Representative Courtland Cushing Matson

Courtland Cushing Matson (April 25, 1841 – September 4, 1915) was an American lawyer, Civil War veteran, and Democratic politician who served four terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1881 to 1889. He was born in Brookville, Franklin County, Indiana, where he spent his early years before pursuing higher education and a career in law and public service.

Matson attended the common schools of Indiana and later enrolled at Indiana Asbury University in Greencastle, Indiana, an institution that would later become DePauw University. He graduated in 1862, completing his studies during the tumultuous years of the American Civil War. Soon after his graduation, he began the study of law, but his early professional plans were interrupted by the national conflict.

During the Civil War, Matson enlisted in the Union Army, serving in the 16th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He entered the service as a private and rose through the ranks, ultimately attaining the rank of colonel. His military service, which included participation in several campaigns, established his reputation as a capable and committed officer and marked him as part of the generation of veterans who would go on to shape public life in the postwar period.

After the war, Matson returned to Indiana and completed his legal training. He was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana. In addition to his legal work, he became active in local and state Democratic politics. He served as prosecuting attorney of the sixty‑third judicial circuit of Indiana from 1870 to 1872, gaining experience in public office and building a political base. His involvement in party affairs and his standing as a veteran and attorney positioned him for higher office.

Matson’s congressional service began when he was elected as a Democrat to the Forty‑seventh Congress, taking office on March 4, 1881. He was subsequently reelected to the Forty‑eighth, Forty‑ninth, and Fiftieth Congresses, serving continuously until March 3, 1889. As a member of the House of Representatives, Courtland Cushing Matson participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his Indiana constituents during a significant period in American history marked by Reconstruction’s aftermath, industrial expansion, and debates over veterans’ affairs and economic policy. During his tenure, he contributed to the legislative process over four terms in office and served as chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions, reflecting both his party’s priorities and his own background as a Civil War veteran.

In 1888, Matson was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Indiana. Although he conducted an active campaign, he was unsuccessful in his bid for the governorship and consequently did not return to Congress after his fourth term ended in 1889. Following his departure from national office, he resumed the practice of law in Greencastle, remaining a respected figure in state legal and political circles. He continued to be identified with the Democratic Party and with the generation of Civil War veterans who had moved into public life.

Courtland Cushing Matson died in Chicago, Illinois, on September 4, 1915. His remains were returned to Indiana, and he was interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle. His career as a soldier, lawyer, and four‑term Representative from Indiana placed him among the notable public figures of his era who bridged the Civil War and the Gilded Age in American political history.