James Tygart, (1810-1862) landowner in Benton Co., AR lost his wife shortly before 1860. His wife was part Cherokee Indian and family lore has stated that a band of "bushwackers" had come and staked his wife out and killed her. During this time, the State of Arkansas had voted to join the Confederacy and two of his oldest sons, Martin and John were going to be drafted into the Confederate Army.

It has been surmised and deduced from the existing records that it's likely James took both sons via the "old wire road" that ran from near Benton Co., AR to Springfield, MO to enlist them into the Union Army. We know from the records that both sons enlisted in the Union Army in July, 1862 in Springfield, MO. John, the youngest son (1847-1864) , was killed in a battle-skirmish at Richland Creek, Searcy Co., AR on 3 May, 1864, and his service record is recorded. The oldest son, Martin (1839-1922), served throughout the Civil War and attained the rank at discharge of First Sergeant. Martin later became a State Representative from Benton Co., AR serviing one term in the Arkansas Legislature. He was a leader in the county until his death.

James C. Tygart was shot & killed 17 September, 1862 and was originally buried in the Military Cemetery and listed as one of two civilians based upon an original account of those that were buried there before the cemetery was moved sometime afterward. It is very likely due to the position of the gravesites that our James Coy Tygart, was not moved into the National Military Veterans Cemetery later established for many of those deceased soldiers and those esp. that perished at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Evidence from the research of a local archivist and genealogist, Ms. Judy Reustle of Springfield, MO. tends to indicate that the coffin of our James Coy Tygart, may have been later discovered by workmen when new streets and sidwalks were being made in the city in 1910 and those remains were placed inside a toolbox, based upon one local newspaper account mentioning the discovery of a coffin of a man with a bullet hole and no military uniform. It's most likely that civilians were not wearing military clothing and may have been buried without anything more than a blanket as a shroud around them, as the article indicates. It is my/our belief that James' remains were taken to the County "Poor Farm" for reburial and that his remains were finally interred at that memorial that now exists in Springfield, as unmarked gravesites are there.

While there is no direct evidence, our family firmly believes that James Coy Tygart should have been rightfully moved to the National Veterans' Cemetery as he was rendering aide to the Union Forces at the time of his untimely death, otherwise he would not have been originally listed in the Military Post graveyard at the time of his burial there.

Charlie Tooley, 2nd Great-Grandson of James Coy Tygart

James Coy Tygart

Source Documents

Related (Fold3 Members)