Mathias was born in Stübegg, part of Zöbern in Austria, the family farm at Stübegg 11. He sort of bucked the ways of Germany and Austria where the government restricted what occupations people could do and one couldn't simply move or marry freely. Typically, to be 'allowed' to marry included at least the husband having a job and a place to live not with parents. Kate was his parents' gardener's daughter who worked as help to his mother, so falling in love and marrying her did not go over well with his parents and he was more or less "cut from the will".

They moved to Neunkirchen ("nine churches"), Austria (about 90 km SW of Vienna) at Wassergasse 4, close to what is Rt 17 today, SW of Neunkirchen to start their life. Mathias worked for a nut and bolt manufacturer in town (as did eventually Carl and Mary).

Mathias and Kate went on to having 12 children (not all survived), the last to be born in Austria was Frieda, an infant when they emigrated to the US in 1913. Frieda died at approx. age 24 (1936) from sarcoma (cancer). Younger brother Bill was born in the US and also died as a young adult, approx. age 26, six years after Frieda, 1942. Two other children that died as infants were Ludmila in 1898 (1 mo.) and Mathias/Mathew III in 1901 (7 mo) that we recently discovered researching Parish birth records in Austria, besides Catherine who was born/died in the US according to Louise and Mary - we est. 1914. Their next son born 1902 was also named Mathew, who lived a long life. Erwin was the last child born (he in the US) and, today, is deceased.

Mathias served in the Austrian army about 2 years, during which time he was not permitted to marry Kate, but they were engaged and committed and had their first 2 children premarital and she was pregnant with the third when they did marry.

He left Austria fearing rumors of war would materialize (they did, WW I breaking out in 1914) which might have snared him but he was more worried for eldest son Carl. Other friends and family had already fled Austria, and he finally decided it was time to go to America. He left first to stay with relatives/friends (Carl Scherer in Rochester NY), entering the US via Ellis Island Sept. 12, 1912. He would work and save money to eventually send for his wife and children, as was the norm. He would find better/more work in the larger Buffalo NY but still wasn't saving enough quickly enough.

He was able to borrow $500 from a family friend, Mr. Tanzler, who was living in Oregon. Together with savings, it was enough to purchase first class tickets for his family to come to the states in summer 1913. He was cheated however by the travel agent and the tickets provided to his wife and children were steerage! It caused the baby, Frieda (just 18 mos. old) to become quite sick on the 14+ day voyage from Germany to Ellis Is. The family was quarantined as a result until they were called they could leave. They didn't realize they were being called since the American speaker calling them pronounced the surname with an American accent, ...berger like hamburger. In German, it's more like ...bear-gah... They took the train from NY, NY bound for Buffalo. Another sanfu was they almost didn't disembark since they were waiting to hear "Boo-falo", the german accent again, not "Buffalo" as Americans pronounced it.

Early Buffalo NY life was in an upper flat, 211 Herman St., rented from John Hummel when he first arrived in 1912 where the family joined. Eventually, Matt built the family home at 212 Guilford St. (the yard behind the Herman St. house) with the help of friends, building the basement and 1st story first. He lived in the basement constructing the first floor bit-by-bit until complete. After the family arrived in Buffalo July 17, 1913, with the help of his oldest sons, Mathias completed the 2nd story. See a photo included from abt 1941; across the street from a spinning (thread factory) plant.

Kate kept a large garden in the vacant lot next door which remained so as the next lot over was a slaughterhouse, no one wanting to build a home right next door to that. Workers often brought over wheelbarrows of manure for Kate's garden. Today, 212 Guilford St. is demolished/gone, though as recent as 2010/5, the abandoned thread plant remains.

Mathias was a machinist and worked at the American Car and Foundry Company, aka "ACF" (formed 1899 based in NJ, from merging 13 rail car companies including three in the Buffalo area), at Walden Ave. and Transit Rd.