Jasper Newton Matheny was one of the earliest pioneers into Oregon with his family. He married Mary Bell Ring and after her death married Elizabeth Lee. In the late 1850's he was a delegate to the Democratic convention in Yamhill County. By 1862 he was elected alderman of Salem and the next year he built and operated a new steam ferry for the Willamette River. He was indicted in 1865 for running his ferry on a Sunday but the charges were dismissed. In November 1865 he sold his interest in the ferry and built a stone wharf above the ferry landing. In 1866 he was elected Salem City Marshall. In 1871 he and a business partner went to Washington and bought 160 acres and a sawmill from two squatters and became one of the founding father's of Spokane, Washington. His business partner Glover would become one of Spokane's first bankers and mayor. He left and with his wife Elizabeth went to South America for business. Coming back to America to see the World's Fair in St. Louis he took ill onboard ship. After docking in San Francisco he took lodging at the Occidental Hotel and died. His wife Elizabeth Lee Matheny buried him in grave #71, section 18 Ocean Plot of the Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco and went on to see the World's Fair and return alone to South America. Because she lived out of the country she did not know that all of the interred at the Masonic Cemetery were to be moved. Those interred whose family members did not make other arrangements were relocated to a section of Woodlawn Memorial Park in Colma.

Children of Jasper and Mary Bell Ring Matheny are:
Lorenzo Dow Matheny, Henry Leuder Matheny, Albert Lee Matheny, Laura Bell Matheny, Ida Rose Matheny, Mary Ella Matheny, Minnie Maud Matheny, Alice Gertrude Matheny, Sarah Agnes Matheny, Guy Fawkes Matheny and Jasper Claud Matheny.