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Calhoun Children

Michael has a BA in History & American Studies and an MSc in American History from the University of Edinburgh. He comes from a proud military family and has spent most of his career as an educator in the Middle East and Asia. His passion is travel, and he seizes any opportunity to share his experiences in the most immersive way possible, whether at sea or on the land.

Jack County, Texas

    It will be remembered that the Indians commenced their depredations in Parker County during the year 1859, and so it was in Jack County. There was living in the above named county in 1859 a lady by the name of Mrs. Calhoun. She was the mother of six children and supported herself and family by her own exertions. In the spring of 1859, Mrs. Calhoun had been washing one day at a spring not far from the house and had left some articles of clothing there. She sent two of her children to get them, a lad about nine years old and a girl seven. As they did not return as soon as she expected she became alarmed and went out to look for them. Imagine the poor woman's horror when she discovered a party of Indians rapidly moving off from the spring. She ran to the place as fast as she could and called to her children, but receiving no answer and seeing nothing of them she hurried back to the house and dispatched one of her children to Jacksboro to tell the people that Indians had carried off a part of her family. A company of fifteen men was quickly raised. Six men from Johnson County joined them, making their total number twenty-one. They took the trail of the Indians, and after following it for about forty-five miles they came up with an old female tribesperson, who was carrying the little girl on her back. She endeavored to hide in the brush, when she made such a desperate resistance that the enraged men killed her.

    They then followed on the trail of the Indians who had possession of the little boy, and fifteen miles beyond they overtook them.

    The whites charged on the Indians, who retreated as fast as they could, but the horses they were riding were pretty well broken down whilst those of the Texans were comparatively fresh, and they were soon overtaken. The Indians immediately abandoned their horses, and leaving them and the little boy, took to the brush for safety, where they scattered in every direction. Finding it impossible to follow their trail any longer, the Texans started for home, and it was not long until the two little children were soon presented to their distressed mother, who had given them up for lost.

The above story is from the book, Indian Depredations in Texas, by J.W. Wilbarger.

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