I just discovered this site doing research on my Howell co ancestors Pennington surname. My gr gr gr grandfather was Dabner who married Mary Ann Herren Adams after her husband Revis Houston Adams was killed. I have read a number of accounts of the attack, one in "Howell co., MO Post offices, Post masters and their communities , Vol V., pg 54" tells yet another variation saying that three Adams bros serving the Confederacy slipped north of the Arkansas border for celebration of the birth of two babies and it was during that time that the attack occurred. It is interesting that even the family versions don't all mention the deaths of all three as relating to this incident and this version goes wrong by stating they were three bros rather than father and two sons. This account also states that the son William was wounded and barely survived while the bushwhackers set fire to the farmhouse and left. It goes on to say how years later after William died, Sarah was in shock and remembering the attack those years before kind of lost it crying and talking about the killing and brushing her apron talking about the brains and blood on it--some of this is quoted from a 1976 article in the "Ozarks Mountaineer."

Mary Ann Herren and Revis Houston Adams are both in their parents household in 1860 census, in close proximity to one another and must have married shortly after since their son Timothy was born in Feb 1863 and the attacks were in Jan 1864. It is Dabner's household in 1870 with Mary Ann and seven yr old Timothy Adams--they having married 15 Oct 1868. Mary Ann was a good deal younger than Dabner he had long been married, coming from TN but his wife died in 1866. Two of Dabner's daughters married two of Mary Ann's brother, so all of these families are intimately intertwined.

Dabner's two sons were in the 4th Rgt MO Infantry Co B. One died probably of measles but the other, my gr gr grandfather, survived the measles hospitalized 1862 in Little Rock and was active during the war. Although I am only now trying to piece together what/when and where--it appears to be not at all straight forward, he was arrested had to put up bond and take oath then was captured later and pressed into service as a teamster at that point for the Union. Dabner stayed in the Howell Valley area through out the war, in what was apparently a small enclave just outside West Plains. He visited the evacuated West Plains town not long before it was burned to the ground and is briefly quoted on that visit in a number of later articles etc about the Civil War in Howell. He may also have been involved in activities confederate sympathetic to the confederacy, similar to Benoni and I am interested in learning more.

I was interested in John Russell's reply of March 21st in this thread because he mentions the letter from Major JB Kaiser identifying confederate sympathizers--my ancestress Mrs. Warthen in Pulaski Co. is listed. I would like to learn more about this info--since I am new to this site, please advise if there is a proper way to pursue this line of questioning since it is going off of the Adams line.

Thanks --this appears to be a great site.