Abner C. Mattoon


Abner Clough Mattoon was an American merchant and politician from New York. He was the builder of the first tugboat that was steam powered that was built and operated west of the Hudson River.

Life

He was born on October 15, 1814, in Locke, New York, to Henry Mattoon.
The family removed to Rochester in 1816. He attended the common schools, and at age 14 began to work on the canals as a horsedriver. Later, he removed to New York City, and then was for a few years a clerk on board a palace steamer on the Mississippi River. In 1844, he returned to Rochester. He married Caroline Nichols in 1844, and they had three children. The couple removed to New York City, and in 1847 to Oswego. He engaged in forwarding, milling, boat construction and the grain trade.
He entered politics as a Whig, became a Know Nothing, and then joined the Republican Party. In 1853, he was an alderman of Oswego.
He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1863 and 1864.
He was a member of the New York State Senate in 1868 and 1869.
His health had been failing for a number of years, and he died on November 20, 1895, at his home in Oswego, Oswego County, New York.