This small lot of items is identified to Captain Benjamin F. Matthias of the 81^st Ohio’s Company K.

The first item is a black leather holster for a Smith & Wesson #2 Army revolver. Leather is in good used condition with light to moderate surface crazing throughout. Side seam is good and the plug is present at bottom. Flap is still pliable and easily attaches to the brass finial. Beltloop on the reverse is a doubled piece of leather held by a copper rivet. The back strap of the loop has two parallel vertical slits that were purposely done for some reason. Holster shows very minor surface finish loss.

Also present is a double-bordered captain’s shoulder strap. The gold bullion thread has lost its glitter and is a bit dirty but none of it is broken or loose. The blue felt of the rank filed has faded to a green color. The underside is unlined. The strap shows its age but still presents well.

With the items is a paper label that looks to date anywhere from the 1970’s to 1990’s and reads “CAPT. BENJ. F. MATTHIAS CO. K 81^st OHIO INFANTRY” in black felt tip pen.

Benjamin Franklin Matthias was born near Canton, Ohio on September 20, 1828. He was educated as a civil engineer and helped to lay out the Great Western Railroad.

Matthias raised, organized and was commissioned captain of Company K, 81^st Ohio Infantry on August 15, 1862 and served with them at Shiloh, Iuka and Corinth before he resigned on December 31, 1862. Mathias findagrave.com entry says that he then served on the staff of General Lovell Rousseau ending the war as a lieutenant colonel but no evidence could be found of this. His obituary does not mention it and his grave stone lists him as a captain.

After the war, Matthias moved to Sedalia, Missouri where he lived for several years before returning to Illinois where he once again was employed in railroad work.

He died on November 8, 1917 and is buried in Fairview Cemetery, Galion, Ohio.  [ad] [ph:L]

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