© Bob Knuckle, Canada

Mr David John Matherson (or Mathieson) ¹ was born in 1878 in Thurso, Caithness, Scotland as David John Mathieson Steven.

He was the son of John Mathison (born c. 1852), a general labourer and Christina Steven (born c .1850), both natives of Thurso.

They married in 1879 at Thurso, indicating David was born ''out of wedlock,'' before his parents were married and he carried his mother's last name at birth rather than his father's.

He had five known siblings: Williamina (b. 1880), John (b. 1883), Dinah (b. 1886), James (b. 1885) and Margaret "Peggy" (b. 1887).

David appears on the 1881 and 1891 censuses living with his family at Duke Street in Thurso, his mother having passed away by the time of the latter record. He would be absent from the 1901 census, perhaps at sea, but his father and sisters Dinah and Margaret were shown living at a house on Wilson Street, Thurso.

When he signed-on to the Titanic on 6 April 1912 Mathison gave his address as 20 Everton Street, Southampton, his age as 30 and his previous ship as Adriatic. As an able seaman he could expect monthly wages of £5.

David Mathison died in the sinking. His body was recovered by the MacKay Bennett (#192) and was buried at Fairview Cemetary, Halifax Nova Scotia on 8 May 1912. He had been identified by his tattoos.