Vol 14 No. 01 - October 1936

Honeymoon On The Old Cattle Trail

By T. U. Taylor, Austin, Texas

IN THE spring of 1886, Mary O. Taylor of Austin, Texas, married J. Howell Bunton, and they made a brief honeymoon trip to the East. On their return, they were forced to go on another honeymoon. Mrs. Bunton's father, Dr. M. A. Taylor, was a capitalist of Austin, a man of large land and real estate interests. Young Mr. Bunton, of English extraction, was almost gravitated into the cattle business. He bought large herds from Richard King, west of Corpus Christi, and had them driven and concentrated on Sweetwater Creek, five miles north of Sweetwater, Texas. This gathering took several weeks, and Mr. Bunton himself had no intention of going up the trail. But at the last minute the prospective herd boss was taken sick, and Mr. Bunton was forced to become herd boss of the three herds. The five thousand cattle were divided into three herds, the first consisting of steers, the second of cows and stock cattle in general, and the third of long yearlings. While there was a boss for each herd, Mr. Burton had to ride from herd to herd and keep in daily touch with each. His bride was in Sweetwater on the ranch with him when the sudden sickness of the prospective foreman called for Mr. Bunton's absence of several months. His plucky wife, raised in luxury in Austin, with true pioneer spirit, "took the bit in her mouth" and declared that she would go with her husband, as the climax of their honeymoon. Her husband protested, but Miss Mollie gritted her teeth and issued the "ukase," "I am going."' And go she went. The Concord buggy was provided, two stout young bays were drafted from the "remuda" to become harness horses. They were tough, wiry, and fleet of foot, and were promptly christened "Beautiful" and "Darling."

Further Mentions: Mollie Dyer Goodnight * Charles Goodnight * the Brazos river near Miller's Creek * the present site of Lake Kemp in Baylor county * Mrs. Holmsley * the Honeymoon Trail *

Self-Imposed Exiles Of 1865

By Laura Ratchford Fromme, Elgin, Texas

Sad tale of the days immediately following the Civil war, when "wreck and ruin, desolation and starvation covered the Southland from Virginia to Texas." When fortunes in slaves were gone and Confederate currency was no longer of value, when all the Southland was laid in waste and ruin, Texas frontiers furnished a gateway for a group of gallant but discouraged men to embark upon a self-imposed exile. These crossed over Texas borders in 1865 to try their fortunes in the armies of Maximillian in Mexico in preference to the endurance of what they considered intolerable conditions at home. This is the story.

Mentions: Judge Alexander Watkins Terrell of Austin * Generals Sterling Price, Hardeman, Magruder, Bee, Clark, Preston * Fannie Ratchford * the Wrenn Library of the University of Texas * Judge Terrell * Governor Murrah * Major Cadmus * the Bishop's Palace * General Magruder * the Aztec Club in Mexico * Rosencraus, McClellan, Grant, Quitman *

RECALLS OLD MACKENZIE TRAIL

H. B. Martin, an Amarillo, Texas, printer, recalls that bleaching bones of fifteen hundred horses-killed by the Mackenzie expedition to keep the Indians from using them-still marked the old Mackenzie trail when he went to the Plains in 1886. This is the story.

Mentions: A. D. Tucker, first sheriff of Haskell county * Tule Canyon * Fort Concho * Captain R. G. Carter * J. Pinckney Henderson * J. B. Miller *

Lewis Strickland Tells Experiences

By J. Marvin Hunter

Account of old time cowman, Lewis Strickland a native Texan, born in Karnes county, six miles east of old Helena, July 23rd, 1857 and who came to Bandera county in 1876 and remained until he moved to California in 1899. Includes excellent old photo of Strickland.

Mentions: El Dorado, California * His father, Jerome Strickland * Bradford county, Pennsylvania * Monroe county. Iowa * Orlando Strickland * Morgan county, Indiana * Nancy Williams * Mrs. Clara A. Ricketson and Mrs. Emma Reagan of Llano, Texas, and Lewis Strickland of El Dorado, California * Mrs. Prudie Lackey * Irion county * John R. Strickland * Mrs. Annie Rambie * Myron Strickland * Charles Gobler * John A. Anderson, lived with the Strickland family in Karnes county * Choate & Bennett, Shanghai Pierce, John Bishop and other prominent cow buyers * Manuel Coy * the Strickland ranch * Lewis Strickland attended Covey College at Concrete, in DeWitt county * Rev. J. V. E. Covey * Loss Watkins * Del Rio * Kinney county * a ranch near Dolores * Randolph Pafford, Tom Pafford, Marion Pafford, Hudson, Cude Adams, Tom Adams, Bill Adams, John Perry, Taylor, Pulliam * San Felipe Creek * John and Marion Pafford operated a general merchandise store, as did Old Man Pulliam * Mason Creek and Pipe Creek in Bandera county * John and Charlie Slaughter prominent stockmen of Frio county * Fort Clark (Brackettville) * Lieutenant Bullis * Big Devil's River * Bullis Bluff * Beaver Lake * General R. S. Mackenzie * Costelitos * Frank Buckelew * Wiley Schryers * Government Water Hole on the San Felipe * Lieut. Wilcox * Castle Canyon on Devil's River * E. C. Dees * Comstock * a negro named Roach * George Burrow * a man named Sanders * the H. C. Tardy cow camp * Cienegas Springs * Colonel Shafter * Shafter's camp * California Springs * Devil's River. * Bill Reagan and George Burrow * Mont Woodward * Will Lackey * Bill Long * Cuero * John Ware of Kincheloe Prairie, near Sabinal * Miss Sarah E. Wagers * Riddlesville, (now Gillett) in Karnes county, Texas * Mrs. Ola Lee Shearer of Sacramento, California * Jerome Marvin Strickland, El Dorado, California; Mrs. Mary E. Perschke, El Dorado, California; Virgie W. Strickland, Sacramento, California; Charles Clyde Strickland, Richmond, California * Buck Hamilton, Vent Pue, Charlie Harris, George Hay, Hugh Duffy, Charlie Montague * John Kinney, leader of all the New Mexico rustlers * He has a ranch in a cottonwood grove south' of Rincon *

A Texas Sheriff And His Wife

By Judge J. M. Woods, San Antonio, Texas

Account of L. B. Williams who was "high sheriff and king of the jail" of Liberty county, Texas, and his wife and the unconventional, if not downright illegal resources they had to appeal to in order to secure justice.

Mentions: A man by the name of Owens * Neil * Ben Collins, a farmer and stock-raiser of that section * the city of McAllen * San Angelo * the H. T. & T. C. Railroad Co * Navasota * the Mexican Central Railroad * Forts Concho, Griffin and Richardson * Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman * the Comanche, the Caddo and the Kiowa * Menardville, now Menard * Mrs. Carrie Martin Coldwell, widow of the Captain Neal Coldwell, of Center Point, Texas

A Journey Through Texas In 1856

By Frederick Law Olmsted (Continued From Last Month)

Mentions: Gonzales * Peach Creek * Victoria * Seguin * the lower Guadalupe * etc, etc

(Continued Next Month)

Doak Bowles Was A Fearless Frontiersman

A. J. Sowell

AMONG the early settlers of Uvalde county were the Bowles family. They were bold and fearless men, and aided materially in settling up the country and fighting the numerous bands of Indians who made desperate efforts to drive the border men back on the settlements east. W. B. Bowles, better known as "Doak," was born in Allewamby county, Tennessee, October 22, 1835, and came to Texas with his father, John Bowles, in the winter of 1849, and settled on the Lampasas river, in Bell county, four miles from Belton. John Bowles helped to organize Bell county in 1851. This is a lengthy and detailed account of Doak and his notable Indian confrontations.

Mentions: the Bowles home, on the spot where the beautiful little town of Salado now is * the Little River * John Bowies came to Uvalde county with his father in 1855 and settled on the Sabinal river in the Patterson settlement, six miles below the present town of Sabinal * the Bowles ranch * Leakey and Barrymore * the Leona * Westfall * the Wish ranch now * the Blanco * Tom Wall, who lived in Frio Canyon, * Rancheros Creek * Lieut. W. B. Hazen, who was in command of Fort Inge * Among the settlers were John Daugherty, John Kennedy, James Cormack, Ben Pulliam, Clabe Davenport, William Thomas, Frank Isbelle, Nobe Griner, Arnold, Arnette, Everette, Williams * Everette * John Kennedy and William Thomas * Frank Isbelle, Nobe Griner * Lieutenant Everette * Judge James McCormick * Black Creek * a man by the name of Wheat, of Medina county * Guide hill, six miles below where Sabinal now is * a frontier preacher named H.G. Horton *

THE BATTLE OF CONCEPCION

(Texas Almanac, 1859)

Mentions: Colonel Ugartechea * the affair with Castonado * Colonel Frank W. Johnson * Thomas J. Rusk * The Municipality of Liberty * Cos * Captain James W. Fannin * Colonel James Bowie * La Purissima Concepcion * Robert Andrews *

DAM DOOMS HISTORIC TOWN

Account of early settlers of Bluffton, TX and of I. B. (Uncle Ike) Maxwell, who came to Texas from Arkansas and who were among the earliest residents of Llano county. Located in the extreme eastern end of Llano county, in a bend in the winding Colorado river, Bluffton is one of the oldest and most colorful communities in that section. It was settled in the early '50's by the family of "Uncle Billy" Davis and his kinsman, I. B. Maxwell. The completion of the Buchanan Dam on the Colorado river between Llano and Burnet, meant the doom of the historic little hamlet.

Further Mentions: the Davis family, including "Uncle Billy" Davis, his wife, two daughters and four sons, Ben Davis, Caleb Davis, Henry Davis and Ned Davis, who had settled there. * Chadwick Mill * Masonic lodge * the residence of Max Maxwell * the abandoned cemetery * Jim Maxwell *

An Old Masonic Monument At Richmond

"In the old burial ground at Richmond on the Brazos is a monument erected in 1825 by William Morton, a brickmaker and layer, in memory of a brother Mason. The structure is of brick, about eight or nine feet high from the ground; the shaft on four sides stands on a pedestal five feet square and six inches above the ground. From a projecting cornice the whole terminates in a point. In each of the four sides smooth brick slabs are inserted, on which are found in, quaint lettering on one side this inscription..."

Mentions: Robert Gelespie * the Masonic Lodge at Richmond * William Morton * Mr. H. M. Darst of Richmond, Texas * J. S. Sullivan of Richmond, Texas * Morton Lodge, No. 72 * Mrs. Andrews, whose husband, Dr. Frank A. Andrews, was Worshipful Master of the Lodge * the antiquity of Masonry in Fort Bend county * William Little * Stephen F. Austin * the Gillespie monument

Let's Know Texas And Texans

BY WILL H. MAYES

Mentions: R. M. Williamson * Dr. Robert T. Hill, the eminent Texas geologist * Jefferson Hotel, Dallas, Texas * the present town of Belton * Dr. Richard Edmondson * Howard Long, Ernest Hillyer and Richard Edmondson * Sidney Porter * Hill City Quartette * Camp Hatch * Col. Edw. Hatch' * Camp Kelly * Anson Jones * Collin McKinney * Dr. Rufus W. Bailey, president of Austin College at Huntsville * General Castrillion * Lorenzo de Zavaila * Jose Antonio Navarro * Francisco Ruiz. De Zavalla * McAnally's Bend a fertile bend of the Colorado river in San Saba county * R. McAnally * were W. B. Travis, Thomas J. Rusk, David Rusk, Samuel A. Maverick, Bernard E. Bee, Henry P. Brewster, John Hemphill, ad Frank R. Lubbock * Revs. T. Klies and A. Sager * New Braunfels * Rev. G. Huehner * Rev. G. Brashier * Rev. C. Braun * Col. John S. Sutton * Gen. Adrian Woll * Sibley's brigade * Thurber and Bluff Dale and in Starr and other Rio Grande Valley counties * Witte Museum grounds, San Antonio * Fort Graham * the old Jose Maria village * Gen. Lawrence Pike Graham * the battle of Resaca de la Palma * W. V. Criswell * abandoned Fayette county cemetery * Andrew Jaskson * A. J. Hamilton * Governor Joseph D. Sayers * William Motley * Thomas J. Rusk

Is Jesse James Still Among The Living?

"There are many people living today, who are familiar with the career of Jesse James, who do not believe that James was killed by Bob Ford, and some of these folks are ready to accept the story that is being told by the man who is now appearing in theaters in many cities and claiming to be the real Jesse James.

August 9, 1936, the following article appeared in the Houston (Texas) Post. It was written by Rev. J. W. E. Airey, life-time chaplain of the National Frontiersmen's Association, and an authority on frontier history"

Mentions: James boy's band * Bob Ford, his cousin * Jim Williams * Charlie Bigelow * Mrs. Samuels * Rev. J. W. E. Airey * L. O. Daniel, Jr. * William Clark Quantrill's bloody band of Missouri-Kansas border cut-throats * Rev. J. W. E. Airey * Charley Ford * Billy the Kid * Pat Garrett * William P. Longley * Centerville * Zerelda Cole * Rev. Robert James * Alexander Franklin James * Dr. Reuben Samuel * Quantrill's band (often mispelled as Quantrell) * "Bloody" Bill Anderson * the Youngers * Rock Island train near Adair, Iowa * Pinkerton detectives * Archie Samuel * Clell Miller * Bill Stiles * Jim Younger * Sam Wells * Mrs. Mary Barr, wife of prominent Kearney farmer * Ed Earl Repp * Mr. Tom Howard * Pawnee Bill (Major Gordon W. Lillie) * Tom Howard was shot by Bobie Ford * Ysleta, Texas * Marcos de Niza * G. P. Winship * H. H. Bancroft * Earle r. Forrest * William McLeod Raine * Tonto Basin * the Tewksbury's * the Grahams * Pleasant Valley *

MUZZLE-LOADINGS

Mentions: Dean T. U. Taylor * Bill Longley, Cullen Baker, John Simpson Chisum, Jesse Chisholm * Gov. James V. Allred, Senator Jim Neal, Dean T. U. Taylor, J. Frank Dobie, Judge R. L. Bobbitt * John T. Walker, Medina Texas * Mr. and Mrs. Sam Ashburn and their manly little son, William Frank Ashburn, of San Angelo, Texas * the Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos near Crane City * Hal Burnett, the commissioner at Buena Vista and Imperial * J. D. Dillingham * E. A. Brininstool * Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Ryan of Monterey, California * Mrs. H. J. Niehaus and daughters, Louise and Dora, of Kerrville, Texas * Mrs. W. A. Peril and Mrs. L. M. Langford, of near Kerrville * Samuel Nott of Gillespie county * the large fortune of Wrigley * James Adams * Governor Henry Smith * Fletcher Davis * Miss Anne Davis, of Hondo, Teras * Fletcher's Farming, a real high class farm magazine * the Hondo Anvil-Herald * "Shanghai" Pierce * Abel H. Pierce * Shanghai Pierce Ranch * Florence Johnson Scott * Gertrude Harris * S. G. Miller * Lona Shawver and Walt Cousins * Lois F. Boyle * Walter Prescott Webb * Harry Harter * Frank Bushick * Chris Emmett * May E. Francis * W. B. Lewis * Harry Williams * Chris Emmett * Howard W. Peak * Roxylea Melas * Jules Verne Allen * E. E. Kirkpatrick * Fred Chabot * Herman Ehrenberg * James K. Greer * Dr. Florence E. Barns * Melissa A. Castle * Paul A. Morgan * Boyce House * Florence N. Barnes

 

Some names mentioned in this volume:

Bill Adams; Cude Adams; James Adams; Tom Adams; Rev J. W. E. Airy; B Allen; Allred; "Bloody" Bill Anderson; John A. Anderson; Dr Frank A. Andrews; Mrs Frank A. Andrews; Robert Andrews; Ashburn; Mrs Sam Ashburn; William Frank Ashburn; Col Austin; Dr Rufus W. Bailey; Cullen Baker; H. H. Bancroft; Barns; Mrs Mary Barr; Bernard E. Bee; Bertillion; Charlie Bigelow; Capt Jesse Billingsley; John Bishop; Ab Blocker; John R. Blocker; R. L. Judge Bobbitt; Col James Bowie; Doak Bowles; ; W. D. Bowles; B Boyle; Rev G. Brashier; Rev C. Braun; Henry P. Brewster; Brininstool; Brown; Frank Buckelew; Bullis; Howell Bunton; J. Howell Bunton; Burnet; Hal Burnett; George Burrow; Burrow; B Bushick; Maj Cadmus; B Carter; B Castle; Gen Manuel Fernandez Castrillion; B Chabot; Chisholm; Chisum; Col William Christy; Gen Clark; William Clark; Mrs Carrie Martin Coldwell; Zerelda Cole; Ben Collins; Conwill; Cook; James Cormack; Cos; Chief Costelitos; B Cousins; Rev J. V. E. Covey; Manuel Coy; M. L. Crimmins; W. V. Criswell; L. O. Jr Daniel; H. M. Darst; Capt Daugherty; John Daugherty; Davenport; Anne Miss Davis; Ben Davis; Caleb Davis; Fletcher Davis; Henry Davis; Ned Davis; "Uncle Billy" Davis; E. C. Dees; Adm George Dewey; J. D. Dillingham; Dobie; Hugh Duffy; Duval; Dr Richard Edmondson; B Ehrenberg; Elam; B Emmett; Lt Everette; Capt James W. Fannin; Field; George Fields; Fletcher; Foote; Bob Ford; Bobie Ford; Charley Ford; Forrest; B Francis; Fromme; Fulmore; Gammel; Garrett; Robert Gilespie; Charles Gobler; Goodnight; Mollie Goodnight; Mollie Dyer Goodnight; Gen Lawrence Pike Graham; Green; B Greer; Griner; Nobe Griner; E. H. Grubert; A. J. Hamilton; Buck Hamilton; Gen Hardeman; Charlie Harris; B Harter; Col Edw Hatch; Hay; Lt W. B. Hazen; John Hemphill; J. Pinckney Henderson; Henry Henderson; Hill Henderson; Robert T. Henderson; Ernest Hillyer; Hogg; Holley; H. G. Horton; Tom Howard; Rev G. Huehner; Frank Isbelle; Isbelle; Andrew Pres Jackson; Alexander Franklin James; ; Jesse Edward James; Jesse Woodson James; Rev Robert James; Col Frank W. Johnson; Johnston; Jones; Kendall; Kennedy; Richard King; John Kinney; B Kirkpatrick; Rev Klies; Mrs Prudie Lackey; Will Lackey; Langford; Mrs L. M. Langford; Lee; B Lewis; Maj Gordon W. Lillie; Linn; William Little; Bill Long; Howard Long; William P. Longley; Frank R. Lubbock; Gen R. S. Mackenzie; Gen Magruder; H. B. Martin; Maverick; I. B. Maxwell; Jim Maxwell; Max Maxwell; "Uncle Ike" Maxwell; Mayes; R. McAnally; James Judge McCormick; Joe McCoy; McDonald; McKinney; B Melas; Clell Miller; J. B. Miller; B Miller; Charlie Montague; Nellie Myers; Moos; B Morgan; William Morton; William Motley; Gov Murrah; Navarro; Jim Sen Neal; Newell; Dora Niehaus; H. J. Niehaus; Mrs H. J. Niehaus; Louise Niehaus; Marcos de Niza; Samuel Nott; Nott; Square Octavo; Olmsted; Marion Pafford; Randolph Pafford; Tom Pafford; (Maj Gordon W. Lillie) Pawnee Bill; B Peak; Mrs W. A. Peril; John Perry; Mrs Mary E. Perschke; Abel H. Pierce; Shanghai Pierce; Alvarez de Pineda; Sidney Porter; Gen Preston; Price; Vent Pue; Ben Pulliam; William McLeod Raine; Mrs Annie Rambie; Fannie Ratchford; Bill Reagan; Mrs Emma Reagan; Reid; Ed Earl Repp; Mrs Clara A. Ricketson; Rose; Francisco Ruiz; David Rusk; Thomas J Rusk.; Thomas R. Rusk; C. A. Ryan; Mrs C. A. Ryan; Rev A. Sager; Archie Samuel; Dr Reuben Samuel; Santa Anna; Joseph D. Sayers; Wiley Schryers; B Scott; Col Shafter; B Shawver; Mrs Ola Lee Shearer; Gen William Tecumseh Sherman; Charlie Slaughter; Smith; Smithwick; Sowell; Stapp; Bill Stiles; Amos Orlando Strickland; Charles Clyde Strickland; Jerome Strickland; Jerome Marvin Strickland; Mrs Jerome Strickland; John Strickland; John R. Strickland; Lewis Strickland; Mary Strickland; Myron Strickland; Orlando Strickland; Virgie W. Strickland; J. S. Sullivan; Fred Sutton; Col John S. Sutton; H. C. Tardy; Dean Taylor; Dr M. A. Taylor; Mary O. Taylor; ; Dean T. U. Taylor; Judge Alexander Watkins Terrell; A. D. Tucker; Col Ugartechea; Vaca; Miss Sarah E. Wagers; Walker; Bernhardt Wall; Tom Wall; Wallace; Ware; Loss Watkins; B Webb; Sam Wells; Ira Wheat; Wiemers; Wilbarger; Lt; Wilcox; B Williams; Jim Williams; L. B. Williams; Nancy Williams; Williamson; Wilson; G. P. Winship; Woll; Judge J. M. Woods; Mont Woodward; Yoakum; Bob Younger; Jim Younger; Lorenzo de Zavalla; Zavala de Cov