Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Alfred Mathews

As published in the Alumni Record, Painesville High School, Painesville, Ohio
Compiled and Published by the Painesville High School Alumni Association in 1925

Transcribed by Linda Jeffery, November 2004.

Alfred Mathews, ’71

Alfred Mathews, author, journalist and historical and literary critic, son of Dr. Samuel Huntington and Huldah Ford Mathews, was born in Painesville, September 11, 1852. He died in Philadelphia, October 15, 1904.

His early interest in books may be illustrated by his organizing, in boyhood, a circulating loan book club with headquarters in the Mathews homestead on State Street.

Graduating from Painesville High School in the Class of 1871, and after some first work with the Painesivlle Telegraph and Northern Ohio Journal, he joined the editorial staff of the Cleveland Leader. While with the Leader, he originated the "West Side" as applied to the the territory brought into the city by the annexation of Ohio City.

Following several years in Ohio and Michigan, Mr. Mathews resided in the East. He served as editorial attache of book publishing houses, became associated with the Philadelphia Public Ledger, Philadelphia Press and New York Times as historical and literary critic and contributed articles upon historical, biographical and critical subjects to the leading magazines. He wrote several books and many monographs and pamphlets.

Mr. Mathews was an able conversationalist and an inimitable story teller, possessing a large fund of humor and never hesitating for the right idea, word or date. His literary work has been described as characterized by thorough study, accuracy, culture, experience and courage. He scathingly denounced injustice in all forms. Such men as George W. Childs and John Fiske were his friends. He always retained a deep interest in the home town and state.

A life-long interest in the history of Connecticut and of the influence of the state in Pennsylvania and Ohio, led to the publishing in Scribner's Magazine of a series of articles entitled "A Story of Three States." At the request of the Appleton Publishing Company, Mr. Mathews prepared his "Ohio and Her Western Reserve" as the second volume of their "Expansion ov the Republic Series". Of this book someone has written: "Mr. Mathews deals with these picturesque incidents in our colonial and Revolutionary history with clearness and originality. No one has dealt with the subject with so much comprehensive understanding of its phases and significance." This book appeared upon the centennial anniversary of the Ohio state constitution. A literary critic has observed: "Mr. Mathews' book may be regarded as an affectionate offering to his native state."