(NOTE: Thomas Y. Everhart probably never sat for a portrait prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. However, during the 10 months that he was with the 86th in and around Nashville in the winter of 1862/63 and the spring and summer of 1863, Thomas, like most of the boys, almost certainly took the time to sit for a portrait, at the very least, to send home to the loved ones they left behind. Those pictures would have come in one of two forms. There were the older styled cased pictures, known as "Tin types", and then there was a new fangled paper picture, which was called a "Carte de vista" or "CDV" for short. The CDV's, unlike the Tin type, could be printed over and over and over, so the boys could, inexpensively, purchase multiple copies, not only to send home to their loved ones, may of whom they were away from for the first time in their lives, but also to swap among their messmates and tentmates.
Sadly, Thomas did not survive the war, so if he did sit for a picture in Nashville, it was probably the only picture he ever sat for. If such a picture was made, there may be copies in the hands of descendants of the family, as well as in the hands of descendants of his messmates, tentmates and friends he served with in the 86th. If anyone reading this, has a copy of a photograph of Thomas Y. Everhart, I would dearly love to see it scanned and added to his Find A Grave Memorial for the benefit of descendants, the Washington Historical Society and for all with an interest in seeing the face of this veteran of the Civil War. Can you help in this matter? Thanks, Baxter)

Private THOMAS Y. EVERHART, Co. G, 86th Illinois

There are no Eferharts serving in Illinois Regiments during the Civil War. There are only nine men named Everhart in Illinois regiments during the Civil War and only one of these is named Thomas, and he was mortally wounded during the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina on March 19, 1865. According to the Illinois Adjutant Generals Reports, Thomas Y. Everhart died five days later in field hospitals at Goldsboro, North Carolina from the wounds received at Bentonville. Cemetery records apparently list his date of death as March 21, 1865.

Thomas Y. Everhart was born c. 1831 in Pennsylvania.
In August of 1862, Thomas was residing in Deer Creek Township in Tazewell County, Illinois and volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in the Washington, Deer Creek and Morton area of Tazewell County by a local photographer by the name of William B. Bogardus.

ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES
Illinois Civil War Detail Report

Name EVERHART, THOMAS Y Rank PVT
Company G Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence DEER CREEK, TAZEWELL CO, IL
Age 31 Height 5' 10
Hair SANDY Eyes HAZEL
Complexion FAIR Marital Status MARRIED
Occupation ARTISAN Nativity PA

Service Record
Joined When AUG 11, 1862
Joined Where DEER CREEK, IL
Joined By Whom W B BOGARDUS
Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862
Muster In Where CAMP PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom
Muster Out
Muster Out Where
Muster Out By Whom
Remarks DIED IN FIELD HOSPITAL MAR 24, 1865 AT GOLDSBORO NC FROM WOUNDS RED IN ACTION AT BENTONVILLE NC MAR 19, 1865

Thomas served nearly three years in McCook's Brigade of the 14th Army Corps only to be mortally wounded in the last battle of the war.

I found a marriage of Ella M. Everhart to Nelson W. Suzer [sic] on
December 15, 1884, in McLean Co. [Census records have his name as
Nelson W. Sizer.]

In checking the 1910 federal census in Gulfport, Eunice is living with
this daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren. It also notes that
Eunice had *four children, and Ella was the only one living.*

I did check the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index for a possible
marriage of Charles and Annie, but came up with nothing definitive for
either one of them. The marriage index only goes to 1900.

by Baxter B. Fite III