HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
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the Thirty-sixth General Assembly and was chosen Speaker of the House. In May, 1889, President Harrison named him First Comptroller of the United States Treasury, and the House, by a unanimous vote, expressed its gratification at his selection. Since retiring from office, Colonel Matthews has devoted his attention to the practice of his profession at Pittsfield.
MATTHEWS, Milton W., lawyer and journalist, was born in Clark County, Ill., March 1, 1846, educated in the common schools, and, near the close of the war, served in a 100-days' regiment; began teaching in Champaign County in 1865, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867; in 1873 was appointed Master in Chancery, served two terms as Prosecuting Attorney, and, in 1888, was elected to the State Senate, meanwhile, from 1879, discharging the duties of editor of "The Champaign County Herald," of which he was also proprietor. During his last session in the State Senate (1891-92) he served as President pro tern, of that body; was also President of the State Press Association and served on the staff of Governor Fifer, with the rank of Colonel of the Illinois National Guard. Died, at Urbana, May 10, 1892.
MATTOON, an important city in Coles County, 172 miles west of south from Chicago and 56 miles west of Terre Haute, Ind.; a point of junction for three lines of railway, and an important shipping point for corn and broom corn, which are both extensively grown in the surrounding region. It has several banks, foundries, machine shops, brick and tile-works, flour-mills, grain-elevators, with two daily and four weekly newspapers; also has good graded schools and a high school. The repair shops of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad are located here. Population (1890), 6,833; (1900), 9,622.
MAXWELL, Philip, M.D., pioneer physician, was born at Guilford, Vt., April 3, 1799, graduated in medicine and practiced for a time at Sackett's Harbor, also serving in the New York Legislature; was appointed Assistant Surgeon at Fort Dearborn, in 1833, remaining until the abandonment of the fort at the end of 1836. In 1838 he was promoted Surgeon, and served with Gen. Zachary Taylor in the campaign against the Seminoles in Florida, but resumed private practice in Chicago in 1844; ser
