John Q. Farmer

Chanute Daily Tribune, Thursday, Sept. 21, 1905

Buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Chanute, Neosho Co., Kansas

FUNERAL DELAYED TILL DAUGHTER CAME

The funeral of Judge J. Q. Farmer which was held yesterday afternoon from his residence on North Garfield avenue, was very largely attended by members of the G. A. R., the ladies of the G. A. R., the W. R. C., and the Knights and Ladies of Security, turning out in a body. The religious services were conducted by Rev. H. J. Coker, pastor of the Methodist church. The ceremonies were delayed until close to 4 o'clock because of the Santa Fe train from the north being two hours late. Miss Annabelle Farmer of Chicago arrived on the train in time to attend her father's funeral.

Biographical information provided from the research of Margaret E. Haynes.

JOHN Q. FARMER

Civil War Veteran, Union, Company C, Kansas 2nd Cavalry Regiment

From the Soldiers & Sailors site: The Second KS Cavalry was organized in Kansas City as the 12th KS Infantry. At Fort Leavenworth, KS, designation changed to 9th KS Infantry Feb. 4, 1862, and to 2nd Cavalry March 5, 1862. Attached to Dept. of Kansas November 1861

According to the book, Neosho County, Kansas Cemeteries: J. Q. Farmer (they have it J. O. Farmer) is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Chanute, Neosho Co., Kansas. He was born 6 September 1839 and died 19 September 1905, at the age of 66 years. His headstone (according to book) is inscribed “Father”, with Co. C, 2nd KS Cav., G.A.R. His obituary appeared in the newspaper (?Chanute, KS?) on Sept. 21, 1905. (SEE MY NOTES AT THE END)

Enlisted December 3, 1861. his residence is not shown on the Adj. Gen. Report. He was mustered in on December 3, 1861 (same day as enlistment). He was promoted to Sergeant on May 4, 1863. He was promoted to First Sergeant on January 11, 1864. He was a Prisoner of War captured near Fort Gibson, C.N.. September 16, 1864. (This is Fort Gibson in Cherokee Nation in Arkansas not to be confused with Fort Gibson in Oklahoma) And taken to Camp Ford POW Camp near Tyler, Texas, the largest Confederate POW camp west of the Mississippi River. Many Union soldiers were taken prisoner in the battles in Arkansas and the area.

Kansas Prisoners of War, at Camp Ford, Texas (at the Kansas Heritage website):

http:www.kansasheritage.org/research/campford.html

Farmer, John Q., 2nd KS Cav., Co C, Sgt., Captured nr. Ft. Gibson, C.N.,

Date Captured: 640916 (Sept. 16, 1864), he was Exchanged on May 22, 1865.

From the beginning of its existence Camp Ford POW Camp was little more than a log fence around the camp area with no form of shelter. It says that some prisoners

In the earlier days built log shelters, some just dug holes and covered with tarps. Conditions really got horrible in spring 1864 when about 3,000 prisoners were added at the defeat of the Union army in Arkansas and battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. The stockade was doubled to hold the new prisoners. 4,725 prisoners were overcrowded and short of food, shelter and clothing, for several months, until major exchanges of prisoners in July and October 1864.

Some prisoners dug burrows into hillsides. All supplies were critically short. It appears that John Q. Farmer was not one in the earlier exchanges and he was there 8 months. There were many prisoners taken 1863-1865, of various regiments of the Kansas Cavalry (the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 14th). Some were taken prisoner near Fort Smith, Arkansas. The largest group shown in list were from the KS. 6th Cav. that were taken prisoner at Massard Prairie, Arkansas. And there were many from the KS 2nd Cav. And looking at all of them, it appears that most of the Kansas prisoners were not exchanged until May 1865.

John Q. Farmer was exchanged in a prisoner exchange on May 22, 1865. He was discharged from service on July 15, 1865, at Leavenworth, Kansas.

He is on the 1883 List of Pensioners as Record #202, 426 Farmer, John Q., his disability was a disease of the eyes. His residence in 1883 is not clear as “ditto” marks were used, it could have been Osage City or Urbana or ?