Martin Mathers (abt. 1865 - 1902)

Born about Nov 1865 in Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Died 8 Oct 1902 at about age 36 in Bennington, Vermont, United States

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Biography

Martin Mathers was born about 1866 in Vermont, United States, son of Solomon Morse Mathers (1837–1912) and Sarah Edna Sherman (1838–1916).

His siblings were:

1. Isaac Mathers (~1863–1919)
2. John Mathers (~1864– )
3. Edward Mathers (~1868– )
4. Charles Mathers (~1872– )
5. Alice M. Mathers (~1877– )

In the 1900 census Martin (age 34), Spinner Knit Wrks, was the widowed son of Solomon Mathus in Bennington, Bennington, Vermont.^[1]

Martin married Elida Stephens).

Research Notes

Note: Newspaper accounts and court data provided by an Ohio State University project which tracked murders in this area of Vermont from 1881-1890.

Bennington Banner 6/10/1886 (Th): "The grand jury found a bill against Martin Mathers for simple assault, he got bail and the case goes over until the December court at Bennington. Frank Cromack is his bail."

VW, 6/9/1886 (W): MANSL in VT: BEN: Martin Mathers arrested at Bennington Sat on indictment "for cruelty to his wife during her illness just after child-birth, from the effects of which she is said to have died."

Bennington Banner 12/16/1886: county court. Trial. On night of 3/9, Martin Mathers attended the show of "Hank White," and the somewhat noted "gamin called 'Budd' Stephens, brother of respondent's wife, also attended the show and wore respondent's hat." Elida Mathers had been in "feeble health for some time" & had gone to bed before the show was over. About 12am, Budd went to MM's house & wanted to get in, "his sister asked who he was and what he wanted and he told her and that he wanted to change his hat and so leave respondent's. She told him she was sick and was not going to get up, and Budd started off." He went as far as the fence when MM appeared "and by kicking and pounding on the door, and an affectionate explosion of profanity, demanded admittance, to which the gentle spouse within answered that he couldn't come." Budd went back, "doubtless 'smelling the battle from afar,' and the result was that," after MM had tried to break in all the doors and windows within his reach & had failed, & had also failed to get his wife to unlock them, "by lovingly telling her that, if he ever got in, he would throw her out into the snow, and would 'knock her damned cookey stand over' etc., finally got Mrs. Celestia Aldrich, who lived in another part of the house, to let him in through her part." & by going through the cellar "he reached the sanctity of his own happy home." His first move "was to let in the redoubtable Budd, and his next to grab his baby and throw it over its mother to the back side of the bed: and when it cried to try and quiet it by gentle lullaby oaths: which, while they might have seemed queer to some, were probably familiar enough to the infant. This done he proceeded to wipe the stain from off his injured manhood by seizing his wife and pulling her from the bed to the floor, or rather against the side of the room first, and when she arose and tried to get back into bed and begged him not to hurt her, he twitched her again and she fell to the floor insensible. Then the courageous brother Budd expressed the opinion that she was dead, to which the kind husband responded 'G--d d--n her let her die then,' but Budd thought it was best to get some camphor, which respondent said was in the buttery, but which Budd swore he 'couldn't find any more than the man in the moon.' At last Mathers took his wife up and threw her on the bed and sent Budd after Mrs. Aldrich, who came and after working over Mrs. Mathers some time succeeded in bringing her to consciousness; but ever afterwards she was unable to be dressed and run down fast and died last May."

DEFENSE: "proved by Dr. Bennett that Mrs. Mathers was in a dying condition at the time of the assault and would therefore have died anyway, and so the good doctor testified that the assault did not injure her any."

Verdict: Found Guilty, after jury was out all night. 3 had favored acquittal at first. $100 fine and costs..

He died in 1902.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1900; Census Place: Bennington, Bennington, Vermont; Roll: 1689; Page: 16; Enumeration District: 0028
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #61892851 (accessed 17 April 2023)
   Martin Mathews (34), widowed son, Spinner Knit Wrks, in household of Solomon Mathus (63) in Bennington, Bennington, Vermont. Born in Vermont, USA.

   Solomon Mathus M 63 Married Head Architect Vermont, USA

   Sarah Mathus F 63 Married Wife Vermont, USA

   Edward Mathus M 17 Single Son Wash on Wad Vermont, USA

   Sarah Mathews F 17 Single Daughter Woolen Knit Goods Vermont, USA

   Martin Mathews M 34 Widowed Son Spinner Knit Wrks Vermont, USA

   Alice Hollister F 23 Married Daughter Vermont, USA

   Flora E Hollister F 6/12 Single Granddaughter Vermont, USA

2. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFDS-BLF : Tue Oct 31 12:39:41 UTC 2023), Entry for Martin Mathers and Solomon, 08 Oct 1902.

Acknowledgments

• Profile Mathers-147 was created through the import of BDM7-7-11.ged on Jul 8, 2011 by Brian McCullough.