I did some research, but I need more information to get closer to where you want to go. I assume we are discussing an ancestor named "Orear," right? Please give me his full name as best as you can.

You said he was in "Gordon's Regt." and "with Shelby in the fall of 64." This tells men your ancestor was in the 5th Missouri Cavalry commanded by Colonel Benjamin F. Gordon after Joseph O. Shelby rose in the ranks from command of the 5th to higher responsibility. Yes, the 5th participated in Major General Sterling Price's Missouri raid of September-October 1864, so it appears from your oral history that your ancestor took part in that.

I found several Orear households, but in the 1860 Saline County census they were all in Arrow Rock and Blackwater Townships in southeast Saline County--very far from Grand Pass in the northwest corner of the county.

I found several Thornton households, but they were all in Arrow Rock Township. I examined all of them, but found no "Woodson Thornton." I wonder if Woodson was not his actual first name.

I found the entry in Fellman's landmark "Inside War," on pages 240-1 with the endnote number 18 giving Fellman's source on page 305. Fellman clearly states that Woodson Thornton was a participant in the postwar period of Saline County. Frankly, I never heard of Woodson Thornton, even though I use Fellman as a source for my writing. I stop short of the postwar period, though. I don't have a copy of Stiles' Jesse James biography with me to examine.

The Missouri State Archives has a cryptic record on a Sergeant Major Orear [no first name] who was in the 5th Missouri Infantry Regiment of the Missouri State Guard of 1861, but not the 5th MO Cavalry Regiment of the Confederate army, so that is confusing.

Please get me your ancestor's full name, and I will see what I can do.

Bruce Nichols

PS. I can hardly wait until my next book comes out, either. I have to finish writing it, first, though.