Family story1654: James was a school teacher. He was in the Civil War. He did not return home for a year after the war was over (he was in the guard house for AWOL ?). Elizabeth heard a noise downstairs and saw him.The story continues that that was the night that Lenora Jane was "ordered" (The dates do not match).

James served with Co. H, 11th Ark Inf Regt (Mounted) and Co C, 11th &17th Consolidated Inf Regt (Mounted). Enlisted on 1-1-1863 at Dorcheat, Columbia Co, Ark. The story about being AWOL does not make a lot of sense as there was no longer a Southern Army and the Northerners would have held him only long enough to get his parole and have him swear loyalty to the Union. Another theory that may fit is that at the end ofthe war the soldiers were told to go home. Depending on how far they were from home, their physical condition, and their finances they could have taken a year or more to get home. In a letter to his brother dated 1874 James mentions that he is not in the best of health. According to Doyle Simpson, he can remember that on a family move to Oklahoma his father threw away an old weapon for lack of space on the truck. Aunt June cried about this since the weapon was carried through the War by her Grandfather.

"He was a school teacher and Elizbeth was one of his pupils. Her folks did not want their daughter going with him so they moved away, but he went and got her and married her. This is also a good story, but I think it may be wrong. Records prove that the Murphys and Dewese' were neighbors and that Willis Murphy was dead by the time of the marriage.

James was one of the first school teachers in these parts, helping to setup the East Texas Rural school system. Buried at Mt. Olive Cem, approx 10 miles E. of Paris, TX
Headstone reads:

J. S. Deweese's Headstone
"Our father has gone to the Mansion of Rest to the florious land of the diety"1654