Jesse Matlack (April 21, 1821 – April 5, 1893) was an American politician from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Chester County from 1877 to 1880.

Jesse Matlack
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the Chester County district
In office
1877–1880
Preceded byElisha W. Baily, Peter G. Carey, John P. Edge, George Fairlamb Smith
Succeeded byJohn A. Reynolds, Theodore K. Stubbs, John T. Potts, William Wayne
Personal details
Born(1821-04-21)April 21, 1821
Milltown, East Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 5, 1893(1893-04-05) (aged 71)
East Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeGoshen Friends Burial Ground
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
Phoebe Bishop
(m. 1854; died 1861)
Martha A. Steele
(m. 1866)
Children6
Occupation
  • Politician
  • hotelier
  • farmer

Early life

edit

Jesse Matlack was born on April 21, 1821, in Milltown, East Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, to Phoebe (née Hoopes) and Isaiah Matlack.[1] He studied at common schools and Hoopes' Boarding School in West Chester.[1]

Career

edit

After his father's death in 1830, Matlack received the 234 acres (95 ha) family farm and a hotel in Milltown called "Sheaf of Wheat" (later the Milltown Hotel). He served as tax collector, assessor, auditor, school director and justice of the peace of East Goshen Township for three terms.[1][2] In 1849, he was appointed postmaster of Milltown.[1]

Matlack was a Republican. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Chester County from 1877 to 1880.[1][2][3]

Personal life

edit

Matlack married Phoebe Bishop, of Delaware County on March 4, 1854. They had four children, Rebecca, Phoebe, Anna and Mary. His wife died in 1861. He married Martha A. Steele, daughter of Peter Steele, on June 16, 1866. They had two children, Joseph E. and Emma W.[1] He was a deacon, trustee, clerk and Sunday school superintendent of Goshen Baptist Church.[1]

Matlack died on April 5, 1893, in East Goshen Township. He was buried at Goshen Friends Burial Ground.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiley, Samuel T. (1893). Garner, Winfield Scott (ed.). Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Comprising A Historical Sketch of the County. Gresham Publishing Company. pp. 685–686. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Archive.org. 
  2. ^ a b c "Jesse Matlack". Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  3. ^ Thomson, W. W., ed. (1898). Chester County and Its People. The Union History Company. p. 441. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Archive.org.