Matthew Arthur (Arther) was born in Scotland in May 1835. He came to the United States with his parents in 1846, and a decade later became a naturalized citizen, having settled in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1858, Arthur enlisted in the U.S. Navy for a three-year term, renewing in 1861 for another two years. He served under Captain Henry Walke on the USS Carondelet and USS Lafayette; Signal Quartermaster Arthur received the Medal of Honor for actions onboard the Carondelet and was discharged in 1863 from the Lafayette. After his military service, Arthur settled in San Francisco and worked as an engineer. He died March 17, 1890, from injuries sustained after he fell down the stairs of his lodging house. Arthur was buried in the GAR plot for veterans in the city's Golden Gate Cemetery. In 1907, the remains from the GAR plot were reinterred in San Francisco National Cemetery. Arthur was among them.

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.

MATTHEW ARTHUR

Service

CIVIL WAR

MEDAL OF HONOR

US NAVY

Resting Place

Mementos

Tributes

Word Cloud

Biography

Milestones

Mementos

Historical Documents

Veteran programs and services

More VA resources

Get VA updates

In crisis? Get help now

Contact us