Here is an entry from Arkansas 38th Inf., Co F. that indicates a Union presence in Evening Shade in early 1863 at least.

"Goodwin N. Crisco (c1827-aft 1867), Private. Husband of Nancy Ann Watson. He was taken prisoner during the Batesville expedition in February 1863 and sent to St. Louis. He was paroled on 6 February 1863 at Evening Shade, Missouri and was present at camp near Pilot Knob, Missouri on 20 Feb 1863.

38th Infantry Regiment, assembled in September, 1862, contained men from Yell, Izard, Lawrence, and Craighead counties. The unit was attached to R. G. Shaver's and Tappan's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, and during the spring of 1864 united with the 27th Regiment. It fought at Prairie Grove and Jenkins' Ferry where the consolidated command lost 4 killed and 22 wounded. In January, 1865, the regiment was ordered to Louisiana, but probably disbanded. Its commanders were Colonel Robert G. Shaver, Lieutenant Colonels William C. Adams and Milton D. Baber, and Major R. R. Henry."

Palace Cemetery of Evening Shade MO has been in existence since at least 1868. I have found at least one marrriage recorded 1879 in Evening Shade MO.

The community itself is south of Fort Leornard Wood on State Highway Aw, just north of the intersection of Aw with MO 17 or SW of Rolla MO. What I haven't figured out exactly is what is its relationship to the old telegraph or wire road that ran from Rolla to Springfield or the old stage line road that ran from St. Louis to Springfield. I believe the Old Wire road would have been north of Evening Shade but south of present day I-44/Route 66.

Another point of view on location importance would be that if you were Freeman in Sharp Co Arkansas and were going to move North towards Rolla then up present day 63 to Houston and then North on present day 17 would get you there going through Evening Shade MO which would make a picket point about 20 miles outside of Rolla. The later all just guesses.

John R.