Keith County, NEGenWeb

Matthews Family Obituaries

Provided by Lexi Romero




Frances S. (Mannon) Matthews
Keith County News, February 2, 1923

Mrs. Edwin L. Matthews Passes To Reward
Funeral services for Mrs. Edwin Matthews were held from the Presbyterian church at Keystone. Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, with Rev. J. A. Campbell in charge.

The church was crowded with sorrowing relatives to this kindly woman. Mrs. Matthews had lived in this community for many years. Her husband was a faithful employee of Mr. Bill Paxton for a number of years. A splendid tribute comes from children, they called her a wonderful mother. A wonderful tribute, a mother who has not lived in vain.

A choir composed of soprano and tenor voices sang "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" and "Jesus is Mine," her life long favorites. Homer Davis sang, "There Will Be No Disappointments in Heaven."

The five sons of the deceased and a son-in-law, Alfred Johnson, acted as pallbearers. Interment was made in the Ogallala cemetery.

Obiturary

Frances S. Mannon, daughter of James M. and Isabel Mannon was born Febr. 15,1872 in Otoe county, Nebraska and passed into rest just as the day was awakening at 4:40 o'clock Thursday, January 26th. She had been taken to North Platte, Wednesday night for an emergency operation.

Her parents came of pioneer stock, known as Pennslyvania Dutch, the ancestors of both migrating to Pennsylvania from Holland. They lived in Pennslyvania for many years and the father James Mannon enlisted in the Union Army in 1861 and became captain of the 62nd Pennslyvania infantry. After three years of service he was discharged because of illness in the family, coming to Nebraska in 1869.

When 10 years of age, the family moved to Butler county where she grew to womanhood. She was united in marriage to Edwin L. Matthews, also of Butler County, on March 16, 1890. In the spring of 1891 they moved to Keith County. Two years later in 1893 they moved to Chicago, which place was there home for seven years. Coming back to Nebraska in 1900 they have since made their home in Keith and Arthur counties.

She united with the United Brethern church at the age of 15 and was a faithful worker and devout member of church until they moved to Chicago, where she tranferred her membership to the Prebyterian church in which belief she remained a faithful Christian.

Eleven children came to bless their home. Four passed away in infancy. A son Arthur, proceeded her in death on June 21, 1922, at the age of 12 years. The husband, one daughter, Mrs. Alfred Johnson of Brule, four sons, Lewis of McGrew, Gordon, John, Floyd and Raymond of Keystone, two sisters, Mrs. E.A. Severns of Grover, Colo. and Mrs. J.W. Tillman of Tabor, Iowa mourn her passing.

The deceased rested at the Stone funeral home until Sunday afternoon.

She was a loving wife, a devoted mother and a loyal friend, and we who loved her hae sustained an irreparable loss.





Edwin L. Matthews
Keith County News
Edwin L. Matthews was born Febr. 26, 1866 at Tallahasse, Ala. to John C. and Harriet Matthews and passed away at the hospital in Los Angeles, Calif. June 17, 1951.

He removed with his family at an early age to Lincoln, Nebr. where he recieved education and grew to manhood. He was married to Francis Mannon, March 16, 1890 and they moved to Ogallala, Nebr. where they engaged in farming. To this union 9 children were born, four of whom proceeded him in death. His wife Francis passed away Jan. 26, 1933.

He was married to Florence B. Smith, Nov. 27, 1935 at LaVerne, Calif., where he has sinced lived.

He is survived by his wife, Florence, one daughter, Mrs. Alfred Johnson of Ogallala, Nebr. four sons Lewis of Bitter Creek, Wyo., Gordon, Floyd and Ray of Portland, Ore. Fourteen grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, one step daughter and one step son of LaVerne, Calif,. one brother Austin of Long Beach, Calif. and one brother Frank of Lomita.

He was a member and faithful attendent of the Brethren church of La Verne.

Services were conducted from the Todd chapel at Pomonia, and burial was made in Evergreen cemetery at LaVern.


[Submitter's Notes: Two corrections: there were 11 children and five preceeded him in death; he also married Florence in Yuma, Arizona.]


Arthur Austin Matthews
Keith County News
Arthur Austin Matthews, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Matthews, was born near Keystone, Nebr. May 29, 1910, and died June 21 1922, at his home at Glenrose, Nebr, being 12 years and twenty-three days old. He was admired and loved for his unselfish disposition and his love of beautiful things particularly flowers.

He called his loved ones and bade them goodbye at the last.

He leaves to mourn his loss besides his mother and father, one sister, Mrs. Alfred Johnson of Brule, and five brothers: Lewis, Gordon, John, Floyd, and Raymond, and a host of relatives and friends.

He was laid to rest in the Ogallala cemetery where a short but beautiful service was read by Rev. E. Wilson of Ogallala. He was baptized in 1914 and has always been faithful in Sunday school and church.

We grew together; side by side
But, lo! The boatman across the tide
Silently rowing by,
Beckoned to him and he went away
Waving a sweet goodbye.
We grew together side by side
But he was made perfect before,
And so he was carried across the tide
With swift and silent oars.
And we who are left will join him there
Where he has gone before.
We loved him but he caught a gleam
Of light from across the way
And his spirit reached out to catch the beam
Chased it until one day
He found it over in glory land.
After he rowed away.

[Submitter's Notes: Arthur died after contacting Diptheria at school. It was the responsibility of each family to provide a water bucket and dipper for their children. The Matthews' had four of their youngest boys in that school and they were instructed to not let anyone drink from their bucket. One of the young girls who had just missed two weeks of school for unknown sickness, came back without her required bucket. The teacher had the girl share the Matthews boys' water bucket, and within a week the boys all came down with diptheria, all recovering but Arthur. ]


Pernesa Matthews
Keith County News

Ogallala- Funeral services for Pernesa Elizabeth Matthews, 71, who died July 31, were held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Draucker Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Philip Ewert officiating.

Music was provided by Mrs. Phillip Ewert.

Pallbearers were Earl Matthews, Ernest Matthews, Virgil Matthews, Dallas Matthews, Donald Matthews and Bill Moore.

Burial was in the Ogallala Cemetery.





Lewis Matthews

Lewis E. Matthews, 79, of Osteen, died Sunday at the University Convalescent Center, DeLand. Born in Illinois he came to Osteen a year and a half ago from Wyoming. He was a Methodist.

He is survived by a wife, Shirley Matthews, Osteen; sons, Earl Matthews of Nebraska; Earnest Matthews, Colorado; Virgil Matthews, Nebraska; Donald and Dallas Matthews, North Dakota; stepson, James Durley, Longwood; daughters, Mrs. Mary Moore, Nebraska; Mrs. Stella Callies, Washigton; sister, Mrs. Mae Johnson, Nebraska; brothers, Gordon and Floyd Matthews, Oregon; and Raymond Matthews, California; several grand-children, great-grandchildren nieces and nephews.

Gramkow Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.





[Submitter's Notes: Edwin Lewis Matthews was the 1st born son, of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Matthews and the 2nd of the couples 11 children. His parent moved to the sandhills of Nebr. first in 1891, moving away to Chicago in 1893 where Lewis was born. The couple then moved their family back to homestead in the Sand hill just north of Keystone. Pernesa's parents were raised in Perkins county where they met and married, and had there first daughter Pernesa in Perkins county. The couple then moved to the sandhills where Mr. Rice was employed by a rancher there. Later to help out his widowed mother Leland moved his family back to Perkins county and once again moved to the sand hills this time taking up his own homestead and settling there.

The story told to me by my Grandmother Pernesa Matthews on how she met Lewis was that she met him on a cattle drive to Ogallala, from the sandhills. Being the oldest child of Leland she often worked right beside her father and was said to be an excellent horse woman. The couple married by eloping to Ogallala where their marriage liscene exist in the Keith County Court house, on May 17, 1916.

The couple started there married life with Lewis working for one of the rancher and were neighbor of Lewis's maternal uncle Forrest Mannon another homesteader in the sandhills.

Lewis started working for the Union Pacific railroad and the couple lived in various place around the state of Nebraska and Wyoming. Later on though Pernesa with the 7 children, Earl, Earnest, Virgil, twins Dallas and Donald, Mary Jean (my mother) and Stella, took up residence in Ogallala, on 712 west 9th, in a home purchased by the family. Pernesa lived there till her death on July 31, 1967. The couple had ended their marriage in the 40's, when Pernesa divorced Lewis, Lewis remarried and lived on until his death in November 19, 1972 in Osteen, Florida.]



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