Canute R. Matson
Encyclopedia
Canute R. Matson was a Norwegian born politician who served as Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois
at the time of the 1886 Haymarket Square Riot in Chicago
.
, in Hordaland
county, Norway
. He was born on the Opkvitne farm, the youngest child of Rognald Madson and Gjertrud Jonsdatter. He came to the United States with his parents in 1849 when he was 6 years old. The Matson family settled in Walworth County, Wisconsin
. Matson received his education at Albion College
and later studied law at Milton College
.
, Company K, at Janesville, Wisconsin. During the Civil War
, he was promoted to sergeant and at the close of the war he was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant at San Antonio, Texas.
. As a member of the state governor's staff and the Grand Army of the Republic
, he was promoted first to major and later to colonel. In 1886, he succeeded Seth Hanchett as Sheriff of Cook County. During May 1886, the Haymarket Riot resulted in the death of several policemen. A number of arrests were made and charges were brought against eight men who were incarcerated in the Cook County Jail
supervised by Matson.
In 1899 Matson was appointed superintendent of the Lincoln Park
postal station, succeeding Hermann Lieb
. At the time of his death, Matson was the senior member of the law firm of Matson & Edwards.
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
at the time of the 1886 Haymarket Square Riot in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Background
Knut Rognald Matson was born near VossVoss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
, in Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He was born on the Opkvitne farm, the youngest child of Rognald Madson and Gjertrud Jonsdatter. He came to the United States with his parents in 1849 when he was 6 years old. The Matson family settled in Walworth County, Wisconsin
Walworth County, Wisconsin
Walworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 102,228. Its county seat is Elkhorn.-Geography:According to the U.S...
. Matson received his education at Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
and later studied law at Milton College
Milton College
Milton College was a private college located in Milton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1844 as the Milton Academy, it closed in 1982. Its campus is now part of the Milton Historic District....
.
Civil War
On October 7, 1861, he enlisted as a soldier in the 13th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment13th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 13th Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 13th Wisconsin was raised at Janesville, Wisconsin, and mustered into Federal service October 17, 1861....
, Company K, at Janesville, Wisconsin. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he was promoted to sergeant and at the close of the war he was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant at San Antonio, Texas.
Political career
Starting during 1869, Matson took a leading part in the councils of the Illinois Republican PartyIllinois Republican Party
The Illinois Republican Party is the state-level affiliate of the Republican Party in Illinois. Since August 20, 2009, it has been chaired by Pat Brady...
. As a member of the state governor's staff and the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
, he was promoted first to major and later to colonel. In 1886, he succeeded Seth Hanchett as Sheriff of Cook County. During May 1886, the Haymarket Riot resulted in the death of several policemen. A number of arrests were made and charges were brought against eight men who were incarcerated in the Cook County Jail
Cook County Jail
The Cook County Jail, located on in Cook County, Illinois, is the largest jail in the United States of America housing approximately 9,800 men and women. The facility is located at 3015 S California Ave in the city of Chicago...
supervised by Matson.
In 1899 Matson was appointed superintendent of the Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is an urban park in Chicago, which gave its name to the Lincoln Park, Chicago community area.Lincoln Park may also refer to:-Urban parks:*Lincoln Park , California*Lincoln Park, San Francisco, California...
postal station, succeeding Hermann Lieb
Hermann Lieb
Hermann Lieb was a Swiss immigrant to the United States who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best remembered as the commander of the Union forces at the Battle of Milliken's Bend in 1863.-Early life:Lieb was born in Switzerland in 1826 and was educated there and in...
. At the time of his death, Matson was the senior member of the law firm of Matson & Edwards.