John Stark was born around 1832 in Scotland. He eventually immigrated to America and settled in Oneida, Illinois. He worked as a farmer before the war. Stark enlisted in the Union army on August 10, 1861, and mustered in as a private in Company C of the 42^nd Illinois Infantry. According to his military service records, he was 5 feet, 6¼ inches tall, with light hair and blue eyes. His regiment took part in the Battle of Island Number Ten, the siege of Corinth, the Battles of Stones River, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge, and the Atlanta campaign. He eventually earned a promotion to sergeant and then to 1^st lieutenant. He remained devoted to the Union, praying in April 1862 that the American flag would “Soon waive triumphantly over all the cotton States.” He mustered out in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 16, 1865. He died sometime after the war.

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