Big-Foot Wallace (On the cover)

No frontiersman ever lived in Tex­as who became so well known as William Alexander Anderson Wallace, better known as "Big­Foot Wallace." He was born in Lexington, Virginia, April 3, 1817, and came to Texas shortly after the Battle of San Jacinto won for Texas her independ­ence from Mexico. From time to time this magazine has published sketches of this noted frontiersman, but this sketch is a record of some of his thrilling ex­periences, as related by himself, in his own words and in "Big-Foot's" characteristic style.  Wallace was both a hero-frontiersman, and a true Texas “character”.  His style of writing is very engaging – you will not be able to put it down. 

Further Mentions: “…when I was in charge of the mail coach, running from San Antonio to El Paso, I got into one I thought I should never squeeze out…”* General Scott * General Johnston * the watering place on Dev­il's river * "If there had been nothing else, the appearance of, the country around our en­campment was enough to make one un­easy, for it had a real 'Inginy look'-brok­en, rocky hills, covered here and there with clumps of thorny shrubs and stunt­ed cedars * "One night, when Ben and I were on a spying expedition in one of the Waco vil­lages * "I listened attentively, and sure enough I could hear the sound of horses' feet clat­tering on the rocky ground, and the next minute we saw twenty-three Comanche warriors coming as fast as their horses could bring them right for our camp.* Ben Wade * "Now score 'em, boys," says I, and we let them have it. Four fell dead at the crack of our guns, and the fifth scrambled back into the chaparral as fast as if he had had a heavy bet on doing it inside of a second. I told the boys to load up again as quick as possible, for that more of them would be sure to come to take off the dead ones; but I made a miscalculation this time for a certainty. Not a thing could be seen or heard for fifteen or twenty minutes, when all at once we saw an arm rise up out of the bushes, on the edge of the chaparral, and make a sort of motion, and next instant one of the dead Indians was snaked into the thicket; and I wish I may be kicked to death by grasshoppers, if they didn't rope every one of them and drag 'em off in that way, and we could never see a thing except that Indian's arm, motioning backward and forward as he threw the lasso. * "While the boys were harnessing up, I took my rifle and stepped out a short dis­tance to reconnoitre, and well for us that I did, for on reaching the top of the little rise where I had first taken my stand. I saw. and counted forty warriors coming down a canyon not more than four hun­dred yards off. I was satisfied it was not the same party we had been fighting, but a reinforcement coming to their assist­ance. They rode slowly along directly to­ward me, and when within about one hun­dred yards of me, I rose up from where I was sitting and showed myself to them. They halted instantly, and one of them, who I supposed was the chief, rode thirty or forty yards in advance of the rest, and in a loud voice asked me in Mexican (which most of the Comanches speak) what we were doing there. There is noth­ing like keeping a stiff upper lip and showing a bold front, when you have to do with Indians; so I told him we had been fighting Comanches, and that we had flog­ged them genteelly, too. * California Springs * 

W. E. GILLILAND DEAD

Another pioneer has passed to his re­ward. Editor W. E. Gilliland, of the Baird, Texas, Star, died in that city early in January. Mr. Gilliland went out on the frontier in the early days, and "grew up with the country." He was first a cowboy, and later took up newspaper work. He established the Baird Star more than forty years ago, and was its editor up to the day of his death. "State Press," in the Dallas News, has this to say of our departed friend…

When Billy The Kid Was Brought To Trial

Helen Irwin.   

George R. Bowman, in 1877 when a young man of 25, joined his father, for a stage coach trip from El Moro, Colo, where the railroad ended, to La Mesilla.   The country was infested with two in­imical tribes of Indians, the Mescalero Apaches and the Jicarilla Apaches, and, more dangerous than these, marauding bands of white bandits. Among the latter, the most notorious was the youthful Billy the Kid. One of the most thrilling epi­sodes of Bowman's career was acting as clerk of court when this 21-year-old bandit was on trial for his life.   It was in 1881 that Billy the Kid, whose real name was William Bonney, joined one of the factions in the cattle war then raging. Already he had to his credit a man killed for every year of his life, and he now proceeded to add a few more notches to his rifle. One of these notches was the killing of the sheriff of Lincoln County and after the cattle war was terminated Billy was brought to trial for this assassination.  This is the story.

Further Mentions: General Lew Wallace * Mrs. Bowman * Dona Anna County * Lincoln County * Bowman describes the drama of the mo­ment when the jury filed back into the room to render their decision. It had not taken long. Silent, contemptuous, Billy the Kid stood before the judge and heard his sentence-"to be hanged by the neck until you are dead." * Pat Garrett * Las Cruces to El Moro * Jimmie McDaniels * Tula­rosa * Mr. Herron * 

WAS ON THE BUFFALO RANGE

James W. Stell, of Cedaredge, Colorado, writes about his experience on the buf­falo range as follows:

"I have been intending to write to you for quite awhile. Have been reading about old Fort Griffin in your magazine. I drove stage out of there in the spring of 1877 to a buffalo town called Reynolds, north and west of Fort Griffin. I drove for Lee Reynolds and Rath, and carried the mail and express in April, May and June, two or three times a week, without change of stock. Fort Griffin was sure a lively town then, as all of the buffalo hides from west and north to Red river came through there to Fort Worth, 150 miles away. There were two dance halls, and I don't know how many saloons. A man by the name of McCamie was the hide buyer there. He also ran a store up on the Wichita river. Two Irishmen by the name of Quinn ran a store on the old McKenzie Trail, about twenty-five miles east of the Double Mountains. Lee Reyn­olds and Mr. Rath done most of the hide buying in that country as far north as Dodge City, Kansas. I was engaged in buffalo hunting from 1874 up to 1879. Was in the Yellow House Canyon fight, on the head of the Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos, near where the town of Lubbock now stands. That fight took place on March 15, 1877. There were for­ty-five volunteer Rangers; we organized at Reynolds, Texas. The battle was fought at the foot of the Yellow House, and there were about fifty Comanches and 150 Apaches from New Mexico in the fight. We killed thirty-six Indians, and secured a great many horses. One of our men, Joe Jackson, who lived near Waco, was …

UNCLE KEN ELKINS DEAD

All old settlers of Central and West Texas mourn the passing of Uncle Ken Elkins, who died recently at his home in Kent county, Texas. He was one of the outstanding characters of the frontier, and lived to the ripe old age of 96 years, having been born in Illinois, in September, 1832. He moved with his parents to Tex­as and settled in Parker county …

TEXAS LITERATURE SURVEY

Mentions: Dr. L. W. Payne, Jr., of the University of Texas * Mr. D. H. D. White * the stone buildings in Ban­dera, the Huffmeyer store, Carmichael store, Schmidtke residence * Buck Hamilton, who was sheriff of that county * Henry White * Judge Howell Johnson, of Fort Stock­ton * Captain W. L. Wright and C. I. Miller * Sheriff W. P. Rooney * Benjamin Franklin Gholson. * Col. George W. Saunders * Mr. Earle R. Forrest * E. D. Harrington, Pontano, Arizona

Luke Short

By T. U. Taylor

Luke Short  (Includes old B&W photo image) was one of the charac­ters of the West and a man of peculiar characteristics. Small in size, quiet and unobtrusive in manner, with nerves of steel, mild-mannered, he was true to his friends and asked no quarter from his enemies. The name Luke Short appears in all the histories of two towns of the West, Dodge. City, Kansas, in its wildest days, and Tombstone, Arizona, but little else is known about him short of certain rather doubtful and fanciful tales.  He was a friend of Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and Doc Holliday, and did have a gunfight with the legendary Jim Courtright.  This story seeks to shed more light on the mysterious figure of Luke Short.

Further Mentions: * the White Elephant * Judge Stedman and the late Wm. Capps, of Fort Worth * Charley Bull, Courtright's partner in the detective busi­ness * Bull and Jake Johnson * Mr. Harris, who is vice-president of the Dodge City bank, and Mr. Webster *  

A MASON PIONEER DIES

Just before going to press with this is­sue we received the news of the death of Mrs. Mary Ellen Sands, pioneer lady of Mason, Texas, at the age of seventy-two years. Mrs. Sands was born in Murcer county, Missouri, Nov. 3, 1856, and died at Mason January 26, 1929. She came to Texas when she was 11 years old, and was married to W. D. Sands on June 1, 1873. Mr. Sands died thirty-six years ago. Four children survive, being Will B. Sands of La Union, New Mexico; Mrs. J. S. King, Mrs. C. A. Barnhart and Walter Sands of Ma­son, Texas. Mrs. Sands was one of the gentlest of mothers, a true Christian, de­voted to her family and her friends, and her passing is mourned by all who knew her and loved her.

W. A. Roberts, A Pioneer

By J. Marvin Hunter.

WA. Roberts,  (Includes old B&W photo image) pioneer cattleman of Frio Town, Frio county, was born January 16, 1869, in Montgomery county, Texas, and with his parents, moved to Frio county in 1879. When he was thir­teen years old he entered the employ of the late Captain B. L. Crouch, one of the big cattlemen of Southwest Texas, and be­came a cowman himself, following the business for more than fifty years. He made several trips up the trail, going as far as Nebraska on one occasion. Other trips carried him into New Mexico. In 1884 he drove a bunch of horses from Seven Rivers, New Mexico, to Marfa, Tex­as, shipped them to Uvalde, and from there drove them across the country to the Crouch ranch in Frio county, west of Pear­sall. The last trail trip made by Mr. Roberts was in 1885, when he went with a herd of Crouch & Crawford cattle to the Chickasaw Nation.  At various times in his career Mr. Rob­erts had brushes with Indians and out­laws. He was credited with having out­witted a big gang of cattle thieves when he was a young foreman for Captain Crouch and other notable exploits.  This is his story.

A Vast Frontier Was Guarded By Fort Concho

Robbie M. Powers.

Fort Concho, pride of the army in the days of the earliest settlements, guarded the wide gateway that opened upon the old frontier.   This is a very detailed account of the origin, development and early history both of the fort itself and of the city of San Angelo.

Further mentions:   expeditions made by Corondo and Cabeza de Vaca * after the California gold rush in 1849, the United States Government ap­pointed one Captain Marcy, to lay out a southern route through Texas to the Pa­cific coast * This line was called the Butterfield Overland * Col. Robert E.. Lee * Fort Chadbourne * John Brown's raid, Major Thomas of Fort Chadbourne * The Chisholm Ranch was established in 1862 * Tankersley in '64 * . W. DeLong located at Lipan Springs * a sort of drawn battle had been fought be­tween soldiers and Kickapoos at Dove Creek * Peg­leg Station near Menardville * Dr. W. M. Notson * Quail and the prairie chicken scurried thru the mesquite grass, and the rivers were alive with finny revelers-buffalo fish, bass and catfish, many of the last named tipped the scales at 75 pounds. The new country was not without interesting diversions for soldier off duty * Dr. Samuel Smith * Mescallero Apaches * Ben Ficklin * Bart DeWitt * his (DeWitt's) sister­in-law, Angelina, a nun in Ursuline Con­vent at San Antonio * "The Fighting Res­taurant,"  * Scot, W. R. Whytock * the new Olympic Theater * Henry Wambold * Sheriff Spears * Many peculiar types of people frequent­ed the frontier saloons. There were "Taka de Cake," a darkbrowned son of Italy, a gambler,. who spoke several tongues; "Hurricane Minnie" who blew in from somewhere; "Cap-Hop Kid" and "Rocky Rivers," card sharks who could always answer present if the bartender called the roll; "Casino Mack," the nimblefingered, and wide-awake "Midnight Molly" com­posed a group which seemed unwilling to leave San Angelo until… * Ballinger *  Beau Brummel * Rufe Burris * the case of John Gray * Colonel Grierson * a white man named McCarty * the Nimitz Hotel *                               

MORE ABOUT W. B. ANGLIN

C. W. Grandy, Brownwood, Texas.

Ranger W. B. Anglin was the last man killed by the Indians in Central West Tex­as in 1876.  He was a brave Indian fighter and noble frontiersman.  He joined Captain Maltby's Company E, Frontier Battalion, in June, 1875, Major John B. Jones commanding.  Here is a brief story of the good man’s life.

Further mentions:   Captain June Peak * Ex­Ranger John Banister * F. Dobie * Brownwood * Anglin's Lake * Midland * Salt Gap, in the Brady Mountains * the grand old Buf­falo Gap range, Mt. Pass, Cedar Gap, Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos.  * the Clear Fork of the Brazos in August covered with buffalo cows and calves * Shorty Brown at Fort Chadbourne *         

Brief History Of The Early Days In Mason County

By J. Marvin Hunter.  (Fifth installment – continued from last month)

[SELLER’S NOTE: Actually, Mr. Hunter should have titled this series of stories “A detailed and extensive account of the Early Days in Mason County.”  This great series (5 installments) includes some of the most painstaking historical research to be found anywhere, and it all pertains to the life of Mason County and its early history, settlements, frontiersmen, family movements, development, Indian raids, political, social, economic development, etc, etc.  As well as including the most minute detail, this series also includes many, many old B&W photo images of NUMEROUS early settlers of Mason County.  Truly Mr. Hunter has done an inestimable service to those interested in Mason County, Texas history and genealogy.

Suffice it to say, if you live in Mason County, Texas, or have ancestors there, or just have genealogical or historical interest in the area, YOU WILL FIND NO RESOURCE BETTER THAN THIS GREAT SERIES.]

In the year 1849, under the ad­ministration of President Taylor, the government, with the view of encouraging the settling of the southwestern border in Texas, es­tablished a line of forts from the Red River to the mouth of the Rio Grande at a distance of forty or fifty miles apart.

An expedition in the charge of Captain Ma­son was sent out to choose locations for these posts. He recognized the natural advantages of a hill just south of the pres­ent town of Mason and marked it for a fort, which was called Fort Mason in his honor. The land upon which the fort was built was purchased in a hundred and six­ty acre tract from Mr. Hick, the father-in­law of another Mason resident, Mr. Jacob Schuessler.

The next year, 1850, Major Merril and four companies of soldiers began working on the much desired fort, but it was not completed for two long years. From the time of the arrival of the contingent under Major Merril until the outbreak of the Civil War, the fort was constantly gar­risoned by from two to eight companies of soldiers, depending_. upon the ever-changing hostility of the savage hordes about it. Be­fore the soldiers came into this frontier country, no known white man had visited it. The Kiowa, Apache, and Comanche In­dians, and the buffalo, antelope, and deer had been the only inhabitants. The tribes resented the_ intrusion of the white-men and very soon they took the war-path against them. Their natural ferocity, strengthened by an intense hatred of their new enemy, kept all but the most daring away; even the most zealous and fearless frontiersmen kept at a distance. The nearest settlement to Fort Mason was Ferdericksburg, where the Fisher & Mil­ler Emigration Company founded a colonly of German emigrants, who had left their crowded Fatherland for a more properous life in America. Many of these emigrants were revolutionists who were forced to leave Germany because of their apparently radical views. Their descendants fought "Kaiserism and Kulture" during the World War and were among the best soldiers our country posessed in the Civil War. One soldier, of whom all Texans are proud. Louis Jordan, was the first Texas officer to fall in action in France and was among the first eighty picked men to be sent from Texas to the front lines.

To each settlement in this southwestern borderland the State of Texas gave a grant of six hundred and forty acres, and well did they deserve it, for the dangers, privations- and hardships these poor set­tlers endured were almost inconceivable. Some died of starvation, others were slaughtered by the Indians, and a great many died of disease produced by lack of nourishment and other terrible privations. To some fourteen or fifteen families an as­signment of land was made in the southern portion of Mason county, then under the jurisdiction of Gillespie county, but these people were compelled to wait until the soldiers had arrived before they could take posession. In 1855 and 1856 the Koth­manns, Leifesters, Jordans, Lemburgs, Simons, Kneeses, Hasses, Beherns, Elle­brachts, and others, whose descendants are filling Mason County today, comprised the small band of settlers in that untamed land. They faced their uncertain future bravely and tried to live as normally as possible, erecting homes and producing what foods they could in their new en­vironment. Henry Hoerster, now a cattle­man and one of the most prominent citi­zens of Mason, Texas, claims to be the first white child born in Mason County. The hardships and discouragements which awaited them were many for, in spite of the vigilance of the soldiers, the Indians would destroy the fruits of many day's toil in a twinkling and sweep away to safe­ty with bands of stolen horses and cattle. Above all, their lives were in constant danger. Nevertheless, they were determin­ed to found permanent homes for them­selves and their posterity. They trusted in God, being devout Christian men and women. As soon as they became settled they created an altar to their God. It consisted not in an ordinary church as we have today-building materials were too scarce for a real church to be had; so each family made a little altar in their log cabin and each cabin served as a church. The meetings were held in a cycle, and the en­tire populace attended them. At the conclusion of each meeting the good folk re­mained and ate dinner with the host…

And so begins this excellent historical account of the rich history of Mason county.  (The preceding  introductory excerpt is from the first installment, found in the November, 1928 volume, which is available from us here at oldventures – just request)

This installment mentions Whitmill Holland * Dave Garner, who was at the time engaged in the grocery business * Lem­burg's store * Boone­ville, Arkansas * J. G. Adcock * Mr. Adcock's family was composed of himself and wife, two sons, Andrew and Marcos, and two daughters, Ethel and Lois.  * Mr. R. Grosse  (Includes old B&W photo image) * John Lemburg, Sr., was another pio­neer citizen of Mason * Charles Lemburg of Cali­fornia; Ernest J. Lemburg, John Lemburg, Jr., Mrs. Ed Lemburg of Austin, Will Lemburg of McAllen, Jim and Arthur Lemburg of Dallas; and daughters, Theresa, Carrie, Nellie, Nina and Sophie * Wm. Sands * Dan Bickenbach * William Dodd, who was engaged in the drug busi­ness * W. N. Morrow, also a drug­gist * the Mason news of August 13, 1887 * Will Dodd * Frank Badger * Mr. Wil­liamson * Mason County War * Major Hunter's hotel * Sheriff John Clark * the two Baccus broth­ers * a man named Wiggins * a man named Turley * Judge Everett * a man named Wil­liam Coke * Mr. Coke was foreman of a cattle ranch-near Mason * Mr. Miller * Daniel Hoerster, a prominent man,  * Peter Jordan * George Gladden * Keller's store about twelve miles south of Mason * Mose Beard * Beaver Creek * Loyal Valley * John Worley * Scott Cooley * John Ringo * Captain J. B. Gillett * Major Jones * Captain Ira Long * ten boys of Company D * Cool­ey's gang * Tim Wil­liamson * John Ringgold *                                           

STILL MAKING HISTORY

Mentions:    The newest weekly newspaper in the Hill Country is the Leakey Leader * Emmett T. Hensley * Mrs. Hensley * Junc­tion City Clipper * Harper Herald *    

The Old "Double File" Trail

By W. K. Makemson.   

Much historical detail is here devoted to the exact route of the old "Double File Trail".  It was called that be­cause in travelling they rode in two files or by twos, hence made two trails or paths country and its exact location is traced out in this story.  The trail dates back to ­perhaps 1828 or 1829 from it’s point of origin in East Texas and extending to some point in the Rio Grande, perhaps Laredo.  The "Trail" crossed the Brazos river at the Falls; Little River below the "Three Forks" and the Colorado at or near the place where Webberville was afterwards located. 

Further mentions:   Round Rock "Tap" * Jem Shaw, a Deleware In­dian * Chandler's Branch * Mr. Wm. M. Stinnett * Dr. Thomas J. Ken­ney * Brushy Creek * known as the "Cove,"  * Mrs. Mary Jane Lee, of El Paso, Texas * Clarisa * Castleberry and Courtney, were killed by the Indians at Bone Hollow on the waters of the Salado, about five or six miles north of where Corn Hill is now situated * Hon. Joseph Lee, who it is said was the first lawyer to locate at Austin * Kenney's Fort was situated on the south bank of Brushy Creek and about 250 yards below the point where the Katy railroad bridge crosses the creek * Capt. Shapley Ross, father of the late ex­ Gov. Sul Ross * John C. Compton * Perry Neal and Tom Roberts * Mr. A. C. Beaver * Col. W. C. Dalrymple * the Town's Mill dam * Bry­ant's Station, crossing Possum Creek where the Dick Robbins place is now situ­ated * General McLeod's camp * Capt. Nelson Mer­relle * the Little River Crossing * George W. Kendall * President Mirabeau B. Lamar * Gen. Mc­Leods camp,  * Major Bird * Kendalls * O'Possum Creek * Deep Creek * Don­nohoe's Creek * Elias Queen * John Graham, the great uncle of our fellow­townsman, D. L. Graham * the "Watkins Crossing.",  * the old Freeman Smalley grave yard * "Bony" Ferguson * M. Jester * Chandler's Branch * Frank Smalley * Mer­rill's field * Thomas Thaxton * Mesquite Flat * Henry Tisdale * J. J. Johnson * Wm. Palm's house * Mankin's branch * the La­Rue place * Rich­ard Sanson * Capt. N. M. Merrille * Mrs. John Palm * Joseph Barnhart * Capt. Ladd * Davis Chandler * the Watkin's place * the Hutto and Round Rock road *                                                     

Tells Of Red Rovers Who Came To Texas

Account of the military unit composed of Alabamans who came to the rescue of Texas at the time of the desperate situation at the Alamo.  All the men of the unit were brutally slaughtered at Goliad, except three who feigned death on the firing squad and then proceeded on a daring escape back home.

"But long before he reached home, Dr. Shackelford and the other two men, the war being over, had come back. I recall so vividly the day the Doctor reached home, he came on the horse cars from Tus­cumbia. The word had gotten out some way that he would be in that day. It seemed to us children that everybody had come to town. All the day before and that night, men, women and children, with their dogs, in wagons, on horse-back and afoot, they came from everywhere, our town was full and they were camped all over the place. As the hour drew near and the people gathered round the depot, or ware­house, as it was then called, a restrained quiet seemed to pervade the atmosphere, men talked together in low tones, even the children, under the restraint of nervous mothers, ceased their playing and hung around with questing wonder written on their little faces. Soon the car, with its straining horses, was seen, and as it came to a stop, there wasn't a sound from any source. It seemed that even the dogs felt the influence of this suppressed something that filled the air. And then Capt. Shack­elford appeared and walked into their midst. As he stood, a tall, rugged man, sunburned, thin, grown old in a few short months, with tears running down his checks, and told them the fate of husbands, fathers, sweethearts and brothers, with the women wailing, children crying, and strong men with faces drawn in agony, at the cruel recital, it seemed no scene could possibly be more greatly filled with suf­fering. No one present will ever forget that scene. Six-year-old child as I was it painted a picture on my mind that my more than four score years has dimmed but little.

DR. P. H. CHILTON DIES

Dr. P. H. Chilton, former Texas Ranger of the Old Guard, died at Falfurrias, Tex­as, January 19, 1929. He belonged to Cap­tain G. W. Arrington's company…

ASA STANFORD, Armstrong and Crane, from