Pylant Geneology

Stephen was bushwhacked in 1864 and lost an eye and a hand.

Story told to Cinita Davis Brown by Dad John Thomas Davis of her grandpa Stephen Herndon: "He was shot by a bunch of rebels, stripped of his shoes and clothes except for his underwear and left to die. Of course, 'the rebs' had also tken his horse, saddle, and gun."

Stephen C. Herndon's War Record from the National Archives:
"that in June 1864 at Ozark Co, Mo. we was dealed from the above named co and regt to Escort Stephen C. Herndon to Marshfield Mo. a distance of 65 miles for the purpose of havin his hand amputated which had been shot a day or so previous by bushwhackers and we went and escorted the said Stephen C. Herndon to Marshfield in co with other soldiers. he was hald in a hack and his hand was badly tore up and hit looked like hit had been done with a shotgun he Seene to Suffer real bad on the trip we Left him at Marshfield because there was no surgeion nearer at the time." (This account of the injury was given in an affidavit made by L. D. Haskins in November of 1893 when Stephen C. Herndon made application for a Civil War pension.)

Goodspeed's "Reminiscent History of the Ozark Region" ends the biography of Stephen C. Herndon like this - - "He has served his country in various capacities at different times, was presiding judge of Ozark County before the war, was county and circuit clerk by appointment for some time during the war and has since been associate and probate judge of the county. He is a member of Robert Burns Lodge No. 496 of the A. F. & A. M. at Gainesville, and politically is a Republican. He has been an active and industrious man all his life. He is very widely and fabvorably known and fully deserves the esteeem in which he is held."

Stephen and Phoebe came to Ozark Co, MO in 1850 when Stephen's parents and the rest of the family also came.