Jack County, TX - History - Cambren-Mason Massacre ************************************************************************************* This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm ************************************************************************************* Cambren-Mason Massacre Wise County Messenger Decatur, Wise County, Texas August 31, 1894 The last week in May, 1858, in Lost Valley, Jack County, Indians massacred the Mason and Cambron families. These families had settled there several years previous to the incidents mentioned, some distance from the settlements at that day, had built comfortable log cabins, had opened small farms about one mile distant from and adjacent to each other and were very respectable cattle raisers. Hearsay had it that Cambron had $600 in gold in his house at the time of the massacre. They settled on a creek bordering the northern part of the valley afterwards called Cambron's creek. Corn was growing on the little farms receiving the second plowing. Mason was comparitively a young man, his family consisting of himself and his wife. Cambron's family consisted of himself, his wife, two boys and two girls. The youngest girl was an infant girl two years old. The other girl was about five years of age. One Isaac Linn brought the news of the massacre to the settlements. He had purposely gone to see his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Mason; but on reaching Mason's house found him and his wife dead, the house plundered and feathers from the bed ticks scattered in every direction. He proceeded to Cambron's house and found the family all killed except the two little girls, the house plundered and feathers from the ticking scattered and clinging to trees in the yard in all directions. Upon receiving the news in the settlements a company of 60 men was organized from the counties of Wise, Jack and Parker. One of the number, viz., Calvin Gage, was elected captain. This took about two days before convening at the scene of the massacre for the purpose of taking the Indian trail. Meantime a runner was detailed to Ft. Belknap for soldier assistance. They responded by sending a scout of 100 dragoons under Lieutenant Fiffer. The men and soldiers met at the scene of the massacres as soon as possible. They found the two small girls in the house of the murdered Mr. Cambron, where they had been living on clabber and sugar. The dead were buried without coffins as soon as possible. Cambron and his two boys were put into one grave; Mason and his wife, in one grave. Mrs. Cambron had been taken by the Indians about one half mile north from the hosue across Cambron's creek upon a high mountain where she refused to go further and was there killed and left. She was scattered where found without a coffin and covered with blankets. The older of the little Cambron girls directed where the body of her mother could be found. The Indian trail was taken and followed from there by the men and soldiers, and they pursued the trail northwest, crossing the Little Wichita, Big Wichita, and Red River, and thence into the Wichita mountains. After several days of fruitless reconoitering in the mountains, the buffalo having gone and the trail having become dimmed, the buffalo having gone and the trail having become dimmed, the expedition terminated, there being no rations and it being several hundred miles to any settlement. [transcriber's note: The name of the family was Cambren and the creek where they lived near by was Cambren creek. Some confuse this massacre with the Lost Valley Massacre, but the Lost Valley Massacre occurred in 1875. Dorman Holub, Chairman, Young County Historical Commission]