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North Texas StarAugust 2014

WE H VE COMP NYWE HAVE COMPANYButch Cassidy Sundance Kid lay low one night near AuthonButch Cassidy, Sundance Kid lay low one night near Authon

Outdoors Along The BrazosHUNTINGHUNTINGHODGEPODGEHODGEPODGEChasing Our Tales The Legacy of Lawrence Sullivan (Sul) Ross H.H. McConnell


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August 2014 NORTH TEXAS STAR Page 2

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North Texas Star 4

OUTDOORS ALONG THE BRAZOSHunting HodgepodgeBy Don Price

20

8CHASING OUR TALESDr. Jack Leigh EidsonBy Sue Seibert

16H.H. MCCONNELL

12By Jim DillardBy Wynnell Catlin

By Jimmy Walker

THE LEGACY OF LAWRENCESULLIVAN (SUL) ROSS

WE HAVE COMPANY

A t 2014 NORTHTEXAS STAR P 4


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August 2014 NORTH TEXAS STAR Page 4Outdoors long the BrazosOutdoors Along the BrazosBy DON PRICEHunting Hodgepodge

Dove season is right around the corner;it'll be here before you know it.

It's hot, man, it's hot. Not a breath ofair. Worms wiggle on the horizon; rivulets ofsweat run down your lenses, distorting what's leftof your vision.

Where in the heck is one lonesome dove?You'll sit and wait on one darn dove when they

aren't flying nor does it look from here like theyintend to fly. Even while trying out that new pairof 7x35 binoculars, you'll find that doves seem tobe an endangered species.

You're just sitting cross-legged under this mes-quite tree on the edge of a freshly cut maize fieldwith a 20-gauge over-and-under skattergun restingin your lap, and you're not taking the time to dothe "honey-do" stuff back home like you prom-ised, you know, the garden, the flower bed, etc.You're gonna catch heck and you know it. Maybetomorrow you'll crank the garden tiller.

The classified ad in the newspaper in the"Hunting Leases" section really caught your eye.

The grinning landowner who took your huntinglease greenbacks told you this was a red-hot fly-

way, lots of doves (multitudes, he said), and righthere in this exact spot right here under this mes-quite, a red-hot flyway, he said, and then he tookyour greenbacks. Was that a snicker?

The afternoon drags by, five minutes seems anhour; you'll check your wristwatch, knowing it'sstopped; and here comes something making you

jump out of your pants almost and it's nothingbut a dragonfly. No kidding, it's this slow.

Noticing this dragonfly suddenly out of the cor-ner of your eye makes you jumpy, tensing yourreflexes. You've been here so long this afternoonyou feel embarrassed.

You know dadgum good-and-well the landowneris watching you, hoping you won't fill up yourgame bag with too many of his money crop birds.

You know he's going to ask "How many?" whenyou later drive past his hog pen on the way out.Maybe he'll give you a refund because his dragon-flies made you so nervous you had to leave early.That won't work and you know it.

Finally after an impossibly long afternoon, noth-

ing but dragonflies, damn 'em, you'll get up slow-ly, all stiff-legged to hobble slowly around the

freshly cut maize to jerk open the cab door. Ah,the ole thermos jug.

But all things must end, no matter how disap-pointing, the orange wafer in the sky but a sliceanyway. Off with the game bag heavy with unfiredshotgun shells, the 20-gauge now in its case in theold Ford cab, slamming the door, cranking theengine, you'll naturally look the other way, maybewhistle a little tune as you stomp on the gas pedalwhile he's feeding the hogs, hoping you will beout of hearing distance, hoping he won't screamabout his damn birds, "How many?"

Out the front gate now, you'll swing by the fieldfor one last look from the gravel road. Ten, 20, 30in a flock, flock after flock, here they come overthe hot flyway mesquite, just like he said they'd dowhile he was taking your greenbacks.

I knew he would ... I can hear him laughingclear out here, listen, louder than the squealingpigs.

You can keep your old doves, you tight wad.They'll all leave, every blasted one, when the next

blue norther roars in anyhow.Continued on page 6

August 2014 NORTHTEXAS STAR Page 5


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Continued from page 4

Northwest of town, then west of town, againsouthwest of our city coils a serpent; but not a poi-sonous one as most would think.

It's just one more connotation of that phrase leg-endary Philip "Snaky" Harter would always usemeaning "a friendly reptile." Of course we're refer-ring to Los Brazos De Dios.

Sweet to one's ear is the rhythm of purling water,sometimes frothy but forever salty; you'll likely finda song etched in limestone or sandstone by cocking

an ear hardly more than a stone's throw from here,serpentine coils undulating to tempos Beethovenwould envy.

A river offers solace to anyone who will immersehimself in its cool; but a difficult thing to do is toslow down to see it, to feel it, to drink it. It is com-plete within itself.

The slowing down to feel this pulse develops arare quality today, a culture made of steel; this cul-ture seems to be lacking in many of our contempo-raries simply because they never take the time tohone it.

They desire both happiness and success withoutearning it; they want to master fly fishing in oneafternoon with a 95-foot cast, but it takes ages toreach that goal; their persiflage is heavily stereo-typed at parties. You can spot these guys a mileaway.

Just give me this upper middle Brazos landscape

so that I can stumble on to outlaw Sam Bass'sCanyon, a rugged place in which to rusticate. I usedto go there, and imagination ran wild; that old wood-en box of stolen gold double eagles ought to bebehind one of these limestone boulders...

To trundle the second bank of this river, to find theshards of legendary hermit George Harrison, hisdugout in 1906 in Fortune Bend, these things I'vealready done, and I yearn to do them just one moretime but with a deeper reverence.

Such a simple things as hacking the heart from acedar with a cutter's favorite 3-pound Kelly is grati-fying enough to hear the crisp "CHOCK" of theaxe ricocheting off a box canyon's wall smotheredwith virgin Ashe juniper at first light is more.

We think about our predecessors and wish theywere here, so we could chew tobacco and carry acoal-oil lamp, following a cow trail on the secondbank. "Just caught a big yeller under yonder rock,enough to feed the kinfolk for a week!"

Folks back then were free. They had never heardof "Information Overload," and multi-tasking. They

had time to sit on the front porch every evening totalk with their neighbors across the hedge. Thiscontrast of lifestyles makes one yearn for the thingsthat really matter in a lifetime, clearing the mind oftrivia.

Countless numbers of urban folk have floated thisupper middle Brazos; the majority wear watches or

cellphones now, glancing at these prisons of themind constantly, always aware of obligations backin the city, anything but where they are on a river.Few really get into a bucolic groove while on afloat.

This morning Charlie Goodnight and OliverLoving left Black Springs at first light to gatherrange cattle for another long dusty drive.

Sticking a sunburned hand into the coolness ofthe Brazos riffle, touching the minerals in white

water surging over chert as a Philip Harter's WaterSnake (nerodia harteri harteri) wiggles free an inchfrom your grasp this one solitary motion isenough of the good life this very weekend to pullone through the coming week of town life.

Drop your old cellphone in the deepest pool loosen your motor mount to let the 3-horse out-board "kerplunk!"

Row and sweat, sweat and row. Paddle to thelower end of the pool, shout to high heaven! sothat the gale from the south will blow you back andforth upriver, back and forth, in the same pool till

you drop the paddle you're spent not enoughstrength to hold it any longer.

This is your river's soul you've earned it!If you've worked diligently, long enough, a quiet

sense will mantle you, for you and you alone willhave felt will have discovered the bosom of LosBrazos de Dios. There is no shortcut.

August 2014 NORTHTEXAS STAR Page 7


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g g

Chasing Our TalesDr. Jack Leigh Eidson By SUE SEIBERT

Jack Leigh Eidson Jr. and his wife, Judy, aregood friends of ours. With Jack's assistance, Iwould like to tell you the story of a Parker

County legend and 20th Century pioneer. You maythink pioneer is an incorrect term, but as our storywill tell, Dr. Jack Leigh Eidson Sr. was a pioneerdoctor in Weatherford and Parker County. He led theway for all the doctors who are there today. He firstpracticed medicine when it was normal for a doctorto make house calls. Although he was a family doc-tor, dealing with the old, the young and the in-between, he still had time over his career todeliver over 5,000 babiesin Parker County.

"Dr. Jack" as he waslovingly known, died atthe age of 91 on June 15,2014. He died on Father'sDay with his sons at hisbedside.

Dr. Jack was born inGreenville, S.C., the son ofCharles George Eidson andMargaret Edna Leigh. Hewas married to Wera WandaCarroll, and to them wereborn daughter Wanda CarrollEidson Hobbs, Jack LeighEidson Jr., Mark CarrollEidson, Jon Keeling Eidsonand Scott Lee Eidson.

"Dr. Jack attended schoolsin New York City, Dallas andJacksonville, Florida, before

moving with his family toHouston, where he graduatedfrom Lamar High School in1939, his son, Jack Jr., told us.After his departure for college,his family moved to Waco. Dr.Jack graduated from theUniversity of Texas at Austin in1943 on a Plan II program and was a member of PhiBeta Kappa and Phi Kappa Sigma fraternities. Duringthe war, the Army sent Dr. Jack through BaylorMedical School on its three-year fast-track pro-

gram, from which he graduated in 1946. For the nextfour years, he served out his obligation in the U.S.Army Air Corps with duty in Houston, San Antonio,Indianapolis and Denver. In late 1949, Dr. Jack mus-

tered out of the Army in Denver. While traveling toWaco to see his family, he toured several small townsto inquire about practice opportunities. One of his laststops was in Weatherford, that beautiful town withthe highway running right through the middle of itscourthouse.

"He parked on the square, went inside the CityPharmacy and met the owner, Gerald Davis, toinquire about the city's medical needs. Gerald told Dr.Jack that if he would settle here, he would give himthe spare office in the rear of the City

Pharmacy for six months,rent free, to help him getstarted. The deal was doneand it sealed a lifelongfriendship.

"When Dr. Jack moved toWeatherford in January1950, he became one ofjust eight physicians in thecity of about 8,000. Thisgeneration of doctorsengaged in general prac-tice that included surgery,ER, psychiatry, OB-Gyn,pediatrics, geriatrics and,yes, house calls. Thiswas also the generationof doctors that wereoften paid with chick-ens, hogs, peanuts,melons and peaches.Dr. Jack practiced forover 50 years and

delivered over 5,000Parker County citi-zens. He was espe-cially known for agood tonsillectomy

and his gracious andgentle bedside manner. He had often said, I

was fortunate that I got to practice during the GoldenAge of Medicine - that period after penicillin andbefore Medicare!

"Dr. Jack was an active citizen and involved withmany professional, political, religious, social, civic

and government organizations. He was an activemember and an ordained Elder of the Grace FirstPresbyterian Church of Weatherford. In addition, hewas a 32nd degree Mason in both Scottish Rite and

York Rite Orders and a member of the Knights ofPythias. Professionally, Dr. Jack was a member ofAmerican Medical Association, Texas MedicalAssociation, Southern Medical Association, TheAmerican Academy of Family Physicians and TheRoyal Society of Medicine in London, England. Healso served as the Medical Director for AmericanBankers Insurance Company and as a past presidentof the Medical Directors Association of Texas. Heserved nine years on the TMA State Committee ofInsurance and six years on the Insurance Council forTMA He was past president of the local Tri-CountyMedical Society and was a delegate to TMA for morethan 20 years. He served as a doctor for the MissouriPacific Railroad and as Chief of Staff atWeatherford's Campbell Memorial Hospital for atime.

"In 1978, he organized the Three Rivers Chapter ofthe Texas Academy of Family Physicians. In August1993, Dr. Jack was honored as Family Physician ofthe Year for the State of Texas by the Texas Academyof Family Physicians. In 1996, he was certified as aMedical Director for Nursing Homes and continuedpracticing medicine until his retirement in 2000.

"When asked about his profession, he often related,You're a doctor when you wake up in the morningand you're a doctor when you go to bed that night.' Itmay be added, You're still a doctor when you haveto wake up at night and go to bed again before morn-ing.'

"If a patient were able to call him today, he wouldmost likely give his same age-old advice: Take twoaspirin, a hot bath and go to bed.'

"Dr. Jack received a 30-year pin for service to the

Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the SilverBeaver in 1962. He served as a NationalRepresentative and as a member of the ExecutiveBoard of the Longhorn Council. In addition, heserved as a voluntary physician at two NationalJamborees. All four of his sons earned the EagleScout Award.

"He supported Girl Scouts, too. In 1996, he waselected financial director of the Heart of Texas GirlScout Council and his daughter earned the CurvedBar Award.

"Dr. Jack was also active in civic affairs, having

served as president of the Weatherford Lions Club,The Cancer Society, director of the Chamber ofCommerce, drive director for the United Way andthree terms as a Weatherford city commissioner and

Jack & Wanda Eidson

Continued on page 10



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mayor pro-tem. He also servedon the Executive Committee ofRegion 5 of the Health Service

Agency and, in 1997, was stillserving as the Weatherford Cityhealth officer and medical direc-tor. In 1979, he received theChamber of Commerce Award forOutstanding Citizen.

"Locally known as Mr.Republican, Dr. Jack became activein politics in 1952, working for thecampaign of Dwight Eisenhowerwho carried Parker County thatyear. He was Parker CountyRepublican Chairman, StateRepublican Committeeman for the22nd Senatorial District and an alter-nate delegate to the RepublicanNational Convention in 1972 as aTexas elector.

"Dr. Jack did have a hobby - heloved wine! He and Wanda, his wife,were members of the Confrerie Saint-Etienne of the Alsace Region of France,an ancient society or brotherhood forthe integrity, appreciation and promotion of Alsatianwines. In 1971, he was one of the founding membersof the Fort Worth chapter of this confrrie, the firstsuch chapter outside of France. This chapter is still themost viable and active chapter in the United Stateswith over 100 members. He also was a member of theJurade de Saint Emilion, the International Wine andFood Society, the Chaine de Rotisseurs and theKnights of the Vine. He founded the OenologicalSociety of the Texas Medical Association and was oneof the charter members of the wine committee at theFort Worth club. The International Wine and Food

Society served as the basis of, or excuse for, Dr. Jack'sand Wanda's many excursions around the world wherethey met many like-minded wine aficionados in suchplaces as England, France, Germany, South Africa,India and Australia. When asked what his favoritewine was, Dr. Jack's usual reply was, The one I amdrinking now."

Dr. Jack participated in his Father's Day lunch thisyear, surrounded by his family. The lunch included a

bit of roasted lamb anda fine old 1982 PinotNoir. He then laid

down to take his eter-nal nap, going to sleeppeacefully to wake,we are sure, withWanda, his wife, whohad died 10 yearsearlier on Father'sDay.

I found it remark-able that at Dr.Jack's funeral, his8-year-old grand-son, Jack LeighEidson IV, readthe NewTestament les-son. What afamily!

As well, Dr.Jack's genea-

logical legacy isquite interesting. His wife,

Wanda, wrote five volumes on the Eidson and relatedfamilies. These books are still in print and may be pur-chase from family members. The title is It's SpelledEidson: the history and genealogy of the surnameEidson.

Dr. Jack descended from JosephEidson, son of Edward, down toSamuel Eidson of Hawkins County,Tenn. who was the son of WilliamEidson and Martha Wilson. Samuelwas born September 25, 1827,near Little War Creek in the com-munity that had once been called

Stringtown, but was laterchanged to Eidson after Samuel.Samuel was a farmer and traderof mules and other livestock.

Eidson, Tenn., remains anunincorporated community onthe north side of ClinchMountain in the Tri-Citiesarea near Bristol, Tenn.

Samuel Houston Eidson was the youngest child ofSamuel Eidson and Nancy Brown. He was born May31, 1863, in Eidson, Tenn. He was a successful stock

farmer who owned a square-mile farm outside Eidson.Charles George Eidson, born June 15, 1887, was the

child of Samuel Houston and Eva Lena MusgravesEidson. He received a Bachelor of Engineering degreefrom the University of Tennessee and a master's at St.John's and the University of Maryland. He taught atSt. John's and at Porter Military Academy in SouthCarolina. Called "Rube" or "Charley" he served inthe United States Air Service from 1916 to 1921,which included World War I. In 1930, his occupationas director and secretary of the Guaranty National LifeInsurance Company took him to Houston, and in 1942he moved to Waco with the American BankersInsurance Company. He married Margaret Leigh, andto them were born three children, Margaret Ethel,Charles George Jr. and Jack Leigh.

This family is a wonderful example of Americanhistory. Arriving from the British Isles to Virginia inthe 1700s, the family has served the country throughwars and peace, and we are honored that Dr. Jackchose our part of Texas to make his home and to servethe 91 years of his life.

Thanks, Dr. Jack!

JackEidson&

JimWright

1980-LateEidsonFamily




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The Legacy of LawrenceThe Legacy of LawrenceSullivan Sul) RossSullivan (Sul) Ross

By JIM DILLARD

[Part 1 of a series of articles on the life ofLawrence Sullivan (Sul) Rosswho served as a fron-tier ranger, soldier, statesman and educator devotinghis life to the growth and expansion of Texas tobecome the great state we know today.]

One of my most memorable experiences as a stu-dent at Texas A&M University took place during my

junior year when I attended Silver Taps. Having trans-ferred from Temple Junior College for the fall semes-

ter of 1965 to pursue a degree in wildlife manage-ment, I wasn't in the Corps of Cadets and knew littleabout the long standing traditions of the school. Whilecramming one night for a major quiz the followingday in Ichthyology (the study of fish,) my roommatesuddenly turned off the lights in our dorm room andsaid, "Let's go!" "Go where? I've got studying to do,"I replied. "It can wait - just come on!"

We made our way across campus in the dark asother students poured out of their dorms walkingsilently toward the Academic Building. As the throngof students gathered there in the plaza around theflagpole and statue of Sul Ross, not a sound could beheard. A contingent of the Ross Volunteer Company,which serves as the official Honor Guard of theGovernor of Texas, marched into the plaza and firedoff a three-volley, 21-gun salute to honor the untimelydeath of any student that was currently enrolled at theuniversity. Three trumpeters then began playing themost melodious and stirring rendition of taps I hadever heard. It sent a chill over me that I have neverforgotten. With the tolling of bells from the AlbrittonTower, the ceremony was over and students silentlyreturned to their dorms.

The Silver Taps ceremony originated in 1898 tohonor Lawrence Sullivan (Sul) Ross who had servedas the first president of Texas Agricultural andMechanical College from 1890 to 1898. His death in1898 culminated his lifelong journey serving Texasthat began as an Indian fighter on the Texas frontierand ended as leader and president of his belovedTexas A&M College. He was also a Texas Ranger,Confederate soldier, sheriff, constitutional framer,state senator and governor.

Sul was born in Bentonport, Iowa Territory, on Sept.

27, 1838, to Catherine (Fulkerson) and Shapley PrinceRoss. He was named for a paternal grandfather andbrother, both named Lawrence Ross, and a paternaluncle, Giles O. Sullivan. As a child he was called"Little Sul" by his family and later Sul, a name he

would use throughout his life. His father operated ahotel in Bentonport, but soon after Sul's birth, and thatof his brother Peter, the family moved to Missouri,where Shapley operated a farm. With the lure of glow-ing reports of opportunities in Texas, he moved hisfamily there during 1839. While traveling to the lowersettlement on the Brazos River in Milam County, theystopped at Waco Springs (present Waco) a location thatwould become pivotal inSul's later life. They traveled

on to Nashville, Texas, whereShapley took the oath of alle-giance to the Republic ofTexas and was granted 640acres of land, where the townof Cameron is now located.

As the family settled onthe land and struggled toexist on the frontier ofTexas, depredations byIndians were a constantthreat. Sul's father was fre-quently involved in leadingpursuits of Indians who hadstolen horses and other live-stock and threatened thelives of settlers. On oneoccasion, 30 Comanche raid-ers surrounded their cabinand caught young Sul, whowas away from the houseplaying. The Indians tookhim to the cabin where,using sign language, thechief asked Sul's father for atreaty and food for his war-riors. Sul was directed by his fatherto take them to their fields and give them everythingthey wanted, which he did without showing fear. TheIndians later returned with Sul, who had been pinchedand whipped with their arrow shafts and released himto his family.

In 1845, Shapley Ross decided to move his familyto Austin, where he hoped to provide his four olderchildren a better opportunity for a good education. He

sold 290 acres of his land and bought a wagon andyoke of oxen for the long journey to Austin. Uponarrival, they found the town consisted of a cluster oflog cabins and businesses situated along the ColoradoRiver. It was also the seat of Texas government dur-

ing its final year as a republic. Sul and three of hisother siblings were enrolled in school and began mak-ing good progress with their education. Shapley, onthe other hand, soon left with a ranger company hehad raised to fight in the Mexican War, leaving hiswife and family in Austin. When he returned from thewar in 1849, he became aware of an enticing opportu-nity to better his family by acquiring some rich farm-

land just west of theBrazos River near Waco

Springs. Jacob deCordova, who was partowner in a large tract ofland there, offeredShapley four free cityblocks in the fledglingtown, the sole right tooperate a ferry across theBrazos River and privi-lege of buying 80 acres offarm land at $1 per acre.

The Ross family madetheir move to WacoSprings where Shapleybought an additional 200acres in the area thatwould become the southside of Waco and beganconstruction of a doublelog house for his family.He selected his four lotson the bluff overlookingthe spring and began cul-tivation on his new farm-ing land. He also expand-ed his business opportuni-

ties by keeping a hotel, operatinga ferry, running the city waterworks and trailing cattleto Missouri. Sul and his brother Peter became activein every aspect of life in the frontier town and ontheir farm, learning to work in the fields, ride, shoot,wrestle, fight, fish and hunt in the bottoms of theBrazos River and creeks in the area. Sul became suchan accomplished horseman that his father frequentlyentered him on the family's entries in match races in

Waco or other area settlements. Indian depredationscontinued in this area as well and on one raid theystole a large number of horses from the settlement,including one of Sul's favorite race horses.

In 1856, 17-year-old Sul was enrolled in the

Sul Ross Statue

Continued on page 14



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Preparatory Department of Baylor University, at thattime located at Independence, Texas, to pursue a col-lege degree. College president Rufus C. Burleson,somewhat reluctantly, accepted his credentials andwritten testimonials. Sul excelled in his initial studiesat Baylor and completed the two-year preparatory pro-gram in one year. But, rather than enroll in Baylor andcompete his education there, he transferred to the

Wesleyan University in Florence, Ala. However, theexamining board determined he was deficient in math-ematics and refused to admit him. After making a pleato the board to allow him to enroll in the school ratherthan make the long journey back to Texas, Septimus P.Rice, principal and professor of mathematics, volun-teered to tutor Sul at night if he would board at hishome. Sul agreed. He sold his mule, saddle and bridleand began his studies in Alabama.

During his first two years at Wesleyan University,Sul matured intellectually and developed charactertraits and convictions political, social, and religious

that would sustain him the rest of his life. He alsocontinued to hold dear to his heart the frontier spirit hehad developed from the influence of his father whowas now Indian agent on the Lower Brazos IndianReservation in present Young County. After the closeof the semester on July 7, 1858, Sul returned to Wacowhere he found his mother busily directing the con-struction of a new two-story family home on theirfarm south of town. With the continued threat ofIndian raids by Comanches from their camps on theCanadian River, Sul saw an opportunity to participatein an upcoming campaign against them with his father.Rather than return to school, he departed Waco andtraveled to the Indian reservation, where his father wasorganizing a contingent of reserve Indians to partici-pate in the raid. The reservation Indians begged hisfather not to go on the raid for fear of losing him dur-ing the campaign and insisted that his 19-year-old sonSul lead them. Being in poor health, Ross reluctantlyagreed to stay and allowed Sul to take command of theIndians.

The force for the expedition into Indian Territoryassembled at Fort Belknap, located 15 miles up the

Brazos from the Lower Reservation, and included Suland 135 Indian auxiliaries, four companies of theSecond Cavalry, and one company of the Fifth Infantryunder Brev. Major Earl Van Dorn as commanding offi-cer. Departing Fort Belknap on Sept. 15, 1858, Sul andhis Indians marched ahead across the Red River intoIndian Territory, where they established a base campon the south bank of Otter Creek near present Tipton,Okla. Van Dorn and the remaining troops arrived fouror five days later and began construction of a picketstockade named Camp Radziminsik. Two WichitaIndian scouts were sent out to scour the countryside

for any sign of the Comanches. They finally locatedthem about 100 miles to the north camped along RushCreek with a village of Wichita Indians. They werecelebrating a recent treaty signing with United Statesrepresentatives and had no fear of the soldiers they

already knew had ventured into the region.When the scouts reported back to young Sul Ross on

their findings, they estimated the distance to the campat 40 miles rather than the 100 miles it actually was.Unbeknownst to Sul, the Wichita scouts had also toldsome of their fellow Wichita Indians at the camp ofplans the soldiers were making to attack theComanches at their camp. Sul convinced Major Van

Dorn to make a forced march to the Comanche Campand attack them before daylight. Within an hour, 300soldiers and Indian auxiliaries under Sul Ross beganthe march to the camp. However, at sunrise the Indianscouts advised them they were still a day's march awayfrom the Indian camp. They traveled on throughout theday and reached their objective, having traveled for 38days straight. The village was attacked the followingmorning through a dense fog. During the two-hourraging fight that ensued, Sul received two wounds, oneto his shoulder and another through his chest that exit-ed his back between the shoulder blades. Major Van

Dorn was also wounded and four soldiers killed.Seventy Comanches were killed and one white femalechild captive recovered during the fight. Three hun-dred horses were captured and 120 tepees and theIndian's provisions burned.

Sul and Major Van Dorn arrived back at FortBelknap in an ambulance on Oct. 18, 1858, to recoverfrom their wounds. Not until Oct. 26th was Sul able tomake his return trip home to Waco. Although Sul hadno formal military training, he received recognition forhis heroic actions and courage during this battle thatwould become known as the Fight at the WichitaVillage. He was offered a direct commission in theregular army by Brig. Gen. Winfield Scott, but choseinstead to return to Wesleyan University to completehis degree, which he did the following summer.

Despite the success of the Fight at the WichitaVillage during 1858, Indians continued to conductraids throughout 1859 along the Texas frontier. Dueto public pressure from settlers in North Texas, theremnant tribes living on the two Texas reservationson the upper Brazos were removed into IndianTerritory that year. Rather than lessen the Indian

threat, the relocation had the opposite effect byremoving the buffer the reservations had providedand set the stage for even more Indian raids. Sul con-tinued to heal from his wounds but became anxiousto remain involved in frontier defenses. Unable tolearn the identity of the young 8-year-old white girlwho had been recovered during the Wichita Villagefight, Sul adopted the girl and named her Lizzie Rossin honor of his sweetheart, Lizzie Tinsley, to whomhe was engaged.

On March 17, 1860, Capt. Middleton T. Johnson ofTarrant County was authorized by Gov. Sam Houston

to "raise a sufficient number of mounted rangers torepel, pursue, and punish" Indians raiding along theTexas frontier. Five companies of volunteers wereformed from McLennan, Dallas, Fannin, Collin, andTarrant counties. Sul joined the Waco company, led by

Capt. J. M. Smith, and was selected as a first lieuten-ant. The company left Waco on April 23 and traveledto Fort Belknap (Young County) where they were

joined by six other companies.Sul was elected as captain of the Waco company of

Rangers after Smith was elevated in rank to lieutenantcolonel to command the regiment. As the regimentwas being organized, Ross suffered a chronic case of

bronchitis which left him bedridden for several daysand unable to take his place as leader of his company.As he recovered, he became aware of local resentmentagainst him due to his father's reputation as Indianagent on the nearby Brazos Reservation. Threats weremade on his life by local citizens and others includingJohn Baylor who fanned the flames of anti-Indian sen-timents throughout the region.

It would not be until June 10 that the regiment final-ly began an operation into Indian Territory in pursuitof depredating Indians. Despite efforts to find andattack Indians in their camps that threatened the Texas

frontier, little success was achieved. At one point,Comanche and Kiowa Indians set fires to the vast prai-ries between the Red and Arkansas rivers, making itimpossible for the force to pursue them. The wholeregion became a charred landscape with little greenvegetation or forage for the horses. Ill once again, Sulleft his command and traveled to the Wichita Agencynear Fort Cobb for convalescence. With political pres-sure on the home front against Gov. Houston for hislack of ability to curb the Indian menace, Johnson'sregiment was disbanded on Aug. 26, 1860.

Once again, Gov. Sam Houston looked to SulRoss to help in the fight against maraudingComanches that continued to raid the frontier. OnSept. 11, 1860, he authorized Sul to raise a companyof 60 "mounted volunteers" to assemble at FortBelknap and defend the area from Indian raids. Hisorders were to "guard the passes leading into thecountry, and should Indians get into the settlements,attack, and if possible, destroy them." The companywas put together during the first week of Octoberand arrived at Fort Belknap on the 17th. In PaloPinto on Oct. 13, 400 people had gathered for a bar-

becue to honor some local anti-Indian volunteers.While there, 80 people signed a resolution "request-ing Captain Sul Ross be relieved of his commandand leave the frontier." Resentment against Sulstemmed from the fact that he was friendly withmany of the former reserve Indians who theybelieved were responsible for the continuing raids inthe region. Nevertheless, Sul went about the busi-ness of commanding his rangers at Fort Belknap andestablishing their presence by pursuing any Indiansthat ventured into the region.

(To be continued. ...)

* * * * * * * *

Sources: Sul Ross: Soldier, Statesman, Educator byJudith Ann Benner; Handbook of Texas Online andother Internet sources.



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16/24

H H McConnellH.H. McConnellBy WYNELLE CATLIN

In 1866, H.H. McConnell joined the army for dutyon the Texas frontier. According to his memoirsin his book, Five Years a Cavalryman, when he

arrived in Jacksboro, in Jack County, it was a publicsquare surrounded by a few rickety cabins.

The soldiers were promptly put to work erecting bar-racks on the square, which they did by standing logsupright in trenches to make walls and roofing themover.

Just as they were getting settled into their new bar-racks, orders were received to abandon Jacksboro, withpart of the troops going to Fort Belknap in Young

County and part going to Buffalo Springs in ClayCounty.McConnell spent a short time at Belknap, then was

ordered to Buffalo Springs. He had to come backthrough Jacksboro and when he got there the newlyerected barracks had been torn down and the logs usedby the Jacksboro residents.

The West Fork of the Trinity was between Jacksboroand Buffalo Springs. Heavy rains had flooded it, mak-ing it three miles wide and impassable. For severaldays, he waited at Jacksboro with the only soldiersthere -- the mail detail, which was responsible for get-

ting mail back and forth to Weatherford. Though noIndians had been seen in the vicinity for months, sol-diers were not encouraged to travel through the coun-tryside alone.

When the waters went down enough to cross theTrinity, McConnell and the mail detail slogged throughdense, wet bottomland, fighting mosquitoes. To keepthem away from their faces, they made fans from low-lying shrubbery.

At Buffalo Springs, which the War Department hadselected for a new four-company cavalry post, twocompanies of troops were camped out in a grove near

the springs. Some 100 civilian employees, consistingof quarrymen and stone masons, were preparing rockfor the buildings of a fort.

An hour or so after McConnell arrived, he was pro-moted to sergeant. When the soldiers put together theirtemporary quarters of six-man houses for themselves,they made an extra nice one for him. It was the besthouse on the post. It had a wooden floor, with con-demned blankets for carpet. It had two windows andcanvas on the walls and was quite comfy. The fireplaceeven possessed the quality of drawing, which very fewarmy chimneys exhibited.

The only thing missing was civilization. There werethe soldiers on the post and civilian workers in a camphalf-a-mile away, but not a single settler or family inClay County. Jacksboro, 26 miles to the south, had afew residents. A small community was 23 miles to thenortheast on the road to Sherman, but nothing but pri-

mevial forest to the north and west.Though there were no people, wildlife abounded.Everywhere cattle ran as wild as the bountiful deer andantelope. One old bull hung around near the post, andran a soldier up a tree, keeping him there for an after-noon.

Buffalo roamed the prairies. Cottontail rabbits sprangup before you at every step, as did jackrabbits, withtheir long ears. One day, a burro was grazingin a coulee with only his ears showing.The soldiers told a new recruit that itwas a jackrabbit the recruit was

astounded at the size of rabbitsin Texas.Wild turkeys were plentiful.

Every variety of game wasplentiful, except the grizzly,and soldiers kept the kitch-en supplied with freshmeats.

Monotony was a con-stant complaint of armylife at the time. Therewere no chaplains, no reli-

gious services, no church-going bell, not even a reli-gious service for those whodrowned or otherwise passedon.

Gambling was prohibited,but overlooked by superiors.Reading matter was scarce as verylittle made it to camp. The few booksand papers that did were loaned aboutuntil worn out.

Then, excitement was provided by

Indians the first encounter sinceMcConnell had been in Texas.

A 12-man detail with four mule teams driven bycivilians went to West Fork to cut timber. A party ofsome 250 Indians charged the camp, killed the teamsterguarding the mules and drove them away.

The Major in command of the camp ordered all sol-diers who had sufficient equipment to get ready to pur-sue the Indians. It was 350 miles to the nearest supplydepot and there were never enough horses, saddleequipment, arms or ammunition to properly outfit sol-diers. But they managed to get together 60 serviceable

horses, three officers and 70 men.That left 60 soldiers in camp, with enough arms and

ammo for 27. Preparations at the camp were made asthe Indians had probably gone on east on their raidsand would come back by.

Officers' families and laundresses were quartered in

the log forage house inside the corral where stray andextra animals were placed.All the wagons were placed end to end around the

fenced corral. Guards were doubled and lookoutsplaced.

Two days later, the Indians returned, accompanied bya large herd of stolen animals. The civilian workershad come to the camp and the Indians probably think-

ing the large number of men present werearmed, were afraid to attack.

The Indians set up their camp nearby,waiting two days for the horses and

mules to be turned out for water.But they weren't.On the third day, the major and

his detail returned. They hadn'tfound the trail of the Indians,so they had gone on to FortBelknap where the majorplayed poker with the offi-cers there before marchingback to Buffalo Springs.

The Indians packed up andleft without adding to their

stolen herd.The garrison was increased

to four companies and a stock-ade of pickets with sharpened

tops was placed around the cor-ral, should the Indians decide to

return.After the heavy flooding in June, a

drought set in and there was no rain untilDecember.

With no rain, it became evidentthe springs could not produce

enough water for four cavalry com-panies. It was apparent there wasn't even enough waterfor one company.

Sentinels were placed to prevent water being wastedand a guard kept at the springs to insure no onesneaked in and got more then their allotted one quart.Animals were sent under strong guard to West Fork todrink.

On Dec. 1, a board of officers came to camp andverified the lack of water. Orders were given to aban-don Buffalo Springs $100,000 had been spent thereand go to Jacksboro to erect Fort Richardson.

Most of the soldiers were moved there, butMcConnell and part of the troops stayed at BuffaloSprings to close it down.

Next month, McConnell went to Fort Richardson,where he finished his tour of duty and stayed tobecome a citizen of Jacksboro.

showing.t that itas

ts

.

veryw booksed about

arme , were afThe Indiawaiting t

mules tBut tOisoso

p

l

st

toade

topsral, sh

return.fter t

drought set iecember.

WithH.H. McConnell



17/24

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18/24

STORIES & SNIPPETSObjectives Of Rotary Good

For Success In Business

Sunday, July 17, 1966 Mineral Wells Index

This series of pieces from the past is meant to remind us of this areasunique history. The material comes from old issues maintained at theIndex office and is presented pretty much as it appeared in print. Thesepapers are quite yellowed and brittle, deteriorating from age. By publish-ing these pieces perhaps we can keep them in play in the digital worldfor years to come. For clarity, some punctuation issues have beenaddressed. Hopefully you will enjoy these tiny windows to the past.

Feedback is appreciated and will be shared. E-mail [[email protected]] or send your letter to Mineral Wells Index, P.O. Box370, Mineral Wells, Texas 76068, attention publisher. You may also dropit by our office at 300 S.E. 1st. St. in Mineral Wells. Thanks for reading!

If we never do anything more than what we get paid for, never willwe get paid very much, Al Jarrell, District Manager of the Texas

Power & Light Co. told the Rotary Club Friday noon at the BakerHotel luncheon. He recently transferred his Rotary membership toMineral Wells from Mesquite, Texas.

The guest speaker took for his subject the Objectives of Rotary, toencourage and foster the ideal of community service as a basis ofworthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage high ethical stan-dards in business... the advance of international understanding, andpeace through a world fellow ship of business and professional menall united in the ideal of service.

He suggested that business and professional men use the Rotary4-way Test as an example for their daily dealings with fellow business

men, employees and friends -- 1 is it the truth; 2--is it fair to all con-cerned; 3-- will it build good will and better friendships; 4-- will it bebeneficial to all concerned?

To illustrated his effort to encourage good will among employeesand a fellow man, he recited the well known remarks of DanielWebster in an address many years ago: If we work upon marble itwill perish. If we work upon brass, time will efface it. If we rear tem-ples, they will crumble into dust. But if we work upon mens immor-tal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, with the just fear ofGod and love of their fellowmen, we engrave on those tablets some-

thing which no time can efface, and which will brighten and brightento all eternity.

He stated that the principals Rotary should tie in with any businessand suggested that Rotarians read these objectives over again andpractice them in their own business or profession, for they are thebasic idea of life, they will make one feel more important-- they willencourage a better job today than was done in the past-- and better jobtomorrow than was done today. Go that extra mile and put forth 150percent effort in the things you do for a better business and a betterCommunity, he suggested.

Speaker Jarrell emphasized out great American heritage, Americathe greatest for life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the great freeenterprise system that has made this nation -- a place to live where a

man may go as high as his own potential will allow.Reach for a star and if you fail to grab it, there is one thing sure,you will not come up with a hand full of mud he stated in conclusionof a very excellent talk on a better way of life, personal or communitywise. It was a most useful program, one that was received by theRotarians with much enthusiasms.

Don Mitchell, president, presided and the program chairman wasGrady Elder. Guests were Rev. C.H. Cole, of Weatherford, a formerpastor of the First Methodist Church in Mineral Wells and BillBennett, local business man.



19/24

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Placein TimeAUGUST 29, 1860

Palo Pinto County trail driver Oliver Loving and John Dawson start a 1,500-head herd for Denver, Colo., to feed gold miners.

AUGUST 27,1856

Palo Pinto County is established from land formerly part of Bosque and Na-varro counties.

AUGUST 18, 1857

Palo Pinto County Commissioners order a notice for bids to build the county'sfirst courthouse in Golconda.

AUGUST 4, 1904

W.C. Poston and George C. Poston established Poston Dry Goods in downtownMineral Wells.


W h


20/24

The land south of Authon was quiet andpeaceful in 1900. Thomas Taylor hadraised a family, built up a farm and

buried a wife.His son, Byron, had married Effie Cox earlier

in the year and still lived with Thomas and histwo youngest children. Garner was west-south-west. Franco Switch was southeast. Neighborshelped each other. Strangers received hospitali-ty. People saw most of their friends at church.If you had not been to Fort Worth in a few

years it was not unusual. If you couldnt get itin Weatherford or Mineral Wells, you couldorder it and pick it up at the depot.

On one of those quiet and peaceful eveningssome men rode to the house and asked for aplace to spend the night. The house is full, butyou are welcome to sleep in the barn. Let Effiecook a few more pans of cornbread and we willfeed you supper.

The next morning the leader of the group toldthe Taylors that they were on their way to FortWorth to buy cattle and were carrying quite abit of cash for that purpose. He asked the

Taylors not to mention to any-one that they were passingthrough. They were afraid ofbeing robbed. They gave theTaylors a $20 gold piece for the

food and lodging.The men made their way to

Fort Worth, bought new clothes and, as a goodjoke, had their portrait made at John Swartzstudio near Hells Half Acre. They bought thephotograph and mailed it to the bank they hadrobbed in Winnemucca, Nev. They included anote of thanks.

Another copy of the picture was placed in thephotographers front window as advertising. APinkerton agent recognized the subjects of thephotograph a few days later and identified themas Butch Cassidys Wild Bunch. The picturewas then broadly distributed to newspapers tohelp catch Robert Leroy Parker and HarryLongbaugh, aka Butch Cassidy and theSundance Kid.

The Wild Bunch got their name from drink-ing and dancing trips to The Strip south ofFort Duchesne, Wyo. Apparently, they wereformidable and not to be opposed. They stolecattle and horses, robbed trains and banks andstayed ahead of the law by moving betweenColorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Nevada.They hid in Texas, but did not rob here.

Longbaugh got his nickname from a stay inthe Sundance, Wyo., jail as a teenage horsethief. He was plagued with excessive drinkingand venereal disease, but was quite good with arifle or pistol.

Cassidy was raised in a Mormon family, didnot drink alcohol and disliked gunplay. As ayoung man, he worked in a butcher shop inRock Springs, Wyo., and picked up the nick-name Butch.

The Wild Bunch established a signature pat-tern for their train robberies. Passengers werenot robbed or molested. They used dynamite toopen express cars and safes. Fresh horses werestationed in advance on their escape route,enabling them to outrun any posse.

Butch and Sundance went to South Americato continue their criminal careers. With Cassidygone, the members of the Wild Bunch did notfare well. Butch and Sundance probably mettheir end in Bolivia. Will Carver was shot whileresisting arrest in Sonora in 1901. HarveyLogan was killed in 1904 trying to rob a trainin Colorado. Ben Kilpatrick was killed in 1912trying to rob a train in Texas. The express mes-senger hit him on the head with an ice mallet.

It is a fun story that can be recounted bymany local descendants of Thomas Taylorincluding Norma Jean Walker, who heard thisfavorite tale told by her grandfather, Byron.

We have companyButch Cassidy Sundance Kid lay low one night near AuthonButch Cassidy, Sundance Kid lay low one night near Authon

By JIMMY WALKER

This photo, published in Time Life Books The Gunfighters, is

of The Wild Bunch, with Butch Cassidy seated at right. The

photograph was reportedly take in 1901 as a good joke. They

sent the photo to a bank in Nevada they had previously

robbed, with a note of thanks.



21/24August 2014 NORTH TEXAS STAR Page 22


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