In the winter 1982 edition of the White River Valley Historical Quarterly, Laura M. Lee gave a compelling and fascinating description of her journey to find the grave of her 3RD Great Grandfather, William C. Burton.
William was born about 1810 in Tennessee. He had served the United States Army in the Black Hawk War of 1831 and after settling in Arkansas where he married Elizabeth Caldwell in Independence County in October 1832, was well established in Taney County, MO by 1840.
In the latter location, William raised a family and livestock near a community called Prior's Store. This was located between Bradleyville in Taney County and Brown Branch Creek in what later became adjacent Douglas County to the east. Nearby lived a number of homesteaders and pioneers in a loose community of farms. A number of these were related to William and his wife, including several families of the Bozarth clan into whom William's sister, also Elizabeth, had married.
The Civil War was an especially tragic time for all families in the upper White River basin. With thousands of troops billeted north in Springfield, MO and Yellville, AR to the south being a Confederate stronghold, it was a supreme test of one's skill and mettle just for daily survival during the war years for those living in Taney County. Field conscription among armies of both sides, foraging for supplies – another term for looting and taking what was wanted or needed, and marauding from irregulars, jay hawkers and bushwackers, meant mayhem and chaos on a grand scale throughout the region.
Into this maelstrom was thrust 17 year old Levi Bozarth, a nephew of William Burton's through his sister, Elizabeth, and her husband, Joseph Bozarth.
The writer Silas Turnbo as well as family descendant and researcher Ronald E. Bozarth, both indicate Levi ran with an unseemingly crowd. At some point, probably after January 1862 based on a land deed William and his wife received, Levi and his gang of ruffians encountered his uncle out working cattle and proceeded to shoot and scalp the older man. Bozarth took his uncle's scalp, went to the home of William's wife and told her where her husband's body could be located. Elizabeth, her son, James, and several neighbor women and girls, buried the dead man under an oak tree and it was this location more than a century later that descendant Laura Lee found with the help of old timers in the vicinity.
Soon after William's death, Levi's gang accosted the Laughlin family in their home on Beaver Creek just upstream from the mouth of White River west of Bradleyville. Apparently intending to shoot Mr. Laughlin, his wife, Rachel, grabbed a chopping ax in the kitchen and whacked Levi across the eyes and nose with the implement, killing him instantly. Almarian Morgan, one of Levi's gang members, shot through the window of the couple's cabin and killed Rachel. Morgan would die violently several months later and be buried in the Milum Cemetery just across the state line in Boone County, AR.
We've placed William's memorial on Find a Grave among his people in the Frye Cemetery, where his son, James was buried years later; the son who, in the midst of grief and that of his own mother, lovingly buried the broken remains of their father and husband during the horror of the Civil War.
___________________________________________
Father link provided by FG user # 48671730.
William was born about 1810 in Tennessee. He had served the United States Army in the Black Hawk War of 1831 and after settling in Arkansas where he married Elizabeth Caldwell in Independence County in October 1832, was well established in Taney County, MO by 1840.
In the latter location, William raised a family and livestock near a community called Prior's Store. This was located between Bradleyville in Taney County and Brown Branch Creek in what later became adjacent Douglas County to the east. Nearby lived a number of homesteaders and pioneers in a loose community of farms. A number of these were related to William and his wife, including several families of the Bozarth clan into whom William's sister, also Elizabeth, had married.
The Civil War was an especially tragic time for all families in the upper White River basin. With thousands of troops billeted north in Springfield, MO and Yellville, AR to the south being a Confederate stronghold, it was a supreme test of one's skill and mettle just for daily survival during the war years for those living in Taney County. Field conscription among armies of both sides, foraging for supplies – another term for looting and taking what was wanted or needed, and marauding from irregulars, jay hawkers and bushwackers, meant mayhem and chaos on a grand scale throughout the region.
Into this maelstrom was thrust 17 year old Levi Bozarth, a nephew of William Burton's through his sister, Elizabeth, and her husband, Joseph Bozarth.
The writer Silas Turnbo as well as family descendant and researcher Ronald E. Bozarth, both indicate Levi ran with an unseemingly crowd. At some point, probably after January 1862 based on a land deed William and his wife received, Levi and his gang of ruffians encountered his uncle out working cattle and proceeded to shoot and scalp the older man. Bozarth took his uncle's scalp, went to the home of William's wife and told her where her husband's body could be located. Elizabeth, her son, James, and several neighbor women and girls, buried the dead man under an oak tree and it was this location more than a century later that descendant Laura Lee found with the help of old timers in the vicinity.
Soon after William's death, Levi's gang accosted the Laughlin family in their home on Beaver Creek just upstream from the mouth of White River west of Bradleyville. Apparently intending to shoot Mr. Laughlin, his wife, Rachel, grabbed a chopping ax in the kitchen and whacked Levi across the eyes and nose with the implement, killing him instantly. Almarian Morgan, one of Levi's gang members, shot through the window of the couple's cabin and killed Rachel. Morgan would die violently several months later and be buried in the Milum Cemetery just across the state line in Boone County, AR.
We've placed William's memorial on Find a Grave among his people in the Frye Cemetery, where his son, James was buried years later; the son who, in the midst of grief and that of his own mother, lovingly buried the broken remains of their father and husband during the horror of the Civil War.
___________________________________________
Father link provided by FG user # 48671730.
In the winter 1982 edition of the White River Valley Historical Quarterly, Laura M. Lee gave a compelling and fascinating description of her journey to find the grave of her 3RD Great Grandfather, William C. Burton.
William was born about 1810 in Tennessee. He had served the United States Army in the Black Hawk War of 1831 and after settling in Arkansas where he married Elizabeth Caldwell in Independence County in October 1832, was well established in Taney County, MO by 1840.
In the latter location, William raised a family and livestock near a community called Prior's Store. This was located between Bradleyville in Taney County and Brown Branch Creek in what later became adjacent Douglas County to the east. Nearby lived a number of homesteaders and pioneers in a loose community of farms. A number of these were related to William and his wife, including several families of the Bozarth clan into whom William's sister, also Elizabeth, had married.
The Civil War was an especially tragic time for all families in the upper White River basin. With thousands of troops billeted north in Springfield, MO and Yellville, AR to the south being a Confederate stronghold, it was a supreme test of one's skill and mettle just for daily survival during the war years for those living in Taney County. Field conscription among armies of both sides, foraging for supplies – another term for looting and taking what was wanted or needed, and marauding from irregulars, jay hawkers and bushwackers, meant mayhem and chaos on a grand scale throughout the region.
Into this maelstrom was thrust 17 year old Levi Bozarth, a nephew of William Burton's through his sister, Elizabeth, and her husband, Joseph Bozarth.
The writer Silas Turnbo as well as family descendant and researcher Ronald E. Bozarth, both indicate Levi ran with an unseemingly crowd. At some point, probably after January 1862 based on a land deed William and his wife received, Levi and his gang of ruffians encountered his uncle out working cattle and proceeded to shoot and scalp the older man. Bozarth took his uncle's scalp, went to the home of William's wife and told her where her husband's body could be located. Elizabeth, her son, James, and several neighbor women and girls, buried the dead man under an oak tree and it was this location more than a century later that descendant Laura Lee found with the help of old timers in the vicinity.
Soon after William's death, Levi's gang accosted the Laughlin family in their home on Beaver Creek just upstream from the mouth of White River west of Bradleyville. Apparently intending to shoot Mr. Laughlin, his wife, Rachel, grabbed a chopping ax in the kitchen and whacked Levi across the eyes and nose with the implement, killing him instantly. Almarian Morgan, one of Levi's gang members, shot through the window of the couple's cabin and killed Rachel. Morgan would die violently several months later and be buried in the Milum Cemetery just across the state line in Boone County, AR.
We've placed William's memorial on Find a Grave among his people in the Frye Cemetery, where his son, James was buried years later; the son who, in the midst of grief and that of his own mother, lovingly buried the broken remains of their father and husband during the horror of the Civil War.
___________________________________________
Father link provided by FG user # 48671730.
William was born about 1810 in Tennessee. He had served the United States Army in the Black Hawk War of 1831 and after settling in Arkansas where he married Elizabeth Caldwell in Independence County in October 1832, was well established in Taney County, MO by 1840.
In the latter location, William raised a family and livestock near a community called Prior's Store. This was located between Bradleyville in Taney County and Brown Branch Creek in what later became adjacent Douglas County to the east. Nearby lived a number of homesteaders and pioneers in a loose community of farms. A number of these were related to William and his wife, including several families of the Bozarth clan into whom William's sister, also Elizabeth, had married.
The Civil War was an especially tragic time for all families in the upper White River basin. With thousands of troops billeted north in Springfield, MO and Yellville, AR to the south being a Confederate stronghold, it was a supreme test of one's skill and mettle just for daily survival during the war years for those living in Taney County. Field conscription among armies of both sides, foraging for supplies – another term for looting and taking what was wanted or needed, and marauding from irregulars, jay hawkers and bushwackers, meant mayhem and chaos on a grand scale throughout the region.
Into this maelstrom was thrust 17 year old Levi Bozarth, a nephew of William Burton's through his sister, Elizabeth, and her husband, Joseph Bozarth.
The writer Silas Turnbo as well as family descendant and researcher Ronald E. Bozarth, both indicate Levi ran with an unseemingly crowd. At some point, probably after January 1862 based on a land deed William and his wife received, Levi and his gang of ruffians encountered his uncle out working cattle and proceeded to shoot and scalp the older man. Bozarth took his uncle's scalp, went to the home of William's wife and told her where her husband's body could be located. Elizabeth, her son, James, and several neighbor women and girls, buried the dead man under an oak tree and it was this location more than a century later that descendant Laura Lee found with the help of old timers in the vicinity.
Soon after William's death, Levi's gang accosted the Laughlin family in their home on Beaver Creek just upstream from the mouth of White River west of Bradleyville. Apparently intending to shoot Mr. Laughlin, his wife, Rachel, grabbed a chopping ax in the kitchen and whacked Levi across the eyes and nose with the implement, killing him instantly. Almarian Morgan, one of Levi's gang members, shot through the window of the couple's cabin and killed Rachel. Morgan would die violently several months later and be buried in the Milum Cemetery just across the state line in Boone County, AR.
We've placed William's memorial on Find a Grave among his people in the Frye Cemetery, where his son, James was buried years later; the son who, in the midst of grief and that of his own mother, lovingly buried the broken remains of their father and husband during the horror of the Civil War.
___________________________________________
Father link provided by FG user # 48671730.
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