Captain John McCoy
"Captain John McCoy of Christian County, who is now in the silver gray class, being about 79 years old, was in the city yesterday and had an examination so that he can apply for a pension. He is an antebellum politician and participated in many exciting political canvasses. It is said that the captain signed the new constitution of Arkansas, in 1864, with a gold pen furnished by President Lincoln."
Weekly Republican, December 28, 1899
The image is courtesy of Find a Grave.
An excerpt from Christian County, its first 100 years, states "McCoy moved to Arkansas where he served as state representative in 1858 and state senator in 1864. He was a vigorous opponent of the secession ordinance, voting against the act under open threats that he would be shot down on the floor of the legislature. He organized a volunteer Union infantry company at Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1863, was commissioned captain and led his men in many Arkansas engagements. Near the close of the Civil War he was named a member of the Constitutional Convention and was president of that body when a constitution restoring Arkansas to a place in the Union was adopted...Following the war Captain McCoy returned to Missouri, settling on Bull Creek, about ten miles south of Ozark."
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