From: History of Walworth county, Wisconsin
B. F. Bowen & Company Indianapolis, Indiana 1912
by Albert Clayton Beckwith

CYRUS A. MATTESON.

The family, whose name appears above, have enjoyed prestige as leading citizens of Walworth county since the early days, being familiar with the scenes and conditions of pioneer life, the parents of the subject knowing full well what it meant to establish a new home far removed from the advantages of advanced civilization in a wide-stretching forest through which the wolves prowled and deer roamed, and they became inured to hard work and knew how to appreciate toil at its true value, and members of this sterling old family have played well their parts in the work of- transforming the county from the wild state in which the Indians left it to one of the choice agricultural sections of the state.

Cyrus A. Matteson, farmer, of Sharon township, was born in the town of Darien on December 30, 1861, and he has spent his life, in Walworth county. He is the son of Johnson and Laura (Franklin) Matteson, natives of the state of New York, where they spent their earlier years, received their education in the old-time public schools, and there they were married, and lived until 1844 when they came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and settled in Darien township, taking up one hundred and sixty acres from the government, which they improved into an excellent farm and there resided until 1896, when they retired from active life, and moved to a cozy home in the town of Darien where the father still resides, his wife having died in May, 1908.

Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Matteson, one of whom died in infancy; those living are, Mrs. George Fiske, of Delavan; Cyrus A., of this sketch; Frank lives in Darien, where he is engaged in contracting; John lives in North Geneva. Wisconsin; Mrs. Clara Chesebro, of Beloit, Wisconsin; Mrs. Marion McKenney lives in South Dakota.

Cyrus A. Matteson, of this sketch, was reared on the home farm where he worked during the summer months, attending the Darien schools in the winter time. He has devoted his life to farming. He is now the owner of one hundred and ninety acres of productive and well improved land, one hundred and ten acres of which lie in Sharon township and eighty acres in Walworth township. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser.

Politically, Mr. Matteson is a Republican. He was school treasurer for a period of twelve years, during which time he discharged his duties very faithfully and acceptably to all concerned. Fraternally, he belongs to the Modern Woodmen.

Mr. Matteson was married on October 12, 1887, to Amy Putnam, daughter of George W. and Eliza Putnam, a highly respected family of Darien. Here Mrs. Matteson grew to womanhood and received her education in the common schools of the community in which the family has long resided.

To Mr. and Mrs. Matteson five children have been born, named as follows: Edith, Alta, Cyrus, Johnson and Marion, who died when four years old.

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