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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Clark County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Aaron Mattley was born in Orange County, N. Y., September 15, 1822, and is a son of John Mattley, who was born in England in 1792, and Elizabeth (Key) Mattley, also a native of England. They came to the United States just after the war of 1812, and settled in the State of New York, where the father was a mechanic for about twenty years, after which he went to Jefferson County, Ind., where he settled on a farm, remaining there until his death. After the death of his father our subject accompanied his mother, brother and sister to Scotland County, Mo., where he engaged in farming and school teaching until the war, when he served in Company G, N. E. R. Home Guards, in which he was captain under David Moore. He took an active part in the battle of Athens, where he was wounded by a bullet passing through his lungs. This wound was thought fatal for some time, but he finally recovered. In the winter of 1860-61 he organized several secret societies, the Knights of Malta being a society for self-protection. He has the honor of having made the first unconditional speech in behalf of the Union delivered in Scotland County. After the war he lived in Scotland County until the last twelve or thirteen years, when, after selling his farm, he purchased the one he now lives upon, which contains 280 acres of land under a good state of cultivation. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising to a great extent. He was married in 1851 to Eliza J. McCaslin, of Indiana, although a native of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Mattley have had three children: Walter Scott, Jonathan H. and Nancy E. (the widow of James T. Hise, who is now dead). In 1873 our subject was left a widower with three children. In 1879 he married Sarah E. Combs, daughter of James Combs and Elizabeth (Scott) Combs. This wife was born in Scotland County, Mo., in 1846. Her grandfather was a pioneer settler of Clark County, Mo., and her grandmother died at the age of ninety-one, having been a resident of that county for fifty-three years. She was highly respected by the citizens, and was the mother of a large family. Mr. and Mrs. Mattley have had three children: Katie, Aaron J. and Hilda. Our subject has never aspired to a public office of any kind, although he takes great interest in the welfare of the Republican party, and was chairman of the central committee of Scotland County for sixteen years, and also president of the Union League for some time. He has been an active and worthy member of the Baptist Church for forty-four years, and has never been known to be under the influence of intoxicating liquors; he is the possessor of part of the old place known as the “Robert Lee place.” He is a member and officer of the A. H. T. A., and belongs to the G. A. R. He is greatly interested in the prosperity and general welfare of the country, a hearty supporter of education, and is a man of ability, well read and well posted in the current events of the day.

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This family biography is one of 232 biographies included in the Clark County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Clark County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clark County, Missouri family biographies here: Clark County, Missouri Biographies

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