The men pictured below are Wright Nance (left) and John C. Nance (right). Wright Nance and his family lived in Christian County, Missouri in 1860.  John C. Nance was born in 1861.  Photos were submitted by Ed Nance who is the great-grandson of Wright and grandson of John C. Nance.

According to Ed Nance, "Mentioned in this article (see below) are the names of my grandfather, Wright Nance, and his brother, Josiah Nance, who is erroneously listed in the 1860 Christian County, Mo census as "Isaiah Nance", along with some other Christian county residents listed on the 1860 census.  I'm sure you know that that part of MO was not a real safe place to live then, with neighbor sometime against neighbor. I have documented the fact that Wright served with Jackman's Regiment, CSA (I suspect he may have been with "a band of guerillas").  National Archive records show that Wright Nance was surrendered as a prisoner of war under Brig Gen. M.J. Thompson on May 11, 1865 and paroled at Jacksonport Arkansas in June 1865.  National Archive records show that Josiah Nance enlisted in the CSA about 2 weeks after the attached incident, as a resident of the town of Ozark, Christian County, MO.  These same records indicate that Josiah was engaged at Gulf Port, Port Gibson and Bakers Creek (Champion Hills), and may have died May 19, 1863 in a Union Prison Hospital."
 
 

Trade of stolen property

Statement of Thomas W. Baker in the Matter of the United States vs William Reed

William Reed was with what they called an independent company, commanded by Lorenzo D. Belt & Farmer Moon of Taney County Mo. about 1 Mar 1862, and about twelve of the Company including William Reed, Wright Nance, Josiah Nance, Naman Gimlin, Mitchell Pigg, Col. Dean, Mitchell James Chesser, John Williams, James Fagg, Lorenzo D. Beltz & Thomas Gott. About 7 March 1862 made a charge upon my house & surrounded it & searched my stable and then searched for my horse & found 2 & put them in the lot & went to the corn crib & fed their horses & took meat & flour from me. After eating their supper James Chesser saddled my mare, & rode off the remainder staid all night & I was required to feed them. They also had with them a man named Matthew Adams (a Union man) as prisoner. They said that they had shot at him before taking him, they left in the morning. I have never seem my mare since. The company of which I speak was not in the service of the C.S.A. They claimed to be independent & said that they paid themselves in property taken from Union men. It is reported that they done considerable ---- & plundering & it is reported that in one expedition up Swan Creek they burnt a house & some corn & took several horses. I know that the house was burnt & am pretty well satisfied that the company named done it.
T.W. Baker
Statement of Thomas W. Baker, May 12, 1862; Union Provost Marshals file of papers relating to individual citizens (Missouri State Archives microfilm roll F1205, National Archives Microfilm Publication No. 345, roll 227 Ree-Rei).