Gilbert De La Matyr


Gilbert De La Matyr was an American cleric and politician from New York and Indiana.

Life

He graduated from a theological course of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1854 and became an itinerant elder. He served as member of the General Conference in 1868, and for one term was Presiding Elder.
During the American Civil War, he helped enlist the 8th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment in 1862, and was its chaplain for three years. In 1867 he ran on the Republican ticket for New York State Prison Inspector but was defeated by Democrat Solomon Scheu.
After holding pastorates in several large cities he settled in Indianapolis, Indiana, and continued his ministerial duties. Here, De La Matyr was elected as a National Greenback candidate to the 46th United States Congress and served from March 4, 1879, to March 3, 1881.
He moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1881 and again engaged in preaching. From 1889 on, he was Pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Akron, Ohio.