FOURTH GENERATION

10. John Matson ⁽¹⁸⁾ was born on 31 May 1853 in Ö, Skå, Sweden.⁽¹⁹⁾ Jö was born to å Mattis Svensson of Hunshult and Olu Niklasdotter. Witnesses included Hanna Niklasdotter of Tostaboda, Lars Nilsson of Santatorp, drä Jö Niklasson of Hunshult and Inger Niklasdotter of the same place. He was baptized on 3 Jun 1853 in Ö, Skå, Sweden. ⁽²⁰⁾ He emigrated in 1886 from Ö. Date 1882 was corrected in a later source to 1884. However, it definitely seems that he was in Sweden in 1886. He died on 13 Jul 1921 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Cause of death was a stroke, or hardening of the arteries, Arterial Scleroses, according to a handwritten source of unknown origin. He was buried on 15 Jul 1921. John emigrated to the United States from a homestead in Lö, Sweden. Bengta was his second wife. His son Per Jö lived in Sweden, and is buried in Lö Kryka Cemetery. My parents have seen many descendants and relatives of Per on their trips to Sweden.

His name is spelled Jö Mattisson in Sweden, John Mattison in early American church records, and subsequently John Mattson and John Matson. John and wife Bengta were received into church membership in Monmouth on August 17, 1886.

A son Per, born June 6, 1876 in Ö is listed, and a son Henning, born June 6, 1886, and died September 18, 1886, are also listed in early Monmouth church records. Per, perhaps did not come to America. Henning is an illegitimate child of Bengta's. Son Oskar emigrated later, in 1888 at the age of 6. He was married to Bengta Nelson on 14 Feb 1880.

11. Bengta Nelson^{(18) (21)} was born on 10 Jul 1855 in Jäö, Sweden. ⁽²²⁾ Witnesses for her baptism included Hå Nilsson, wife Inga Olsdotter from Altahult (?), Sven Nilsson from the same place and Olu Svensson from Gillesnå. She was baptized on 13 Jul 1855 in Jäö, Sweden. She emigrated in 1886 from Ö.⁽²³⁾ She died on 1 Jan 1921 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽²⁴⁾ Cause of death was brain tumor, according to a handwritten source of unknown origin.

She died at 6:30 in the morning in the hospital. Her health had been failing for the last year or so, but her condition became serious only a few days before her death. She was buried on 3 Jan 1921 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽²⁵⁾ She was buried in Glendale Cemetery. Rev. Oscar Purn officiated. Name spelled Bengta Nilsson in early church records. Bengta had a son Henning born June 3, 1886 in Sweden who died September 18, 1886 in Monmouth, Illinois, who was not fathered by her husband Jö. She was also known as "Bessie." Children were:

i. Nels Matson⁽²⁶⁾ was born on 23 Nov 1880 in Hunshult, Ö, Kristianstad, Sweden. ⁽²⁷⁾ Born Nils Alfrid. His mother was 25 years old. He immigrated in 1887.⁽²⁸⁾ He was confirmed on 25 Apr 1897 in Monmouth, Illinois. Enrolled October 24, 1896. Nels was in the same confirmation class as his brother Oscar. He died in 1959 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽²⁹⁾ He played in a band called "Dickens Orchestra" circa 1900.

Was a cigar maker who gave my father Earl a box of his "Matson Specials" when my dad was 19. A newspaper article of 1950 has a picture of him and a description of his cigar-making activities. He made cigars by hand for over 55 years. At one time, there were over 250 cigar makers in Monmouth, but as machines took over their number declined. Nels, however, continued to produce fine quality cigars by hand as a full time job. He never needed to push his product because its fine reputation kept him busy fulfilling demand. He immigrated to this country at six years of age, and lived in Monmouth ever since. He and his wife both like to fish, and fished in the Mississippi River for many years. He also was fond of duck hunting. He was a longtime member of the Lutheran church. He and his wife lived at 501 South Fifth Street in Monmouth.

Name spelled Nils Alfred in early church records.

Dropped from church rolls in Monmouth on December 31, 1904.
ii. Oscar Matson^{(30) (31)} was born on 12 Mar 1882 in Hunshult, Ö, Kristianstad, Sweden.⁽³²⁾ Born Sven Oskar. His mother was 26 years old. He emigrated in 1888 from Ö. Evidently Sven did not emigrate with the rest of his family, but came to America later. He was confirmed on 25 Apr 1897 in Monmouth, Illinois. Enrolled October 24, 1896. He died in 1961 in Monmouth, Illinois.⁽³³⁾ He played in a band called Dickens Orchestra circa 1900.

Name spelled Sven Oskar in early Monmouth church records. "Sven Oscar Mattson" dropped from church rolls in Monmouth, Illinois, on December 29, 1907. However, he was a church caretaker for a long time.
iii. Hilding Jö was born on 22 Oct 1883 in Hunshult, Ö, Kristianstad, Sweden.⁽³⁴⁾ Age of mother was 28. He died on 21 Aug 1885 in Hunshult, Ö, Kristianstad, Sweden. ⁽³⁵⁾
iv. Hilma Augusta Matson⁽¹⁸⁾ was born on 18 Aug 1887 in Monmouth, Illinois.⁽³⁶⁾ She was baptized on 18 Sep 1887 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽³⁶⁾ Sponsors were Ola Swenson and Elsa Swenson. She was confirmed on 27 Apr 1902 in Monmouth, Illinois.⁽³⁶⁾ Enrolled October 20, 1901. She was buried in 1942 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽³⁷⁾ Funeral services were held at First Christian Church in Monmouth. Rev. F.W. Leonard officiated. Preceding the public service was a prayer service at the Sloan-Berner Funeral Home conducted by Rev. C. O. Bengtson. An Eastern Start burial service was also held at the church. Hilma was buried Monmouth Cemetery. She died on 26 May 1942 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽³¹⁾ Cause of death was malignant carcenoma, degeneration of the ovaries, according to a handwritten source of unknown origin.
5 v. Edith Matson.
vi. Olga Josefina Matson⁽¹⁸⁾ was born on 16 Jan 1891 in Monmouth, Illinois. She was baptized on 26 Mar 1891 in Monmouth, Illinois. Sponsors were the parents. She was confirmed on 9 Apr 1905 in Monmouth, Illinois. Enrolled October 8, 1904. She died on 30 Jun 1960 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽²⁹⁾
vii. Hilding Fritiof Matson⁽²⁾ was born on 10 Apr 1893 in Monmouth, Illinois. He was baptized on 26 Jul 1893 in Monmouth, Illinois. Sponsors were the parents. He was confirmed on 26 May 1907 in Monmouth, Illinois. Enrolled October 6, 1906 in the "Swedish class." There was also an English class. Edna Melburg, his wife to be, was in the same confirmation class. He died on 18 Nov 1954 in Monmouth, Illinois. ⁽²⁹⁾ Known to many as "Uncle Matt."

Name also spelled Fritjof.

Removed from church rolls in Monmouth on March 24, 1917 to Duluth, Minnesota. Lived at 318 26 Ave W. in Duluth. Received into church rolls at Trinity Lutheran in Duluth on April 1, 1917. Called into armed forces late 1918 after a brief stint as financial secretary of the church. Received into church rolls in Monmouth on December 29, 1918, arriving from Duluth, Minnesota.

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