Bios: CHARLES MATTHEWS 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens
    
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      CHARLES MATTHEWS,
  
  [p. 409] first vice-president of the National Bank of Lawrence County
  and a director of the same since 1903, is identified with a number of
  the leading business enterprises of New Castle, in which city he is
  regarded as a very important factor in commercial affairs. Mr. Matthews
  was born October 15, 1856, at New Castle, and is a son of Matthias and
  Anna (Brant) Matthews.
  
  The Matthews family originated in Wales, from which country John
  Matthews, the grandfather, removed to Staffordshire, England, where his
  son, Matthias, was born. In 1828, when the latter came to America, he
  was a skilled iron worker who had been trained in the great iron works
  of his native land. He settled first in the city of New York and moved
  from there to New Castle, where he resided until 1858, when he went to
  Niles, Ohio, returning from there to New Castle in 1863. In the city of
  New York he was united in marriage with Anna Brant, who was a lady of
  gentle manner and superior education, and they had the following
  children: Joseph, John, Susan, Mary, Emma, James and Charles.
  
  With the exception of the five years above mentioned, Mr. Matthews has
  practically spent his whole life at New Castle. From early boyhood he
  worked at intervals in the rolling mills, attending school in a rather
  desultory manner on this account, and when he was sixteen years old, he
  was regularly apprenticed as a roll turner in the iron mills. For a
  number of years he continued his connection with the mills, although not
  continuously, as, in the meanwhile, he again went to school and also
  engaged in other less exhausting lines of work. In the end, however, he
  returned to the industry in which he had become a skilled worker. His
  final retirement from mill work dates from November, 1894, at which time
  he became business manager and treasurer of the Lawrence Guardian, and
  in this capacity he had his first opportunity to display those business
  qualifications which have since made him conspicuous. As noted, from
  1903 he has been officially connected with the National Bank of Lawrence
  County, and in 1906 he became its first vice-president. He is a director
  in the Lawrence Savings & Trust Company, of New Castle, is a director in
  the Penn Engineering Works, and is secretary of the American Car & Ship
  Hardware Manufacturing Company.
  
  From early manhood Mr. Matthews has taken a deep interest in public
  matters and has been closely identified with the movements of the
  Republican party, representing local party sentiment at conventions and
  on many occasions has been honored by election to responsible positions.
  He has been sheriff of Lawrence County and has been a member of both
  boards of the city council. He has taken an active part in shaping
  public sentiment when the welfare of the city has been at stake and is
  an able representative of its best type of citizen.
  
  On February 26, 1888, Mr. Matthews was married to Elizabeth Lutton, who
  was born at New Castle, and is a daughter of the late William B. Lutton,
  who was formerly county commissioner and city poor director. Mr. and
  Mrs. Matthews have had three children: Charles, Marlen and Helen. They
  enjoy a beautiful home at No. 215 North Jefferson Street, New Castle.
  
  For many years Mr. Matthews has been one of the leading Masons of this
  section of Pennsylvania, was grand steward of the Grand Lodge of the
  state in 1895-96, and has filled many other elevated positions in the
  fraternity, at present being a director and president of the Masonic
  Association of New Castle. He also belongs to the Elks.
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and
  Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing
  Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
  
  Updated: 16 Oct 2001