Rebellion began he was the first man in Iowa and the United States, to tender a military company to the National Government. He was captain of Company D, of the First Iowa Volunteers. In July, 1861, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Infantry and upon the death of Colonel Worthington was promoted to the command of that regiment. At the Battle of Iuka his regiment was in the thickest of the fight and lost two hundred seventeen men. In April, 1863, Colonel Matthies was promoted to Brigadier-General for his gallant services in several battles.
SARA B. MAXWELL was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, February 12, 1837. She acquired her education by private instruction, in the public schools and in the academies of Bryan and West Unity, Ohio. After leaving school, for five years, from 1853 to 1858, she was engaged in teaching. In the latter year she was married to William Maxwell, and in 1863 they removed to Panora, Iowa. After the death of Mr. Maxwell in 1877, Mrs. Maxwell was appointed by Governor Gear in 1878, State Librarian, serving until 1888. During this time the Library was catalogued for the first time. She inaugurated the collection and preservation of Iowa newspaper files, and a systematic effort was begun for the collection in the library of all books and pamphlets by Iowa authors, or relating to the State. After her retirement from the library Mrs. Maxwell was a cataloguer and organizer of libraries and delivered lectures on library work. She was the author of the first History of Guthrie County. In 1892 she was employed by the Iowa Commissioners to make a collection of books and pamphlets by Iowa authors for exhibition at the World's Fair at Chicago, and of this exhibition she was in charge. In 1897 Mrs. Maxwell was elected librarian of the Meadville, Pennsylvania, Unitarian Theological School, a position she has continued to fill up to the present time.
PETER MELENDY was born on the 9th of February, 1823, and attended private schools in his boyhood, later taking a three years' course in Woodward College, Ohio, where his father then lived. He purchased a farm near Cincinnati and in 1855 helped to organize the “Iowa Fine Stock Company.” This company selected a tract of 10,000 acres of Government land in Butler County, Iowa, near Bear Grove where a farm was opened for the breeding of fine stock. Mr. Melendy also bought a farm near Cedar Falls consisting of 1,080 acres which he stocked with fine cattle. In 1860 Mr. Melendy with others established a large grain and implement warehouse at Cedar Falls. In 1862 he was appointed by Governor Kirkwood to select the 240,000 acres of public lands granted by Congress for the support of the State Agricultural College. There were nearly 6,000,000 of acres of Government lands in Iowa at that time to choose from and Mr. Melendy made excellent selections which eventually produced a munificent endowment fund for the new college. In 1864 he was chosen superintendent
