Vol 15 No. 04 - January 1938

Crockett's Colorful Career Ended In Texas

By J. Marvin Hunter

Colonel David Crockett was one of the most remarkable men of the times in which he lived. Born in humble life, August 17, 1786, but gifted with a strong will, an indomitable courage and unremitting perseverance, as well as an aptitude for accumulating information from his involvement with men of superior education, he rose to posts of high honor and distinction. His talent for original humor caused his sayings to be admired and quoted, reported in newspapers, and received with applause throughout America and Europe. He ended his glorious career as true Texas hero - here is a brief account of his story.

Further Mentions: the Creek War of 1813-1814 * General Jackson * Davy Crockett's father, John Crockett * Rebecca Hawkins * the Creek Indians * Giles county, Tennessee

A Governor Quits Office To Fight Indians

Account of John McBee, of Kansas who resigned his office to lead the troops of the soldiers who went to war to rescue two girls from Indians. Events center around the Solomon and Republican River raids of the hostile Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche Indians in the Summer of 1868. The massacres were horrible, but it was the kidnapping, captivity and final rescue of the two girls—Mrs. Morgan, a 19 year old bride, and Miss White, who was barely 17—which in turn stirred the State to fury, held it in anxious suspense for month's and finally lifted it to rejoicing. Here is the story.

Further Mentions: Gov. S. J. Crawford * the Granny Creek settlement on the Republican * Fisher Creek * John White, a farmer * Mrs. Carrie Blinn * village of Black Kettle * Gen. George A. Custer * Fort Supply * Mahwissa, sister of Black Kettle * Monasetah, * Little Rock * Black Kettle * a young man named Brewster * Satanta * Lone Wolf * Fort Cobb, Texas * Yellow Bear and Little Robe, both chiefs of the Cheyennes * Arapahoes * Gen. Phil Sheridan * Fort Sill, Indian Territory

Was Born In The Lone Star Republic

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Account of E. H. Alexander, a native Texan and a former Llano county official, who was born in Columbus on October 27, 1845, while Texas was a Republic. He was born in Columbus and married there on April 15, 1869; and in 1878, be and his wife moved to Burnet. They went to Llano county in 1885 and located on Miller's Creek. Three years later they moved to the town of Llano. In 1889, they moved into the house in which Mr. Alexander now resides with his daughter, Mrs. E. J. Dalrymple. Mrs. Alexander's death occurred there in 1933. Here are the details of his life.

Further Mentions: Jacksboro, Weatherford, Denton and Gainesville * Dr. C. W. Alexander of Oklahoma City * L. T. Alexander of Wellington, Texas * Terry's Texas Rangers * His grandfather, Amos Alexander * his young son, Amos Jr * Fayette county, near the little town of Ledbetter * Capt. William L. Foster's Company D, 32nd Texas * the Battle of Mansfield * Col. H. P. Bee * T. H. Alexander of La Pryor * Hardy Alexander of Austin * Mrs. Lemuel Newberry of Chihuahua, Mexico * Mrs. J. F. Buttery * Mrs. E. J. Dalrymple of Llano *

Robert T. Hill Was A Printer's Devil

By T. U. Taylor

Excellent and extensive account of the life of Dr. Robert T. Hill, longtime professor of geology in the University of Texas at Austin. He started out as a printer's assistant, and because of his great love of the Texas outdoors in general and of geology in particular he eventually graduated from Cornell University and entered the U. S. Geological Survey where he was the only Southerner on the landscape. It caused a great sensation in the Survey among the old regulars, that a stripling cowboy knew anything, but young Hill fumed and worked. He graduated with honors and was highly recommended for the post at Austin. Here is the story. Includes photo of his old lecture hall and of notes from which he would lecture.

Further Mentions: President Andrew D. White * the Comanche Chief, a weekly newspaper, at Comanche, Texas * Waco, Texas * Major Holmsley * Doan's Store * Dana's Geology * Parker county, four miles from Cresson, in the southeast corner of old Parker county * John Henry Taylor * Ezra Cornell * J. W. Powell, Director of the U. S. Geological Survey * Robert Bruce Day * H. Y. Benedict * D. W. Spence * O. M. Roberts * R. L. Dabney had been a great theologian, chief of Stonewall Jackson's staff, and ranks as one of the great men of the South'* Mr. H. H. Halsell of Lubbock * The Halsell family moved to Wise county in 1865 * G. A. Brandt

A Yacht Voyage To The New World

By Mrs. Houstoun.

Lengthy, detailed and thrilling account of voyage that was made by this intrepid young woman in September, 1843, on the schooner yacht Dolphin from England to the then struggling Republic of Texas. (Continued from Last Month)

Mentions: Captain Kelsey * Red Fish Bar * Buffalo River * Colonel Baldwin

Policing The Navajo Reservation

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Excellent and detailed account of the origins, history and culture of the Navajo Tribe and of the Navajo Indian Police Patrol. Account includes old photo of the patrol.

Further Mentions: Mr. Fred W Croxen, Chief of the Navajo Indian Police Patrol * Window Rock, Navajo Agency, Arizona * Colonel Kit Carson * Colonel Chavez * Boska Redondo, Fort Sumner, New Mexico * Chairman Henry Tallman * NAVAJO CHARLEY * LOUIS CHAVA * PETER WOODY * Shiprock, Nw Mexico * MIKE SALAGO * SALAGO NEZ * JESS WILLARD * JOE WALKER * Fort Defiance, Arizona * Carlisle School * HOSKA THOMPSON * JOE WILSON * CLAIRE GEE * CHARLEY FOSTER * JACK JOHNSON * JOHN DAW * YEA YALLIE * GERONIMO CASTILLO * DTNAH NEZ * REID JENSEN, Chief of Police at Leupp, Arizona * HOSKA BURNSTDES * JAMES OLIVER * BEN WEST * FRANKLIN YAllIE * Sam Brown * Crown Point, New Mexico * Chief Becenti * BILLY BECENTI * JIM LARGO * EARL BECENTI * FRANK MOORE * OSBORNE ANDERSON * FRED W. CROXEN * TOM DODGE * Navajo Chief Chee Dodge * BILL SAWYER * SAM TIM. Indian Judge at Crown Point. New Mexico * Pastora peak in the Carrizo Mountains * Rio San Juan * Onate * Zarate Salmeron * Chelly Canyon * Bosque Redondo on the Rio Pecos * Keresan, Shoshonean Tanoan, Yuman, and Aryan * Athapascan

Chased By A Band Of Indians

By Col. Richard I. Dodge.

Col. Dodge recounts in this article the terror of being pursued by the stealthy and notorious Comanches. He mentions, among other occasion, once when a party of Comanches passed near the town of Castroville, Texas, committing various thefts and depredations, finally murdering a whole family of Germans. He was ordered with twenty-five soldiers to pursue and punish them. For more than four weeks he followed the devious windings of the trail, and finally overtook and surprised them in their camp, killing some, dispersing the others, and capturing all their horses, saddles and equipment. This was so severe a blow that the Comanches almost entirely ceased to frequent that portion of country, and in a very few years after that military post was abandoned as no longer necessary.

Further Mentions: Fort Lincoln * Castroville, Texas * a party of Lipans * the headwaters of the Perdinales * the Guadalupe mountains, by the Bandera Pass * the Medina river

The Hoodoo War In Mason County

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Account of Scott Cooley and his band who stirred up trouble in Mason county, resulting in the hangings and shootings in the so-called "Mason County Hoo Doo War," which was really the outgrowth of wholesale cattle stealing and other acts of lawlessness. At that period great cattle drives "up the trail" to Kansas were in order, and there was much complaint that cattle belonging to ranchmen were taken by the men moving the herds and not accounted for to the owners. There were many disputes and charges of theft, and the civil authorities did their best to adjust matters, which really culminated in open warfare. This is the story.

Further Mentions: the original Prince Solms colonists * New Braunfels and Fredericksburg * Loyal Valley, first known as Cold Spring * Baron John O. von Meusebach * Beaver Creek, on Willow Creek * the Kothmann, Leifeste, Lemburg. Keller, Jordan, Keyser families* Tim Williamson a prominent cattleman living in Mason county * John Worley * Menardville * John and Mose Beard, George Gladden and John Ringgold * Dan Hoerster * Captain Dan W. Roberts of Company D, Texas Rangers * Captain James B. Gillett * Major Hunter's hotel * Sheriff John Clark * James Trainer * the two Baccus brothers and a man named Turley * , a man named Wiggins * Judge Everett * William Coke * Mr. Coke was foreman of a cattle ranch near Mason * Mr. Miller's residence in Mason * Daniel Hoerster, a prominent man * George Gladden * Keller's store, about twelve miles south of Mason, on the Llano river * John Clark * Beaver Creek * James A. Baird * Peter Barder * Major John B. Jones * Lordsburg

The Unknown Tattooed Mason

By John S. Mayfield.

Account concerns the first Masonic funeral in California in the year of 1849, when the eyes of all the world were turned on the famous gold rush to the Pacific Coast, and also of the lifeless body of a man discovered in the bay of San Francisco. Upon examination of the body, they discovered the most spectacular array of Masonic emblems that the imagination and ingenuity of man could tattoo upon the human body. There was hardly a square inch of skin, except on his face, which was not decorated with striking emblems of the order of which he was, no doubt, an ardent member

Building A Major Museum In Bandera

By J. Marvin Hunter.

Mentions: Mr. Ernest Lindner * the Chisos Mountains * Jack Hays * Robert Gelespie * Richmond. Texas * Tonto Basin, Arizona * Jesse Chisholm northeast of Ada. Oklahoma * John Chisum's ranch near Bolivar, Denton county * the "Creaking Old Mill," where George Johnson met Maggie Harris * Old Hickory Jackson * E. B. ELAM * JAMES V. ALLRED * BENJ. G. WEIMERS * W. R. FLETCHER * E. BUCK, Bandera * TED HILLMAN, Bandera * MRS. J. A. MILLER, Bandera. J. A. BACHMAN, Bandera * CHAS. ECKHART, Bandera * W. M. WAIDE, Ft. Stockton. C. E. SCHOFF, San Antonio. ALBERT MAVERICK, San Antonio MRS. J. M. KINCAID, San Antonio HON. HARRY HERTZBERG * MISS RUTH COIT, San Antoino * DR. P. I. NIXON, San Antonio * DR. C. F. LEHMANN, San Antonio. C. STANLEY BANKS. San Antonio W. E. WRATHER, Dallas * R. S. ELLISON, Tulsa, Okla * A. SCHREINER, Kerrville. W. A. PHILPOTT, JR., Dallas. ALEX BRINKMANN, Comfort. JNO. E. OWENS, Dallas * MRS. C. T. TRAYLOR, Cuero * DR. S. E. THOMPSON, Kerrville * S. GARRETSON, New York. E. C. de MONTEL, Wichita Falls. MISS ISABEL ALLARDYCE * S. C. BUTLER, Kenedy * LOUIS LENZ, Lake Charles, La., LESLIE TRAYLOR, New York. H. N. DARST, Richmond, Texas. JUDGE 0. W. WILLIAMS * W. S. MABRY. Selma, Alabama * B. I. NICHOLS * R. W. NOWLIN, San Antonio. GABRIEL TIBILETTI, Victoria. EDGAR MONIETH, Houston * IRA ATEN, El Centro, California. CHAS. L. FAGAN, Rahway, N. J. DELOS R. JOHNSON, Franklinton * H. M. NOWLIN, Center Point. MRS. F. A. HICKS, Utopia. J. H. TALLICHET, Houston * SAM R. KONE, San Marcos. HON. JULIUS REAL, Kerrville. DR. R. J. MOONEY. San Antonio. WALTER GANN, Denver, Colo. RAYMOND HICKS, Bandera. OSCAR NOWLIN, Camp Verde. G. H. LONKEY, Shiocton, Wis. EARL VANDALE, Amarillo. L. G. PARK, Council Hill, Okla. T. H. PHILLIPS, Medina

The Gila Monster Of Arizona

By J. Marvin Hunter.

The Gila Monster is not a monster in size. It is a fat, sluggish lizzard, only about 14 to 18 inches in length, and is repulsive looking, yet it is also a beautiful reptile, its skin of orange and black coat of bead scales suggesting in pattern some rare Navajo Indian rug. It is said to be the only poisonous lizzard on the North American Continent, and is found exclusively in Arizona, the name being derived from the Gila river, because it is most common on the desert drained by the Gila river.

Mentions: a gentleman who lived at Safford, Arizona, who was a Delegate to Congress from that territory in 1900; he was bitten by a pet Gila monster * Colonel P. S. McGeeney, of San Antonio, Texas * Richard M. Farthingay * Mr. James

Was The Quivira In Central Kansas?

Hon. J. Marvin Hunter,

Mentions: The geologist and historian, Dr. Robert T. Hill * Bigotes * El Turco, * Jamarilln and Coronado * Tiguex to Palo Duro Canyon * Pedro de Castaneda * expeditions of Rodriquez, Humana, Zalvador, Onate and Alonso * WILL H. MAYES

Let's Know Texas And Texans

BY WILL H. MAYES

Mentions: the present townsite of Liberty * Francisco Madero, land commissioner for the state of Coahuila and Texas * Col. John D. Bradburn * Atascosito * Hugh B. Johnson * Kickapoo Shoals * the Trinity River in Leon County * Palmito Ranch, about 12 miles below Brownsville * Col. J. S. Ford * Pineda * the Panuco River * Garay, governor of Jamaica * James Taylor White, whose ranch was in the present limits of Chambers County * the largest ranch in Texas for a number of years * The original White ranch * Col. Matthew ("Old Paint") Caldwell * Plum Creek, near Lockhart * Byrd Lockhart * Lockhart Springs * Camp Cooper * Otey's Creek * Major S. Cooper * Fort Hubbard, Fort Clark and Fort Owl Head * Tule Canyon * Rio Grande del Norte * Joseph D. Escandan * the village of Dolores * Provisional Governor Henry Smith * the Matamoras expedition * Dr. James Grant * Cols. Frank Johnson and J. W. Fannin