JAMES PORTER HOOVER, son of Mathias and Nancy Hoover, was born January 1, 1822 in Murfreesboro, Hoover's Gap, TN, and died January 26, 1863 in Arkansas. He married ELIZABETH MATILDA RENSHAW on April 12, 1841 in Rutherford Co., TN, daughter of Nathan Renshaw and Lettie Dunn. She was born August 18, 1824 in Rutherford Co., TN, and died March 27, 1908 in Alto, Cherokee Co., TX. James and Elizabeth Hoover were blessed with six children: Nancy Lucinda Hoover, Mary Susan Hoover, Martha Emoline Hoover, John Wesley Hoover, James Granville Hoover and William Lee Hoover.
In about 1853, James Porter Hoover, along with his family, left Yourees District in Rutherford Co., TN and began their migration to Texas. His brother, Joel Hoover, had made the journey before them and was awaiting their arrival in Texas. By 1860, James Porter Hoover had settled his family in Rusk, Cherokee Co., TX. Family stories say he enlisted "soon after the outbreak of the Civil War" indicating he enlisted early in the war.
Military record documentation confirms James Porter Hoover enlisted on April 7, 1862 in Ochilltree's Regiment, 18th Texas Infantry, Company "C", a company made up of men from Rusk and Cherokee Co., TX serving under Capt. T. R. Bonner, which was formed "April 7, 1862, Rusk, TX" with its election of field officers completed by May 13, 1862. James P. Hoover is shown on the Company Muster-In Roll for his enlistment as a "Corporal" and signed on for a period of three years. At the time of his enlistment, he was listed as 40 years of age. The Muster-In Roll was at Camp Sidney Johnson, Marion Co., TX.
The 18th Texas Infantry's initial regimental field operations were in Arkansas from late summer (1862) into the spring (1863) with no military action. In October 1862, Brigadier General McCulloch was assigned the duty of making a general organization of the Texas Volunteer Infantry that were encamped at Camp Nelson, near Austin, AR into a division. Major General John George Walker took command from McCulloch on January 1, 1863. The Division became known as "Walker's Greyhounds" or the "Greyhound Division" because of their special capability to make long, forced marches from one threatened point to another in the Trans-Mississippi Department. After the organization, James P. Hoover was in the First Brigade which was composed of the Twelfth (usually called the Eighth), Eighteenth and Twenty-second Texas infantry regiments, the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry (dismounted) and Haldeman's Texas Battery.
Family stories tell of James Porter Hoover dying from the measles. We believe this to be a true account of how he died and believe that it is possible that he came down with the measles while at Camp Nelson, AR. A letter written in July 1862 from a soldier serving at Camp Nelson to his mother cited "a great many of our boys have died" and also that this very same soldier had "the measles". The Camp Nelson Confederate Cemetery web site states the following, "During the cold wet winter of 1862-63..................and this battle was against disease - against typhoid and the dreaded black measles with its raging fever, bilious eruptions and debilitating diarrhea........more than 1500 men at Camp Nelson would succumb ......" The Camp Nelson Confederate Cemetery's web site also states, "1500 Arkansas and Texas soldiers died of disease....... approximately 500 were buried in unmarked graves at the site of the current cemetery and the other 1000 were buried at still unknown locations in the surrounding hills."
It is because of these documented events and the timeline of the Division's movement in 1862 and early 1863, we previously felt that James P. Hoover died at Camp Nelson, Austin, AR even though no burial record has been found; however, we have now received his military records consisting of the documentation of the final months of his life.....September, October, November and December of 1862. The documents for the months of September, October and November 1862 show James P. Hoover as being "sick in hospital at Camp Nelson". The document for the month of December 1862 shows James P. Hoover as "Absent enlisted men accounted for: Convalescent Camp L. R."
His death was reported to his family by his two sons-in-law, Joseph T. King and John G. King, and another witness, William Matthew Martin who all served with J. P. Hoover in Company "C" as being "January 26, 1863 in Arkansas". Now, with his military documents, we believe James P. Hoover died while at the "Convalescent Camp L. R.". And even though research has not proved this camp to be in Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR, our process of elimination of the camps in the area have led us to believe that Little Rock, AR is the most probable place where James P. Hoover died and was buried. No burial place has been found for him todate but the search will continue.
James P. Hoover's wife, Elizabeth Matilda Hoover, applied for her CSA Widow's Pension Application #00782, dated June 24, 1899. She stated that James Porter Hoover died January 26, 1863 in Arkansas. Witnesses for Mrs. Hoover were J. T. King and M. W. Martin, both of which testified that they served with James P. Hoover in the Ochiltree Reg., Company "C under Capt. T. R. Bonner. They testified that James P. Hoover served "about one year" with them and that he "died in the army". Matthew W. Martin, Ord. Sgt. and Joseph T. King, Sgt., are both found on the 18th Texas Infantry, Company "C" roster and in the Civil War Detailed Soldier Records.
Researchers for James Porter Hoover biography:
1) Shirley D. (Horn) Bray (Oklahoma), great-great granddaughter of John Welsey Hoover, son of James Porter Hoover.
2) Rayburn Miller Hoover, Jr. (Texas), great-grandson of James Granville Hoover, son of James Porter Hoover.
Submitted by Shirley Bray
Texans in the Civil War
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