The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-22

THE NEXT STATE 1REAsCHffk'
Matthew Stanley Quay, last week
nominated by the Republican State
Convention for State Treasurer, was
born in Dillsburg, York County,
this State, on the 30th of September,
1888. His father was a Presbyterian
minister, and removed to Beaver in
1910, where Colonel Quay was rear
ed. Recalling the struggles and
friendships of his early life before
he left Chester, the father named
this son after Gen. Matthew Stanley,
OF Brandywine Manor, in that coun-
ty. When young Quay was SIX
wears old his father left the mission
in York and Franklin, went to Pitts
burgh and thence TO Beaver county,
and for several years thereafter min
istered to congregations in various
sections of Western Pennsylvania.
He was a strong, earnest man, and
his name is to this day mentioned
with great respect by those who re-
member his ministerial efforts In
both Eastern and Western Pennsyl-
vania. Matt Quay, as he was uni
versally known in early as well as In
later life, received the rudiments Of
an English education from his IA
ther and in the common schools OF
the sections where he happened TO
be preaching. He advanced SO rap
idly in his studies that before he
was sixteen years of age he was sent
10 Jefferson College, in Washington
County, where he graduated with
honor Just afte2 passing his seven
teenth year. He soon after began
the study of law in Pittsburgh, with
Judge Sterrett, but he had not pur-
sued his studies long before a desire
to travel became stronger than the
disposition to fit himself for pro-
fession, and he and a college friend
started South. They spent nearly a
year in travelling through that Sec
ton. They happened there when
the agitation of the Union and dis
Union questions had begun, and he
returned to Pittsburgh on q visit to
his parents, with the intention of re-
turning to Louisiana and starting a
Union paper, with his college friend
at Shreveport His mother, howev-
er, objected to his making his home
in the South, and she had sufficient
influence over him TO restrain his
youthful ardor, and for a time he
remained at home. After time,
however, he broke away from the
restraint of home and went South
and settled in Texas, when that
State was next to the wilderness.
The story of his sojourn in the Lone
Star State constitutes very inter-
esting chapter vot lis life. He lee
tured little, and finally went to
teaching school in Colorado county.
While so engaged the Comanche
Indians became very troublesome,
and an act was passed authorizing
the raising of a regiment of mounted
rangers for service against the In
dians.
Young Quay closed up his school,
took what little money he had, pur-
chased pony and rife aid started
for Austin, the capital of the state.
He reached there the day the Legis
lature adjourned, and the bill for
the organization and payment of the
regiment failed to pass the Senate.
This was his first lesson in the un-
certainty oflegislation. He has had
many since that time but none more
serious.
QUAY IN THE WAR.
In 1854 he returned to Beaver,
resumed his law studies, was admit
ted to the bar, and was elected Pro-
thonotary, which Office he held un-
til 1861, when, impelled by the pa
triotic spirit of the times, he resign
ed his Office to accept lieutenancy
in the Pennsylvania Reserves, then
organizing for service. Before his
regiment was called to the field he
was summoned to Harrisburg and
made Assistant Commissary-Gener-
al of the State, with the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel. When the Com
missary Department was transferred
to Washington Governor Curtin
made Mr.. Quay his private secreta-
~. In 1862 he was selected to COM
mand the One Hundred and Thirty
fourth Regiment of Pennsylvania
Volunteers, in which capacity he
saw nine months active service, and
resigned when called upon by Gov.
Curtin to fill the responsible posi-
ton of State Agent at Washington.
This was Immediately after the bat
tie of Fredericksburg, in which he
participated and received particular
mention in general orders. A war
writer said of his regiment:
"In the Antie.am campaign it
made another forced march toward
South Mountain. but reached the
battlefield OF Antietam just too late
to participate in the fight. The reg
ment remained in camp near the
battlefield until the 30th of October.
While there Colonel Quay was
stricken with typhoid fever, and his
friends for some time despaired of
his recovery. In November the reg
iment moved without its Colonel to
the neighborhood of Fredericksburg,
Va. Colonel Quay returned to his
regiment early in December, but so
reduced by disease as to be totally
unfit for duty. and it was thought
by his closest friends that he would
not live long Upon the advice of
eminent surgeons he resigned his
commission and. the acceptance of
it arrived upon the eve of the battle
of Fredericksburg. Although no
longer an officer in the army, and
with every preparation made to
start for home at once, he was un-
willing that the regiment should go
into battle without him. He, of
course, could not command it, so he
volunteered as an aid upon the staff
of General Tyler. who commanded
the brigade in which his regiment
was serving. and participated ia
that great battle. In his official re-
port of that fight, Gen. Tyler bears
the following striking tribute
to the gallantry of Col. Quay. He