David D Matheny (1836 - 1881)

Born 26 Feb 1836 in Adams County Ohio

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Jane (Curfman) Matheny — married 24 Dec 1856 in Fulton, Illinois, United States

Descendants

Died 6 Dec 1881 at age 45 in Fulton County Illinois

Biography

Private David Matheny served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Dec 12, 1861
Mustered out: Oct 2, 1862
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Co I, 57th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Grandson Lester Matheny of New London, Iowa, says the middle initial D of both his father and grandfather stood for Daniel. His full name has never been found in writing.

David and Mary Jane were married on Christmas Eve, 1856, by Elijah Rutledge, Justice of the Peace. One year later, December 1857, their son John was born. John lived only three weeks.

The 1860 census found them living in Warren Co., next to Elijah and Eleanor and their family. Later that year they bought a small farm in Cass Twp. in Fulton Co.

By the time of Civil War, there was an infant and a toddler in the family. On December 12, 1861, David enlisted in Co. I, 57th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

David was 6'1", with grey eyes and auburn hair.

The regiment left in dead of winter with no equipment, tents, blankets. The soldiers slept on the ground as best they could. At Ft. Donelson, Tenn., in March, he was injured while loading an ammunition train. He was judged unfit for duty by Dr. J.K.Yearney, and honorably discharged Oct. 2, 1862. It was a spinal injury from which he never recovered. Bedfast, he died of pneumonia at the age of 45, December 6, 1881.

His Discharge papers, signed 5 Oct 1862 at Corinth, Miss., state "incapacity due to inflammation of the membrane of spinal cord causing stiff back and partial paralysis of lower extremities. There is no improvement in his disease.."

He died in Cass Township, is buried with his wife and her parents in Brock (Baughman) cemetery, Smithfield.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45688074/david-d-matheny

Sources

In 1876, David applied for a disability pension. The file does not indicate whether or not it was awarded. In August of 1881, David applied again. On August 10, he gave a sworn statement: "...whitch disability I received at Ft. Donelson Tennessee on or about the 16 day of Feb 1862 while detailed at Grant's Headquarters. Handling heavy ammunition I received an injury in my back, also in bowels, whitch injury remains with me to the present day. My back is very much curved, I am unable to move my head but very little to the right or left or up or down....I was first treated for said disability while remaining with my company at Ft. Henry Tenn., first part of March 1862, a short time after whitch we moved up the Tennessee River, landed at Crump's Landing, we were marched 20 miles through the rain and mud and swollen streams after night, and returned the next night the same road under a heavy rain fall. Next morning I was unable to help myself...I remained in my company until the advance on Corinth Miss shortly after the Battle of Shiloh...."

Pvt, Co I, 57th IVI

• Pension record
• Death record
• Census records
• Family bible

DNA

Paternal descent from John Matheny (bef.1745-) is affirmed on GEDMatch by a 12.5cM match between sixth cousins

• Anonymous Whittington
• Roger Shipman