Hi Johnny Reb!!
You are totally awesome on this research!! I didn't realize anyone would go past the military files!!
Yes, that is my John Mize with wife Sarah. And, that is my great grandfather, George Mize, laborer, in Arkansas!
He married a woman called 'Mec' and went to Candler' Florida. He died there in 1923. I have his death certificate and Mec's. It says his father was John Mize and family oral history passed that info down as well. In earlier searches for George it appeared he might have been out on his own at a very young age--another deduction that led me to think his father might have died when he was a young teenager. George married a Mary (license says Molly Catherine) Bowers about 1884 in Illinois, went somewhere in Missouri. Mary (that's what my aunts always referred to her by) gave birth to one child, Edward Milford Mize, and died in MO when he was about 9 mo old in 1886. George took Edward to the family of Walter LONG to raise him per Mary's request on her deathbed. Edward spent time with George when he was about 12-13 and then he went back to the LONG's house.

Tabitha did marry Wortman. Landa (Linda?) Malanda? married a Dolphus Banning. I just found her marriage in the last couple of months and contacted a researcher I found but he doesn't know anything about her previous ancestors.
I think my John Mize is the son of David Mize, who was the son of Isaac Mize. There is a huge mix of Isaacs, Davids, and Johns but I think I finally got that part sorted out.

I did not have all that info on Tabitha. I will go back and search for John's grave around where she is buried.
His first wife, Eleanor Pruts(z)man--the mother of all the kids down thru George, died in Indiana, I think. She may have died at George's birth or possibly the next pregnancy. I haven't found her grave either. John married young Sarah Henderson about 1855-56 (I have a copy of marriage) and by 1860 they have 2 children together plus John's previous children by Eleanor. I have no further info past that census. In 1860, John having been born about 1818, was about 42 so it appears he was young enough to go to war and probably did?
Do you have any other suggestions as to where I might search for him?
Thanks,
Pat
in Oklahoma