Indian Raids
It has been estimated that more than 400 people
were killed, scalped or carried away by Indians between 1853
and 1874. This is an attempt to list those individuals. If
two dates or different facts are listed, it is because accounts
differ. If you know of others not listed here, please
let me know.
Name. |
When |
|
Notes |
2 children |
July 26, 1863 |
|
captured at Mount Nebo Community, south of Weatherford |
Servant of Mrs. John Brown |
Summer 1861 |
|
Killed and scalped but twin child of Mrs. Brown that she
was caring for was spared |
Akers, Hannah |
Summer 1863 |
|
captured in South Parker Co. with her cousin, Bill Wilson
but both were rescued in Palo Pinto Co. 4 days later |
Barton, Margaret Maybury
|
winter 1865 |
|
Margaret Maybury Barton was the wife of Lemuel C. Barton
and the mother of 2 small children at the time of her death
at age 26. Margaret was inside the cabin fixing a meal for
the children. Eyewitness accounts say that she burst out
of the door carrying the two children, just about the time
that her niece on the next property realized that the riders
coming were Indians. Some of the Indians chased after Margaret
and one caught her by her hair, holding her while another
Indian loosed the arrow. She took an arrow through her left
breast, near the heart, but did not drop her children when
she fell to the ground. The rest of the group of Indians
were busy ransacking the cabin and driving off the stock.
The niece who was about 15, ran back inside her family's cabin and dressed
herself and mother in men's clothing, came out carrying 3 guns. Her younger
brother was given one and the two ladies had the others. Vashti Barton
and Carrie Reid Barton ran out to where Margaret lay, grabbed the two
children and ran back to the cabin. Then, they went back out and dragged
Margaret into their cabin. The oldest boy was whipped with a rope around
the face and head and the skin was off of his nose. Margaret died about
2 hours later.
This is documented by the Indian Depredation case files from Washington,
DC; by testimony of Vashti, Carrie and son Thomas, along with that of
her husband, Lemuel who testified about her death and the damage/losses
to his property during the raid. The family lived near Littlefield Bend
along the Brazos River at the time of this raid and the death of Margaret.
Information provided by Virginia
Oakley. |
Baxter, M.J. |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; emloyed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford |
Berry, Robert Wilson |
Sept 1864 |
|
killed in Smith Valley while loading pumpkins.
The following informaiton was provided by Emma
Cronin.
He was born abt 1826 in Alabama and married on 2 Sept. 1848 in Hopkins
Co., Texas to Meda Odom. Meda Odom was born abt 1833 in Tennessee. This family
is in the 1850 census of Hopkins Co., Texas.
Robert Wilson Berry served in the Civil War - Co. F, 19th Texas
Calvary. His death was talked about in "Historical Sketches of Parker
County And Weatherford, Texas" by H. Smythe. on pgs. 187-188.
Meda Odom was the daughter of Ollen & Mary Odom who moved
to Hopkins Co., Texas around 1850 from Tennessee. Then then moved
to Parker Co., and are there in the 1860 census. |
Blackwell, Hugh O. |
abt Sept 1864 |
|
killed while returning home from Jacksboro near his home
on Rock Creek: sometimes called Upton O. Blackwell |
Blackwell, Children |
abt 1860 |
|
one child captured from home of Hugh Blackwell, recovered
at Fort Cobb, Indian Territory; 2nd child was killed several
miles west of Weatherford |
Blackwell, Fremont |
Oct 1866 |
|
7 yrs old; captured by Indians with his cousin, 6 yr old
Tommy Sullivan who was killed; Fremont was later rescued.
(Per information suppplied by BKB = "According
to Benjamin Blackwell (WPA's Indian-Pioneer Oral History-vol.8,
pp.307-328 &/or vol.72, pp. 296-314) Tom Sullivan and
cousin Fremont Blackwell were returned to Granny Perry in
Collin county, TX. Ben, wife, mother, Tom Sullivan, George
Sistrunk and Mr. L. Perry left on March 16,1886 for "NO MAN'S
LAND" (Okla.) following the "Old Dodge City Trail"and crossed
the Red River at Doan's store by Timber Creek following the
Tuttle Trail to Beaver City, Greer County. Ben's older brother,
Joel, my GGF-5, was a Texas Ranger in Jack County, TX") |
Blackwell, Joe |
Oct 1866 |
|
10 yrs old; wounded when his brother and cousin were captured
by Indians |
Bowman, Jessie |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; emloyed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford |
Brown, Mrs. F.C. |
early in 1863 |
|
killed in her yard same day not far from the Hamiltons.
- 16 year old daughter, Sarah died and 14 year old daughter
wounded |
Brown, John |
Dec. 1859 |
|
near present Bethesda Community; eleven miles from Weatherford |
Brown, Sarah |
early in 1863 |
|
killed at same time as mother, Mrs. F.C. Brown |
Browning, Frank |
June 1860 |
|
seriously wounded |
Browning, Josephus |
June 1860 |
|
killed by Comanches while brother, Frank was seriously
wounded |
Briscoe, Isaac
and wife |
1862 or 1863 or late spring of 1866 |
|
killed at home near Goshen church on Walnut Creek; Eliza
(10 yrs old), Isaac (3 yrs old), and a younger sister were
taken captive. Isaac and his wife were buried together
in a single grave in Goshen Cemetery. Eliza and Isaac were
traded to the sutler at Fort Dodge, Kansas 2 years later. |
Cathey, Martin |
July 4, 1872 |
|
killed with Jackson Hale while going to one of the mills
at Weatherford |
Cranfill, Linn Boyd |
April 23, 1871 |
|
15 yrs old; son of Isom Cranill, shot and killed by indians
while looking after the horses early one morning. His sister
was able to raise the alarm quickly enough to prevent him
from being scalped |
Culwell, Jack |
March 1886 |
|
Wounded at same time was John McMahan and Sam Leonard;
buried in Goshen Cemetery |
Dalton, Marcus L. |
Dec 16, 1870 |
|
Northwestern portion of Parker Co. killed with him were
James Redfield and James McAster -Account
of Attack |
Earnest, Fine |
July 1869 |
|
received an arrow wound in the wrist while fighting
Indians that killed John Lopp |
Elliott, James S. |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; emloyed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford |
Elliott, Samuel |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; emloyed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford |
Fulton, Diana |
Aug 1866 |
|
age 10, captured with Wilson boy; rescued in starving condition
abt 4 days later by Capt. Marthell's company. |
Gorman, A.J. |
July 1867 |
|
killed on Rock Creek, only home for one month from the
Confederate Army |
Hale, Jackson |
July 4, 1872 |
|
killed with Martin Cathey while going to one of the mills
at Weatherford |
Hamilton, Stewart |
early in 1863 |
|
pierced with Indian arrows with brother, William near home
on Patrick's Creek |
Harmilton, William |
early in 1863 |
|
pierced with Indian arrows with brother, Stewart, near
home on Patrick's Creek |
Hemphill, Joe |
July 1874 |
|
killed and scalped while patrolling Parker and Wise Counties
lines; buried in Veal Station Cemetery |
Landrum, Thomas |
March 14, 1872 |
|
Killed in front of Fuller Millsap's residence; the Indians
were run off by Mr. Millsap and Joseph B. Loving |
Lassiter, Green |
early in 1871 |
|
killed by Indians near Keechi,
Keechi Valley is in Jack and Palo Pinto county as it makes its way down south.
But the Lasaters lived in Lasater Valley not far from Barton's Chapel and close
to Palo Pinto county. Location clarification submitted by
Dorman Holub.
|
Leeper, John |
Fall 1867 |
|
An old man killed while gathering corn near the home of
his brother-in-law |
Leonard, Sam |
March 1866 |
|
Wounded in the raid Jack Culwell was killed |
Light, William Mrs. |
July 1868 |
|
killed with husband and baby son, two sons and daughter
survived; Mrs. Mary Light was the daughter of Judge R.E.
Porter, who helped organize the city of Weatherford.
killed 7/4/1868 buried Porter Cemetery |
Light, William G. |
July 1868 |
|
killed with wife, Mary, and baby son, two sons and daughter
survived
10/10/1847- 7/4/1868 buried Porter Cemetery |
Long, Nathaniel S. |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; emloyed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford; wagon master of the
train attacked |
Long |
1865 |
|
a neighbor of Vernons, killed in same raid as Andrew Vernon |
Lopp, John |
July 1869 |
|
shot 62 times by Indians - another
account of the attack |
Lyttleton, daughter |
Fall 1865 |
|
Shot by Indians in the leg breaking it while she was forcing
the door closed at her home |
Maxwell, Henry |
abt Sept. 1864 |
|
killed on Onion Branch near the Brazos |
McAster, James |
Dec 16, 1870 |
|
Northwestern portion of Parker Co. killed with him were
James Redfield and Marcus Dalton - Account
of Attack |
McMahan, John |
March 1886 |
|
Wounded in raid Jack Culwell was killed |
McClesky, George W. |
August 1873 |
|
killed while talking to his father-in-law, John Baumgarner
in his yard |
McKinney, James
wife, Cynthia Brisco
6 yr old daughter & infant |
Spring 1865 |
|
Killed by indians about 2 miles east of the present site
of Agnes, near a spring known as "Jenkins Water". Their
3 year old son, Joe survived. All 4 are buried
in a single grave in the Goshen Cemetery. |
Montgomery, John |
1863 |
|
Resided north west of Springtown near the
Wise county line.
Biography
A detailed account of the Indian attack is found
in "Pioneer History of Wise County: From Red Men to Railroads,
Twenty years of Intrepid History", by Cliff Donahue Cates,
Decatur, Texas 1907:
"No single exciting act culled from the scenes of the
most realistic drama could be more thrilling than the following true occurrence,
which the writer attempts to describe in language befitting the occasion. Pioneer
citizen J.B. Thomas' farm lay over the line of Parker and Wise Counties in the
community of which the present village of Opal is the center. On November 3,
1866, threshing was in progress on this farm, the merry hum of the machine and
the occasional shouts of the workers, being the only noises to break the stillness. J.B.
Thomas and his son, Soney Thomas, were on the stack pitching bundles to the feeder
when they happened to glance across the field to see six Indians stealthily
lay down the fence, come inside and approach the horses which the men had turned
loose to graze in the field. Thomas and his son immediately gave the alarm and
the elder Thomas slid off the stack, grasped the pistol of Jack Gore, one of
the helpers, and started toward the Indians afoot. The other men quickly
mounted horses about the thresher and set off after the Indians, who had by this
time driven the horses through the gap in the fence. Those in pursuit were
Jack and Andy Gore, Brice Mann, John and Bill Mathews, Soney Thomas and the latter's
father. After passing through the gap the horses set out for J.B. Thomas'
home, a distance of three-quarters of a mile, the Indians pursuing and the men
dashimg after the Indians. In order to reach the house the horses traversed
a circuitous route, and the Indians, in maneuvering to head off their course,
worked around so far in the rear as to come up some distance behind the men. The
latter were still going in the direction of the house when they came upon Uncle
Johnnie Montgomery, an aged citizen of Parker County, to whom they quickly explained
the object of their haste, imploring him to join them and ride to the house for
safety. Uncle Johnnie was seventy-five years of age and was mounted on
a very fine horse which he had just taken off the grass. Apparently he
was more conscious of the danger of running his horse than he was of danger to
himself from Indian attack. Anyhow, he refused to accelerate his speed
and jogged on toward the house alone. In a twinkling the Indians were upon
him, shooting and yelling and brandishing arms. Uncle Johnnie now set off
rapidly toward the house, but he had made the start too late. He was shot
through the back, the ball penetrating the heart. His horse dashed up to
the yard gate and the rider reeled and fell dead at the fence. The horses
had reached the lot, but when the men and Indians ran up, which was about the
same time, they took fright and ran away again. The Indians, seeing them leave,
followed and succeeded after all in capturing them. The men were occupied
with the dead man who had fallan at their feet. This all hapened in less
time than it takes to tell it. The men could have doubtless done more effective
work if the successive movements had not been so quick and electrical. As
it was, they were flushed out of a quiet scene and on to a swift and tragic climax
before their senses could be roused to proper action."
Information provided by: George M.
Montgomery
|
Mullins, John |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; employed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford |
Redfield, James |
Dec 16, 1870 |
|
Northwestern portion of Parker Co. killed with him were
Marcus Dalton and James McAster - Account
of Attack |
Reynolds, Buck |
1865 |
|
shot a few miles from Mr. Long in same raid; carried a
steel-spiked arrow in his body from which he died later.
Per Joel Neil, the
attack occurred in Wise County, near Paradise and Sylvestes "Buck" Reynolds
actually lived some twenty years after the attack. Buck was
also a cousin to B.F. Reynolds, the first white child born
in Parker Co. |
Rippley, Edward
& wife, |
April 1869 |
|
killed near home (Rock Creek) by Comanches |
Saunders |
|
|
a young man killed northeast of Springtown; Polk & John
Matthews were wounded at the same time but recovered |
Savage, Bolin
& Children |
July 1863 or Nov 1866 |
|
killed on his farm, 4 miles southwest of Weatherford
one son killed and 2 children captured; 8 year old was ransomed for a pony
in 1868 at Fort Sill |
Savage, James
& Children |
July 1863 or Nov 1866 |
|
killed on his farm, 5 miles southwest of Weatherford
2 children captured |
Sherman, Martha |
Dec. 1859 |
|
tortured near the Parker-Palo Pinto county line; died 4
days later |
Sullivan, Robert Harvey |
Oct 1866 |
|
13 yrs old; wounded when his brother and cousin were captured
by Indians |
Sullivan, Thomas |
Oct 1866 |
|
6 yrs old; captured by Indians with his cousin, 7 yr old
Fremont Blackwell (See note on Fremont Blackwell) |
Tinnell, William |
July 4, 1869 |
|
a wagoner shot and scalped; died a week later at home
of John Kaufman-account
of attack |
Vernon, Andrew |
Aug 1865 |
|
age 7, killed, shot with several arrows |
Vernon, Frances |
Aug 1865 |
|
age 14, shot in the back and arm |
Vernon, Thomas |
Aug 1865 |
|
age 9, shot in side and shoulder and speared |
Walsh, George & Robert |
1864 |
|
Robert, the oldest brother, was killed and George wounded
by hostile Indians near Weatherford in 1864. Not many details
are known however the family still owns the arrow heads that
were taken from George Washington Walsh's body. George survived
but carried the scars until his death as an old man. Information
submitted by Beth Covey. |
Welch, daughter |
Fall 1864 |
|
One daughter was killed, another wounded while going to
the Alexanders, a mile away for a jug of vinegar , Mr. Alexander's
daughter was nearly captured but the Indians were scared
away by her mother. - On Clear Fork - 14 miles north of town. |
Williams, James W. |
May 18, 1871 |
|
One of 7 teamsters killed by Kiowas led by Santanta; emloyed
by Captain Henry Warren of Weatherford |
Wilson, boy |
Jan. 1861 |
|
age 12, captured with Diana Fulton; rescued in starving
condition abt 4 days later by Capt. Marthell's company. |
Wilson, Bill |
Summer 1863 |
|
Captured in South Parker Co. but rescued after 4 days with
his cousin, Hannah Akers in Palo Pinto Co. |
Woods, Mrs. |
Jan. 1861 |
|
killed and scalped; two sisters, the Misses Lemley were
seriously injured at the same time. |
Youngblood, William |
Spring 1861 |
|
killed and scalped while in woods near home to cut and
split rails; scalp was recovered by Rangers and placed back
on his head before burial |
The Ghost of
Cross Timbers website offers a unique way to learn about the Indian
Troubles in Texas. Many of the stories are directly related to Parker
County. I have provided links above to some of the specific individuals
mentioned, but the whole web site is fascinating reading.
This list of individuals was compiled from researchers
and several books about Parker County including:
Grace, Jno. S. And R.B. Jones. A New History of
Paker County, Weatherford Democrat, 1906; reprint ed, Taylor
Publishing Company, 1987.
Marshall, Doyle. A Cry Unheard, The Story of Indian
Attacks In And Around Parker County, Texas, Annetta Valley
Farm Press, 1990.
Smythe, H. Historical Sketch of Parker County
and Weatherford, Texas, St. Louis: C. Lavat Book and Job
Printers, 1877; reprint ed., Waco, TX.: W.M.Morrison, 1973.
If a name does not have a source listed, it came from
one of the above books. Many that are attributed to a researcher
were also mentioned in one or more of the above books, however the
researcher was able to fill in more details.
This page was added on February 24, 2003
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