As a young lad of 10-11, Bluford came to Arkansas with his family. He was the one that my great grandfather, G. W., talked the most about and called him Willie or Billy. There was just less than 2 years between them. During my research between 1968-1972, I had the pleasure of getting to meet several of his grandchildren and they were the nicest warm-hearted people that you could ever ask to meet. Around Yellville, he was known as 'Uncle Bluford'.During the civl war, like G.W. and Mark, he served in the Confederacy. He was a private in Captain Woods Co A, 1st Regiment, McBride's Brigade, Arkansas Infantry. Mustred out on February 10, 1862. Joined for duty May 15, 1862 in Yellville, ARK. He had an $80.00 horse and $10.00 tack with him. Dismounted July 29, 1862. He was at Fort Bragg, Arkansas.
Though Bluford managed to get through the civil war without any injuries, after the war he broke a leg by falling off a horse. Col. C. L. Mears gives us this description as given to him by his father, Mark Mears:
"Doctors and medicines being scarce articles in those days, his leg became infected and gangrene set up. Of course, there were no hospitals and, as I recall the way my Dad (Mark) told me, the leg was amputated with a cross cut saw and a butcher knife. My grandmother (Elizabeth Young Mears) made a poultice of, I believe, honey and herbs which controlled the infection. Bacteria cannot live in honey. . . Anyway, he survived it and later made his own wooden leg out of a cedar tree."Uncle Bluford was an old time blacksmith and Howard Morrow, who remembers him well, showed me a lot of his old equipment such as forges, anvilsl, tongs, etc. and some plows and things that Uncle Bluford had made. Howard said he could repair anything."
The leg which he wore at the time of his death came to his waist and had a place that his belt could go through.
He married Anna Elizabeth Brashears about 1867 in Arkansas. She was the d/o Henry and Icca Brashears. She was 7 years younger than he was.
After his father's death, Bluford's mother, Elizabeth, came to live with his family where she shows up on the 1880 census.
Elizabeth died in August 1923 and William died 1932, both in Marion County, Arkansas and both buried at the Cowan Cemetery which is SE of Yellville, Arkansas.
First of all must give special thanks to Geneva Williams (early 1970's) and Col. Clifton L. Mears (1980) for their research on Bluford's family.Also, thanks to the grandchildren and other descendants for their kindness, hospitality, and generosity to my many questions around 1970. These include: Robert Jefferson Mears, William Floyd Mears, Alsie (Mears) Marchant, Della (Mears) Horn, Troy Forest Mears, Willie W. Mears. Also thanks to Nancy Nolan (1999).
*Earl F. Jobe (1919-1981) is son of Minnie Leamer (Mears) Jobe and grandson of G. W. Mears, brother to William Bluford Mears. Therefore Daddy and Floyd were 2nd cousins.