By Edres Bryant Barney
Nelson Bates Mattice was a descendant of Peter Mattice, a German immigrant who came to America with a group called Palestine. They arrived in New York in 1712. They were sponsored by the British Crown, to develop a tar industry for the British Navy. During the Revolutionary War in 1777, some Mattices went to Canada because of their debt to the Crown. Others fought for the colonies.
It was in Canada where Nelson was born on March 9, 1839, to Elizabeth Rupert and Adam Mattice. After both parents died, he came to the United States with a family named Rawlins who were converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They arrived in Salt Lake City on Oct. 6, 1848, in Nelson’s ninth year. He grew to manhood in Utah.
Nancy Aretta Porter was born on Oct. 1, 1843, in Jefferson, Lee, Iowa, the daughter of Amy Sumner and Chauncy Warner Porter. Her marriage to Nelson Bates Mattice took place on Feb. 4, 1861, in Willow Creek, Utah. They spent many years in Utah, in Porterville, Morgan area, growing their family to include eight children. Tired of cold weather, they decided to move south. They fitted two wagons for travel, to be pulled by one team of horses and one of oxen. In northern Arizona, Nelson and the boys worked for the railroad while Nancy and the girls ran a boarding house for the railroad workers. They arrived in Pima in 1884.
Nelson was a good carpenter and mason and immediately built a good home for his family of stone known as “white rock”. The house still stands at 212 E. 300 South in Pima and was a part of what became known as the Willard (Bill) and Lucille Taylor home. He traded it for a farm in Hubbard where he built another home. His sons cared for the farm while Nelson spent his time building homes for the new arrivals in Pima and the surrounding area. However, he always helped with the harvest. Their last two children were born in the valley – Central and Hubbard.
Nelson Mattice passed away on Feb. 11, 1903, and Nancy on June 4, 1924, both resting in the Pima Cemetery. This hardy, pioneer couple and their children were instrumental in the development and growth of the area, leaving a great posterity from eight of their eleven children with many who still call the Gila Valley home. They and their spouses are as follows:
Nelson Alma (Emma Jane Warren), Sarah Elda (David William Cluff), John Warner (Jane Louisa Bryce), Margaret Aretta (James Arthur Cluff), Amanda Malinda died at age 15, Lewis Peter (Romania Olive Cluff), Loren Sumner (Martha Ann Nelson), Lark Alvin (Maud Wamsley), Amy Aretta born in Winslow 1882 and died 1883. Charlotte Mae ( Parley Lunt) and Valor died at age 5.
This and other individual and family histories may be found at the Eastern Arizona Museum Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m..
