By Muriel Bristol | January 26, 2025
Joseph Mathes was born in Milton, December 4, 1814 [January 6, 1815], son of Robert and Sally (Jones) Mathes.
Mother Sally (Jones) Mathes died in Milton, August 22, 1822.
Robert Mathes headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 50-59 years [himself], one female aged 20-29 years, two male aged 15-19 years [Robert Mathes, Jr., and Joseph Mathes], and one female aged 10-14 years [Sarah Mathes]. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of D.M. Plummer and John Palmer.
Father Robert Mathes died in Milton, March 13, 1840.
Sarah Mathis headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixth (1840) Federal Census. Her household included one female aged 40-49 years [herself], one male aged 15-19 years, one female aged 15-19 years, and one female aged 10-14 years.
Joseph Mathes married in Milton, July 7, 1844, Martha E. Ricker. She was born in Milton, June 9, 1826, daughter of Charles and Mary (Lord) Ricker. (Her father served in the War of 1812; signed the Milton Anti-Division Remonstrance, in 1820; was one of the nine incorporators of the Milton Social Library, in 1822; and headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census).
Joseph Mathes, a carpenter, aged thirty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Martha A. [(Ricker)] Mathes, aged twenty-four years (b. NH). Joseph Mathes had real estate valued at $800. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of [his brother,] Robert Mathes, a trader, aged thirty-seven years (b. NH), and George Worster, a machinist, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH).
Joseph Mathes was elected Milton Town Clerk in the years 1856-68. His predecessor was Ezra H. Twombly, and he would be succeeded by George W. Tasker.
Joseph Mathes received an initial five-year appointment as a Milton justice-of-the-peace, June 25, 1858.
MILTON. Justice, State, John E. Goodwin. Justice, Quorum. Eli Wentworth. Justices, John L. Swinerton, Daniel P. Warren, Joseph Pearl, Robert Mathes, Elias S. Cook, David Wallingford, Charles C. Hayes, Thomas Y. Wentworth, Asa Fox, Daniel E. Palmer, Joseph Plumer, Luther Hayes, Ezra H. Twombly, Joseph Mathes, Elbridge W. Fox, Charles Jones (Farmer, 1860).
Joseph Mathes, a house carpenter, aged forty-four years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton P.O.”) household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Martha E. [(Ricker)] Mathes, aged thirty-three years (b. NH). Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Charles C. Nudd, a shoemaker, aged twenty-six years (b. NH), and Othniel Nute, a shoemaker, aged twenty-two years (b. NH)
.Joseph Mathes received a renewal five-year appointment as a Milton justice-of-the-peace, June 13, 1863.
MILTON. Justices – Charles Jones, State; Elbridge W. Fox, Joseph Plummer, Luther Hayes, Ebenezer Wentworth, Ezra H. Twombly, Joseph Mathes, Charles A. Cloutman, Asa Jewett, Elias S. Cook, Lewis Berry, Joseph Cook, Robert Mathes (McFarland & Jenks, 1866).
Joseph Mathes appeared in the Milton directory of 1867-68, and 1868, as a Milton justice-of-the-peace. He appeared also in the Milton directory of 1868, as a carpenter and builder.
Joseph Mathes received a renewal five-year appointment as a Milton justice-of-the-peace, June 13, 1868.
Justices. Milton. Charles Jones, Luther Hayes, Elbridge W. Fox, Joseph Plumer, Ebenezer Wentworth, Ezra H. Twombly, Joseph Mathes, Charles A. Cloutman, Asa Jewett, Elias S. Cook, Joseph Cook, Robert Mathes, Eli Fernald, Asa Jewett, Daniel S. Burley, Ira C. Varney, George Lyman, George W. Peavey (Briggs & Co., 1868).
Joseph Mathes, a carpenter, aged fifty-four years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Martha [(Ricker)] Mathes, aged forty-three years (b. NH). Joseph Mathes had real estate valued at $1,000 and personal estate valued at $400. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Joseph Sayward, a retail grocer, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), and Rebecca Nute, keeping house, aged sixty-two years (b. ME).
Joseph Mathes was elected Milton Town Clerk in the years 1870-74. His predecessor was George W. Tasker, and he would be succeeded thereafter by Charles H. Looney.
Town Meetings. MILTON. – Our annual election, notwithstanding the previous excitement, passed off very quietly. The Moderator, fully understanding his duties, enabled the meeting to act promptly upon each article, which resulted in a sine die adjournment at 2 P.M. The following were elected to the several offices, Republicans of course: Moderator – Charles C. Hayes, unanimously. Town Clerk – Joseph Mathes, unanimously. Selectmen – Geo. Lyman, Geo. H. Plumer, Thos. H. Roberts. Town Treasurer – Geo. Lyman. Overseer of the Poor and Farm Agent –Lewis Plumer. Representatives – Geo. W. Tasker, Bray U. Simes. The vote on the general ticket was: Straw, 222; Weston, 131; Blackmer, 6; Cooper, 4; giving a clear majority for Straw of 81 and a net Republican gain from last year of 32 (Dover Enquirer, March 21, 1872).
Joseph Mathes appeared in the Milton directories of 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, as the Milton Town Clerk. He appeared also as a Milton justice-of-the-peace in 1873, 1874, 1875, and 1876.
MILTON – Justices – Charles Jones, Luther Hayes, State; Elbridge W. Fox, Joseph Plumer, Ebenezer Wentworth, Ezra H. Twombly, Joseph Mathes, Charles A. Cloutman, Asa Jewett, Joseph Cook, Robert Mathes, Ira C. Varney, George Lyman, George W. Peavey, John S. Hersey, Geo. W. Tasker, E.W. Foss, M.V.B. Cook, Thos. H. Roberts, Henry H. Wentworth, John N. Simes, Larkin A. Lang (Claremont, 1871).
Joseph Mathes appeared in the Milton directories of 1873, 1874, 1875, and 1876, as a carpenter.
Joseph Mathes received a renewal five-year appointment as a Milton justice-of-the-peace, June 11, 1873. (John U. Simes and Bard B. Plummer received their appointments that same day). (This final appointment would have expired in June 1878).
MILTON. Justices. Luther Hayes, C.H. Looney, E.W. Fox, State; Joseph Mathes, Joseph Cook, George Lyman, G.W. Peavey, J.S. Hersey, J.N. Sims, B.B. Plummer, B.P. Roberts (Tower, 1876).
Joseph Mathes appeared in the Milton directories of 1880, 1881, and 1882, as carpenter and wheelwright.
Joseph Mathes, a carpenter, aged sixty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton 3 Pond Village”) household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Martha E. [(Ricker)] Mathes, keeping house, aged sixty-four years (b. NH). Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Clara Jenness, keeping house, aged sixty-four years (b. NH), and Abby B. Downs, keeping house, aged sixty-four years (b. NH).
Joseph Mathes died in Milton, February 14, 1882, aged sixty-eight years, two months, and eight days. (“We miss thee at home”).
Martha E. (Ricker) Mathes died in Milton, March 23, 1893, aged sixty-two years, two months, and fourteen days.
MILTON. The household furniture of the late Mrs. Martha Mathes was sold at public auction Saturday. George Lyman was auctioneer (Farmington News, June 30, 1893).
References:
Find a Grave. (2022, April 26). Joseph Mathes. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/239234179/joseph-mathes
Find a Grave. (2022, April 26). Robert Mathes. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/239234385/robert_mathes
Milton Observer 