Barton County, Missouri Biographies-Matthew LASLEY

History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, 
Missouri, 1889.  Published by Goodspeed. Pages 915, 916

Matthew Lasley was born in Gallia County, Ohio, in 1845, being a son of
Matthew and Rebecca (Eakin) Lasley, who were born in Pennsylvania, and
were married in Ohio, removing in 1870 to Cass County, Mo., where the
father was killed in the storm of 1876.  He was a farmer by occupation,
and was township treasurer in Ohio for thirty years.  His father, 
Jonathan Lasley, was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Ohio, the mater-
nal grandfather's (Joseph Eakin) death also occurring in that State, 
though he was born in Pennsylvania.  Matthew Lasley, our subject, is 
the fourth of nine sons, eight living, and was educated in the common
schools of Gallia County.  In 1861, when but sixteen years of age, he
joined Company H, Fifty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served three
years and ten months in the Fifteenth Army Corps of Tennessee, and was
a participant in the siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., the Georgia
and Atlanta campaign, and was at the capture of Atlanta.  He was 
captured, and, after being in Andersonville prison for two months, was
being taken with others for exchange, but, finding he would have to 
return to prison, he made his escape, and was six days reaching his
command, being all this time without food.  Soon after reaching the 
Union lines, he was furloughed home, as he was almost dead from exposure,
starvation, and disease contracted in prison.  After remaining at home 
one month he so far recovered that he again joined his command and 
remained in the service, although not really fit for field duty, until 
the close of the war, being present at the grand review at Washington, 
D.C.  A history of his army and prison life would be of deep interest,
and many a time while making his escape from prison life to the Union
lines, he would lie in fence corners for hours at a time, unobserved
by the rebels, by whom he would be surrounded.  He entered the service 
one of the most rugged and healthy men of his company, and came out 
almost a skeleton, and broken in health.  He is a Prohibitionist in his
political views, althougth he cast his first vote of Abraham Lincoln in
1865, and was an earnest Republican for many years.  Since becoming a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church a few years ago, he has made a
thorough study of the Scriptures, and for about four years has earnestly
devoted himself to the ministry and the cause of Christianity and 
temperance,and doing all in his power to suppress vice in all its forms.
In March, 1867, he was married to Margaret, a daughter of William and 
Clara Coughenour, who were born in Virginia and Ohio, respectively, the
father being only a child when he was taken by his parents to Ohio.  In
1870 he removed to Cass County, Mo., but is now residing in Pittsburg, 
Kan.  Mrs. Lasley was born in Ohio, and is the mother of three sons and 
four daughters.  In 1871 Mr. Lasley came with his family to Barton County,
Mo., and is now residing on a fine farm of 240 acres.

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