John Wycliffe Shoptaw is the son of James Shoptaw, 1791-1861, and Catherine Walker, 1807-1850. James and John brought the family to Pope County Arkansas in 1949. James and John sold the property on which they farmed, along Brushy Fork Creek (a branch of Knob Creek), near the Harshfield Spring, in Bullitt County Kentucky, to Christopher Harshfield in 1850.
John met his future bride, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn, in the middle 1850s. He farmed in the Clarke Township, near present day London Arkansas in Pope County, and had two children before the 1860 Census. Their children were John Thomas Shoptaw and Mary Alice Shoptaw. John and Mattie were not far from his father and mother. James, Catherine and the rest of his family lived a short distance away on Mill Creek were James operated a grist mill.
John joined the Arkansas 1st Cavalry Company F, which was a state cavalry militia formed because of the onset of the hostilities between the Union and Confederacy, in the east. Elizabeth must have become pregnant before John left home because she had Jesse James Shoptaw in 1861. John may have been home for the birth of Jesse, but I have not found evidence of when he left home. Later, the Arkansas 1st Cavalry was reformed into several other units of the Confederate States Army. John died in the hospital, in Columbus Mississippi, on 15 Oct 1863. He was likely wounded in the fighting around Vicksburg Mississippi prior to the surrender of the city on 4 Jul 1863. However, he could have been wounded, or gotten ill in camp, in any of the battles or skirmishes that occurred around the area at that time.
One of the men that served with John in the 1st Arkansas Cavalry did return home. Rufus Alexander Bailey return to Pope County and married John's widow, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn Shoptaw, on 4 Aug 1867. They are on the 1870 Pope County Census with the three Shoptaw children, and several Bailey children. Rufus and Mattie are buried together in Booher Cemetery in Pope County Arkansas. John's children are also buried in Booher Cemetery. Two of John's grandsons had a marker placed for him in the Oakland Cemetery, in Russellville Arkansas, where they are also buried.
John met his future bride, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn, in the middle 1850s. He farmed in the Clarke Township, near present day London Arkansas in Pope County, and had two children before the 1860 Census. Their children were John Thomas Shoptaw and Mary Alice Shoptaw. John and Mattie were not far from his father and mother. James, Catherine and the rest of his family lived a short distance away on Mill Creek were James operated a grist mill.
John joined the Arkansas 1st Cavalry Company F, which was a state cavalry militia formed because of the onset of the hostilities between the Union and Confederacy, in the east. Elizabeth must have become pregnant before John left home because she had Jesse James Shoptaw in 1861. John may have been home for the birth of Jesse, but I have not found evidence of when he left home. Later, the Arkansas 1st Cavalry was reformed into several other units of the Confederate States Army. John died in the hospital, in Columbus Mississippi, on 15 Oct 1863. He was likely wounded in the fighting around Vicksburg Mississippi prior to the surrender of the city on 4 Jul 1863. However, he could have been wounded, or gotten ill in camp, in any of the battles or skirmishes that occurred around the area at that time.
One of the men that served with John in the 1st Arkansas Cavalry did return home. Rufus Alexander Bailey return to Pope County and married John's widow, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn Shoptaw, on 4 Aug 1867. They are on the 1870 Pope County Census with the three Shoptaw children, and several Bailey children. Rufus and Mattie are buried together in Booher Cemetery in Pope County Arkansas. John's children are also buried in Booher Cemetery. Two of John's grandsons had a marker placed for him in the Oakland Cemetery, in Russellville Arkansas, where they are also buried.
John Wycliffe Shoptaw is the son of James Shoptaw, 1791-1861, and Catherine Walker, 1807-1850. James and John brought the family to Pope County Arkansas in 1949. James and John sold the property on which they farmed, along Brushy Fork Creek (a branch of Knob Creek), near the Harshfield Spring, in Bullitt County Kentucky, to Christopher Harshfield in 1850.
John met his future bride, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn, in the middle 1850s. He farmed in the Clarke Township, near present day London Arkansas in Pope County, and had two children before the 1860 Census. Their children were John Thomas Shoptaw and Mary Alice Shoptaw. John and Mattie were not far from his father and mother. James, Catherine and the rest of his family lived a short distance away on Mill Creek were James operated a grist mill.
John joined the Arkansas 1st Cavalry Company F, which was a state cavalry militia formed because of the onset of the hostilities between the Union and Confederacy, in the east. Elizabeth must have become pregnant before John left home because she had Jesse James Shoptaw in 1861. John may have been home for the birth of Jesse, but I have not found evidence of when he left home. Later, the Arkansas 1st Cavalry was reformed into several other units of the Confederate States Army. John died in the hospital, in Columbus Mississippi, on 15 Oct 1863. He was likely wounded in the fighting around Vicksburg Mississippi prior to the surrender of the city on 4 Jul 1863. However, he could have been wounded, or gotten ill in camp, in any of the battles or skirmishes that occurred around the area at that time.
One of the men that served with John in the 1st Arkansas Cavalry did return home. Rufus Alexander Bailey return to Pope County and married John's widow, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn Shoptaw, on 4 Aug 1867. They are on the 1870 Pope County Census with the three Shoptaw children, and several Bailey children. Rufus and Mattie are buried together in Booher Cemetery in Pope County Arkansas. John's children are also buried in Booher Cemetery. Two of John's grandsons had a marker placed for him in the Oakland Cemetery, in Russellville Arkansas, where they are also buried.
John met his future bride, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn, in the middle 1850s. He farmed in the Clarke Township, near present day London Arkansas in Pope County, and had two children before the 1860 Census. Their children were John Thomas Shoptaw and Mary Alice Shoptaw. John and Mattie were not far from his father and mother. James, Catherine and the rest of his family lived a short distance away on Mill Creek were James operated a grist mill.
John joined the Arkansas 1st Cavalry Company F, which was a state cavalry militia formed because of the onset of the hostilities between the Union and Confederacy, in the east. Elizabeth must have become pregnant before John left home because she had Jesse James Shoptaw in 1861. John may have been home for the birth of Jesse, but I have not found evidence of when he left home. Later, the Arkansas 1st Cavalry was reformed into several other units of the Confederate States Army. John died in the hospital, in Columbus Mississippi, on 15 Oct 1863. He was likely wounded in the fighting around Vicksburg Mississippi prior to the surrender of the city on 4 Jul 1863. However, he could have been wounded, or gotten ill in camp, in any of the battles or skirmishes that occurred around the area at that time.
One of the men that served with John in the 1st Arkansas Cavalry did return home. Rufus Alexander Bailey return to Pope County and married John's widow, Elizabeth Matilda (Mattie) Shinn Shoptaw, on 4 Aug 1867. They are on the 1870 Pope County Census with the three Shoptaw children, and several Bailey children. Rufus and Mattie are buried together in Booher Cemetery in Pope County Arkansas. John's children are also buried in Booher Cemetery. Two of John's grandsons had a marker placed for him in the Oakland Cemetery, in Russellville Arkansas, where they are also buried.
Gravesite Details
A marker was placed in Oakland Cemetery in Russellville, Pope Co., Arkansas by two of John's grandson's. John was most likely buried with other CSA soldiers that died in the hospital at Columbus Mississippi.
Family Members
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