James (Jim) Ware was born Jan. 1, 1845 in Franklin County, Missouri and died Dec, 3, 1880 in Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Woodbine, Cooke County, Texas.  He was the oldest son of John and Nancy Ware.  He married Gabrielle Cochran Apr 15, 1866 in Cooke County, Texas.  The had seven children, Joseph (Bill), Amanda, Nancy (Nannie), Mary, John E., Spencer P., and Charles William Ware.

James was a member of W.C. Twitty’s Mounted Volunteers, formed May 23, 1861 by a Confederate conscript law passed on April 16, 1861 for the protection of the Red River border…

Jim joined the Confederate Forces Oct. 2nd, 1861 as a Private at the age of 16, claiming to be 18.  He served with Capt. William C. Twitty in the 21st Brigade under the command of Colonel William C. Young, 3rd Regiment, Company B, CSA.  He joined in the Stead of (in place of) G. Terry, which was allowed under the ‘Confederate Conscript Law.’  This same law which also allowed exemption to men who owned more than ten slaves is what so incised the area population that opposed slavery and had northern leanings.

This included Jim’s father, John Ware (Sr) who shortly before had allowed his home to be a polling place for the vote on succession from the Union.  The overwhelming vote was NOT to succeed.  Faced with the definite possibility of being hung with many of his friends, John fled the Cross Timbers and enlisted in the Union Army in Kansas in 1861.

Following close behind, James Ware, only 17 years old but claiming to be 18, joined the Union Forces Sept. 13, 1862 at Little Rock, Arkansas.  He was a Private in the 1st Regiment of The Cavalry of Missouri Volunteers and served under Capt. William White Company “A”.  He received his discharge June 13th, 1865 after serving 3 years.  He returned to Cross Timbers he loved, married and had seven children.

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