The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-09-30
A Story OF The Days OF The Civil War

(The following account Of some Of
the doings in this part Of the country
during the days Of the civil war, and
particularly in regard to the killing Of
ALI Bowlan, notorious bushwhacker
and outlaw, was written by w. D. Tits
worth, an old settler in this part Of the
country, and who died at his home in
the edge Of Christian county just about
week after this article was written. -
Ed.)
Bluff, Mo-, Aug. 6, 1915
ALI Bolan was born and reared in
Christian county, near Highlandsville.
He was Of poor parentage, and unedu'
Gated. Now, as ! am an uneducated
man, you cannot expect me to do a
first class job, especially in spelling,
but will do my best, and giant can
not do more, but my way Of thinking
is that poets are not made but born.
John A. Gideon said that he hunted
coons with Bolan, when he (Bolan)
was in his shirt tail, and that was all
he had for a covering for his person,
but when the great war dogs began to
howl and the drums began to beat
;heir long roll this eccentric boy had
grown to manhood and his sympathy
rather ran in favor Of the South, but
his mind led him to murder and loot.
He shot men and boys without dis
elimination, mostly from the brush.
Bolna shot me in the year Of 1861
while I was on scout duty under Cap
tain Galloway. l was plotting a man
to our lines who lived South OF White
river, and l went 10 a house to get
Some food, as knew that the people
who lived there were loyal to the I'm
ion cause, but Bolan was hiding near
and when I approached the house
gave me a shot from his old trusty
rife. Naturally never felt good to-
wards Bolan after that,
Wood Gideon planned by the aid Of
a woman to kill Bolan, but this plan
failed. However, Wood found out
when Bolan was coming to see his
mother, and accordingly Wood Gideon
and Bill Williamson went and waited
all night and when Bolan came out Of
the house the next morning we began
to give him some OF Uncle Sans John
tanner. But we had very bad arms,
such as old deuinger pistols and muz'
zle loading shot guns, but finally Bolan
lay PROSTATE on the door step Of his
mothers house, and We thought he
was fixed for all time to come, but he
was only wounded and lived to get re-
venge on many a Union soldier,
Still, this roundup We gave him, caused
him to seek greener fields further
south.
Before this he had killed boy by
the name OF Willis, a widows son.
This boy was only thirteen years old,
and was shot dead while standing on
his mothers porch, from behind a
huge rock that is known today as
"Bolans Rock" This boy had an older
brother, and some people think that
Bolan went there TO kill the older
brother, and finding him gone took
revenge on the younger boy. This
family lived on Roark, a small stream
that empties into White river at Bran
son. The Willis family lived about
where the railroad station krowp as
CAREER is now located.
This was in the year 1861. and that
part Of Taney county was little more
than wilderness. There was little hos
tility between the North and South
factions at this time, but Bolan soon
drove the people to action. I, for one,
was awakened with a wound in my
side, and though but boy Of fifteen,
I soon learned to use a gun.
An old man by the name Of Bud,
who lived near Walnut Shade. Taney
county Missouri, was taken prisoner
by band Of "Oushwhackers" and was
taken north up Bear creek until they
met Bolan at Q place where Spokone is
now located. From there Bolap took
Al. Ill .- J.-z ~. r.~- ....i