James William Boatner was born in Mississippi [some reports say South Carolina] on 17 February 1843. His age was given as 1840 and 1846 in some documents. As a young man prior to 1860, he moved with his family to Drew County Arkansas. They lived at Spring Hill, and near Monticello, Arkansas. He was the son of John Root Boatner and Mary Elizabeth Taggart. Both were born in South Carolina. During the Civil War, for unknown reasons he enlisted in an Alabama unit at Mobile, Alabama. He is first carried on a muster roll as enlisting in Hardee's Alabama Cavalry Battalion Reserves in Company D on 27 March 1861. Apparently, this unit was disbanded or not accepted for service by the CSA. Confederate Army records then indicate that he enlisted in Company D, 2nd Alabama Infantry Regiment on 1 April 1861 at Fort Morgan, Alabama for 12 months as a Private. He was on muster records for July-August 1861. Also on muster records for September-October 1861 where he as carried as "absent on sick certificate". January-February 1862 muster rolls indicate that he was "discharged for disability on 7 January 1862". However, CSA records then indicate that he was carried on muster rolls for Company I, 38th Alabama Infantry Regiment as of May 1862 at Mobile, AL. He is indicated as "absent on furlough." There are no further records of his military service. The 38th Alabama Infantry Regiment which originally consisted of 830 men reminded in Mobile Alabama as a defense force for the city until February 1862 and was placed in General Henry D Clayton's Brigade with four other regiments. During the war about 1500 men would serve in this regiment as replacements and to take the place of causalities. At the end of the war 80 men surrendered in 1865. The muster rolls changed each two months during the war, but no available records show James W Boatner's service. There is no way to say that he was there or not. In 1863, the Regiment was assigned to the CSA Army of Tennessee. The unit fought at Hoover's Gap, and Chickamauga where it took many causalities. It was at Missionary Ridge where it lost its battle flag, then wintered at Dalton, GA. It took part in in the Atlanta campaign and at Reseca, GA. It fought at Jonesboro, GA, and then took part in the Tennessee invasion at Franklin and Nashville. It served as part of the rear guard after the retreat from Nashville. After this defeat, it was stationed again at Mobile, AL where it fought at Spanish Fort and surrendered at the end of the war at Meridian, MS. It is not known if James W Boatner was present for all or any of these battles. Union Army records indicate that a James W Boatner acted as a scout or guide for the Union Army in the Drew County area in March 1865 during operations against Confederate soldiers. This James W Boatner was singled out by a Union Officer for valuable service to the union. After the war, he and his family moved to Texas arriving prior to 1870, living in Grimes County, then later living primarily in Robertson County. James W Boatner has not been located in the 1870 census. He married Lucy R Bufford [1847-1881] [ They married ca 1868 likely in Arkansas, but no official records have been located for this marriage. His father, and brothers were involved in farming and were merchants from time to time in Grimes and Robertson County, Texas, and it is likely that James worked with them. James had several occupations and traveled around quite a bit over the years. In 1869, the Dallas Morning News reported that James W Boatner formerly of Navasoto, Texas was working for the F J Quinlan Company in New Orleans as a Hat salesman. It is not clear if he was living in New Orleans or was a sales representative in Texas? During his marriage to Lucy R, there were three known children born: Margaret Eliza Boatner [1868-Unk], Lyda Boatner [1870-1881] and John Ruth Boatner [1872-1948]. Lucy R died 4 October 1881, and is buried in the Calvert City Cemetery in Robertson County, Texas. James W Boatner was appointed Executor of her will and Administrator of the Trust she left for the two living minor children. Lucy may have had relatives back in Arkansas since after her death, her son and daughter made railway trips to Monticello and Typo, Arkansas according to the probate expense accounts. Lucy purchased approximately 100 acres of land from the John Root Boatner estate at his death in 1880. She also had an insurance policy for $3000.00 which she left to her two living children. In 1878, the Galveston News indicated that James W Boatner of Hearne, Robertson Co, Texas had captured a local Burglar while riding in the woods. He had taken the Burglar and turned him over to local law enforcement agency. James has not been located in the 1880 census. On 5 June 1882, James married his second wife, Miss Isabella Dunn "Bell" Young [1857-1882]. Bell died 17 July 1882 and is buried with her family in the Franklin Cemetery in Robertson County. No children resulted from this marriage. On 18 February 1882, James received $423.10 as his share of his father's estate during Probate. On 4 February 1883, James married his third wife, Sallie May Jones [1865-1893] in Robertson County, Texas. There are five known children from this marriage; Male Child Boatner [Unknown Name] [1883-1887, Jay Byrd Boatner [1887-Unk], Marie Boatner [1889-1977], May Boatner [1893-1893] and Lewis A Boatner [1890-1966]. On 10 May 1887 per Dallas Morning News, a 4 year old boy of James W Boatner of Robertson County was bitten by a rabid dog while playing in the yard. James reportedly went to Bryan, Texas, a near by town, to get a Mad Stone that might save the boy. We don't know if the child was saved or not, but it is unlikely, and the name of the child or where he is buried is unknown. Sallie May Jones Boatner died 12 June 1893 during childbirth along with the female child, May Boatner. Both of them are buried in the Kosse, Limestone Co, Texas cemetery. On 25 September 1893, James married his fourth wife, Mrs. Sallie Ann Rogers [1847-1927] in Limestone County, Texas. No children was born of this marriage. On 24 July 1899, James acted as a witness on an affidavit for a W M Cain who was applying for a Confederate Pension in Texas. He certified that he knew the applicant to be a Confederate veteran since he had known him in Arkansas and Mississippi. The last record located for James is the 1900 Robertson County Census, with Jame working as a County Precinct Constable in Calvert, Robertson County, Texas. He is listed as a widower and has two minor children living with him. His wife, Sallie, is living with one of her daughters from a previous marriage in Falls County, Texas and lists herself as married. It is apparent that they are separated. It is unknown if they were divorced. At some point after the 1900 census, James W Boatner was admitted to the Alabama Confederate Soldiers Home in Mountain Creek, Chilton County, AL which was founded in 1901 to help Alabama Civil War Veterans. He was likely in bad health, senile and was sent to the home for assisted living. It is believed that even though he was living in Texas, he was admitted based on his service to Alabama during the Civil War. James's brother, John Lewis Boatner who was younger, and had served in an Arkansas CSA unit during the war was active and prominent in Confederate Veteran Reunions and organizations in Texas, and likely was able to get James into the home. James died on 25 February 1908 and was buried in the Alabama Confederate Memorial Park Cemetery near the Home. He is listed on Find-A-Grave.