Matheson was born at Charleville and educated at Black Ridge, Clermont and the Gatton Agricultural College. His religion was Church of England. Prior to the war he was a stockman although both he and his family appear to have been living in Brisbane at the time of his enlistment in 1917. Matheson was on active service with the A.I.F.1917-1919. He joined the Queensland Public Service as a Stock Inspector in 1920 and worked in different parts of Queensland in this capacity until 1928. He was a health inspector at Mt. Isa and Cloncurry, 1929-1931, and later with the Brisbane City Council.