Matthew Elliott -G.A.R., Bishop Post

Matthew Elliott was a very active member of the Bishop Post and of the group of veterans in his regiment, the 48th.  He often held reunions at his home in Richland Township for his fellow veterans with much eating and sharing of stories.  
Also known as the family historian, he and his wife regularly hosted reunions for the Carpenter, Williams, and Elliott families at their home.

Matthew Elliot enlisted at the age of 18, on December 16, 1861, into Company F, 48th Ohio Infantry.  (He reported the enlistment date as November 2 on the 1890 census.)
But both sources agreed that he was mustered out on June 21, 1862 at Louisville, Kentucky due to a disability.
On the 1890 census, he reported his disability as stomach trouble.

Two other sources gave Elliott's death date as November 20, 1918

 A few years after returning from the war, Matthew married Ellen Elizabeth Weidenhamer (1863) and the couple settled down in Richland Township.  They farmed there almost forty years and had nine children: Carrie, Minnie, Mary, James, Annie, Alfred, Benjamin, Thomas, and Carl Raymond.

In 1899, a grand party was held for his birthday.

In November, 1909, Matthew's wife, Ellen died.  

 From at least 1900 on, the couple had living with them their son Alfred and his wife and family. So, in 1910, the census enumerator found Matthew as head of the family at the age of 65, living with his son, Alfred, and wife, Sarah, and four grandchildren - Minnie, Gertrude, Richard and Matthew Elliot Jr.  

Matthew lived just eight more years, passing away on November 20, 1918.  He was buried at Independence Cemetery.

www.findagrave        Independence Cemetery

(This is part of a series on Civil War veterans of Defiance County who were part of the G.A.R., Bishop Post, that headquartered in the city.  Formed in 1879, the post was named after a local man, Captain William Bishop, Company D, 100th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Army who died as a result of wounds received in battle.  The veterans' photos are part of a composite photo of members that has survived.  If you have other information or corrections to add to the soldiers' stories, please add to the comments!)