William Carroll Gideon (1824-1863) came with his parents to MO in 1836 and grew to manhood in Taney Co. After marriage he farmed extensively, taught school and served as justice of the peace for 4 years. At the outbreak of the war he was in comfortable circumstances owning 420 acres in Gideon Barrens in Christian Co, well stocked with horses, cattle and hogs.

Because of the predations of the guerillas, he moved his family to Greene Co, settling south of Springfield. His sympathies were with the union and he joined the Home Guards, and later as Sgt in CO F, MO, 14th (later 18th).

At the time he was killed he was on a detailed recruiting service for Babb's Battery. He was killed at the home of his father, 17 Dec 1863 by a band of guerillas disguised as Union soldiers. This band of bushwhackers arrived at the home of his parents and asked to warm themselves. Deceived by their uniforms, they invited them in. They entered the house and ordered William and a fellow soldier to surrender, then shot them down, and robbed them of their money and clothing. Among the murderers were Jake Weaver, J. Crabtree, William Morehouse and others known to the Gideon family. Later the mob was followed by a squad of union soldiers, attacked and the murderers were all killed except Weaver who was wounded, but escaped. After the war it was reported that he was hanged in Texas for horse stealing.

Thomas J. Gideon, oldest son of William Carroll, was near the place where his father was killed and performed the painful duty, with a detachment of US soldiers, of hauling the body of his father and Mr. Davis in an open wagon to his home 4 miles south of Springfield, MO. Buried in Payne Cemetery. William Carroll was a Democrat but at the outbreak of the war became a Republican, was a Methodist and a member of the Union League