George A. Mathews
Encyclopedia
George Arthur Mathews was an American
lawyer of Brookings, South Dakota
. He was active in the government of the Dakota Territory
, and was a territorial delegate to the United States House of Representatives
.
Mathews was born in Potsdam
, St. Lawrence County, New York
, and studied law at Upper Iowa University
, Fayette, Iowa
and the University of Iowa
at Iowa City
. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and commenced practice in Corning, Iowa
.
He moved to Brookings
, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota
) in 1879. In 1884 he became prosecuting attorney of the fifth judicial circuit for the Territory of Dakota. This automatically made him a member of the Territorial council, and he was its President in 1887 and 1888. In 1888 he was elected as a Republican to be the Territorial delegate to the U.S. House, but served only from March 4, 1889 until November 2, 1889, when North and South Dakota were admitted into the Union.
Mathews returned home to the private practice of law, although he did serve as mayor of the city of Brookings from 1897–1903. In 1910 he retired and moved to Los Angeles, California
. When he died there in 1941 he was cremated and his ashes deposited in Greenwood Cemetery at Brookings, South Dakota
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer of Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher...
. He was active in the government of the Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
, and was a territorial delegate to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Mathews was born in Potsdam
Potsdam (town), New York
Potsdam is a town located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 15,957 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 13676. The town is named after the city of Potsdam in Germany...
, St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
, and studied law at Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University
Established in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private institution of higher education with its residential campus located in northeast Iowa near the Volga River in the rural community of Fayette, where around 900 students are enrolled....
, Fayette, Iowa
Fayette, Iowa
Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,300. It was named after the Marquis de la Fayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. Fayette is the home of Upper Iowa University, a small private college...
and the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
at Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and commenced practice in Corning, Iowa
Corning, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,783 people, 803 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,132.3 people per square mile . There were 880 housing units at an average density of 558.9 per square mile...
.
He moved to Brookings
Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher...
, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
) in 1879. In 1884 he became prosecuting attorney of the fifth judicial circuit for the Territory of Dakota. This automatically made him a member of the Territorial council, and he was its President in 1887 and 1888. In 1888 he was elected as a Republican to be the Territorial delegate to the U.S. House, but served only from March 4, 1889 until November 2, 1889, when North and South Dakota were admitted into the Union.
Mathews returned home to the private practice of law, although he did serve as mayor of the city of Brookings from 1897–1903. In 1910 he retired and moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. When he died there in 1941 he was cremated and his ashes deposited in Greenwood Cemetery at Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher...
.