This is the third and final part of the Harry Mathis story, originally written by Richard Reed and first appeared in the January 8, 1975, issue of the Brown County Democrat.
Ethel and I started housekeeping in her parents’ home at Bloomington, where they’d moved from Jackson Creek. I worked on the Charles Townsend Farm, where Ethels dad worked too. Then I taught again back at Jackson Creek. When school was out, we moved to Old Unionville in Monroe County, where my brother Russell was born in 1924.
“I taught two more years after that, at Jackson Creek. That was the last time we lived in the Rogers house, where Yellowwood Lake is now. Then we moved to my aunt Sarah Hoy’s house near Nashville and both Alpha, brother Ray’s wife, and I taught at Bellmont. That was my last school assignment.
After our daughter Betty Lou was born in 1927, I went to work at the carpenter trade and followed I, off and on, ever since. I started by building a cabin up Hobbs Branch on our old home place for H. H. Brooks. I moved in and worked for Brooks, developing his property, for a couple years. Dorothea Jean was born while we lived there, in 1929, and Charles William (Bill) in 1931.
My father died and my mother gave me a piece of ground south of her old home place and I bought five acres from Ray, right next to it, to build a cabin. We lived there until my children all finished high school, got married and left home.
I also built and helped to build several buildings around Nashville. They include the Griffith Pottery, Adolph Shulz and V. J. Cariani studios, and the Christian Church after the old one burned. I remodeled Marie Goth’s studio and Will Vawter’s house that Bob Gregg lives in, and I built an addition to Milton Matter’s ‘Matterhorn on ‘on Greasy Creek. I also built the house where Ival McDonald lives, for a Doctor Culmer of Bloomington.
During the WPA days I helped Fred Rains build the walks around the courthouse and the foundation for the old high school gymnasium. I also helped build the roads in the State Park. The last house I built in Brown County was for Merritt Harrison, near the north entrance to the park.
In Bloomington I built several houses while I worked for Sara and Prince and then several on my own. Ethel retired from the audio-visual department at I.U.in 1971, after 22 years of service. We presently reside at 322 East 16 Street, Bloomington.
I don’t do much now except watch my 11 grandchildren grow up, get married and begin their new lives.
My oldest, Russell, who married Juanita Percifield, has four boys, one a pharmacist. Russell has a good job with the State Board of Health in Indianapolis.
Betty married Wayne Carmichael, vice president of the Monroe County Bank. They have two girls and the older one is a teacher married to a teacher in Indianapolis.
Dorothea Jean married Lewis Johnson, purchasing agent for I.U. They live in Indianapolis and also have two girls.
Charles William, or (Bill) as we call him, has worked 24 years for Cummins Engine Company and is running their operation down in Memphis. Bill and his wife have two girls and a boy.
“I’m proud that they’re all doing well.”
Harry remembers a particularly proud occasion during his early years. That was when Harry and Ray were presented jointly with what he calls “our first necktie’ by their aunt Laura McGuire, who lived on a farm near Trevlac.
“Ray and I,” smiled Harry, “were sure proud to have that tie.”
Harry Mathis, 18 March 1899-26 April 1987 is at rest, next to his wife, Ethel M. Pogue Mathis, 26 March 1906-14 October 1994, ‘in the Valhalla Memory Gardens at Bloomington, Indiana.’
Submitted by Pauline Hoover
Brown County Historical Society
