Vol 02 No. 12 - September 1925

A Great Indian Raid In Young County

By John Warren Hunter 

Lengthy and detailed account given by eye-witness Mr. Walter F. Robinson. The terrible Comanche raid occurred in 1864 down the valley of Elm Creek, near Fort Belknap, Young Co. Fort Murray became the place of refuge for 25 unprotected families who faced the onslaught of a few hundred Indians. Here is an interesting excerpt from the account: Immediately after the arrival of Wilson, the Indians being reinforced by the main body, closed in, around the house and the battle became exceedingly furious. Mrs. Bragg, greatly against her will was made to seek shelter with her children under a bed, that they might escape the flying missiles sent through the cracks of the picket house. Old man Hamby, while "clearing the deck" for freer action, seized the spinning wheel and was: in, the act of throwing it out, seeing which Mts. Bragg sprang from under the 'bed and gave him a piece of her mind. "Put that wheel down, and ‘if you lay hands on it again I'll make you think the Injuns have done got you! And look at them rolls: you've already just about ruint them! " This was the brave woman's warning to one of her defenders delivered while the arrows were flying thick and fast around her, but in those days the loss of the spinning wheel ~ and the carded woolen rolls meant scant clothing if not entire nudity for the family. Above the storm of battle Mr. Hamby shouted back: "In the name of heaven, woman, get back under that bed; you may never have need of a spinning wheel again!" But she made him agree to leave that wheel alone before she consented to take her place under the bed. The fight continued with savage fury, the Indians closing in around the house and shooting through every crack and cranny. A bullet struck Wilson squarely in the forehead and he fell dead. An arrow struck old man Bragg in the breast and he rolled over, as he believed, with a fatal wound. A large Indian, supposed to be the chief, seized a mattock that was lying in the yard and getting close up under the wall set about to...

A Drink Of Mexican Brandy

Story of Amasa Clark during Mexican War, who, under Gen. Scott, had an amazing experience while undertaking his first shot of Mexican brandy. It was not the brandy that resulted in this amazing occurrence wherein the entire city seemed suddenly to be in an uproar, but rather one of those terrifying events that are almost commonplace in that part of the world, a tremendous ...

Capt. Moore’s Rangers on the Scout

J. A. Gibbens 

Account presents sample of life on the scout trail

An excerpt: In the early 70's while Captain Moore's company of rangers were camped on Bear Creek, twenty - miles from Junction City on the Fort McKavett road, a runner came and notified us of the killing of Mr. Kountz and two girls in the edge of the town of Junction.. The Messenger arrived at our camp about 11:00 o’clock at night, and Captain Moore immediately detailed twenty-five men to go with him on the trail. I was-one of the number. It was a cold, cloudy night, but Texas rangers never stood back on, account of the weather. We reached Junction City at daybreak the next morning, found the trail of the Indians, and followed it some distance, wherein it seemed to get dim, Captain Moore selected Talt Lane, Mart Fannin And Jerry Roberts as trailers, and we pushed on as fast as possible. We followed the Indians from Monday morning until Thursday morning before we could find sufficient sign to enable us to make any headway towards overtaking them. While we were standing still resting our horses. for a few minutes we saw Mart, (Bud) Fannin throw, up his hat and motion us to come on. When the command came up to him we found a dead horse which the Indians had killed for food. From there on, the trail was not difficult to follow, and it led us to a high mountain ridge and down into a canyon. In this canyon we found a fire on which some meat was roasting. This meat looked very tempting to our party of hungry rangers, our rations being hard tack,, bacon and, black coffee twice daily, but Captain Moore decided it was "bait" put by the Indians purposely for us, and cautioned us to leave it alone which we did. A pool of water was close by on which ice, was two inches thick, and in places this ice was broken showing that the redskins had but recently replenished their water supply. From there on the trail could be followed more rapidly for about two miles. We left this canyon which was one of the draws of Little Devil's River, which emptied. into. the Llano River. . We reached a ridge which was so rough our trailers could not pick up the trail...

Eighty Years In Texas

Account of the life of Mrs. Mary Morton Bumpas (Aunt "Mort"), born 1837 in Kentucky, came to Dallas area 1845 with family. Soon family purchased land in what became known as Kessler Park. Speaks of many incidents of early life as pioneer, such as crossing the Trinity River after a major storm... wild bears, survival and of course, interaction with Indians

Bigfoot Wallace Romantic Figure In Early Texas

Brief but very interesting account of how he got the title, "Bigfoot"

The Quaint Old Town Of Castroville

By Samuel E. Gideon. Named after Henri de Castro, the account details the origin of this French town on the banks of the Medina R. Included are many very interesting details, names and events associated with the forming of the community.

The Passing Of A Sturdy Path Blazer

Speaks of the life of William E. Cureton of Bosque Co., and Palo Pinto Co. a few miles W of Denison. Later (1850’s) settled on Keechi Creek and built the first houses in that area. Speaks of first School in Palo Pinto Co. Refers to original organizing of the County. Mentions the famous capture of Cynthia Ann Parker by Comanches. Abilene, Jeff Lyttle, Peta Nacona, the famous Indian battle of Dove Creek and cattle drives to Kansas.

The Life Of John Wesley Hardin

Part one in a series: Detailed autobiography of John Wesley Hardin.Characters: Elizabeth Hardin, William Hardin, Aaron Hardin, Phil Coe, McAnally, Joe G. Hardin, Captain Ballinger, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Sloter, John Norton, Bill Gordon, Shiles And Hiram Frazier, Sol Adams, Captain T. L. Eperson, Barnett Hardin, Anne Hardin, Bob Sikes, Turner Evans, Jack Ruff, Judge Houlshousen, Barnett Jones, Captain Sam Rowes, Clabe Houlshousen, Jim Newman, Trammels, Rushings, Andersons, Simp Dixon, Frank Polk, Tom Brady, John Collins, Hamp Davis, Jim Bradley, Judge Moore, Frank Shelton, Jim Page, Aleck Barrickman, Bill Longley, Ben Hinds, Jim Brown, J. C. Landrum, Huffman, Captain Stokes, Jim Smolly, Jim Clements, Manning Clements, Joe Clements, Gip Clements, Mary Jane Clements, Minerva Clements, Jim Denson, Ferd Brown, Jim Cone, Jake Johnson, Columbus Carol, Bob King, Locations: Round Rock, Mount Calm, Waco, Corn Hill, Red River Station, Montague County, Williamson County, San Antonio, Belton, Austin, Marlin, Falls County, Georgetown, Lockhart, Gonzales, Horn Hill, Brenham, Kosse, Calvert, Bryant, Bonham, Fannin County, Evergreen, Moscow, Polk County, Sumpter, Trinity County, Livingstone, Long King Creek, Logallis Prairie, Navarro County, Pisga, Nolan County, Sweetwater, Corsicana, Cotton Gin, Helena, Limestone County, Hillsboro, Towash, Pinoak, Longview, Marshall

Old Rangers Visit Scene Of Conflict

By Arthur E. Nall In Houston Chronicle

"The old place hasn’t changed much. It looks about the same as it did on that day," observed Captain Dan W. Roberts on his first visit to the scene of the famous Deer Creek Indian fight...

Characters: John O. Biggs, Thomas Phelps, Alexander (Buck) Roberts, Thomas Bird, Joe Bird, Stanton Jolly, George T. Roberts, Captain James Ingram, William Ingram, Frank Waldrip, Cam Davidson, H. C. King, Richard Coke, Locations: Austin, Round Mountain, Cypress Creek, Blanco County, Fort McCavett, Saline Creek.

Murder Of The Porter Family

Mrs. G.A. Stanley of Locker, Texas, gives an account of the murder of the Porter family in 1863.Characters: George Moore, Billy Porter, Locations: Cooke County, St. Joe, Montague County.

Tells Of Trails Days

C. D. Bowmer Of Corsicana, TexasCharacters: Rev. Hailey Wright, Dennis Shudy, Neil Cain, Jack Harris, Mrs. Gore, Locations: Williamson County, Round Rock, Austin, Manor, San Antonio.

Quick Wit Saves Man In Lynching Bee

W.S. Adair, In Dallas News.Characters: J. B. Martin, J. R. Martin, Daniel Boone, Hiram Johnson, J. A. Kipp, Wilburn Gray, Rich Coffey, Jack Chestnut, Met Chestnut, John S. Armstrong. Locations: Dallas, Burnet County, Cooke County, Marysville, Jonesboro, Coryell County

The Packsaddle Mountain Fight

Ben C. Stuart In Colorado CitizenCharacters: William B. Moss, S. R. Moss, S. B. Moss, Ele Lloyd, Archer Martin, Pickney Ayers, Robert Brown, E. H. Harrington, Locations: Packsaddle Mountain, Llano County.

Early Days Were Thrilling

By J. R. Iroin

Characters: Rich Coffey. Locations: Brownwood, Fort Worth, Comanche, Abilene, San Angelo, Concho River, Rio Grande, Sherman

The Adventures Of Jack Dobell From "Early Times In Texas"

By J. C. Duvall

Conclusion of a multi-part article. 11th Installment Characters: Santa Anna, General Houston, Locations: Goliad, San Jacinto, San Bernard, Austin.

Rode Camels To A Camp Meeting

Rev. H. G. Horton, Bishop, Texas. Uvalde mission, 0. B. Adams, Center Point Circuit.. Jasper K. Harper, Camp Verde and Turkey Creek, John Wesley DeVilbiss, Jasper K. Harper and H. G. Horton.. An excerpt: A campmeeting, away out there in the woods, was a novelty. DeVilbiss was picking out his hymn to commence on that beautiful , Sunday morning, when the congregation suddenly - saw six camels coming right -up the. dim path to the arbor,. and on the back of each camel sat a woman and two or three children. The whole crowd arose and hurried out to meet them. . We helped them all down and the drivers hitched the camels close around, and there they stood during services and listened to DeVilbiss preach as solemnly as though the day of judgment was, at hand. The women and children remained. and took dinner with us, then sang some hymns for us before they mounted their camels and returned to Camp Verde...One time, as' I was coming east through a strip of woods just west of Castroville, I met fifty of those camels passing on up towards New Mexico, loaded with government supplies. My horse was so badly scared he tried his best to climb a tree...

Roughing it on the cattle range

By Samuel A 

Hunter. Personal account of Mr. Hunter who in 1862 was left with one other man (the men of the area having been called off to war) to herd 1000 head of cattle in the regions of Uvalde Co. , Clinton on Coletto Cr. Leon Creek, Yorktown. Mentions O. D. Fleming, Butch Dillard, John Fleming, Miss Martha Fleming.

Some names included in this volume:

W. S. Adair; O. B. Adams; Sol Adams; Nell Andrew; John S. Armstrong; Pickney Ayers; Dot Babb; Capt Ballinger; Aleck Barrickman; Col Buck Barry; Bass; Sue Bennett; John O. Biggs; Joe Bird; Thomas Bird; Judge Blackburn; Daniel Boone; C. D. Bowmer; Jim Bradley; Jim Bradly; Tom Brady; George Bragg; Sol Bragg; Billy Brown; Ferd Brown; Jim Brown; Robert Brown; John Neely Bryan; Buckelew; Mary Morton Bumpas; J. H. Burgeois; Doc Burnett; Neil Cain; Columbus Carol; Henri de Castro; Lorenzo de Castro; Jack Chestnut; Met Chestnut; Clark; Gip Clements; Jim Clements; ; Joe Clements; Manning Clements; Mary Jane Clements; Minerva Clements; Jack Coe; Phil Coe; Rich Coffey; Gov Richard Coke; John Collins; Jim Cone; Green Coombes; William Coombes; J. Fenimore Cooper; State Cox; Gen Crook; Gov Charles A. Culberson; C. M. Justice Cureton; Capt Jack Cureton; John C. Cureton; William Cureton; William E. Cureton; Cam Davidson; Hamp Davis; Jefferson Davis; Jim Denson; John Wesley DeVilbiss; "Butch" Dillard; Simp Dixon; Dobell; Col Duram; Duval; Capt T. L. Eperson; Turner Evans; Mart Fannin; Mart (Bud) Fannin; Joe Fitzpatrick; Dr FitzSimon; John (Pood) Fleming; John T. Fleming; Martha Fleming; O. D. Fleming; Hiram Frazier; Shiles Frazier; J. A. Gibbens; Samuel E. Gideon; Capt Gilbert; Gillett; Charles Goodnight; Bill Gordon; Wilburn Gray; Eugene Halbardier; Thornt Hamby; Gen James Hamilton; Aaron Hardin; Anne Hardin; Annie Hardin; Barnett Hardin; Bob Hardin; Elizabeth Hardin; Joe Hardin; ; Joe G. Hardin; ; ; William Hardin; Jasper K. Harper; E. H. Harrington; Jack Harris; Frank Harrison; Perry Harrison; Jack Hay; Col Jack Hays; John C. Col Hays; O. Henry; Ben Hinds; Dr Hoffman; Corp Holland; Rev H. G. Horton; Hough; Clabe Houlhousen; Judge Houlhousen; Houlhousen; Col George T. Howard; Samuel A. Hunter; Capt James Ingram; William Ingram; J. R. Iroin; George Jacobs; John James; Brit Johnson; Hiram Johnson; Jake Johnson; Mose Johnson; Stanton Jolly; Barnett Jones; Jim Ketchum; John Ketchum; Bob King; H. C. Sen King; J. A. Kipp; Pres Lamar; J. C. Landrum; Prof Landrum; Talt Lane; Jean Baptiste Lecompte; Abraham Lincoln; Ele Lloyd; Bill Longley; Oliver Loving; Jeff Lyttle; Archer Martin; J. B. Martin; J. R. Martin; Patrick McClure; James McCoy; W. H. Meddick; Leopold Mentrier; Billit Mitchell; Capt Moore; George Moore; Judge Moore; S. B. Moss; S. R. Moss; William B Moss. ; Joel Myers; Chief Peta Nacona; Arthur E. Nall; Jim Newman; Jim Sheriff; John Norton; John M. Bishop Odin; Jim Page; Cynthia Ann Parker; Quanah Parker; James Paul; Bill Peveler; Franz Peveler; Thomas Phelps; Mrs Thomas Phelps; Frank Polk; Billy Porter; William Sidney; Jim Prather; Lizzie Rasey; Bill Ratliff; Alexander (Buck) Roberts; Capt Roberts; George T. Roberts; Jerry Roberts; Dr Robinson; Dr W. H. Robinson; Walter F. Robinson; Capt Sul Ross; Capt Sam Rowes; Jack Ruff; Col Saunders; George W. Col Saunders; Scarborough; Scott; John Selman; Frank Shelton; Dennis Shudy; Bob Sikes; Michael Simon; C. C. Slaughter; Charles Sloter; "Frio" Smith; "Hondo" Smith; "Seco" Smith; Jim Smolly; Smolly; P. S. Hon Sowell; Mrs G. A. Stanley; Capt Stokes; Ben C. Stuart; Thompson; G. T. Tisdale; Frank Waldrip; Wallace; O. C. Weaver; Charlie Webb; Joseph Weber; V. M. West; Capt White; B. Williams; Henry Williams; Doc Wilson; Doc (T. J. ) Wilson; Dr Wood; George Wooten; Rev Hailey Wright; Barnett Young.