Sherman Hoyt Mather, farmer and District Superintendent of Schools, died in late August of 1951 after contracting polio earlier in the summer. Despite heroic efforts, including the use of the Iron Lung, to save him he became the first Essex County victim of the disease.
Sherman was born in 1909, the son of Hoyt Mather and Anna Sherman Mather. He graduated from Cornell in 1932 and married Madeline Woolsey in 1936. They settled In Whallonsburgh and had three daughters and a son.
The summer and fall of 1951 was a frightening time for all of us as we watched some of our friends and neighbors fall victim to the previously unknown disease.
Sherman Hoyt Mather Photos
Cornell Yearbook 1932
Sherman Hoyt Mather Obituary
Sherman Hoyt Mather, a native of
Whallonsburg died at the Physicians
Hospital Monday, September 10, the
first fatality in poliomyelitis epidemic
in Essex County where twenty odd
cases have been reported in the past
two weeks. The victim was taken to
the hospital where he was in a me-
chanical respirator or “Iron Lung”.
His condition August 28 was thought
to be improving until Sunday
when his condition became worse,
death coming at 5:30 o’clock Monday
afternoon.
The death of Mr. Mather, who was
District superintendent of the Second
Supervisory School District of Essex
County, was a distinct shock to his
large circle of friends and a great loss
to the community in which he worked
as an educator.
Sherman Hoyt Mather was born
July 26, 1909 at Whallonsburg, the
son of Hoyt E. Mather and Annie
(Sherman) Mather. He attended the
Westport High School from which he
Graduated with the class of 1928.
He received his degree of B.S. at
Cornell in 1932 and for four years
taught as instructor of agriculture
at West Lyden. Mr. Mather was
United in marriage with Miss Made-
Line Woolsey, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Royal Woolsey of Canastota
August 27, 1936, and the same year
became district superintendent of
Second Supervisory District of Essex
County, moving to Whallonsburg
where in 1838 he moved to the Math-
er Homestead where he and his fam-
ily have since resided and where he
maintained an outstanding herd of
prize Ayrshires. Mr. Mather, a mem-
ber of the Federated Church of West-
port, was active in all community af-
fairs for which he found time along
with his fine management of educa-
tion in his district. He had served
as master of Whallonsburg Grange
for three years; was a member of
the Westport Glee Club, and the
Westport Men’s Club; was a mem-
Ber of the Lake Champlain Golf Club
Of Westport; a member of the
Port Henry Kiwanis Club, later transfer-
ing to Kiwanis Club of Elizabethtown;
was a member of Plattsburg
Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Or-
der of Elks.
Surviving are his wife and four
Children. Nancy, aged twelve, Linda,
Ten, Gail, eight, and Bruce, one and
one-half years. He is also survived
by his father, Hoyt Mather and bro-
ther, Lee E. Mather, Whallonsburg
two sisters; Mrs. Nancy Manz, Scho
harie, and Miss Joyce E. Mather, Al-
bany; an aunt Miss Elsie Sherman,
Wadhams. Largely attended funeral
services were held at two o’clock
Wednesday afternoon, September 12,
with burial at the family plot at
Wadhams.
The bearers were Ralph Lilly, prin-
ciple of Willsboro Central School,
Festus Smith of Willsboro, Ray Ben-
der and Roger Thomas of Westport,
Richard Moran of Whallonsburg, and
Dr. Paul Reed of Port Henry.
Published in the “Record Post, Ausable Forks, NY” September 20, 1951
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Barbara Irish Smith says
My sister Patricia Irish White babysat for his family and she said he was the nicest person to work for and was kind
Barbara Irish Smith says
I printed out the above history of Sherman Mather article and sent it to my sister Patricia Irish White and of course received a phone call right away how very happy she was to read it as it brought back so many memories of her babysitting for the family. My sister just turned 89 and her memory is still great!
George Davis says
Wonderful, wonderful! Thank you so much for passing the post along to your sister, Patricia Irish White, and thank you for sharing her enthusiasm here. I hope that other readers with long memories will be similarly inspired.