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MATTESON The first settlement in this town which is north of Outagamie County and east
of Larrabee, was made in July, 1855, by Roswell Matteson, from whom it derivces
its name. The first schoolhouse was built in 1859; the first mistress, Emma
Dodge. The first church, Christian, was organized January 18, 1874, and the
first sermon preached by Rev. Mr. Sharpe, a Baptist clergyman, in 1860. The
first post office was established in 1856, with E. D. Matteson as Postmaster John White opened the first store in 1862. The Wolf, Embarrass and Pigeon Rivers run through the town, and a cranberry marsh is situated in the northern part, which will prove of value to its owners. The village of Embarrass in the northwestern portion of the town, has sixty people. July 10, 1858, Post No. 78, G. A. R. was organized with forty members, and a lodge of Good Templars in May, 1875.
From Wisconsin County Histories, Waupaca County Edited by John M. Ware 1917
Transcribed and submitted to the Waupaca County
TOWN OF MATTESON
What is now the Town of Matteson was a bone of contention between Waupaca and Shawano counties for a number of years, but the matter was finally referred to the attorney general of the state, who pronounced in favor of the former; and thus Matteson came into Waupaca County as its extreme northeast township.
DECLARED A PART OF
WAUPACA COUNTY The records show that a meeting of the county board in November, 1859, the chairman of that body was instructed "to procure the opinion of the attorney general as to whether Township 25, Range 15, is a part of Waupaca County or of Shawano County." If his opinion should be in favor of Waupaca County, the chairman of the board and the district attorney were to take measures to compel the proper officers to make return to that county. The opinion evidently was in favor of the home county, for at the annual meeting of the board held in November, 1860, it was declared to be one of the towns of Waupaca County, but was to retain the name of Matteson, under which it had been organized in Shawano County. Supervisor E. D. Matteson, son of Roswell Matteson, who had given his name to the town, was declared a member of the county board without further action of the town.
THE MATTESONS Although the first settlement had been made in July, 1855, by Roswell Matteson, it was the son mentioned who became most prominent in the early affairs of the township. In 1856, when the first postoffice was established under the name of Embarrass he was appointed postmaster, and was for years identified with the town and county boards. William Parr built the first sawmill on the Wolf River in 1856. The first native white child, a son, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Erben Ewers in the year named.
Emma Dodge taught the first school in 1859, in a log hut built the same year, and about that time J. M. White opened a little general store at Embarrass.
In 1860 Elder Sharpe, a Baptist minister, came into township notice by preaching the first sermon and marrying the pioneer marital couple, Gilbert Smith and Catherine Palmer. In the same year E. D. Matteson again pushes himself to the front by setting out the first apple trees and actually raising fruit.
In 1861 Palmer & Stacy built the first grist mill in town at the Village of Embarrass.
As indicated by the last reports of the county clerk and assessor, the Town of Matteson is one of average wealth and material standing. It is well water by the Wolf, the Embarrass and Pigeon rivers, and is in the rich dairy belt of Northern Wisconsin. There are four cheese factories and creameries in the township. The value of its neat cattle is given at $69,238, and of its horses and mules at $50,845. Outside of Embarrass Village, its real and personal property is valued at $1,307,905.
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