JAMES MATHEWS. M. D.

Many accord to the medical profession the highest position in de­termining the value of the different callings to which man devotes his energies. All acknowledge it to be the most important and a success­ful physician fills an important place in the community where he resides. The elements of self-sacrifice and humanitarianism enter into the life of every conscientious physician, without which no man in the calling attains to high rank. Dr. Mathews is well known in New Paris and vicinity, where he has won a favorable reputation for his skill and ability in his profession and he is so well known here that he needs no special introduction to our readers. He is a native of Jackson township, Elkhart county, where he was born May 28, 1847, being the sec­ond in a family of thirteen children. five sons and eight daughters, who were born to Edwin and Mary A. (Mills) Mathews. The father, a native of Maryland, was a farmer by occupation and when a young man came to Indiana. He had acquired a public school education, and he was a man of strong convictions, always fearless in his defense of what he believed to be right. In politics he was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, and he and his wife were ardent members of the Methodist church. When called to his final rest his remains were interred in Van Buren township, Kosciusko county. The name of Mathews is of Welsh origin and was originally spelled Matt­hews, but recent generations have dropped one of the t's.

Dr. Mathews was reared on his father's farm until fourteen years of age, when he started out as a wage earner, giving, however, a part of his earnings to his older brother and his parents. He attended the common schools of Elkhart county, and afterward pursued a grammar course in Goshen under Professor' Valois Butler. He entered upon the profession of teaching in Benton township and his second school was in the home district. He regarded, this merely as an initial step, however, to other professional labor, for at the age of nineteen he de­termined to enter upon the study of medicine and began reading under the direction of Dr. P. D. Harding, at Goshen. and he also acted as office boy. He continued his reading there for three years and he also did whatever work he could secure that would yield him an honest dol­lar. It was in 1867 that he entered upon his studies and while still un­der the supervision of Dr. Harding he attended a course of lectures in the Ohio Medical College, at Cleveland. About 1870 he entered the Detroit Medical College, where he remained for two terms and he also spent a summer term in that institution. There he took charge of St. Mary's Hospital and he was graduated with the class of 1871. Later he pursued a post-graduate course in the same institution and was thus well qualified for his chosen work by broad study and investigation, to which was added practical experience. which he gained in the hospital.

About the time that he was ready to enter upon the active practice of medicine Dr. Mathews was married to Miss Jane G. Cowan, of Jackson township. He had intended to locate in New Paris, and in fact had arranged his office and fixtures, but at that time his uncle, Dr. Elias Jones, a physician and surgeon of Wolf Lake, Noble county, In­diana, expressed a desire to have Dr. Mathews take his practice, as he wished to retire fom the profession and enter the drug business. Accordingly Dr. Mathews established his home at Wo1f Lake, where he remained for ahout three years, meeting with good success there. He wished, however, to locate at New Paris, Indiana. and in 1875 he returned to Elkhart county, where for a time he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. Finally he located in the village and established a drug store, which he conducted in connection with the practice of medicine. and surgery. He has been quite successful here, keeping in touch with modern methods of practice, and his labors have been attended with gratifying success in checking the ravages of disease and in restoring health.

Dr. Mathews is also a fancier of fine animals and particularly of the Golden Sable and white Scotch Collie. He has a fine kennel of the very best blood, his registered dog being Sallie Lou. Dr. Mathews was formerly a fancier and breeder of fine standard roadster horses and dealt in such animals as Geo. Wilkes, Electioneer, Nutwood, Gov. Sprague, Dick Taylor, Onward, Almount and Online and such brood mares as Green Mountain Marie, Beautiful Belle, Minnehaha, Miss Russell, Old Dolly, Belle Sprague. His animals are all of imported breeds. He also raises Buff Orphington chickens.,Poland China hogs m, Angora guinea pigs and Angora cats. He is possibly the only one in northern Indiana having pure-blooded stock of these kinds and his sales annually reach a large figure.

In his political views Dr. Mathews is a Republican, supporting the party since he cast his first presidential ballot for General U. S. Grant. In the line of his profession he is connected with Elkhart County Medical Society, and he is examining physician for the New York Life and Aetna Insurance Companies and also of the Modern Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife are members of the Meth­odist Episcopal church and he is now serving on the official board, while his wife has been chorister for a number of years. Thev have contributed generously to the work of the church and gave liberally to­ward the erection of the new house of worship in 1885. They have in their possession. four parchment deeds, bearing the signature of President Andrew Jackson, and executed March 16, 1832, while an­other one is signed by Martin Van Buren, March 15 1837. Dr. and Mrs. Mathews are both well known in Elkhart County and enjoy the friendly regard of many with whom they have been brought in contact.