My Genealogy Hound

JOSIAH A. MATHERS, one of the honored pioneers of Kearney county, is a native of Indiana, born in Washington county, July 30, 1831. His parents, Lyman and Fannie (Bonard) Mathers, came from the New England States and were among the early settlers in Indiana; the former died in 1852, and the latter in 1853.

“Joe,” as he is familiarly known, early chose farming as his occupation in life, and has followed it since with no small degree of success. He came West, settling in Iowa, but was not satisfied there and so crossed over into Missouri, in 1853, where he remains for ten years. During the war it became necessary for every loyal man in Missouri to shoulder a musket, and in the early days of that great struggle we find Joe Mathers a volunteer on the side of the Union. He enlisted in June, 1862, in the Twenty seventh Missouri regiment, and saw the hardest kind of fighting at Vicksburg, Lookout mountain, Resaca and Atlanta, and marched with Sherman to Charlottesville. He was wounded at the battle of Resaca, but was laid up for only two weeks. He was mustered out June 13, 1865, after three years of most honorable service. After the war he went to La Porte county, Ind., where he farmed for about ten years. In 1869 he immigrated to Cass county, Nebr., and in 1871 came to Kearney county, and is now perhaps the oldest settler in the county south of the sand hills along the Platte. He pre-empted a claim in Eaton township when there was not a family living in sight — and one could see a long way then. He brought with him about one hundred head of cattle from Missouri, but lost them all in the great Easter storm of 1873. When he first came to this section of the county he procured a cottonwood pole about fifteen feet long and planted it near his sod house, and on this he hung a buffalo hide to serve as a guide to him, when miles away from home. This section of the country was settled mainly in 1874-5 and 6, but many left during the famous grasshopper famine. Mr. Mathers came here well supplied with means and was exceedingly generous towards many of the unfortunate settlers.

In 1854 he was married to Malinda Cowgill, who bore him seven children. His wife died in December, 1873, and Mr. Mathers was married September 4, 1875, to Mary Jane Conyers, by whom he also had seven children — Fannie, Riley, George, Elizabeth, Jane, Lydia and Maggie. Mr. Mathers has been justice of the peace, is a member of the G. A. R. and is one of the most respected citizens in the county.