Born April 26, 1868 in the Rubicon/Port Hope, Michigan area, Cecil was the third son of Adelia and Pointe aux Barques lighthouse keeper Andrew Jackson Mathewson. He joined the U.S. Life Saving Service in 1895 and served as a surfman at life saving stations in Buffalo, New York, Thunder Bay Island, Michigan and the Port Austin, Michigan station. He was appointed to the Port Austin station in 1908. While in the area, he and his wife Anna lived on Beach Road, Pointe aux Barques.

Unfortunately, Cecil was dismissed from the Port Austin Life Saving station on May 31, 1911 for "Neglect of Duty, admitted by him to be true." Cecil was killed in a bicycle accident August 29, 1914 in Wisner, Michigan.