10 May 1865 Letter Lt D C Paul re: jayhawkers Alexander Strother,
Joseph McGuire & David Davore, Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Lisa F. Franklin
Date: November 11, 2013

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10 May 1865 Letter Lt D C Paul re: jayhawkers Alexander Strother,
Joseph McGuire & David Davore

{cover sheet}

May 10    O.B.
Lt Paul    
Comd  
           
(Maj A F Boyd A.A.G.
(Alexandria
(Louisiana

(actual letter)

Near Hineston La    May 10th 1865
Majr. D. F. Boyd A.A.G.
Alexandria La

Majr. I succeeded in
catching three men who were Notorious Jahawkers
I Kept them under strict guard for two days
& nights got them to my Camp.  I then started
them to Head Quarters under a guard of
six men after traveling eight miles & coming to
a considerable Creek swamp they attempted
to get away they taken advantage of the swamp
& ran my men fired in to them & after a
considerable race killed all three of them
those men were of the crowd that you wrote
me words about by Mr. Pheris & was caught near
Pheris’ residence their names were Alexander
Strother, Jos McGuire & David Davore.
there is no doubt about there being a crowd of
Jahawkers near the mouth of Spring Creek
they are in Cocodrie Lake on an Island
& have boats for traveling in & out I will work
low down or have some of the gang soon
I have made some Discoveries which I think
will lead to more if you have any news
____ please let me hear from you
     I am always Majr. your most obt Servt
D C Paul
Lt Cmdg Detachment 2nd La Cav


Additional comments:
My sincerest thanks to my cousin, Pamela Downs, for sharing a 
copy of the original document with me. This transcription is made 
from that copy. The Alexander Strother mentioned here is my 2nd 
Great-grandfather. Alexander Asaria Strother Sr (30 Dec 1829 – 
bet 9 & 10 May 1865 & first burial at Osborn Willis Cemetery, 
Rapides Parish, LA. His tombstone is in error listing his death 
year as 1864.) who was married to Martha (Patsy) Willis (12 Mar 
1830 – 16 Sep 1899 buried at same location)..  Alexander, Patsy & 
children Sarah & William are found in household 651/651 of 
Richard Strother on the 1850 Rapides Parish, LA census.

Joseph McGuire & wife Elizabeth are found on the 1860 Rapides 
Parish, LA census enumerated 19 Jun 1860 in 235/236 as follows:
Joseph McGuire 25 M Farmer $250 LA [1835]
Elizabeth 21 F LA unable to read or write [1839]
Jeremiah 2 M LA [1858]
John McGuire 20 M Farm laborer LA [1840, probable brother of 
Joseph]
NOTE:  Another probable brother, William McGuire 19, is in 
household 232/233 of Joseph Willis

Elizabeth McGuire became the 2nd wife of Robert A (Bob) Perkins
on 6 Jul 1867 in Rapides Parish, LA (Book 17 page 3) and by him
had 5 children that I know of. (Robert A Perkins & his first 
wife, Levisa (Vicey) Carter, were my 3rd Great-grandparents).

David Devore is listed as David Davore on the 1860 Opelousas, 
St Landry Parish, LA census (Post Office Grand Coteau).  
He was 35 at the time (born abt 1825 in LA) & living in the 
house of H M Glaze 23 (b 1837 LA) & Mathilda Glaze 21 
(b 1839 LA). This would be Henry M Glaze & Mathilda Doucet 
who married 8 Dec 1859 in St Landry Parish, LA. David is also 
found on the 1850 Jefferson Co, TX census spelled as David 
Devier aged 25 (b 1825 LA) & living in the household of 
Jeremiah & Mary Fowler. It is possible he is related to the David 
Devore found on the 1840 Natchitoches Parish, LA census & the 
1820 & 1830 Catahoula Parish, La census.

D C Paul is David C Paul b 1836 LA to Michael Paul & Mary. 
David’s sister, Sidney A Paul, married 6 Sep 1871 Rapides Parish, 
LA to John Henry Carruth, nephew of my 2nd Great-grandfather, 
Wilburn Posey (Doc) Carruth. David C Paul married Elizabeth.  
Michael & Mary Paul & children are found 20 Sep 1850 in 390/395 
of the Rapides Parish, LA census. 14 Jul 1860 the family of 
Michael Paul Sr is in 743/744 of Rapides Parish, LA & David C & 
family are in 747/747. The Pauls are in 1305/1436 enumerated 12 
Jul 1870 in Rapides Parish, LA.

I wasn’t certain I had transcribed the name of the lake 
correctly, so I checked my LA atlas & Lake Cocodrie is East of 
Glenmora & South of Alexandria. There is one island named in my 
map – Peterson Island. Makes for interesting speculation. More 
research will be forthcoming regarding this bunch of jayhawkers. 
And let me say here that discovering my 2nd Great-grandfather 
Alexander Asaria Strother Sr wasn’t hung by jayhawkers (as the 
family stories have always said), but was in fact a jayhawker 
himself makes not one iota of difference to me. Our ancestors 
lived in a different time and their choices were their own. We 
have no right to judge. I hope this information is helpful to 
someone.

Lisa F Franklin (not associated with Tracking Your Roots)