Cotton was the son of Sanford Mather & Betsy Lepper.

The 1850 census has the family in Saybrook, Ashtabula Co., OH. Smith was 20. They arrived there between Mary's birth in PA about 1833 and Harriett's birth in OH about 1835.

The Iowa 1856 census places them in Eden Township, Clinton Co. IA, Alice, the then youngest, was 2, born in IA. Smith is not enumerated with his parents.

He and his family moved to Calhoun County sometime after 1880 as they were enumerated in Welton Twp, Clinton Co. that year.

He seems to have been known as Smith Mather/Marther as that is his name as enumerated in the 1880 census as well as the name penciled on the back of his tintype I have posted here. An elderly distant cousin also confirmed she knew him as Smith Mather. (Grace Hayden-137710673)

For reasons unknown the surname was variably spelled Mather/Marther/Marthar in 19th century Iowa.

The paper frame of the tintype shows the photographer was W. (William) H. Owen, artist, Union Gallery, Lyons, Iowa. Ca. 1865,

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Smith Mather

Improved land 45 acres

Wood-land 0

Other ? ? 35 acres

Value of farm $2000

Value of farming implements, etc. $600

Horses 2

Milch cows 3

Swine 3

Value of all livestock $300

Wheat, spring 400 bush.

Potatoes, Irish 150 .

Dairy, Butter 400 Lbs

Hay 5 tons

Value of animals slaughtered or sold to be slaughtered $30

Estimated value of all farm production $750

SOURCE- Production of agriculture in Welton Township, Clinton, Iowa, June 1, 1870

post office, Grand Mound

NOTE- These figures are about average or slightly below compared to neighbors.

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1880 United States Federal Census-

Name: Nellie Marthar (sic)

Age: 5

Birth Date: Abt 1875

Birthplace: Iowa

Home in 1880: Welton, Clinton, Iowa, USA

Dwelling Number: 2

Race: White

Gender: Female

Relation to Head of House: Daughter

Marital Status: Single

Father's name: Smith Marthar

Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Mother's name: Mary Marthar

Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Attended School: Yes

Household Members:

Name Age

Smith Marthar 49

Mary Marthar 47

Jacob Marthar 24

Elizabeth Marthar 22

Harry Marthar 17

Hattie Marthar 14

Addie Marthar 9

Nellie Marthar 5

William Marthar 2 (g-son)

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He is listed under his father Sanford Mather # 1064 on p. 296 in "The Lineage of Rev. Richard Mather", Horace Mather, 1890.

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A photo of his sister Charlotte has been posted; I think there's a marked resemblance. KG