Matheny, Lorenzo D.

Born: 1813-03-25 Saint Clair County, Illinois

Died: 1837-02-07 Springfield, Illinois

Flourished: Sangamon County, Illinois

The oldest son of Charles R. Matheny, Lorenzo Dow Matheny studied medicine in Springfield, Illinois, under Dr. Jacob M. Early. He served in the Black Hawk War, both as a private in Adam Smith's company in 1831, and as a private for a week in Captain Levi W. Goodan’s company in 1832 before transferring to Captain John Dawson’s company in the spy battalion for another month of service. After being mustered out, he reenlisted in Captain Elijah Iles’ company, along with Abraham Lincoln, in which they served together for three more weeks. Four days later, both Matheny and Lincoln reenlisted again as part of Captain Jacob M. Early’s company, which was active for three more weeks before a final muster out on July 10, 1832. He returned to his medical studies and graduated in 1836 from Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. He had just begun the practice of medicine in Springfield when he died.

John Carroll Power and S. A. Power, History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois (Springfield, IL: Edwin A. Wilson, 1876), 479; Ellen M. Whitney, comp., The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832: Illinois Volunteers, vol. 35 of Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library (Springfield: Illinois State Historical Library, 1970), 1:91, 172, 174, 206, 227-29, 545-46; Gravestone, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, IL; Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 11 February 1837, 3:2, 18 February 1837, 3:3; Muster Roll of Captain Jacob M. Early's Company of Mounted Volunteers; Muster Roll of Captain Elijah Iles' Company of Mounted Volunteers.