For the early life of Goldie, see this post.
After Herbert’s mother died, he left home and took various odd jobs in Chicago. He had a wide variety of jobs (see his autobiography) – traveled on trains, worked for Barnum and Bailey Circus, did odd jobs in Indianapolis, etc. He worked on a British ship and sailed around the world. One of his buddies on the ship was Jim Hanna. After the trip, Jim and Herbert went to Indianapolis where Herbert’s father and step-mother were living. Jim Hanna met Laurinda (Renie) Hatcher. She was Goldie’s great aunt (Amanda Cozatt’s sister). Amanda was Nettie’s mother. Jim and Renie later married. Herbert met Goldie at Aunt Renie’s house.
They were married on January 6, 1916 in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS NEWS - JAN. 7, 1916, p4. Marriage License: Herbert L. Matthews and Goldie Reeder
Newman’s daughter Iva married John Wickliff Denton in Indianapolis on June 1, 1916.
Herbert had passed the Civil Service examination on Oct. 2, 1915, and was notified by mail on April 12, 1916. He sent his medical certificate on Oct. 8. He was appointed as substitute clerk Nov. 25, went to work on Dec. 5 at 5:59 pm at the Indianapolis, getting a his first paychecks on Dec. 18th of $11.78, and Jan. 3, 1917 of $28.10.
He took a leave from there and entered the Navy in October 1917 for service in WW1.
After the war, Herbert went back to the post office but remained in the Naval Reserve.
Their first child, James Douglas, was born at 10:00 am on Friday, February 7, 1919 at their residence at 717 E. 11th Street in Indianapolis.
In the 1920 census Newman (65) and Helen (52) were living at 1036 N. King Avenue on the west side of Indianapolis with daughters Nellie R. (20, a typist), and Bernice E. (15), and a 13 month old boarder, Adolph Milharsie. All had been born in Illinois but the baby (1 1/12), born in Indiana. Iva (23) and her husband, John Denton (34), were living in Indianapolis with son Glenn (15 mo.), and a Sybil Trosky (47), probably a boarder. Mable (32) and her husband, Fred Reeder (32), were living in Posey County, Indiana.
In the 1920 census, Herbert L. Matthews (30, a postal clerk) and wife Goldie (22) were living with son James D. (11/12 months) at 450 N. Senate Avenue.
Their second child, Mary Luella, was born at 12:00 noon on Friday, May 28, 1920, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Anna Louise was born at 11:00 pm on Thursday, February 16, 1922 at Methodist Hospital.
Newman lived at 537 North Capital where daughter Betty walked to Manual High School.
Daughter Nellie married Ralph Sidney Cox in Marion County, Indiana on August 19, 1922. They remained in Indianapolis, and were living at 340 N. Hamilton when Newman died on January 25, 1923 of cancer of the pancreas and chronic intestinal nephritis. His age was 68y7m28d. He was buried in the Mackinaw Cemetery, Mackinaw, Illinois.
CLINTON ILLINOIS NEWSPAPER OBITUARY N. H. MATTHEWS IS SUMMONED N. H. Matthews, a former resident of Clinton and brother of C. H. Matthews, 403 East Main street, passed away at his home in Indianapolis, Ind., this morning at 2:30 o'clock, following an illness of several months. He was 69 years old. Newman Matthews was born in Mackinaw, Illinois in 1853. For several years he lived in Clinton, having been a tinner. At one time he was in business here, selling out to Herman Metz. He was married to Miss Anna Swanson in 1887, who preceded him in death fifteen years ago. He was married a second time and this wife and seven children survive. They are Mrs. Fred Reeder, Mrs. Nellie Cox, Mrs. Iva [Denton], Herbert, Ralph, and Bernice of Indianapolis, Ind., and Carl, of Ann Arbor, Mich. He also leaves two brothers and a sister, C. H. Matthews of Clinton; G. L. Matthews of Champaign, and Mrs. B. F. Spencer, of Clinton. The funeral services and burial will be held at Mackinaw Saturday.
INDIANAPOLIS NEWS - JAN. 25, 1923, p24 OBITUARY - Matthews, N. H., 340 N. Hamilton Ave., passed away Thursday morning, January 25, at the Methodist Hospital. Mr. Matthews was formerly in the radiator repair business at 142 W. 10th. Funeral services at the Ragsdale & Price Parlors, 1219 W. Alabama 2:30 p.m., Friday, January 26. Friends invited. Burial at Mackinaw, Ill. Saturday afternoon.
Newman’s brother, Charles Holmes Matthews, died in Clinton, Illinois on September 21, 1926. His wife Mary died on May 5, 1949. Their son Solomon had died in 1910. All were buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery.
Stanley Edwards was born at 9:30 am on Thursday, May 17, 1923 at Deaconess Hospital. Herbert Leslie, Jr., was born at 4:00 pm on Saturday, December 20, 1924 at Deaconess Hospital.
In April of 1927, for a postal promotional event, Herbert painted 3 foot postcards.
Goldie, Betty, Jim, Herb “Les”, Anne, Mary, StanBetty Jean was born at 11:45 pm on Thursday, September 12, 1929 at their residence at 2837 N. Olney in Indianapolis.
Son Jim also remembers the family living near the present site of the Masonic Temple.
In 1930, Herbert, Goldie, and family moved to New Philadelphia east of Indianapolis on US 40. They moved there so they could have a garden and cow, as this was the worst of the depression. Carl Eugene was born there at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 8, 1931.
In July 2003 Anne Matthews Dillane provided the following story for the Matthews reunion:
“This is an early childhood memory while we were living in Philly Indiana. One evening, Dad decided to take the family into town to see a movie. We all piled into our old Nash and drove the 20+ miles to the big city. Upon arriving, to our surprise we had an extra passenger, Buster, our faithful little dog!! He had ridden all the way with us, lying between the hood and running board of the car. Dad put him in one of the rooms at the post office where he worked while we were at the show. Of course, coming home he had a less airy ride and many loving laps to lay on!!”
They lived there until 1934 and then moved back to Indianapolis and rented a house at 405 N. Beville. Their last child, Ethel May, was born in the Deaconess Hospital in Indianapolis on September 4, 1934.
After about a year they moved up the street to 414 N. Beville. In 1937 they bought the house at 410 N. Beville.
Helen Kilby, Newman’s wife, died in September 1940.
OBITUARY - MACKINAW, ILLINOIS Mrs. Helen Kilby Matthews, daughter of N. L. and Margaret Allensworth Kilby, was born on the Kilby homestead south of Mackinaw June 6, 1867, and died at 2:55 pm Friday [Sep 20, 1940] at the Illinois Christian Home in Jacksonville. She was married to Newman Matthews of Indianapolis, Indiana, at Mackinaw in September, 1913. They made their home in Indianapolis, where Mr. Matthews preceded her in death several years ago. After his death she returned to this community to make her home until 1938 when she entered the Christian Home for the Aged at Jacksonville. She is survived by one sister, Mrs. Inez Bollan of Havanna, onr brother, O. B. Kilby of Mackinaw; two step-sons and four step-daughters, Herbert and Ralph Matthews, Mrs. Mabel Reeder, Mrs. Iva Denton, Mrs. Nellie Cox, and Mrs. Bernice Blase, all of Indianapolis. There are also several step-grandchildren and a host of friends in the Mackinaw community. Funeral services were held in the Christian home at 2:30 pm Sunday, in charge of the Reverend M. L. Pontius of Jacksonville. Burial was in the cemetery at the Home. Pallbearers were Glenn Kilby of Virginia, Alvin Trimble of Hopedale, Warren Trimble of Pekin, Francis Kilby of Mackinaw, Glen Denton and Mr. Blase of Indianapolis.
In 1942, Herbert was called up to serve in WW II, but was sent home after breaking his shoulder in Canada.
Herbert was an active member of several lodges, including the Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite, the Murat Shrine, and the Queen Esther Chapter of the eastern Star. He was very social and enjoyed the activities. Goldie was very reserved and tolerated them.
In 1962 Herbert was installed as the vice-president of the National Association of Retired Civil Employees. In 1963 he was installed as president. His chapter had over 400 members.
Herbert was a friendly, fun-loving man, who enjoyed being the life of the party.
Herbert and Goldie lived at 410 N. Beville when Herbert died on September 11, 1965 in the Veterans Hospital in Indianapolis due to a failing heart caused by emphysema. His age was 76y1m4d.
INDIANAPOLIS NEWS - SEP. 13, 1965, p17. OBITUARY - Rites for Herbert L. Matthews, 76, 410 N. Beville, will be at 10 a.m. tomorrow in the Flanner & Buchanan Fall Creek Mortuary. Matthews was a retired postal clerk. He died yesterday at the 10th Street Veterans Hospital. He was a member of East Park Methodist Church, Capital City Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite, and Murat Shrine.
Goldie lived at 410 N. Beville a few more years, then sold the home and rented a double in the 2300 block of North Elizabeth Street on the east side of Indianapolis. A few years later she rented a small house at 129 N. 2nd Avenue in Beech Grove. When her health started to deteriorate, she moved into Crestwood Village South Apartments. She died in the Hospice at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis on April 23, 1981 of breast cancer.
Herbert and Goldie were buried in the Washington Park East Cemetery in Indianapolis.