ONE HUNDRED YEAS OLD, An Early Settler In Clinton Township Passes the Century Goal

 

    On Tuesday, May 22, 1900, Mrs. Lois Hall, mother of Mrs. Oscar F. Matteson, of Waterman, celebrated her 100th birthday.  Over ten years ago her granddaughter became a grandmother, or, in other words, five generations are now living, and the oldest representative of the fifth generation has celebrated her 10th birthday.  It seems eminently fitting at this time to put in permanent form the records of the early generations of the family, especially as they were among the earliest settlers of this township.

 

    Levi Scott was born July 3, 1775, and died February 3, 1847.  Catherine Ives, his wife, was born August 12, 1778, and died December 17, 1839.  Their home was at Bridgewater, Conn.  Their children were:

 

        Lois Scott, born May 23, 1800

        Tracy Scott, born March 14, 1803

        Deme Dicy Scott, June 21, 1807

        Catherine Scott, born September 26, 1809

        Welcome Scott, born September 26, 1811

        Shelburn Scott, born August 19, 1813

        Catherine Scott born October 25, 1818

        Levi Scott, Jr., born November 14, 1820

        Caroline E. Scott, born, August 27, 1823

 

    The name of the third child is pronounced exactly as spelled, and I spelled it just as it appears upon bible record.  It is an evident corruption of the noted Italian family, de Medici.

 

    Lois Scott, the oldest of the family, was born May 22, 1800 (the bible record consulted said May 23, but she has always claimed May 22 as her birthday so there is probably a mistake to the record), and, married November 23, 1826, Sylvester Hall, son of Powell Hall and Lavina Willy, and one of a family which has a numerous descent in the county.  A sister of Sylvest, Liva, married Arunah Hill, who was moderator of the first town meeting held in Clinton township.  To Sylvester and Lois Hall were born two children, girls, Catherine A. and Marian A. Hall.  The latter was born August 4, 1829, at which time the family was residing in Houndsfield near Watertown, N. Y.  Here they continued to reside until early in 1845 when they started for Illinois.  The party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Hall, their two daughters, and Levi Scott, an unmarried brother of Mrs. Hall.  The journey was made by horse and wagon and it took them three weeks and three days to reach Chicago.  Twice at least their progress was delayed by rain.  Their goods were shipped by water.  About the same time, probably in the autumn of the same year, came Tracy and Shelburn I. Scott, brothers of Mrs. Hall.

 

    In 1849 came the excitement over the discovery of gold in California, and in February of 1850, Mr. Hall, leaving his family behind, again set his face toward the west.  In July he reached the new El Dorado, having consumed four months in the perilous journey.  In the latter part of the next February he was dead.  thus almost at the beginning of her second half century Mrs. Hall was left a widow.  Her two daughters had married soon after reaching Illinois.  Catherine married Martin Russell, March 29, 1846, and Marian married Oscar F. Matteson, December 4, 1847.  Mr. Matteson was a son of Benjamin and Miriam Olmsted and was born in Houndsfield, N. Y., August 1, 1825.  In 1846 he came with his parents to Clinton township.  His mother was the first person buried in Johnson's Grove cemetery.  Mr. Matteson delights to tell how he and his wife, though born and raised less that three miles from each other, had never seen each other until they met in their new-found home in DeKalb county.  Catherine, wife of Martin Russell, was born January 23, 1828, and died October 24, 1898.  Mrs. Matteson is therefore the only living representative of the second generation.

 

    Mr. and Mrs. Matteson are now living in retirement in the village of Waterman.  They celebrated their golden wedding December 4, 1897.  To them were born 9 children, whose record is as follows:

 

        1.      Florence C. born December 12, 1848, married Warren Miller and has seven children and four grandchildren.                          The oldest of the grand children, Nellie Baker, was born October 12, 1889.

 

        2.     Eva. A., born May 9, 1852, married Martin Alvord, who now lives at Seattle, Wash.  They have five children                             and one grandchild.

       

        3.    Lorenzo A., born December 22, 1853, married Nettie Hartley and has eight children.  He resides on his father's

               farm south of Waterman.

 

        4.    Eliza Jennie, born June 10, 1855, married Arestes Kirkpatrick and has two sons.  They also live south of                                Waterman.

 

        5.    Ida M., born May 30, 1858, married Willis Rowley and has two children.

 

        6.     Isabelle K., born August 2, 1860, married Fred Bohe.  They have no children.

 

        7.    Nellie, born November 10, 1862, married Albert Merrieman, and has two children.

 

        8.    Sarah F., born February 16, 1865, married Lee Breeding, and has two children.

 

        9.    Minnie, born July 3, 1867, married Warren Wiltberger.  They have no children.

 

    Mrs. Martin Russell, sister of Mrs. Matteson, had four children and three grandchildren, so that there are now living of this one family, of the first generation, Mrs. Lois Hall; of the second generation, Mrs. O. F. Matteson; of the third generation, thirteen grandchildren; of the fourth generation, thirty-one great-grandchildren, and of the fifth generation, five great-great-grandchildren.   

                                                                                            G.E. CONGDON

 

 

Sharon Baker Rauworth slr1137@cox.net