Franklin James Matchette was a successful businessman, an inventor, and a philosopher. Until the age of fifty he was active in the hotel business. He played a significant role in the development of modern hotel management, both through his inventions, which brought about more efficient service, and through new promotional techniques, which brought more people and groups into the hotels. During these years Matchette was also involved in real estate and in agricultural chemistry. After 1924, Matchette devoted the majority of his time to the formulation and development of a system of philosophy, his Absolute-Relative Theory, through which he sought to provide a metaphysical foundation for the entire universe.
A chronology of Matchette's life follows. For additional information, numerous biographical sketches both in published and draft form, can be found in the Matchette Foundation's Subject File of the collection (box 16, folder 12).
| 1863, February 24 |
Franklin James Matchette born in Manchester, Wisconsin, son of John and Lucinda (Parshall) Matchette.
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| 1879-1881 |
Matchette in Arcadia, Wisconsin.
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| 1879 |
Left school (Sparta, Wisconsin) to work as a telegraph operator.
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| 1881 |
Cashier at the Trempealeau County Bank.
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| 1882-1887 |
Matchette in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Employed at an Eau Claire bank and as bookkeeper at the Galloway House, an Eau Claire hotel.
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| 1885 |
Married Nellie Smith, daughter of Eau Claire lumberman Thomas Harvey Smith.
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| 1887-1894 |
Matchette in West Superior, Wisconsin.
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| 1888-1893 |
Proprietor of Tower Hotel, which was destroyed by fire in 1893.
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| 1893 |
Matchette's interest in physics began about this time.
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| 1894-1895 |
Matchette in Chicago, Illinois.
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| 1895-1916 |
Matchette in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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| 1895-1913 |
Leased St. Charles Hotel (Milwaukee) and the Palmer House (Fond du Lac), and leased, bought, and sold Hotel Superior (West Superior). Developed many innovations in the techniques of hotel management, e.g. a uniform system of accounting for hotels, exhibition procedures, and co-operation between hotel and civic leaders.
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| 1901 |
Elected president of Wisconsin Hotel Association which he had helped organize.
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| 1904 |
Developed a nitrogen-based commercial soil-inoculator and founded the Nitragin (sic) Laboratories of Milwaukee.
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| 1906 |
Invented a vacuum cleaning system for hotels and founded the American Air Cleaning Company.
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| 1910 |
Sold American Air Cleaning Company and retired.
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| 1913 |
Invented Servidor, a device on the principle of the elevator, which facilitates service to hotel rooms. During these years Matchette also organized the Citizens' Business League of Milwaukee and helped found the Milwaukee Vocational School, which he served as director and president for some years.
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| 1916-1943 |
Matchette in New York, New York.
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| 1915-1919 |
The Pennsylvania Hotel was constructed and leased in agreement with Matchette. At the time this was the largest hotel in the world.
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| 1924-1943 |
Devoted majority of his time to physics and the development of Absolute-Relative Theory.
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| 1926 |
Matchette had a deluxe Fifth Avenue apartment-house built, in which he took up residence.
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| 1935, January |
Death of Nellie Matchette.
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| 1935, April |
For the first time Matchette hired an assistant (Dr. Ohrens?) to work with him in developing the Absolute-Relative Theory.
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| 1939 |
Publication of A Preview to the Absolute-Relative Theory (in three booklets).
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| 1943, February 23 |
Franklin J. Matchette died.
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