A. R. Matheny was born in Adams County, Ohio, on August 19, 1839. He was the second of six children-four sons and two daughters-born to J. W. L. and Mary (Wikoff) Matheny, both natives of the above named county. The father was born in 1816, and is the son of Charles Matheny. He removed to Illinois in 1852, and located in McLean County, near the town of Lexington, where he resides at present. The mother was born on August 1, 1817, and is the daughter of William Wikoff. On June 22, 1887, the parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a golden wedding, which was attended by all their children, including Sarah, now Mrs. M. Strosnider, who resides in Nebraska; A. R.; Charles, who also resides in Nebraska; William, who resides in Illinois; Rosalie, now Mrs. William Hanks, of Illinois, and Alva, of Nebraska. A. R. was reared on the farm, and acquired a liberal education in the district schools. He remained on the farm with his parents until August 1, 1861, when he enlisted for three years in Company K, of the Eighth Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded in the left shoulder by a gun-shot at the battle of Raymond, Miss., on May 24, 1863, and being left in the hospital, on the field, was taken prisoner, and carried to Richmond, Va., where he was held for two weeks, and then paroled. He went from City Point on a flag-of-truce boat to Annapolis, Md., where he remained two weeks, and was then sent to St. Louis, from which place he went to his home in Illinois. He was afterward exchanged, and joined his regiment at Vicksburg, Miss., the last of October, 1863. He was mustered out of service at Vicksburg on August 1, 1861, when he returned to his home. In 1880 he removed to Fairport, De Kalb Co., Mo., where he has since resided, operating a general blacksmithing establishment. In 1862 he wedded Miss Esther Arnold, who was born in Illinois in 1842. She died on June 25,1869. On February 11, 1872, he chose for his second wife Mrs. Sarah Young, who was born in Missouri in 1850. She is the daughter of James Etherton, of Greene County, Mo. They have had four children, one of whom is living.
Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), p. 572.