Matthew of the 79th

Matthew Matics was born 6 September 1838 in Greenbrier County, West Virginia to Schofield and Elizabeth Matics. He was 1 of 8 children. He is my 3rd Great Uncle.

Norman Ruble, who is the Grandson of Matthew from his daughter Eleanor tells this story about Matthew. 

When Matthew was still a baby in his cradle, one of his grandmothers who smoked a pipe bent over his cradle and a hot ash dropped from her pipe and landed in the corner of his eye. The hot ash did not cause blindness, but did cause the eye to draw to the center, making Matthew cross eyed.  In a portrait owned by his grandson, Norman Ruble, the painter kept the portrait true to life by painting the eye drawn to the center.

Here is the painting. 

In June of 1861 Greenbrier County had mustered together enough men to create the 79th Regiment, Virginia Militia. Matthew was in the 4th Company under the command of Captain Andrew H. McClung. They were called to service from 3 June 1861 to 10 October 1861. 

Matthew worked as a farmer helping out on his father's farm in Greenbrier county and again when they moved to Curtis in Roane County. After the death of his parents he continued to work as a farmer. He met a young woman named Malinda Jane Hardman and married her. They had 6 children. 
Grace
Eleanor
Harry Matthew
Virginia F.
Mary Beatrice
unknown infant


By 1900 Matthew and his family are living in Tygart, Wood County, West Virginia. 

On 24 February 1901 Matthew passed away.