Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/365

 WILLIAM E. MASON, lawyer and lawmaker, lived in Iowa from the age of eight years until 1873. He was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, July 7, 1850. His parents removed to Iowa in 1858, settling at Bentonsport in Van Buren County where his father died in 1865. William was thus at the age of fifteen left to make his own way in the world. He received sufficient education to enable him to teach school and, coming to Des Moines in 1868, he followed teaching for two years. He then began the study of law in the office of Thomas F. Withrow. When Mr. Withrow was called to Chicago as solicitor for the Rock Island Railroad Company, young Mason accompanied him to that city and there completed his law studies. He entered upon the practice of his profession and before he was thirty was elected to the Illinois Legislature. Here began his successful public career which has given him a national reputation. In 1882 he was elected to the State Senate where he became one of the leading members. He was an eloquent public speaker and a popular member. In 1888 he was elected to Congress from the Third Chicago District and in that body won distinction. His sympathies were always with the common people and on all subjects of legislation affecting their welfare he was one of their most reliable friends. In 1897 he was elected United States Senator and soon attained high rank in that body. SYLVESTER G. MATSON was born in Middlesex, Vermont, March 5, 1808. His boyhood was spent on a New England farm where he secured a liberal education and became a teacher. He graduated in the Medical Department of the State University and became a practicing physician. In 1845 he removed to Iowa Territory, locating near Anamosa. In 1846 he was elected a member of the convention which framed the Constitution under which Iowa became a State. He was the same year chosen a member of the House of the First General Assembly and helped to frame the first laws for the government of the new State. He was chairman of the committee on schools and reported the bill which provided for a State University. Mr. Matson was influential in framing the first school laws and was chosen a trustee of the State University. As a legislator he left the impress of his early work upon the permanent laws of the State. He was a Democrat up to the time of the organization of the Republican party when he united with it in opposition to slavery. He died on the 5th of February, 1898. CHARLES L. MATTHIES was born in Bromberg, Prussia, on the 31st of May, 1824. When sixteen years of age he was sent to the University of Halle where he received a thorough military education. At the age of twenty he entered the Prussian army and in 1847 served against the Poles in a revolution. In 1849 he emigrated to America and coming to Iowa located at Burlington where he became a merchant. When the