Today, is Arthur Cahlan Mathews 100th birthday! Art was born in Susanville on June 5, 1922, the only son of Arthur and Lena Cahlan Mathews. Upon his debut, he had an older sister, Ellen, and later on a younger sister Marcella. Art has many fond memories growing up in Susanville, and after he graduated from Lassen Union High School in 1940, he ventured out of Lassen Land.

His grandfather, John Cahlan came to the Honey Lake Valley in 1873, where he went into a partnership with W. Wallace Scholl in a buying a ranch near Johnstonville. It was not long after that, he married Lottie Farley.  The marriage would be brief, she died unexpectedly in 1876.

In 1877, an interesting opportunity came Cahlan’s way with the formation of the Farmer’s Co-Operative Association in Reno which he became manager. 1882 was a pivotal year, for Cahlan remarried to Reno school teacher, Charlotte Warren. Not much later a fire destroyed the co-op store, and the newlyweds returned to Cahlan’s former ranch, in which he bought out his partner Scholl. The couple would have two daughters—Lena who married Arthur J. Mathews and Neva who married R.H. “Hi” Browne. In 1908, Cahlan who was now 68 years old, decided to retire from ranching life and sold out to  Frank and S.F. “Duck” Bangham.

Cahlan moved into Susanville and purchased the old Moody place on the northwest corner of Main and Roop Streets (now the location of Uptown Cinemas). In 1911, Cahlan had a Dutch Colonial style home built there. This would be the home that his three grandchildren grew up in. In 1955, the house was moved to 1415 North Street, to be replaced with a brick building to be the new home of J.C. Penney.

In 1892, when Lassen County’s first financial institution was formed, the Bank of Lassen County, Cahlan was quite involved. He served for many years as Vice President. After the passing of his close friend Fred Hines, who served as the bank’s president, Cahlan was appointed as Hines’ replacement. Unfortunately, he would not remain at the helm very long, for he suffered a heart attack in the office at the bank on September 24, 1912.

Art, I hope this finds you well. Wish I could be there for your birthday dinner bash this evening, however, I will have a “Susanville pour” in your honor.

Tim