John Matthews
1808–1870 (age 62)
Inventor/Businessman
Biography
John Matthews built a reputation as an inventive businessman whose developments in bottled beverages transformed the industry’s standards for production and presentation. With patents for closure mechanisms and advances in carbonation, he modernized refreshments for a growing nation.
He balanced commerce with community, supporting civic initiatives even as his enterprises prospered, and his memory resides among the monuments at Green-Wood Cemetery.