California Biographies, Kern County
WILLIAM VANDEVER MATLACK

History of Kern County, California, with biographical sketches 
of the leading men and women of the county who have been 
identified with its growth and development from the early days 
to the present.

Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company, 1914
History by Morgan, Wallace Melvin

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


WILLIAM VANDEVER MATLACK.— The cashier of the Security 
Trust Company of Bakersfield traces his lineage to England and Holland and 
is himself a native of Philadelphia, born February 20, 1859. His parents, 
John R. and Lydia B. (Vandever) Matlack, were natives respectively of 
Philadelphia and Baltimore and for many years the former engaged in a 
manufacturing business in his native city, but after his retirement from 
business cares he came to California, and in 1896 his death occurred in this 
state. The English progenitors of the family had spelled the name Mat- 
lock and during the Revolutionary war Timothy Matlock, a leading Phila- 
delphia representative of the family, had been identified in business activi- 
ties with Robert Morris, the financier of the colonists during the first strug- 
gle with England. The maternal ancestry was of Dutch extraction. The 
records show that William Vandever, exiled from Holland during the thirty 
years' war, found a temporary refuge in Sweden and during 1682 crossed the 
Atlantic ocean to the new world in company with a colony of Swedes that 
settled in Delaware. From him descended William Vandever, a bookbinder 
by trade and a gallant soldier during the War of 1812; after the close of that 
struggle he settled in Baltimore, where occurred the birth of his daughter, 
Lydia B., later Mrs. Matlack. Her death occurred in Philadelphia. The 
oldest son in the family became a prominent resident of California and 
served as member of congress from Ventura county. 

In a family comprising four sons and two daughters, of whom two of 
the sons are deceased, William Vandever Matlack was third in order of 
birth and was reared in Philadelphia, where he was graduated from the high 
school and where later he held a mercantile position. Coming to California 
in 1887. he made a sojourn of two years in Monrovia and in 1889 settled at 
Bakersfield, where since he has made his home and where he has wielded a 
large influence as public-spirited citizen and progressive business man. For 
some years he was associated with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, 
first as an assistant and later as chief clerk of the Bakersfield freight office. 
During 1898 he was chosen local freight and passenger agent, a position of 
great responsibility, which he filled with recognized efficiency and tact. 
Resigning in 1908 to accept a position as assistant cashier of the Bank of 
Bakersfield, he entered upon his present connection with the financial affairs 
of his home city. Since February 1, 1911, he has been cashier of the bank of 
the Security Trust Company. While still living in Philadelphia he married 
Miss Margaret V. Mendenhall, who was born in that city and descended 
from English ancestry. They are the parents of five daughters, Florence, 
Edith, Lydia, Mary and Ellen. 

Ever since attaining his majority Mr. Matlack has voted with the Re- 
publican party. Throughout the entire period of his residence in Bakers- 
field he has maintained an unceasing interest in civic and educational affairs. 
During 1891 he was elected a member of the Sumner school board and for 
fifteen years he served as clerk of that organization, two new schoolhouses 
being erected during the term of his service. During April of 1908 he was 
elected a member of the Kern board of trustees and in the summer of the 
same year he was chosen chairman to fill a vacancy caused by the death of 
James L. de Pauli. Upon the consolidation of Bakersfield and Kern in 1910 
and the organization of Bakersfield as a city of the fifth class, as decided 
upon by a majority of the voters of both towns, a new election was held July 
10, 1910, and Mr. Matlack was chosen a member of the board of trustees of 
the new city. At the organization of the board he was elected its president. 
The election of April, 1911, again made him a member of the board of 
trustees and again he was chosen president of the board, which position he 
now fills, discharging its duties with characteristic energy and efficiency. 
For years he has been a leading local worker in the Benevolent Protective 
Order of Elks, in which he served as Exalted Ruler, and in addition he has 
been associated with the Bakersfield Club. In Pennsylvania he was made a 
Mason in Fort Washington Lodge. A. F. & A. M. 

The Security Trust Company, of which Mr. Matlack is cashier, was 
incorporated October 7, 1910, with an original paid-up capital of $300,000, 
but which was increased to $500,000 on January 21, 1913, and conducts 
business at Chester avenue and Eighteenth street. A savings department 
forms an important addition to the bank. There is also a trust department, 
which acts as executor, administrator, guardian, trustee, etc., and the advan- 
tages of a strong and perpetual company over individuals in these capacities 
are too apparent and too universally recognized to call for special comment. 
The safety deposit department is outfitted with fire and burglar-proof vaults, 
with rental compartments convenient for the needs of patrons. Since its 
inception the bank has pursued a conservative course in the making of loans 
and has won the confidence of a growing list of depositors. On October 19, 
1912, the Bank of Bakersfield was purchased and consolidated with the Se- 
curity Trust Company, whose deposits have now reached practically $3,000,- 
000. The success of the concern may be attributed to the sagacious judg- 
ment of its officers and directors, who are as follows; G. J. Planz, Presi- 
dent; William V. Matlack, cashier; C. A. Barlow, D. L. Brown, A. S. Crites, 
W. W. Colm, W. W. Frazier, H. R. Peacock, Chris Mattley, J. M. Jameson, 
T. A. Hughes. D. Hirshfeld, L. P. St. Clair. G. T. Planz. F. W. Warthorst, 
T. W. Heard and W. A. Howell.