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Berry C. Buckalew

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.

Uvalde County, Texas

    Berry C. Buckalew who lived two or three miles south of Utopia, on the Sabinal, carried a load of shingles to San Antonio and was returning with a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen, and loaded with supplies. January 26, 1866 he reached the Cosgrave ranch about sundown. This ranch was on the Seco about seven miles from the home of Berry Buckalew. Here he ate his supper, and his neighbors requested that he spend the night. But he stated he had been away from home for several days and was already anxious to return. So he started home, although Indians had been seen on his route sometime during the day. When he reached a point about one and one-half miles from his residence, he was killed by the Native tribespeople, who also shot one of his oxen. This occurred Friday evening, and when local citizens learned from Mrs. Buckalew on the following Sunday that her husband had not returned, a search was made, and he was soon found in a ravine.

    Note: Author personally interviewed: E.L. Dawnes, Frank Buckalew and others who lived in this section at the time. Further Ref. Texas Indian Fights, by A.J. Sowell.

The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.

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