Senator Joseph Mattes View All Years

JOSEPH MATTES

MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee appointed to prepare resolutions commemorating the life and public service of the Hon. Joseph Mattes, a former member of the General Assembly, who died at his home in Odebolt, Iowa, on April 17, 1925, begs leave to submit the following:

Joseph Mattes was born at Camanche, Clinton county, Iowa, October 1, 1855. His parents later moved to Lyons, where in his early youth he attended the public schools, and afterwards the high school at Clinton.

In 1879 he went to Sac county, where he started a small hardware store at Odebolt, which, under his careful management, developed into a flourishing and successful business, and which he continued to manage until 1915, when, in order to devote his time to banking, he turned the hardware business over to his son, George. He was connected with the First National Bank at Odebolt for many years and later the Kiron State Bank, and was president of both of these banks when he died.

He was married in May, 1879, at Lyons, to Miss Catherine E. Shelley. Four children were born to this union, three of whom are living. Mrs. Mattes passed away in March, 1912.

He was a staunch republican and served Sac county in the House of Representatives during the Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies, followed by election to the Senate to represent the Forty-eighth Senatorial district, consisting of Carroll, Greene and Sac counties, in the Thirty-second, regular and extra, the Thirty-third, Thirty­fourth and Thirty-fifth sessions, a continuous legislative service of fourteen years. He was twice chairman of the appropriation committee in the House and was accorded the same honor during the last two sessions in the Senate. He was greatly in favor of the Capitol extension plan which came up in 1913, and did all he could to further it.

He took an active interest in the affairs of the community where he lived and centered his efforts on better schools, the public library and the volunteer fire department. He was affiliated with the Masons, the 0. E. S., Knights of Pythias, and the Modern Woodmen of the World, and for many years was a trustee of the Presbyterian church at Odebolt.

His keen business ability and integrity were recognized by Governor N. E. Kendall in 1924, when he appointed him as a member of the budget appeal board, which position he held at the time of his death.

In September, 1914, he married Elizabeth Platt of Des Moines, who survives him. He also leaves a daughter, Mrs. Grace Young of Bellevue, Iowa, and two sons, Howard Mattes of Reardon, Washington, and George Mattes of Odebolt, Iowa.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, That in the death of Joseph Mattes the state has lost a valuable and honored citizen, whose faithful and unselfish devotion to duty in public and private life is worthy of commemoration and recognition, and the Senate of the Forty-second General Assembly of Iowa takes this occasion to express its appreciation of his high character and public services to the state of Iowa, and to extend to his family sincere sympathy in their bereavement.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of this Senate and that copies thereof be transmitted to the members of his family.

J. G. MERRITT,

ED. H. CAMPBELL,

B. M. STODDARD,

Committee.