DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS Sketches of Early Settlers *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Rebecca Ramsey Rramsey113@aol.com June 19, 2000 *********************************************************************** Sketches of Texas pioneers published in the magazine Frontier Times which was published monthly at Bandera, Texas by J. Marvin Hunter. December 1923, Vol. 1, No. 3 Colonists of Navarro and Denton Counties fight Indians. by A. J. Sewell, in San Antonio Light. The early settlers of Navarro county, like all others, were harassed by hostile Indians. Some of the lands were located as early as 1833 and surveyed by J. ELLIOT, surveyor under the Mexican government. After the Texas revolution a new set of locators came along and re-located most of the old surveys. It was while parties were out surveying lands that the incidents of which we now write occurred. In 1838, three men, SPARKS, BERRY and HOLLAND, were killed the same day on the south side of Richland, about twelve miles from the present town of Corsicana. They belonged to a surveying party and were ambushed and killed while all the others of their party were driven off. William F. SPARKS was a noted land locator from the town of Nacogdoches and his name as surveyor is attached to a large number of the land titles of this region. None of this unfortunate party was buried. Some of their surveying implements were gathered up about twelve years ago. About four miles south of Corsicana, in the following year, occurred quite a battle with Indians. Captain CHANDLER and Lieut. William M. LOVE and about forty other settlers engaged a large body of Indians and defeated them. When the fight commenced the Indians fled to an encampment they had nearby and made a firm stand for a time, but finally the camp was stormed by the Texans and the red men again went on the run. The pursuit lasted about ten miles and many of the Indians were killed and some wounded. About $4000 worth of property fell into the hands of Captain Chandler and his party. One of the men who participated in this fight was Col. C. M. WINKLER, who served with distinction under General Lee during the Civil War. The first settlements made in what is known as Denton county were on Hickory and Prairie creeks, from 1842 to 1845 by the WAGNERS, CLARYSES, KINGS and others. In June 1845, there were seventeen families in all. In the latter part of 1845 came MURPHY, the HARMASONS, the HOLFORDS, WELDERS, FRENCHES and others, and in the early part of 1846, the CARTERS, S. A. VENTERS and the YOCKHOMISES settled on Clear creek and the STRICKLINS on Isle de Bois. Denton county was organized in July 1846, and named for Captain John B. DENTON, who was killed in a fight with Indians on the Trinity. The Indians were numerous and hostile, and often bloody encounters took place between them and the pioneers. In 1868, a party of Indians, supposed to be about twenty in number, made a raid into Wise and Denton counties. Crossing Denton creek near the overland road and meeting no opposition, the savages at 12 o’clock at night dashed into the town of Denton and drove out about thirty head of horses without the inhabitants being aware of their presence. Next morning horses were missed from lots and pastures and Indian trails were discovered in the fields. Scouts were sent out in several directions and it was discovered by them that the Indians had gone out by the Gainesville road to the crossing on Clear Creek, gathering all on the horses on the route. No attempt had been made by them to kill any of the citizens on the route. When crossing Clear creek they attempted to capture two of Mr. ROLL’s little boys, who happened to be some distance from the house. Their main object seemed to be to get as many horses as possible. They gathered all the horses in the way until the rove amounted to fifty or sixty, then left the settlements beyond Clear creek and started in the direction of Cook county. Capt. R. H. HOPKINS, Stephen CURLEY and three other men who ranches on Clear creek were swept of a good deal of valuable stock, mounted fleet horses and started in pursuit. Another force of ten men also joined in the chase farther in the rear, not being able to keep pace with the Indians, all of whom were now mounted on fresh horses. The pursuit continued for many miles over the prairie, the party keeping in sight of the Indians all the time until the squad under Captain HOPKINS made a flank movement for the purpose of getting reinforcements from some of the ranches on the right. This move so confused the Indians, who thought this was some strategem, that they turned into the brakes and briers on Clear creek, where they were charged upon by Hopkins and his men and nearly all of the stolen horses recaptured. The Indians escaped with the horses they were riding and went off in the direction of Montague County. Soon after this rain a runner hastened to the town of Denton and reported Indians in force gathering between the ranches of Thomas EAGAN and George McCORMICK. About twenty-five of the citizens immediately armed themselves, mounted horses and started in pursuit. About ten miles from town the scouts discovered two Indians on Hickory Creek driving about fifteen head of horses to the main herd. They raised a yell and charged them and recaptured the horses. Tarleton BULL was in the lead and fired first at close range, wounding an Indian in the spine. The Indian turned and fired at Bull but missed him. He then raised his bow to discharge an arrow but was fired on by the others of the party and hit with three more balls and fell from his horse dead, without shooting the arrow. Mr. Bull secured his horse and E. ALLEN got the gun and bow and the quiver of arrows. The other Indian escaped. The scouts then pushed on closely after the main body of the Indians up the North Hickory, but did not come up with them until they halted at Chrisholm’s ranch. Here the Indians formed for battle, the chief blowing a shrill whistle. Hearing the whistle, a dog belonging to one of the settlers ran over to the Indians and was at once killed by them. The number of white men by this time had increased to forty-three men and the Indians numbered about one hundred and fifty. Firing commenced on both sides and the Indians, seeing the small force of the settlers as compared with their own number, raised the warwhoop and charged. As is often the case in battles with Indians some white men cannot stand the charge and yell of an Indian, and so in this case some broke away and then others followed and all soon became scattered in a disorganized fight. Encouraged by the braver men, the retreating ones rallied and a stand was finally made, but in the flight Sevier WHARTENBURG was killed and then scalped and stripped of his clothing. William EAVES was wounded and George McCORMICK’s horse was killed, but he succeeded in making his escape across the creek. The stand that the white men made was not of long duration, but they succeeded in checking the Indians and then retreating more slowly in a body. The Indians succeeded in getting away with about three hundred head of horses. The body of the slain man was afterwards recovered and carried to his home and buried. --------------------------------------- Rebecca Ramsey Rramsey113@aol.com