James L. Gilmore/Gillmore was born about 1830 in Warren Co. Kentucky to John H. Gilmore and Catherine Darnall. In the early 1840s, the family moved to Missouri and settled in an area of Greene Co. that was to become Christian Co. It is northeast of where Wilson's Creek runs into James River. John worked as a miller. James first married in 1852 to Mary Richadson and they had one child, John H. Gilmore. Mary died before 1860 and James was married again in 1861 to Sarah M. Lamb whose parents lived next door.

     James and Sarah were living near Ozark at the beginning of the civil war. He heard the rebel conscriptors coming and hid in the woods behind his house until they left. He went right away to Ozark and joined the Union side on March 28, 1862. He was placed in Company D of the 14th regiment of Missouri State Militia Cavalry. James served in Company D until March 3, 1863, when the 14th was disbanded and he was transferred to Company M of the 4th Missouri State Militia Cavalry. James' pension application says he was injured by his horse falling on him in a fight with rebels at Westport (Kansas City), Missouri on October 1, 1864.

     After his service in the civil war, James and Sarah lived near Sparta, Missouri. In his records and in his pension application, James and Sarah signed their name Gillmore. One of the forms in the pension file gives James' description as 5ft. 11in. tall, dark complexion, black hair and blue eyes. James died near Sparta, Missouri on 7 April 7, 1899. Sarah then applied for and got a pension as the widow of a veteran. James and Sarah are buried in the IOOF Cemetery at Sparta, MO. James' grave has a military marker.

Written by: William T. Stout

Pension Affidavit	Medical Record Verification	Final Pension Affidavit

Researcher of Private James L. Gillmore.
William T. Stout

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