The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-07-22
FRONTIER DAYS IN TEXAS
SETTLERS KILLED 80
BY INDIANS.
r T seems that during the many long
years that Texas was settling, as
i new counties were formed and the

1ian troubles. Brown County was n,
exception and furnished her BLOODY
chapter to swell the crimson pages o.
frontier history.
During the fall of 1857 numerous
hostile bands passed through Pecan
Valley. riding over the country in day
light and attacking every one they
met. During this time band of eight
Indians came upon Brooks Lee. He
was riding mule and was about half
n mile from his ranch in the valley
just below the present town of Brown
wood. There was small field near
by and to this Lee succeeded in get.
ting and took refuge behind the fence.
The Indians were close upon him and
shooting arrows when he dismounted
and crossed the fence His only
weapon was sixshooter, but he was
cool. brave man, and his first shot
killed an Indian, which put check
on the advance of the others when
they discovered that their enemy was
not afraid and knew how to use his
pistol. They halted at the body Of the
fallen one; some dismounted. and. TAX
ing him up, placed him behind an
other Indian to be carried of. This
halt enabled the settler, with the ad.
vantage of the fence. to gain add.
tiOnal distance. and the Indians soon
gave up the chase and rode away.
They left the slain Indians blanket,
which was covered with blood. Ar.
rows were in the fence and ground,
and some In the mule.
A short time after the attack upon
Brooks Lee a man named Lewis. who
lived three miles lower down the valley
near the mouth of Stepps Creek. had
gone out about mile or less from his
house to unhobble and drive up his
horses when five Indians ran upon him,
killed him and captured the horses. |
The arrow which killed Lewis went |
clear through his body. The Indians |
now passed on down the valley and fell |
in with another band. which increased
their number to seventeen. From there
they went through Lampasas and on
to the head of Nolan's Creek in Bell
County. and there turning back passed
through Coryell County south of Gates
Vile some ten or twelve miles. On the
head Of Owl Greek they came upon two
men-Brown and Pierce-who. with a
a little boy named Dave Elan, were
hauling rails to fence farm. The lit
tie boy Jumped from the wagon and
fed for life. Some of the Indians pur. |
sued him and catching up with him
struck him several times, but seeing I
one Of the men about to get away left '
the boy and ran to catch him. The tw,, /
men were killed and scalped. but the
lad made his escape. He afterward
lived In Coryell. and was known az y
Indian Dave" L
In the upper or western part of Con
yell County the Indians divided into a
three squads. each party having $50 II
head of horses. One squad passed up q
he Leon Valley, one up Cow House n
)reek. and one up Lampasas River, and g
were to come together. as indications e
howed, at the Salt Creek Mountain, d
hirty miles west of the town of Co W
nanches. The band that passed up m
he Leon Valley was discovered late tC
ne evening by the mail carrier en- Of
QUITE to Brentwood, the Indians pass
ng MERGERS Gap. The carrier was not
lscovered by the Indians and he re-
nrned as fast as he could on n mule n
even miles back to Elisha Bancroft's, n,
irving there soon after dark and tell 81
ig the news of the presence of In A
ians. Runners Were sent to all of the ye
nttlements in reach and by 10 o'clock p
nat night scout of twelve Comanche fe
ounty men were in the saddle and II
ding fast, Salt Creek Mountain being w
lie objective point, they thought by or
aching that place before day the In. mr.
ans could be discovered and inter- I'M
'pted as they passed in the morning. 70
bout midnight a furious cold norther in
ew up, and while the boys suffered ba
uch they pushed on to reach q Ger. mr.
In water hole ten miles from the
ountain, at which they supposed the IN
ldians would stop, but in which they ho
ere mistaken. The Indians had trav- tu
ed to the mountains without hating co
I'd beat them there. an
The moon had gone down and 1t was tn
dark to see anything small! distinct. tn
when the settlers arrived at the an
ountain, but they discovered the sto- de
a horses. They had been driven
er 100 miles in less than thirty hours,
ID did not scare or run when the
hite men came close to them. ST. on
ltly the young Indian fghters-for ve
old or middle-aged men were along no
searched around, but could not 10. w,
te the Indians, and had to stand in bo
g cold wind with chattering teeth a,
til daylight. The dawn was not far IN,
'ay and soon relieved their freezing %,
illness. Each pair OF eyes now do
AIMED the country, trying to locat. ri
Q Indians. for they We're near, as all 6v
ew. Finally Dan Cox discovered Ia,
loke Issuing from n deep ravine, and 90
wing his hat toward 1t all advanced ov
that direction. The Indians were ,,o
lsting chunks of horse meat and did oor
{ discover the white men, who came do
foot. until Dan Cox was within th,
rty feet of their fire with a shotgun n