Mat Liberty

Born: May, 1866 in OH
Died: between 1905 and 1910 in Monroe, MI

For a while, the trail had gone cold on a young woman named Mat Liberty. But with a little detective work and a deep dive into the archives, the pieces of her life have fallen into place.Let’s see how Mat became the woman she was.

The 1880 federal census gives us our first official look into her childhood in a household in northwestern Ohio. 

  • ​Her Given Name: While she went by "Mat" casually, the census confirms her full name was Mattie Liberty.
  • ​The Family Home: In 1880, the family was living in Lucas County, Ohio.
  • ​Her Parents: Mattie was the daughter of John Liberty, a French-Canadian immigrant who worked as a laborer, and Mary Liberty, who managed their home.
  • ​A Full House: Mattie grew up surrounded by family. The census records five siblings sharing the household with her: Joseph, John Jr., Mary, Agnes, and Julia.
By the late 1880s, Mattie was a young woman of marrying age, which is right around the time this photo was taken. And this is where her information under the name "Liberty" vanished. 

​She didn't disappear. She just changed her name.

​On November 26, 1888, Mattie officially wed a man named John J. Shovar in Lucas County, OH. Once she became Mattie Shovar, the archives reveal a brand new chapter of her life.

Shortly after tying the knot, Mattie and John relocated north. By the turn of the century, the 1900 Federal Census catches up with them living in Monroe, MI, where John was working as a day laborer.

​By this time, Mattie was managing a home of her own, raising three children:

  • ​Leo (born in 1891)
  • ​Clara (born in 1893)
  • ​Francis (born in 1896)

​It’s a great feeling to place a face from an old photograph to a real life filled with a childhood in Ohio, a move to Michigan, and a family of her own.

Mattie was roughly 35 to 43 years old when she died. She was still a young woman, leaving behind her three children. It adds a touch of sadness to her story, especially when looking at her portrait from the late 1880s when she was just starting her married life.


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