Do you have a date of capture at Warrensburg for James Morgan 'John' Wyatt? Kansas City jail collapsed August 13, 1863; raid on Lawrence was eight days later on August 21, 1863.

Here's another intriguing possibility. Maybe Jim Wyatt was James Wyatt Starr. That Starr name ticks off some boxes for a prominent connection to Missouri guerrillas. Said James Wyatt Starr (1843-1912) was the son of George McWilliam Starr (1816-1895) and Elizabeth Jane 'Eliza' Wyatt Starr (1828-1906).

George and Eliza married circa 1842.

It looks like George Starr may have left his first family, and parked his son James Wyatt Starr to be raised by his wife's brother Chauncy Wyatt. Although Eliza Wyatt Starr is still alive almost six more decades, George up and marries Elizabeth 'Lizza' Dimmick ca. 1856 (apparently he had a type), moves to Oregon, and has a slew of additional kids. James Wyatt Starr stays back in Missouri however.

To complete the loop, Eliza Wyatt Starr was the sister of Chancy B. Wyatt (1836-1894) as mentioned. Chancy aka Chancey, Chauncy, Chauncey, Channcy, Channcey, etc. Chancy being the spelling on his gravestone. In 1860 there was a J.W. Star living in his Mercer County home as a farmhand. Probably was James Wyatt Starr, Chancy's nephew.

Every kid from a broken home I grew up with back in the 1960s and 1970s used their stepfather's surname, even though they weren't adopted by him. Just made appearances simpler and saved explanations. So was James Wyatt Starr known simply as James Wyatt?

And was Chancy Wyatt Cave Wyatt? I'd certainly prefer being called Cave as opposed to Chancy of Chauncey. Johnny Cash could have written about a Boy Named Chauncey. I'm going out in the weeds again, but that Starr surname connected with a Wyatt catches my attention; i.e., does James Wyatt Starr mesh into the famous brothers Sam Starr and James Starr who were married to Belle Starr? Both of whom were the sons of Tom Starr, and all of whom came to be known as pretty prominent supporters of Quantrill and Bill Anderson? Just like Cave Wyatt was....