John O’Rear was a Stubborn Man (1865)

The following clipping from the Jasper, Alabama Mountain Eagle is a reprint of an earlier article reminiscing about the civil war, tells of the tragic death of John O’Rear in Jasper in 1865. This John O’Rear may have been the son of James Martin O’Rear, who was 15 years old or the son of Daniel O’Rear who was 18 years old at the time.

W.H. Snoddy Tells Of Raid Clipping from the Daily Mountain Eagle, Jasper Alabama Friday March 31, 1972.

W.H. Snoddy was in a reminiscent mood last Saturday, and started that 73 years ago Saturday, March 28, the Union soldiers under Gen. Wilson reached Jasper. He was only five years of age but remembers very distinctly how the Union soldiers took away all the food, livestock, and poultry his mother possessed.

Uncle Sam Snoddy was on of the home guard in Jasper, and hearing that the Yankees were coming, he rode out of the village to see whether there was any truth in the report, and met three scouts on horseback coming down the road. One of the raiders exchanged shots with Uncle Sam and fell off his horse fatally wounded, and the others raced back to the main body of troops to report that the enemy had been encountered, and Uncle Sam raced back to Jasper to notify the home guard that the Yankees were coming.

The few home guards all made their get-away except John O’Rear, who said he was going to eat his dinner before leaving. The delay was fatal. He was surprised near the present residence of J.W. Long and shot to death about the place where Dr. Sowell lives.

The courthouse and the greater part of the village of Jasper were burned.