Alvin B. Hoover
A solid business enterprise of Matthews has a history of its own, which illustrated both the progress of the town and the career of one of its foremost citizens. This business conducted under the name and proprietorship of Alvin b. Hoover, is a complete establishment for the supplying of hardware, wall paper, paints, with also a plumbing and tinware department, and occupies a storeroom forty-two by ninety feet in dimension at the corner of Eight and Massachusetts Avenue. This business represents the steadily progressive labors of Mr. Hoover, over a number of years. he established a business here in March, 1911, and in April, 1913, took over the entire stock of the Hayworth Hardware Company, and is now the only dealer in general hardware and related supplies in Matthews. His business up to a few years ago, was more in a special line as a paper and painting contractor and house decorator. As a house decorator his business extends all over this section of Grant County, and also into Blackford, Madison and Delaware Counties. he is himself a practical house painter and decorator, and that trade was the basis on which he has built up his present prosperous commercial enterprise.
Mr. Hoover has lived in Grant County sixteen years, and all his life has been spent in the vicinity of Matthews. He was born and reared in Washington Township of Delaware County, his birth occurring January 4, 1868. His native township remained his home until he came to Matthews sixteen years ago. His parents were William and Catherine (Hoover) Hoover, his mother and father being of the same name, but not related. They were both natives of Blair County, Pennsylvania, coming of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and previous to the Revolution members of the family lived in Virginia. William Hoover when a young man moved west to Henry County, Indiana, and there he met and married his wife, who came from the same State as he. Mrs. Hoover's parents were Peter and Margaret Hoover, and had settled in Henry County, improved a good farm, and made that their home until their death when past eighty years of age. After four children had been born in Henry County, William Hoover and wife came to Washington Township in Delaware County, and there established a home on eighty acres of land. There the parents lived quiet and industrious lives until past seventy and in 1905 retired to a comfortable home in Matthews, where both are now living, and are each seventy-eight years of age, and hale and hearty. The father belongs to the Progressive Dunkard Church, while his wife is a member of the Old Church of that order. His politics is Republican.
Alvin B. Hoover was one of a family of six children, named as follows:
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Miles L., who is a merchant at Wheeling, Indiana, and has a family.
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Estella, who is married and lives in Missouri.
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George W., Cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Eton.
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Alvin B.
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Alta, wife of Denton Tomilson of Madison County, and the mother of three children.
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Benton, who died at the age of four years.
Alvin B. Hoover was married in Gaston to Miss Margaret Barrett, who was born in Iowa in 1874, but was reared and educated in Delaware County. By her marriage she has become the mother of two children:
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Twila, who died at the age of two years and five months.
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Hilda B., who is thirteen years of age and attending the public schools.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoover attend worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is in politics a Republican, served seven years in the offices of city clerk and treasurer, and made a splendid record in administering those offices. When he went into office the city was burdened with a debt, and when he left the treasury had eight thousand dollars. Fraternally he is well known in several orders, including the Blue Lodge of Masonry, and he occupies the Masonic Building at Matthews as the site of his store. H belongs to the Wheeling Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, has taken all the chairs in the lodge and has also been honored with office in the Improved Order of Red Men.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.