| Notes |
- At the time of his father's death John Mateer, the eldist son aged 22 years,
"bought the home farm at the appraisement and kept the family together for
about four years." In 1833 the widow Rebecca and her two younger daughters
rented a house in Mechanicsburg; but after John sold the home place and moved
to a farm near Shiremantown, his mother and sister Mary went there to keep
house for him until his marriage in 1835, when they moved again to part of a
house belonging to Uncle John Mateer.
William Diven, John Mateer's father-in-law, "was born 3 November 1787 in a
small stone house which is still standing (1893) on the west bank of the
Susquehanna River, just south of the Cumberland Valley Railway bridge close to
the river. His father had charge of the ferry, was a stone mason by trade, and
is said to have built the second stone house in Harrisburg and the stone wall
enclosing Silver Springs Graveyard." William Diven's wife Rebecca, daughter of
Samuel and Mary (McMullen) Nelson, was born in Monaghan Township, York County,
Pennsylvania, 31 August 1789.
On 1 April 1835 John Mateer Jr. and wife Mary, for $4259.13, conveyed to
Christian Musselman of Fairview Township, York County, Pennsylvania, a parcel
of land in Allen Township, Cumberland County 125 acres 43 perches, "neat
measure", bounded by property of John Mateer Sr., James Mateer, Henry Myers,
Henry Lonecker, Nancy McCue and Abraham Hensh. This tract in his lifetime and
at the time of his death property of William Mateer, grandfather of the present
grantor, passed by his will dated 23 July 1810 to his son William, father of
the present grantor; the second William died intestate and title to the land
passed by Orphans Court decree dated 10 November 1834 to the aforesaid John
Mateer, eldest son of the decedent. Musselman, the present grantee, agreed to
pay $2882.91 1/2 in cash, also annual interest on $1032.16, "her thirds" to
Rebecca Mateer widow her lifetime, and to post bond for the payment to William
Wise and Margarete Jane his wife, for $344.05.5 "their distributory share of
her father's estate." Witnesses: John Mateer, Andrew Mateer.
John and Mary (Diven) Mateer first went to housekeeping on a farm described as
the Clovermill property, located near Shiremanstown, Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania. Their son, John Lowrie Mateer takes up the story there: "In the
spring of 1840 they sold the Clovermill property for $3000.00. They rented a
house in Dillsburg and lived there one year. During this year father bought a
farm in Adams County, two miles from Petersburg towards Gettysburg. They moved
onto this farm in the spring of 1841."
In 1850 this family was listed as living in Huntington Township, Adams County,
Pennsylvania.; John aged 42 was a farmer with real estate valued at $4500.
Other members of the family were Mary aged 34, Calvin aged 14, Jane aged 12,
William aged 7 and John aged two years.
Continuing with John L. Mateer's account, this Adams County farm "contained 120
acres with a good brick house and barn. Father paid $3000.00 for it. They
lived there until 1857 when they sold the farm for $6000.00 cash. Father went
at once to Mercer County Pennsylvania and bought from Samuel Park (mother's
cousin) for $6000.00 cash. This farm contains 209 acres and is located one
mile west of Pine Grove, now 'Grove City'. The family went out in the spring
of 1857 on the Pennsylvania Railway to Pittsburg, thence by stage. Father and
brother Will drove three hourses to a wagon loaded with household goods over
the mountain. In spring 1865 they sold this farm for $15,000.00 and removed to
Henry, Illinois.
In the summer of 1872 John Mateer moved again to Monmouth, Warren County,
Illinois; so that his younger children might have greater educational
opportunities at the college there.
Mr. Mateer was a devoted and upright Christian man, an Elder in the
presbyterian Church at Monmouth. He took special interest in foreign missions,
to which cause he gave two sons.
The will of John Mateer of the Town of Henry and County of Marshall, Illinois,
now the City of Monmouth, Illinois, "of the age of 65 years", written 13
January 1874, bequeathed to wife Mary N. Mateer, "that part of my estate which
the law provides"; to son Calvin W. Mateer and to Jennie Henderson, $500 each;
to son John Lowrie Mateer, $1000; to son Horace N. Mateer, $625; to son Robert
M. Mateer and to daughter Lillie E. Mateer, $500 each; also $150 to Nettie
Henderson my granddaughter; all of the balance of the estate to be divided
equally amongst seven children, namely, Calvin W., Jennie Henderson, William
D., John L., Robert M. Horace N. and Lillie E. Mateer; their mother his wife
Mary N. Mateer to be guardian for Horace N. and Lillie E. Mateer, minors.
Witnesses; J. R. W...ter, William F. Smith.
In the 1880 census of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, First Ward, Mary N. Mateer
aged 62 years was head of a household which included three of her children:
Robert M., minister aged 27, Horace N. aged 24 "at school", and Lillian E.,
teacher aged 22 years.
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Reference:
McTeer - Mateer Families of Cumberland County Pennsylvania, Frances Davis
McTeer, 1975, p 54, 78-79.
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1807 - 1875 (67 years)