(1851-1931)

Charles Hopkinson (American, 1869-1962)

Loan Courtesy of the Western Reserve Historical Society

As a young man, Mather was involved in a mining accident that prevented him from attending Harvard and working at the Cleveland Iron Company, his father’s business. Instead, in 1882 Mather joined Jas. Pickands and Jay. C. Morse to form Pickands, Mather & Co., a rival to Cleveland Iron. Two years later the company leased a mine in the Gogebic Range, later aquiring interest in the Minnesota Mesabi and Michigan Marquette Ranges. Mather shrewdly allied Pickands-Mather with the steel industry, providing resources and transportation, and facilitating the U.S. Steel (now Nippon Steel) merger. These successes compounded his inherited wealth, and at the time of his death, he was the wealthiest man in Ohio. He left many charitable bequests to Cleveland and Greater Ohio institutions upon his death.

Mr. Mather was involved in bringing Lakeside Hospital to the campus of Western Reserve University, the future University Hospitals of Cleveland.

 During World War One he organized the War Chest, donating over $750,000 and receiving the Cross of Legion of Honor from France. He helped to establish the Community Chest contributing $100,000 annually, and in 1930, the year of this portrait, established a $1.6 million trust to ensure its prosperity

 Samuel Mather and his brother William Gwyn Mather were intimately involved in the building of the new Trinity cathedral in 1890 with the architect Charles Schweinfurth who had been the architect of the Union Club, and later Samuel Mathers house on Euclid Avenue.

Mr. Mather was married to Flora Stone Mather the sister of Clara Stone Hay the daughters of Amasa Stone. Amasa Stone donated and constructed Albert Hall for Western Reserve University in memory of his son Adelbert Stone who died in an accident while attending Yale University

 Mr. Mather was a lifelong member of the Old Stone Church (Presbyterian) on Public Square in 1892.  She donated Guildford House, a dormitory on the campus at Western Reserve University.  In 1896 she helped found Goodrich House, the first society service agency in Cleveland which also led to the forming of the Legal Aid Society. She gave fans a 1902 to construct Hayden Hall and honor doctor Hiram Hayden director of old stone church was also acting president of western reserve university

 Mrs. Mather died in 1909 her will included funds to complete amasa stone Chapel on the campus of western reserve university which she shared and her sister Mrs. John hay gave in memory of their father the women's college at Western Reserve was dedicated as the Flora Stone Mather College for Women in her honor.

The Mathers summer home is the present day Shorby Club in Bratenahl. They built the last mansion on Euclid Ave. in 1890 designed by Charles Schweinfurth which today houses the Cleveland State University foundation Mrs. Mather died shortly before the house was completed after it was built Mr. Mather lived as a widower in the house for another 20 years

 Mr Mathers served as president of the union club from 1911 to 1912

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Noted Boston portraitist Charles Hopkinson painted from life this marvelous likeness of Cleveland industrialist, philanthropist and founding member of the Union Club, Samuel, just a year before Mather’s death in 1931. Despite his sitter’s advanced age, and knobby arthritic hands, Hopkinson communicated a sense of power and determination in Mather’s face that is utterly arreseting. The portrait, with its silvery gray-green harmonies and economical brushwork, is a testament to Hopkinson’s skill. Over teh course of his life, he was a much sought-after portraitist who produced over 800 paintings and maintained an atelier in Boston’s Fenway Studions. Many of his paintings were commissioned by East Coast institutions, notably Harvard University, where he acted as house portraitist. Among his sitters were Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Masefield and Calvin Coolidge.