Wetzel County, West Virginia Biography of Frank L. MATSON, M. D. ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 85 FRANK L. MATSON, M. D. As a youth and young man Doctor Matson was in the railroad service, but finally be- gan preparation for a professional career, and for the last fifteen years has carried on a busy practice as a physician and surgeon at Hundred in Wetzel County. Doctor Matson was born at Watts Flats in Chautauqua County, New York, December 12, 1878. In the paternal line he is of Scotch ancestry. His grandfather was a native of New York State and an early farmer at Watts Flats, where he lived out his life. His wife was of Irish ancestry. James E. Matson, father of Doctor Matson, spent all his life at Watts Flats, where he was born in 1840 and died in 1895. He was a merchant, for twenty years was postmaster, was a republican in politics and was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was three times married. By his second wife he had a daughter, Pearl, now deceased. His third marriage was with Miss Elvira E. Hayes, who was born at Wattsburg, Pennsyl- vania, in 1860, and is now living at Canton, Ohio. Her two sons are Frank L. and James R., the latter an agent for the East Ohio Gas Company at Uhrichsville, Ohio. Frank L. Matson acquired his grade school education in Watts Flats. About the time he completed school he learned telegraphy, and for five years was an operator with the Erie Railroad, the first two years acting as relief operator on different stations on the First Division. The last, three years his service was chiefly at Saegerstown, Pennsylvania, as operator though much of the time he spent in the train dispatcher's office at Meadville. Doctor Matson first came to West Virginia in 1900 as telegraph operator at Pine Grove in Wetzel County for the Hope Natural Gas Company. He was there two years and filled a similar position one year at Uniontown in Wetzel County. In 1903 he entered the University of Louisville, and diligently pursued his medical studies until he graduated M. D. in 1906. After graduating he prac- ticed a year at Littleton in Wetzel County, and since then has had his home and offices at Hundred. For the past eight years he had been local surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company, for five years has served as city health officer, and has a large private clientage both as a physician and surgeon. His offices are on Railroad Street, opposite the depot. Doctor Matson is a republican, has served one year on the City Council of Hundred, is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church and is affiliated with Littleton Lodge No. 131, A. F. and A. M., West Virginia Consistory of the Scottish Bite at Wheeling, Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling, Hundred Lodge No. 200, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Hundred Lodge No. 84, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Marshall County Med- ical Society and the State and American Medical associa- tions. During the war he was a worker in all the local drives for the sale of bonds and other patriotic causes. In June, 1910, at Wellsburg, West Virginia, Doctor Matson married Miss Emma Jane Kelley, daughter of James A. and Annie (Thompson) Kelley. Her mother died in 1921, at Wellsburg, where her father resides. Mrs Matson, who is a graduate of the Wellsburg High School, is the mother of one son, Frank Lloyd, Jr., born June 28, 1912.