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Two Men Named Emanuel Matter
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on May 28, 2018
Today’s post attempts to sort out the differences between the two men from the Lykens Valley named Emanuel Matter, both of whom were Civil War soldiers. Since research is on-going on these men, it is possible that there is still some co-mingling of information. Readers are urged to provide facts and sources which may add to the identification and services of these two men.
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Emanuel Matter was born 4 November 1830 in Wiconisco Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. His parents may have been Balthaser Matter (1795-1871) and Kate [Ritzman] Matter, or they may have been Joseph “Joel” Matter (1811-1857) and Anna Mary [Yerges] Matter (1815-1893). The Findagrave Memorial supports the parents as the former, but some Ancestry trees, without documentation, support the latter.
On 26 April 1861 at Lykens, Dauphin County, Emanuel Matter enrolled in and was mustered into the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company F as a Private. He gave his occupation as carpenter, but no physical description appeared on the card. As this was a three-month regiment, his service concluded on 31 July 1861 when he was honorably discharged. No other Civil War record has been located for him.
At some point, this Emanuel Matter married Catherine Wagner, and with her had at least three known children.
Emanuel Matter died on 11 March 1863 in Wiconisco Township, and is buried at Lykens Union/Citizens Cemetery. His grave marker is pictured at the top of this post.
Although he was apparently survived by a widow and minor children, no pension has been seen for the Emanuel Matter who served in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Finally, the name Emmanuel Matter appears on the Lykens G.A.R. Memorial as follows:
There are several reasons why it is believed that this Emanuel is the one who served in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry:
1. Henry Keiser, who also served in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, was responsible for compiling the names for the monument.
2. There is no middle initial “T” with the name.
3. This Emanuel enrolled at Lykens and died in Wiconisco Township.
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The other Emanuel was more commonly known as Emanuel T. Matter. He was born on 18 October 1839 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of Jacob Matter (1813-1875) and Elizabeth [Lettich] Matter (1818-1886).
On 12 September 1863, Emanuel T. Matter joined the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry (Bucktails), Company F, as a Private. He served until his honorable discharge which occurred on 21 Jun 1865.
According to the file card from the Pennsylvania Archives, Emanuel T. Matter was 23 years old at the time he was drafted. No personal information about him, other than his age, is noted on the card.
Emanuel T. Matter was married to Josephine Workman, and with her had at least three known children. There is no record that he applied for a pension during his lifetime, but after his death, which occurred on 30 October 1895, Josephine applied as his widow.
The date of her pension application was 13 November 1895, about two weeks after his death, as shown on the Pension Index Card (above) from Ancestry.com.
The Findagrave Memorial for Emanuel T. Matter contains no other information than that which is presented here. Burial took place at the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery (now United Methodist cemetery), in Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. His grave marker with G.A.R. star and regiment and company identification is pictured above.
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Readers are invite to add information as comments to this post.
Emanuel Matter/Motter 4 Nov 1830-11 Mar 1863
He served in the 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry Company I.
He was at Burnside’s Mud March in January 1863 where he was taken sick, he was then transported to the U.S.A. General Hospital, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia where he wrote a letter to his wife Catherine Wagoner Matter that is included in the pension file. He was discharged from the army in a very weakened state and died shortly after his arrival home.
His official cause of death was phthisis pulmonalis. The term galloping consumption was also used by a neighbor who gave testimony.
Emanuel’s son Alfred F Motter filed for a minors pension in January 1884. (The card says Albert). Pension application # 312 056
Emanuel was the son of Balthaser Matter and Catherine Ritzman. Emanuel’s brother Benneville Matter, who is a child of Balthaser and Matter and Catherine Ritzman, gives a statement in the pension file and is identified as a brother of Emanuel.
I have a copy of the pension file.