Résumé

Store clerk, Oakland, CA, 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Oakland, Alameda, California; Roll: 62; Page: 261B; Enumeration District: 014, accessed 03/29/2023.)

Partner, J.C. Mathews and Son, Architects, Oakland, CA, 1892-1895. Julius Mathews worked with his son Walter in J.C. Mathews and Son between about 1877 and 1888, and with his son Edgar from at least 1892 until 1895. It is possible that the difficult economic times during the mid-1890s convinced Julius to shutter the practice and for Edgar to strike out on his own. In 1895, J.C. Mathews and Son operated at 1004 Broadway in Downtown Oakland. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1895, p. 290.)

Principal, Edgar A. Mathews, Architect, San Francisco, CA. By 1897, Edgar had left the partnership with his father Julius and moved his office to San Francisco. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 321.)

Professional Activities

Edgar A. Mathews served as the Vice-President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), San Francisco Chapter, in 1914-1915.(See "With the Architects and Engineers," Architect and Engineer of California, vol. XXXVIII, no. 2, 09/1914, p. 114 and "With the Architects and Engineers," Architect and Engineer of California, vol. LXI, no. 1, 04/1915, p. 106.)

President, California State Board of Architecture, Northern District, from at least 05/1917 through at least 01/1919. During this tiem period, he served with Secretary-Treasurer Sylvain Schnaittacher and members John Bakewell, Jr., and Joseph Cather Newsom. (See Architect and Engineer of California, vol. XLIX, no. 2, 05/1917, p. 106 and Architect and Engineer, vol. LVI, no. 1, 01/1919, p. 112.)

Relocation

Edgar Asahel Mathews was born in San Francisco, CA, where his family had moved from Markesan, WI, in the mid-1860s. Edgar Mathews was named for his paternal grandfather Asahel Mathews (born 06/03/1792-d. 05/08/1863 in LaPorte, IN). (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 05/31/2024.)

In 1880, Edgar resided with his family at 414 Durant Street in Oakland. At this time, he shared the house with his parents, and siblings Caroline, Arthur and Edwin. The 1880 US Census indicated that Edgar worked as a store clerk at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Oakland, Alameda, California; Roll: 62; Page: 261B; Enumeration District: 014, accessed 03/29/2023.)

Between at least 1892 and 1897, Edgar worked as an architect and resided at 1129 Myrtle Street in what is now the Acorn Industrial district of Oakland. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1892, p. 350 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 4; FHL Roll Number: 976450, accessed 03/29/2023, and Oakland, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 321.)

Mathews lived in a rented dwelling at 1727 Baker Street in San Francisco, CA, in 1900; they had moved to a more uplscale address, 2980 Vallejo Street in San Francisco, CA, by 1930; at this time, his wife, Katherine, and his daughter, Hester (or Esther), also lived in the house. The house was valued at $20,000, a sizable sum for the time. In 1930, the architect, Walter H. Bliss, lived next door at 2990 Vallejo Street.

Edgar Mathews last lived at 1956 Great Highway in San Francisco.

He died in San Francisco, CA, on 12/31/1946.

Parents

The US Census of 1900 indicated that his father had been born in NY, his mother in WI; the US Census of 1930 stated that they both had been from NY. His mother's maiden name was McCracken.

Pauline and Julius had the following children: Walter J. Mathews, Caroline H. Mathews (born c. 1852-d. 09/15/1920 in Alameda County, CA); Arthur Francis Mathews (born 10/01/1860 in Markesan, WI-d. 02/19/1945); Edgar Aschael Mathews (born 09/08/1866 in Oakland, CA-d. 12/31/1948 in San Francisco, CA); Edwin Mathews (born 03/17/1870 in Oakland, CA-d. 04/26/1884 in Oakland, CA).

Spouse

Edgar married Katherine Carleton Dart (born 03/26/1867 in San Francisco, CA-d. 10/26/1950 in San Francisco, CA), on 12/08/1891. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 05/31/2024.)

Children

In 1900, the Mathews had had two daughters identified as Esther D. (born 01/1893) and Eleanor (born 10/1895). In 1930, a daughter, Hester (probably Esther) D. Mathews, lived at home in the house at 2980 Vallejo Street.

Biographical Notes

Historical documents had various spellings of his middle name, "Aschael," as as "Asahel" and "Achael."

At age 30, Alameda County voter records listed Mathews as Caucasian with a light complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He stood 5-feet, 11-and-1/2-inches tall. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 4; FHL Roll Number: 976450, accessed 03/29/2023.)