from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, March 10, 1898--page 1, column 2:
Republican candidates for county offices:
was born in Marion county near Bridgeport, in 1846. When he was six years of age his parents moved to Hendricks county where the subject of this sketch has since lived. When the war began he was too young to go with the first troops but at the age of sixteen he enlisted in the 124th regiment, Indiana volunteers, and served two years. Mr. Mattern is a leading farmer and Republican of Guilford township and is well and popularly known over the county. He served one term most acceptably as county treasurer.