"Joseph Matter, mason and contractor, was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1829. He is the son of Isaac and Hannah (Lenker) Matter, both of Dauphin County, PA. His grandfather also was a native of Dauphin County, the first ancestor of the family, having come from Germany in 1676.

When Joseph Matter was three years of age, his parents moved from Dauphin County to Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, where his father worked at the tailor's trade and farming for twelve years. April 16, 1845, they started for Freeport, Illinois, coming down the Ohio, and up the Mississippi rivers by boat, a journey which lasted three weeks and three days. They located in Buckeye township, where the father and mother died at the ages of seventy two and eighty seven respectively.

Isaac Matter was twice married; first to Miss Ohmhultz of Pennsylvania, who bore him three children, namely: Jonathan, now a retired farmer and tanner living in Davis, Stephenson county; Moses, who died in the fall of 1898 at Freeport; Sarah, deceased, was the wife of John Folgate. The second wife, Hannah Lenkert, was the mother of twelve children: Mary, now deceased, wife of James Folgate; Joseph (subject); Catherine, deceased, wife of P.W. Rockey; William H., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Susan, wife of Chas. Plowman, a farmer living near Jewell City, Kansas; Elizabeth, wife of S. R. Worick, resides near Jewell City; David, justice of the peace and a farmer of Jewell City; Aaron died at the age of twenty one, and three who died in infancy. All who reached maturity were educated in the common schools, finishing later at some of the best schools.

Joseph Matter began his business life as a farmer in Buckeye township. On the 15th day of March, 1859, he was united in marriage to Caroline Shaw of Stephenson County, who was born June 20, 1842. Her parents, Robert and Pronilla (Franks) Shaw, were natives of Center County, PA, but removed to Stephenson County, Illinois, where they died. Mr. Matter's family consists of eight children, as follows: Ida, wife of Henry Kahley of Buckeye township; Laura, wife of William Snyder of Buckeye township; Wiliam I., who lives of the old homestead in Buckeye township; Elmer, residing in Buckeye township; A. Guy, attorney in Goodwin, Minesota; O. E., a physician in DeKalb, Illinois; Elias, living in Buckeye township and Mabel, who lives at home.

After his marriage, Mr. Matter farmed for five years, then removed to Freeport where he worked at his trade, brickmason, five years. He then returned to his farm, and after hiring a man to take charge of it, he took a trip with his wife into Wisconsin, returning however in a short time to Freeport, where he now resides in his pleasant home at 480 Empire street. In addition to his home, Mr. Matter owns three farms in Buckeye township.

Mr. and Mrs. Matter are members of Trinity Evangelical church of Freeport. Mr. Matter is a republican in politics, but is not an office seeker."

Contributed by Roger Cramer
In the Footsteps of the Pioneers