Eva --

Since the family had been in Carroll County AR for so many years, you should expect to find sons in Arkansas units. Given John's age and the circumstances of life in Arkansas during those years, he might have died of natural causes or simply been murdered without enlisting in military service.

One generation of this family might have said an ancestor died during the war, while the next repeated the story a little differently, saying instead, he died in the war.

To remove all doubt, you might consider posting this inquiry on the Arkansas message board. I don't see a Confederate military record for either man mentioned, but someone over there may be able to locate something for you.