Notizen zu dieser Person
Emigrated to America at age 30 with brother Franz Mathias, age 29, in 1851. Listed on passenger list of the ship "Olbers" traveling from Bremen to New Orleans. Arrived in New Orleans on 8 November 1851. Made his home in Hardin, Calhoun County, IL. Made stairs and cut cord wood for shipment to St. Louis. Sent for his fiancee Anna Uhrig in 1853. Joseph and Anna were married in Calhoun County, IL by Justice of the Peace Frederick Shafer on 15 August 1854. Marriage certificate says Joseph Matten (also recorded elsewhere as Marten) and Nancy Urig. (Sources: Microfilm of origical passenger list of ship; depositions and affidavits for Civil War Pension Board; marriage certificate; "Calhoun County Marriages")
Moved to St. Louis in 1859. Worked for Francis Backof, driving a team and wagon. Afterwards, took a job at a soap factory called Schaeffer, Anheuser, and Company driving a team and wagon. Enlisted in the 4th Regiment, US Reserve Corps, Missouri Infantry on 8 May 1861. Assisted in the capture of Camp Jackson in St. Louis on 10 May 1861. Mustered out 18 August 1861. Re-enlisted on 20 September 1861 in the 5th Regiment, MO Volunteer Infantry, Company C. Stationed in Sulfur Springs, Kimmswick. Moved to Horine Station on 1 January 1862, traveling in open railroad flatcar in heavy rain. Immediately assigned all night guard duty upon arrival at Horine Station. Stood all night in snow and ice. His clothes froze to his body, and he suffered mild frostbite to his feet. Developed severe cold with loss of hearing, dizziness, and eye infection. Did not receive medical treatment. Did not recover hearing enough to effectively stand guard duty for the rest of his enlistment. He and most of his company mustered out of the army at Benton Barracks, MO on 22 November 1862. (Source: Depositions and affidavits for Civil War Pension Board)
Worked in St. Louis as a cooper (barrel maker). City Directory lists residence as 243 Wash St. (near the river), and place of employment as 17th between Wash and Carr. Family moved from St. Louis to Lincoln, IL in 1864. Joseph bought a small piece of land at 207 Peoria St. and built a house on it. Severe hearing loss. Suffered intermittently from ringing in his ears, dizziness, and intermittent eye and ear infections. Worked with some difficulty at a variety of jobs, including gardening. Joseph began receiving a standard Civil War pension of $12 per month when the Pension Act of June 27, 1890 was enacted. He attempted to collect a higher payment because of his disability, but was never able to produce concrete proof that it was service-related because no records could be found. (Sources: Depositions and affidavits for Civil War Pension Board; Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System)
He died of old age in Lincoln, IL on 18 February 1904 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Lincoln. (Sources: Death certificate; tombstone)
The Affadavit of Joseph Valentine Mathein taken for application for a Civil War Veteran's Pension:
DEPOSITION A
Case of Joseph Mathein on the 10th day of August 1895.
I am 74 years of age. My P(ost) O(ffice) address is Lincoln, ILL. I have no occupation. I am the identical Joseph Mathein who enlisted in Company C, 5th Missouri Volunteer Infantry from September 20th, 1861, and who was discharged November 22, 1862 at Benton Barracks, Missouri. I was a private, I was never in the military or naval service of the United States subsequent to November 22, 1862. I had been in the 4th Missouri Regiment before I enlisted in the 5th Missouri Infantry, from May to August 1861 in Company B, 4th Missouri Infantry. I was never in the military or naval service of the U.S. except as above stated. I receive a pension under the Act of June 27th, 1890 of $12.00 per month for disease of eyes, old age and deafness. I have a claim pending under prior legislation on account of disease and deafness which was first filed in 1880 by D. J. Woland of Lincoln, Illinois.
== Prior Soundness ==
I was living in St. Louis, Missouri at enlistment, where I lived about six years. Before that I lived in Calhoun County, Illinois-P. O. address Horton, or Hardin, Illinois. I was making stairs and cordwood in Calhoun Co., Ill. I worked there for a man Scheuermann who is now dead. Mr. Scheuermann whose name you have (Joseph Herkert Scheuermann) was a stepson of the man I worked for. I can’t name anyone else who knew me in Calhoun Co., ILL. I worked in a soap factory and drove a team in St. Louis, MO. The first work I did was for a man named Backof who died about 1888. His wife is living but she has lost her mind, as it was reported. You could find out about her at 4659 Wagner Place, St. Louis, MO. In the soap factory I worked for Jack Shafer who is dead. He had a partner named Anheuser who afterwards went into the brewery business, but I believe he is dead too. I forget the foreman’s name and I can’t give names of any of my fellow workmen. I had no medical treatment while I lived in St. Louis, MO before I enlisted except by Dr. Hummer who treated me for enlargement of the liver. He was my first Dr. I never had any sickness. I was healthy before I went to the army. I could hear well until after my enlistment and never had any trouble with my eyes before I enlisted.
== Incurrence in Service ==
I got along all right in the service until in the winter of 1862 at Horine Station, MO on the Iron Mountain RailRoad. We made our preparations to move, took down our tents and were waiting for the train. We waited all day in the rain and snow, and when the train did come it was composed of just open flat cars and we all got chilled. We were going from Sulphur Springs to Horine Station, MO and when we reached the latter place I had to stand guard duty and my clothes froze to me & I stood all night in the snow and ice and froze my feet so that my big toenail came off nearly every winter after I came out of the army. I believe all my troubles came from that exposure. The next time I had to go on guard duty and had to take the countersign and I could not take it. I could not hear, that was just 8 days after. I did not go to the hospital and received no treatment while I was in the service. My eyes began to trouble me about a year afterward. I got so I could not see any more. I would some times just have to lie down on the ground. That was after I came out of the army, but before I was discharged I noticed that I could not see as well as before.
Question: Who knew you were deaf in the service?
Answer: My Captain Richard Haile-who is dead. He used to scold me because he had to give me the countersign in the office all the time. My 1st Lieutenant was named something like Keonol - I don’t know where he is. Second Lieutenant was Henry Clay - I have not seen him since discharge. He came from St. Louis. Our Sergeant VonSuke is dead. My tentmate was John Voland. He is dead, died in the army. Joseph Scheuermann knew I was deaf inthe army - also Fritz Messmann of St. Louis, MO - August Fromhold of MO.
S/ Joseph Mathein
Barbara
Bergmüller
