Background
Nathan Matthews, Jr was born in Boston, lived in Boston practically all his life, served his city actively for over forty years, and died there. He came from an old New England family that, ever since the English immigrant, James Matthews, settled there probably as early as 1638, had had a record of public service in the little town of Yarmouth on Cape Cod. His father, Nathan Matthews, moved to Boston at the age of nineteen. His mother, Albertine (Bunker) Matthews, is credited with giving to her son much of his cultural interest and devotion to ideals. The father's fortunes fluctuated between the extremes of wealth and bankruptcy; but, although the son saw his father fail three times, he also saw him each time resolutely turn to the task of paying back every cent of his debts. The impression made by such an attitude must have been very deep, for instances show that the son throughout his life "leaned backward" in the honesty of his dealings.