Vol 18 No. 11 - August 1941

When Judge Roy Bean Pulled A Prize Fight

By Grace Miller White

Not a few of these yarns have been spun around that unique character who flourished in Texas during the eighties and the nineties and has come to be best known by that self imposed title of "The Law West of the Pecos"—Judge Roy Bean. Many stories have been told of the Judge's deft manipulations of justice to serve to his own advantage. Perhaps the cleverest deal be ever made also made history in the world of sports. It is one story about the indomitable old judge that can be told for hard fact rather than legend -- here is the story.

Mentions: James J. Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons * Dan Stuart * Honorable Charles Culberson * Porfirio Diaz * Ardmore, Indian Territory, now Oklahoma * Hot Springs Arkansas * Steve Brodie * Peter Maher * Langtry * Governor Ahumada * Lord Sholto Douglass, son of the Marquis of Queensbury * Captain Mabry

Hon. Coke Stevenson Becomes Governor

By Ed Rider

Account of Coke Stevenson of Junction, who served as governor of Texas, a tall, quiet, 6-foot man from the hills of West Texas who was as rugged as those hills he loved so much. Here is his story. Mentions: Governor O'Daniel * H. D. Meister * Mrs. Meister and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Brown, Jr * Lockhart * Louise Gordon * George Montague * the Montague Ranch * an 8000-acre ranch 17 miles from Junction

Lieut. Dabney H. Maury On The Frontier

By Col. M. L. Crimmins.

Account of Gen. Persifer F. Smith's column in his inspection from Corpus Christi to El Paso and return in 1854 as told by Lieutenant Maury.

Mentions: Assistant-Surgeon McParlan * Captain John J. Walker * Lieutenant Alfred Gibbs * Contreras * Wild Rose Pass * Lympia Creek * Baldy Smith * First Lieutenant Farrer Smith * Robert Granderson * Sierra Prieta * Dr. LaFayette Guild * Sibley * First Lt. William Henry Chase Whiting, U. S. Engineers, Dick Howard, and Policarpo * Lympia Canyon * Dusseldorf Gallery * Eagle Springs * Elk Horn * Van Dorn * Fort Filmore * Barnard Elliot Bee * Robert Seaman Granger * Camp Hudson * General John Be11 Hood * Fort Inge * Colonel Crittenden * Fort McIntosh, Laredo * Col. William Loring * Captain Tom Claiborne * Lieutenant Tom Cooper *

Texas, The Sportsman's Paradise

Account describes the plentitude of wild game in the early days of Texas, quoting "The Sportsman's Gazzetteer and General Guide," by Charles Hallock, published in 1879. Specifically describes fishing and hunting conditions in BEXAR, BLANCO, CONCHO, COOKE, KINNEY, YOUNG, and SHACKLEFORD counties.

Further Mentions: The headwaters of the Medina * Round Mountain * Sand Mountain * Camp Concho * Gainesville * Red river * Tyas Bend * Upper Cross Timbers * Elm Fork * Fort Clark * Llano river * Clear Fork of the Brazos River * Denison

Some Texas Brands Were Puns

As part of their efforts to twoart the success of rustlers, old-time cattlemen were at times disposed to using the art of making good puns out of their own branding of cattle. For example J.H. Barwise made an easy pun with his Bar and two Y's, and W. G. Mulkey branded "MUL" followed by a key. This account details many more and gives excellent information regarding branding techniques of frontier cattlemen.

Mentions: Col. Frank Hatch ran the "45" brand * W. A. Walton * The old "Bar MD" * Noah Neff * M. L. Sikes of Jack County * Q.W. Wright of Eetor * Richard Fiveash of Coleman County * William Sachse * XIT * Matthew Cartwright * Henry Wells * P. G. Hatchett

A Survey Of Indian Life In Texas

By Victor J. Smith

Account of the five distinct culture areas of the Indians that populated the state of Texas prior to the white man coming to settle. Includes maps and detailed descriptions of all the major and many of the minor tribes and cultures in the following regions: BRAZOS RIVER AREA, TEXAS COAST TRIBES, SOUTHWESTERN CULTURES IN

TEXAS, THE PLAINS INDIANS, SOUTHEASTERN GROUPS, CAVE DWELLERS OF WESTERN TEXAS, ALABAMA INDIANS IN TEXAS - an excellent account.

Mentions: Kiowas * Wichitas * Caddos * Kichai * Comanches * Wawa * Apache * Mescakros * Lipari * Mescaleros * Waass * Tawakon * Hasinai * Tonkawas * Hiawatha types * Prof. J. E. Pearce * Mr. A. T. Jackson * Round Rock * J. Charles Kelley * the Hueco Basin * Casas Grande, Mimbres, Gila, and Rio Grande * Coahuiltecan * Ray, Kelly, Studor, Holden, Martin, Alves * Setzler, Howard, Roberts, Sayles * Dr. Cyrus N. Ray * The mound builders of East Texas * Big Bend Cave Indian * Sutudy Butte * the Folsom point * Mr. E. B. Sayles * the Oso phase of the Karankawan * the Tanoan * Ysleta, Texas * The Tamaulirecan * the Jumano * the Hasanai confederacy

Dr. V. G. Latham, The Pioneer Physician

By J. Marvin Hunter

In the 1860's and 1870's not every community was fortunate enough to have a practicing physician, and sometimes in cases of serious illness a doctor had to be called from some town many miles away. Not many of these old time doctors had ever attended a medical school, but had picked up a little knowledge of medicine and surgery through reading medical books and from observation and practice, and were really good. One of these old-time medical doctors was V. G. Latham, a true pioneer physician - here is his story.

Mentions: Miss Rina Latham who was born in Blanco county * Dr. Valsain Gaylove Latham * the history of Friendship Baptist Church of Maries county Missouri * John Gibson * the Bloomgarden Methodist church * John Stone in Pulaski county, on the waters of the Big Maries * Mr. and Mrs. Adam Copeland at Old Weldon * Dr. B. F. Bumpass * Rev. John M. Chaudon * John Gibson and James Gibson * Ambrose Y. Stone, Reuben Gilmore Stone, John P. Robertson, James L. Robertson, Mary M. Gibson (wife of John), Margaret Gibson, Sidney E. Stone, Celia Stone, Mary Davidson, Abigail Robertson and Olivia Catherine Robertson * Pecan Creek in Llano county * Reuben Gilmore Stone * Walnut Creek in Blanco county * Little Hope * William Canaler * Pecan Creek Baptist Church * Macedonia * Joel Hale * Rev. John T. Powers * Dog Tail Creek * the Duggan place * Lewis Eads * Silas Gibson * Nancy Wolverton * Tishomingo county Mississippi * George Washington Allen Latham * Clifty Creek * Aunt Betsy Childers * James Latham * Clarinda Loveworth * Elias H. Kenner * Vienna Missouri * Rev. Elias H. Kenner * Sam Strickland * Joseph Young Latham * Anna Shults * Banjamin Ely Latham * Clarinda Loveworth Latham * Miss Herrie Sherrill * Sarah Jane Tantha Latham * G. C. Hardin * A. J. Perrett * Georgia Bessie May Latham

Pioneered In The Sonora Country

J. A. Witcher of Copperas Cove in Texas describes early times as a sheepherder in Sonora, Texas.

Mentions: an old man by the name of Benson * the W. J. Fields pasture * Reed Calhoun * Mike Murphy and Steve Murphy * Felix Vanderstucken * the O. T. Word ranches * Mrs. Grace L. Harris * Sheffield * the McSpadden boys * Live Oak Crossing * the Schneeman Brothers ranch * Live Oak Creek * the Shannon ranch * the Day ranch * Ozona * Fayette Tankersley * the Tankersley ranch * Dr. Kirby

Opening Campaign Of The Texas Revolution

Col. F. W. Johnson

Graphic, eye-witness account by Colonel Johnson of the Anahuac campaign -- the first campaign that subsequently led to the Texas revolution.

Mentions: Dr. N. D. Labadie * Colonel Bradburn * Hugh B. Johnson * William B. Travis, Patrick C. Jack, Monroe Edwards, and Samuel P. Allen * William H. Jack * Patrick C. Jack * 'Colonel William Pettus * Robert M. Williamson * Mill Creek * Benjamin Pennell and Francis W. Johnson * Horatio Chrisman * Spring Creek * Hugh B. Johnson * Warren D. C. Hall * Thomas H. Bradley * Francis W. Johnson * Turtle Bayou * John M. Smith * Sergeant Blackman * O. B. McKinstry, H. K. Lewis, and Francis W. Johnson * Wm. Hardin * Dunman's * Captain Anner Kuykendull * Mosses Spring * Francis W. Johnson, Captain Randal Jones, and James Lindsay * Captain Peyton R. Splane * Duncan's Ferry

Cutting Bee Trees In Menard County

By J. Marvin Hunter

Mr. Hunter in this account, offers some painful recollections of a certain bee hunting expedition, or rather hunting for wild honey made in 1886 in Menard county Texas. Mentions: Uncle Newt Rose * the Las Moras region * The account is a delightful glimpse into life in Menard county and of old-fashioned pioneer camping and food-gathering.

Mrs. Proctor Had A Narrow Escape

Account of Mrs. C. C. Proctor who was born in Spartenburg, S. C., May 9, 1839, and moved to the state of Mississippi at the of two years. In 1848 she moved to Burnet county, and then in 1857 she moved with the family to Travis county, where she was married in 1858 to G. W. Proctor. She endured a harrowing experience during a terrible Indian raid that nearly cost her life. The raid occurred in 1863 in Williamson county just west of Liberty hill, in the old Hopewell neighborhood, and more particularly that part of the community known as Dog Branch.

Mentions: her home about five miles northeast of Florence * G. L. Proctor, Mrs. M. I. Hickman, and W. H. Proctor * Wafford Johnson * Williamson county * Captain Arnett * Mary Jane, Elvira * Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Diary Jane * Jimmie Gilliland * Mr. Whitehead * the Enoch Johnson grave yard * Jesse Moore * Little Elm * Elvira married a man by the name of Barber * Heidenheimer Texas *

Mrs. Luster Had Harrowing Experience

By J. Marvin Hunter

The heroism and bravery of the women on the Texas frontier has never been equaled by any other women in any part of the world. There are numerous incidents of their courage and fortitude under the most trying circumstances, but, the story of Mrs. Hattie Luster, a young widow, is one of the most thrilling and tragic adventures of all. Her tale begins at her home on the banks of Dry Creek, in Wise county, Texas in 1865. Here is her story.

Mentions: John S. Babb * General Marcy * the old Santa Fe Trail * the Staked Plains crossing the Brazos * Lone Wolf's band of Kiowas * Robert Bent * Big Turkey Creek * Council Grove, Kansas * a Mr. Van Noy * Galena, Kansas

A Killer Dons The Livery Of The Lord

By Max Coleman, Lubbock, Texas

Account of fiery preacher, Glenn Allen Brooks, a real old timer who killed two men in his 84th year and then went on to preach with great effect.

Mentions: Tom Abel veteran sheriff of the West Plains * Cap Moore * John Jones * Sheriff Giles of Lee county, Virginia * the Blue Ridge Mountains *

The Paisano Baptist Encampment

By Elmer J. Edwards, Jr.

Article describes old encampment meeting at Paisano, at the highest elevated Point in Texas between Alpine and Marfa.

Mentions: the San Saba river at Menardville * Presidio de Amarillas, (San Saba Mission) * Mr. J. B. Moore of Del Rio * Langtry * Joe Graham * Mrs. Lizzie Young * John Young * J. Frank Dobie * the Southern Hotel on San Antonio's Military Plaza * late E. E. Edwards of San Antonio * the old Shriner's Mosque on Lake Worth's Mosque Point * Paisano Pass * Chihuahua City * the old Orient Route * Rev. R. L. Millican * Brother Bloys, who founded the Skilmann Grove Encampment near Fort Davis * Dr. George W. Truett * the Baptist World Alliance * Captain J. B. Gillett * the Barrel Springs ranch near Marfa * Dr. Roy C. Angell * Oscar K. Allen * Dr. I. E. Gates of San Antonio * J. B. Tidwell * Herbert Lee Kokernot, Jr., of the Kokernot ranch * Mr. Moore who was the Crockett county sheriff * Dr. A. C. Scott, the late founder of the Scott & White Hospital at Temple * J. B. Moore of Del Rio * William T. Moore * Burr's Ferry on the Sabine near Natchitoches * Aaron Burr * Miss Winnie Moore * Mrs. Edd Ramsay *

TO OUR PIONEERS

A poem by by Knowles Witcher Teel