache county.


Additional Comments:
UTAH SINCE STATEHOOD
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME IV
CHICAGO-SALT LAKE: THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
1920


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