Mathias Harris (1846 - 1865)

Born 5 May 1846 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Died 21 Jul 1865 at age 19 in Fairfield County Ohio, USA

Biography

Census

1860 US Census

Name: Mathias Harris

Age in 1860: 15

Birth Year: abt 1845

Birthplace: Germany

Home in 1860: Lancaster, Fairfield, Ohio

Gender: Male

Post Office: Lancaster

Household Members:

Name Age

Jacob Harris 57

Catharine Harris 35

Mathias Harris 15

Elizabeth Harris 12

Valentine Harris 10

John Harris 7

George Harris 5

Charles Harris 3

William Harris 1

George Burberg 29^[1]

U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865

Name: Mathias Harris

Age at Enlistment: 18

Enlistment Date: 30 Aug 1861

Rank at enlistment: Private

State Served: Ohio

Survived the War?: Yes

Service Record: Enlisted in Company I, Ohio 17th Infantry Regiment on 30 Aug 1861.

Mustered out on 16 Jul 1865.

Birth Date: abt 1843

Sources: Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio

Note

It appears Mathias lied about his age to join the service.

Find a Grave

Birth: May 5, 1846

Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Death: Jul. 21, 1865

From Findagrave contributor lisa hoffman:

Mathias served in the Civil War; he survived the War to be killed in the engine explosion of a train, on his way home, less than 20 miles from Lancaster.

Railroad accident near Pataskala, Ohio.

July 21st, 1865, after being discharged, about one half of the Regiment left Columbus, Ohio, at 4:20 o'clock A.M. on the B&O Railway, via Zanesville, Ohio for their homes. About daylight, between Summit station and pataskala, in Licking County, while the Train was going at the rate of about 35 or 40 miles an hour, something about the engine broke, which derailed the whole train, except the Ladies coach.

In an instant, Quartermaster Sgt. George F. Kutz, Privates Matthias Harris, Company I, Martin T. Keller, John Rader, and Amos J. Smith, Company K, were killed, and the following were injured: Corporal James Gannon, Company A, ankle hurt; Private William Gannon, Co. A, Musician James McGowan, Co. F, ankle hurt, Privates of Company I, William England, Foot mashed, Oliver P. Martin, leg and shoulder mashed, James Hawkins, thumb dislocated, and Ellison Murdock, both feet mashed; Privates Compant K., Henry Canode, feet mashed, John W. Jones, right arm mashed, and amputated later, Joel J. Hansberger, two ribs broken, and Abraham Rader, legs and feet mashed. There were several civilians killed and injured also. Some of those killed were in sight of their homes, and were standing on the platform of the cars, looking for the last time, on the homes they had not seen for several years, and so soon expected to enter. A negro passenger had a leg cut off below the knee, and although suffering much pain, he requested someone to find his boot with the balance of his leg in it, as he had quite a sum of money in bills wrapped around that ankle. Some of our boys had their pockets picked, during the excitement, by professional pickpockets, who had left Columbus, on the same train, for that purpose. A lady passenger tore her underclothing into bandages, for those injured, and the boys at once made up a purse and presented her with a handsome sum of money. John Guseman, Company A, says that the lady lived at no. 69 Mullberry St., Baltimore, Maryland, and that the boys gave her $369; but the lady's name has been forgotten, and all efforts to obtain same have failed.

Family links:

Parents:

Jacob Harris (1802 - 1882)

Catherine Leitwein Harris (1827 - 1902)

Siblings:

Mathias Harris (1846 - 1865)

Elisabeth Harris Whitecamp (1848 - 1872)*

Valentine Harris (1850 - 1929)*

John Harris (1852 - 1919)*

George W. Harris (1854 - 1938)*

William Harris (1859 - 1933)*

Charles Harris (1859 - 1926)*

Fred Harris (1862 - 1946)*

Carrie Harris Rushia (1863 - 1920)*

Edward Oliver Harris (1866 - 1867)*

Ellen Louise Harris Berry (1866 - 1948)*

*Calculated relationship

Inscription:

son of J. & C. Harris; aged 10?y.?m.?d.

Burial:

Forest Rose Cemetery

Lancaster

Fairfield County

Ohio, USA

Plot: Section D5, Lot 242

Created by: Natalie Herdman

Record added: Jul 22, 2012

Find A Grave Memorial# 94011708

Sources

• Source: Find-A-Grave Virtual Cemetery memorial #94011708 in Name and Location of the Cemetery
• Source: 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.
• Source: Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Original data: Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA from the following list of works.

1. ↑ Year: 1860; Census Place: Lancaster, Fairfield, Ohio; Roll: M653_960; Page: 40; Image: 85; Family History Library Film: 803960