He was too young to enter college, so he started working in the office of the Commercial to understand the practical knowledge of typography.

[1][2] In 1888, after the death of his father, the firm of "George E. Matthews & Co." became the owners of the Express, and three years later, it was consolidated with the "Matthews-Northrup Works" into the "J.N.

He patented a method of indexing books and was the first Buffalo publisher to introduce linotype machines in a newspaper plant.

[2][8] Matthews died at his Grand Island home on June 11, 1911, from heart disease, which he had been suffering from for several years.

[1] The honorary pall bearers at the very large funeral at Falconwood included Buffalo publishers and personal friends of Matthews.

Matthews Co." constituted the active bearers, including: Leonard W. Wilgus, John F. Koine, Charles H. Thomas, Herman Gentsch, George Smyth, Merton Wiiner, Andrew J. Clerum, Frank L. Hayes, Frederick W. Kendall, William H. Johnson, George E. Williams, Herman H. Graham, Arthur H. Kennett, George Turner, Carl K. Friedman, and John Fisher.