USA > Texas > Eastland County > History of Eastland County, Texas > Part 3
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"On the eleventh of August, Captain Gilbert and But- ton Keith were consigned to their last resting places at Stephenville, and the curtain was dropped on the blood- jest battle with Indians ever fought in Eastland."
*One of the guns recovered belonged to Mr. Keith, who dropped it when he was unmounted.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
List of scouts in Ellison Springs fight :
Gilbert, Captain, killed.
J. L. Head, corporal.
T. E. Keith, Curtis, substitute for J. J. Keith.
Harris York, Alamogordo.
Leroy Keith, killed.
.J. M. Ellison, Gorman.
W. C. McGough, Eastland.
Jim Gilbert, Millsap.
Tom Gilbert, dead.
Sam Gilbert, dead.
Jasper Gilbert, dead.
Jim Temples, Menardville.
Tom Caddenhead.
II-CISCO RUNNING FIGHT.
The date of this very interesting event could not be learned, but Mr. McGough writes :
"I led the Scout and trailed the Indians with two dogs, named Colonel and Hats. *
The fight began on the hill west of the Methodist church and was intensely exciting as the little band. chasing the Indians northwest, fired as they ran, the In- dians as vigorously returning the attack. Mr. McGough says: "There were many shots fired-the Indians having guns. Albert Henning was wounded, and I was for- tunate enough to hit the Indian who shot him."
It was believed at the time that Mr. McGough
*Colonel was a dog with a pedigree. Hats was a mon- grel.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
killed this Indian, but the timber growth being dense, the Scout deemed it best not to follow farther, especially as the Indians had fled, leaving the large bunch of horses they had stolen and were driving to the reser- vation.
A few years later, a Mr. Sublett, formerly of Coman- che, discovered the grave * of an Indian near Cisco. and from the headdress he was supposed to have been a chief. As McGough fired six shots at the chief who had wounded Henning, the discovery gave weight to his opinion that he had wounded the Indian unto death.
There were thirteen men who took part in this memorable fight-three of whom Mr. McGough cannot recall :
W. C. McGough, C. Brashears, L. B. Brittain, T. A. Bearden, H. Edwards, John Hill, Albert Henning, John Beall, George Keith, Jerome Mc Allister.
III-THE COTTONWOOD FIGHT.
In the month of November, 1868, another Scout, composed of Messrs. Baker Ballew, Andrew Tarter, George Bugby, J. Peter Davidson and the Allen broth- ers, Sam, William, Joe and Luther, discovered Indian signs at Mansker Lake. The trail which led East was hard to follow. Evidently the Indians were few in number and had purposely traveled apart. The men
*Near Cisco is an Indian grave, where even yet parties frequently find trinkets. Whether or not this is the grave above referred to is not known, but the prevailing opinion is that it is the same.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
had frequently to dismount and look closely for the trail.
When they had gone thus tediously a mile or two, however, a black hound pup, belonging to Mansker which had attached itself to the scout, suddenly scented the trail and was off on a long run, never looking to the right or left, as the men loped hard after him all the day long. It is said that a dog seldom took up a trail in this way, but when one did it was safe to follow the lead. It proved so in this in- stance.
Late in the evening, when two of the men had fallen a mile or two behind, their horses having failed, the Scout came upon the Indians, eight in number, at the head of Highsaw Cove, a branch of Barton's Creek. As soon as they saw the * hound, they recognized it as their Nemesis, and each Indian greeted him with twc rounds of ammunition. The leader of the scout, Mr. Ballew, ordered a charge. Then followed a fast and furious fight. The Indians who had dismounted were at a great disadvantage. To escape they had to climb up over rocks and knoll right in the face of the Scout, but succeeded in escaping in the gloom of the deepen- ing night, leaving only one man on the field, together with their horses and blankets, eight in number. As the sagacious dog was dead, and, in the light of the moon coming over the horizon, each man would stand ont as a target for the Indians hiding among the rocks, the Scout wisely decided to be satisfied with the result,
*If the fine animal had not been killed the men think they would have tracked the last Indian to his death.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
especially as two of their number, Ballew and Joe Allen, were severely wounded and needed attention.
From the dead Indian's attire, he was recognized as the leader of the band. His handsome, fringed buck- skin suit, his quiver full of arrows and large, strong bow made of mulberry and his shield * were part of the trophy the men carried off. Not without regret it must be recorded that they also carried his scalp.
"Look here, boys !" one of the men called out after the Indians had escaped, "Look here! Some Indian has a badly wounded foot," and he held up a shattered stirrup lying near.
That his conjecture was correct was proved by the persistence of Finley, the little dog scout.
IV-THE LITTLE DOG SCOUT.
Lige Littlefield, J. W. Brashears and Lewis Ellison were moving in two wagons, from Parker County to Eastland in the winter of 1868.
On the bank of Palo Pinto Creek in the northeast of the county, one of the men discovered a moccasin track. Like true frontiersmen, they followed the trail on the road for several miles with the keenest anticipa- tion without a thought of danger.
*Mr. William Allen still has in his possession the bow and the shield. The latter was made from the hide of a buf- falo's head, cut round, and is about one-half inch thick. A strap of leather on the under side, which was worn over the thumb, protected the body, and not being held firmly, a bul- let, when it struck the shield, would glance off instead of passing through. The shield measures twenty-two inches in diameter.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
"Finley," alert and on the true scent as became a frontier dog, dashed ahead of the wagons. The owner of the moccasin, discovering the wagons, turned out of the road and hid under the brush and grass. "Finley" was not to be outwitted by a "redskin," so he followed and began barking loudly.
On the Indian's rising up to ask for protection, Lige Littlefield opened fire and did not know, until the bul- let had done its deadly work, that he had instantly killed a lone and deserted squaw. "Finley" did not know the difference and barked a chorus over the re- mains of the vanquished. The Indian fell on William Allen's Ranch, one-half mile from his house, and from one foot being badly mutilated, it was supposed she was the one wounded in the skirmish on Highsaw Cove.
At the head of this creek where the fight occurred stood a solitary tree. As the Scout turned, leaving the dead Indian there, one of the men said, "God has pre- pared a sentinel to watch over your mouldering dust."
V-THE STOLEN BOY AND FRANK SANCHES.
Frank Sanches was out hunting stock, and stood and watched a numerous drove passing on down to the Leon for water, hoping to find some of his strayed two- year olds. Imagine his surprise, as the last yearling was nearing him and he was about to turn and retrace his steps homeward, to see a small boy's head bobbing up just behind the calf. On the child's approach he found it was a white boy who had been captured by the Indians. He had escaped and was following the stock,
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
hoping to reach the settlements. Mr. Sanches cared for the little boy and returned him to his people.
It was about this time and in the same locality that Henry Martin, a son-in-law of Mr. Mansker, was killed. He was separated from other members of a party who were attacked by Indians while rounding up cattle, and lost his life.
VI-BATTLE CREEK FIGHT. *
A great fight with Indians took place on this creek In the northwestern part of the County. Three In- dians and one white man, Mr. Lathan, were killed. Mr. Rufe. Atwood has a skull supposed (from trinkets found near) to be that of the chief of the party. Mr. J. B. Loyd, who has a son and daughter living in Cisco, was one of the scouts.
CHAPTER IX.
I-IN THE MIDST OF LIFE.
Mr. Coffer was sick with fever and his family was in danger of starving.
Four weeks had he lain prone upon his bed and the fever was still high, but his wife was full of cheer and strong in hope.
*Futile efforts were made to secure a description of this fight, which gave a name to the creek. It cannot be stated definitely whether the attacking party were Rang- ers, soldiers, or a scout.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
"Why, husband, think what goodly company we'll have if we starve! But we have beans yet-a bucket full, and whoever comes to stay with us through the night brings something for you. Your fever did not run so high to-day, either. There now," she added, patting up his pillow, "isn't that better ?"
"You always look on the sunny side, Martha. I'm glad you do."
"I must go bring up the filly before it gets any later, 'cause I put her a little farther down toward the creek."
"Martha ! How dangerous !" interposed her hus- band.
"The grass is so much better there. Besides, don't you see I am buckling on your six shooter, and here's 'old trusty,' " taking up a gun. "Why, husband, I could fight a dozen Indians !"
But the woman could not deceive her husband. He well knew she did not possess the courage she feigned. It frightened her even to handle a gun. How could she defend herself if attacked !
"Dear Lord!" he moaned in an agony of appre- hension, "make me well for her sake!"
"Just the sight of that wood terrifies me," she whis- pered to herself, pausing half way between the house and the gate. "I've a good notion not to go after all- but-oh, I guess there's no Indian hiding," and nerv- ing herself for the dreaded ordeal, she ran quickly down to where the young mare was "lariated out," and was stooping to untie her when two Indians arose from the
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
nearest clump of bushes and with a frightful yell let fly two arrows.
The hissing arrows, the sight of the "red demons," their ownward rush so paralyzed her that she dropped her gun, and a moment later fell dead with an arrow in her heart.
Hastily scalping the woman, the Indians mounted the fine young mare and were gone.
The man on the bed with the baby playing by his side, listened with bated breath for the first sound of his wife's voice. He heard the sharp, quick yell of the Indians, then caught the sound of her cry. With one effort, he leaped from the bed-and fell. He forgot that he was sick, forgot that he had not stood on his feet for weeks.
He raised himself on his elbow, but could see noth- ing. He listened for the sound of his wife's running feet, but all was still. Again he listened. He heard the gallop of the mare he had raised from a colt, and he knew the Indians had scalped and probably killed the mother of his baby. He raised his voice and called- "Martha !" Oh, Marth-e-e !"
In his horror his voice sounded shrill and clear.
"She's dead ! Dear Lord, she's dead! But the dead could have heard that call. Where's the baby ?"-feel- ing around him. "Is she dead, too? I'll call her. Su-No! No! I'm afraid. Why, how warm it is! I was cold a moment ago. How strong I feel ! Martha, the fire's made. I'll go feed the filly, I hear her nicker- ing. The dawn is breaking."
One hour later, the neighbor who came to stay
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
through the night, found the man lying on the floor, burning with fever and talking incoherently, and the baby asleep on the bed.
"Why, Martha, are you still asleep?" the sick man said, as his neighbor lifted him upon the bed.
"The filly is gone," he rambled on, "the Indians must have stolen her. Thank God, it was not my wife or baby they got."
The neighbor gave him a drink of water and put a wet cloth on his head; then finding the woman lying dead, mounted his horse and rode rapidly to the nearest house to give the alarm.
For many days the sick man's life hung in the balance, and it was not until the green grass covered her grave that he ventured to ask where his wife lav.
Whether Coffer or the baby are still living could not be learned.
Mr. Keith and Mr. MicGough are the authority for the above incident. Their recollection of details differed slightly, but the result was the same.
II-IN SEARCH OF A WIFE.
One day, early in 1869, Mrs. Blair took her small children, leaving Delphia and Charlsie at home to do the family wash, and went to see a sick married daugh- ter living near. She left a pot of peas and bacon on the hearth, with some fried eggs and bread in a skillet all ready for the girls' dinner.
There was small danger of Indians at that time, yet the instinct to watchfulness had been well trained, and the frontiersman was ever on the alert.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
When the noon hour arrived the girls came in to eat their dinner.
"I'm going to eat my peas first and save the best for the last," Delphia remarked.
"?Well, I'm going to eat the best first," laughed Charlsie, "and then I'll know that I have it." A noise at the gate aroused the girls and Charlsie, aged thir- teen, went to the door.
Mercy, me! Delphia, it's a big negro man." Her sister came to look and cried out, "Charlsie! It's an Indian !" The younger girl darted under the foot cur- tain of her mother's bedstead, while Delphia hurriedly hid herself between the two feather beds.
The Indian came on, opened the door, looked around, (Charlsie watching him through the curtains), went to the glass, combed his hair, turned to the fire-place and discovered Delphia's eggs as well as Charlsie's peas. These he quickly dispatched, scooping up the peas with his hand.
Mrs. Blair had sent her little boy, Dave, and a small- er girl, Adeline, across the field to her home for some medicine. When the bov stepped in at the door, the Indian looked up and said, "Come in," but the little ten year old lad turned, and catching his sister by the hand, made his way back to his mother as fast as his legs could carry him, coaxing his sister, when she stumbled or fell behind, "Run, Sissie, run, or the Indian will catch you."
As the children did not see the girls, the mother naturally supposed they had been murdered, and she started home, screaming. She was cautioned to go by
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
a neighbor's, and not expose herself to a like fate. This she did, and she and Mr. Bell cautiously appr ;ached the house, the mother not being able to restrain her grief, as no sign of life appeared about the place. When they entered, the Indian rose, held out his hand and said, "Howdy." ("bobsheely.") Mr. Bell shook hands with him. "I don't want to shake hands with you," said Mrs. Blair. "Tell me what you have done with my children."
"Why, Ma, here we are!" cried out Charlsie, coming out from under the bed, while Delphia at the same ti ne tumbled out from her snug hiding place. The mother, clasping her children to her breast, began shout- ing. When her joy had somewhat subsided, she went up to the Indian and said, "Now, I'll shake hands with you, I've found my children."
In the meantime Mr. Blair and Mr. Whatley, who had been out after board timber, came in. The Indian made them to understand that believing the white man would not kill the red man if he gave himself up, he had waited several days for an opportune time. He was guarded closely over night and sent to Dublin next morning, from which place the soldiers carried him back to the * Comanches.
On their arrival in Dublin an interpreter was found
*Mr. Keith and Mr. Smith say he was sent to the Co- manches. Mr. Keith says the Tonkaways wanted him, but the soldiers would not give him up. Mr. Sam Allen has always understood he was given to the "Tonks," who made him "run the gauntlet"-covering a given space and not being hit by the squaws and children lined up. As he was hit, they killed and scalped him.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
in Mr. Bob Barton. The Indian told him his squaw had been in a raid some weeks before and as she had never re- turned, he had come to hunt for her.
Mr. Barton told him of the accidental killing of the wounded squaw and as the times agreed he decided it was his wife.
CHAPTER X.
THE TEXAS RANGERS.
It is not definitely known when the Texas Ranger service was instituted, but as early as the colonization of Texas under Austin, companies of volunteers were formed to repel Indian invasions.
The Congress of the Republic, after Texas had gain- ed her independence, made provision for a mounted force to guard the frontier which, in 1836, was Nacog- doches, Houston and San Antonio; but "it was in the Mexican War of 1846-1848 that the Texas Mounted Vol- unteers in the service of the United States, under such noted leaders as Walker, Hays and Gillespie, achieved world-renowned fame and clothed the name of Texas Ranger with its traditional glory."
The "State Police" of the reconstruction period which became so odious to the citizens of the State was, in no sense, a part of the Ranger service. The former was characterized by outrage and lawlessness; the latter by intrepid acts of bravery, self-sacrificing courage, calm- ness in danger, and a recklessness of self-preservation that will be the admiration of ages. It was at first
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
semi-military, neither officers nor men wore uniforms, there was no strict discipline, no music-only mid- night rides in tracking a foe, only cool daring in en- counters.
The Ranger service was an outgrowth of the times. No military in the world ever excelled the early Ranger in devotion to duty or obedience to orders.
When it is remembered that all over the broad ex- panse of Texas there was a moving frontier line made by the hardy Anglo-Saxon pioneer, and many hundreds of roving, hostile Indians composed of numerous tribes, each with a stronghold in the fastnesses of the moun- tains of the unsettled West, it will readily be under- stood that a mounted service for frontier protection must from necessity be maintained. Again, when the vastness of the unsettled country is taken into consid- eration, it is not to be wondered at that the Indian was not the only menace of the frontier, nor vet, his oft- time ally, the secretive Mexican, but that bands of des- peradoes infested the country. In all times of frontier settlement there has always been a border warfare born of necessity-so it was in Texas.
When the Ranger service was organized, Texas had no money ; the times and conditions did not warrant an ef- fort toward a strictly disciplined military body; but an armed force, both for internal and border protection, was demanded. This was not alone because of the foes men- tioned that threatened her welfare, but the demand was accentuated by the loose characters that drifted hither and thither, ofttimes renegades from justice, caring little if they did murder, or were themselves dispatched.
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
"Out of this combination of circumstances and the necessities arising therefrom, was the Ranger service evolved, and so efficient and valuable did it prove that, as soon as practicable the organization was given offi- cial recognition and a legal status and title."
When Texas was a part of Mexico she needed the Rangers; when Independence perched aloft her banner, the frontier Battalion sustained her; when she entered the galaxy of Stars as the one of greatest possible magnitude, the Volunteer Companies protected her frontier; when she came out of the Union, 'standing with the glorious, honorable minority, she needed more than ever before the loyalty of her brave sons; and, then, when again she re-entered a united government, her Southern flag furled, her individual rights assailed and imposed upon, governed by aliens, and looked upon as a reprobate, did she need the fearless strength of the Texas *Ranger.
In the year 18- Captain Whiteside, who formerly lived in Cisco, but now deceased. commanded a body of Rangers and was located at Ranger Camp. This was near the site of the town of Ranger and gave the village its name.
*A detachment of Rangers, mounted, ready to start, was sketched at Blair's Fort in 1863 by a Mr. Stuart. Mr. Jim Mat Stephens of Dublin, Tex., owns the picture and is having it painted by an artist in St. Louis. For further information of the Ranger service, see Scarff's Comprehensive History of Texas.
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Photo by Watkins, Rising Star, Tex.
A GROUP OF OLD SETTLERS
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PERIOD 11-1873-1881
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION.
THE MOVING FRONTIER LINE.
The line of settlements in the County did not change for several years, but the force and power of the con- stantly increasing flow of human beings from the other States, which was stopped temporarily in the populated centers by the civil strife and the fear of the Indian in the West-could no longer be checked.
The Rev. C. Brashears, who came to the county in the autumn of 1872, writes of the conditions existing at that time :
"Six families at or near McGough Springs, three families at Mansker Lake, one settlement at Flanna- gan's, consisting of a cow-ranch and one family ; another on South Palo Pinto Creek of two or more families; these, with two families on the Sabanno, three at Elli- son's Spring, and three or four at Desdemona, made up the entire population of Eastland County when I came here.
"This was a fine stock country. Game was plentiful -such as bear, wolf, deer, turkey, buffalo, a few pan- ther, wild cat, catamount, fox, opossum, skunk, and Indian. There were wild horses here at that time and any number of cattle. This was then a fine hog coun- try, as there was always a heavy mast. Hogs were plen- tiful."
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
When it is remembered that in 1860 there were ninety-nine inhabitants in Eastland County, and in 1870 only eighty-eight (including women and children), the conditions prevailing at that time in this section will more readily be appreciated.
From Mr. Brashear's letter it will be seen that the frontier line of 1863 still existed in 1872, one year be- fore the County was organized, and was marked by Flannagan's Ranch, McGough Springs, and Jewell. Although the increase in population in one year was sufficient to organize the County as recorded in the fol- lowing chapter, yet the name of no man has been dis- covered who located west of the line above referred to prior to 1872.
It is pleasant to note, however, that once the County was organized and its possibilities known, a steady in- flux of people began. In 1873 scarcely the seventy-five required number of voters could be found; in 1875, when the County Town was permanently located at Eastland City, there were one hundred and twenty- three voters, and in 1880 the census gave four thousand eight hundred and fifty-five as the population of the County.
On November 25, 1874, the last raid of Indians through this County occurred .* They came down by
*Messrs. Sam Allen, of Van Horn, an7 K. Pemberton, of Stephenville, are the authority for this statement. Judge Calhoun thinks a raid into Comanche County, passing through the western part of Eastland, occurred at a later date, and a little incident related by Mr. Pemberton might seem to substantiate this opinion.
One day Mr. Frank Roach, who resided in the south- ern part of Eastland, had gone alone to mill in Comanche
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HISTORY OF EASTLAND COUNTY.
the eastern route, and on Barton's Creek Mr. Ellison was shot off his horse, and Mr. Leslie killed on Indian Creek. Messrs. Sam Allen, Silas C. Buck, Tom Gibson and Mack Singleton were four of eighteen men who chased the Indians one hundred and fifty miles.
During this period, 1873-1881, the old line of set- tlements was wiped out. Six families (names given elsewhere), stopped in the Rising Star Country; Major Munn, who had to go eighteen miles to McGough Springs for his mail (which Postmaster Father Mc- Gough kept in a shoe-box under his bed). settled at Nimrod, and lives on the land he first purchased; R. F.
County. On his return he met an acquaintance, who reined up his horse by Mr. Roach's wagon.
"How is it you are out alone? Aren't you afraid of the Indians ?"
Mr. Roach replied:
"No. Me and the Indians like each other; we get along along all right."
Hardly had these words passed when a squad of In- dians were seen coming around a thicket straight toward them. The man put spurs to his horse and was gone. Mr. Roach leaped from his seat, cut one of his fine young mules from the harness and sprung upon his back. No sooner was this feat accomplished than the mule, on whose back man had never sat, began to pitch and to plunge, while the Indians bore down upon the defenseless man who found him- self in such a close place. The mule, instead of going down the road as Mr. Roach urged him to do, rushed into a thicket, which the Indians at once surrounded, laughing up- roarously at the antics of the mule, and helped to keep things interesting to the man by plying him with arrows. Suddenly, however, the mule made a dash for the road and damaged his reputation by doing exactly as he was desired to do-made tracks so fast that the Indians were outdis- tanced. They took revenge by burning the wagon and its contents and carried off the other animal. Mr. Roach lost an eye in the encounter, but was always able to appreciate the good race that he made.
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