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Stephenson County
George M. Van Matre, of Oneco Township, was born at the home of his father on section 28, in this township, June 18, 1862. He is consequently a young man, and just entering upon the grave responsibilities of life, being married and the head of a family, for whom there is ample reason to suppose he is in a condition to provide comfortably, and maintain his and their position among the leading residents of this section. Upon his marriage, in 1884, he located on section 28, where he proposes to continue the pursuit of agriculture, in which he has been bred from his boyhood. He is a gentleman of fair education, having enjoyed the advantages of the district school, and is disposed to keep his eyes open to what is going on around him.
Our subject is the son of Joseph N. Van Matre, whose father, also named Joseph, was a native of Ohio. The former was born in Clinton County, Ohio, in 1836, and three years later the family migrated westward, locating in Oneco Township, this county. Joseph, Jr., remained under the home roof, assisting his parents until reaching his majority, but soon after his marrige began farming on rented land, and thus operated for a number of years. His death took place at his home in Oneco Township, July 28, 1878, while he was still comparatively a young man. The mother of our subject, in her girlhood was Miss Elizabeth Trotter, a native of Kentucky, and the daughter of George Trotter, who emigrated from the Blue Grass region to this county in 1836, when his daughter Elizabeth was a babe six months old. The parental family of our subject included four children, of whom two are now living.
George M. when twenty-three years of age, was united in marriage witli Miss Ella, daughter of Sylvester A. Dorn, who was born May 27, 1864, and whose father, a native of New York, is now a resident of Orangeville. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Van M. began life together in a modest dwelling situated in Oneco Township. They have one child, a son, Glenn D., born May 31, 1885. The mother of Mrs. Van M. was of Irish birth and parentage, and her father was a native of New York. The former died in 1874, and the latter is still living in Orangeville. The paternnl grandfather of our subject crossed the plains to California about the time of the gold excitement on the Pacific Slope. He was finally lost siglit of, and his son Joseph N., the father of our subject, when but a youth, was left in charge of the homestead, and the care of the family who were then residents of Oneco Township, and there he remained until assuming domestic ties of his own.
Contributed by Karen Hammer
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