Author: FHadmin

A Brush With The Infamous

Posted on by FHadmin

 Sometimes when you are minding your own business, you bump into someone famous or infamous, as in this case.

 

Road Work

Grandpa Joe McCracken worked for several years maintaining the highways in the southern portion of Bourbon County.  In those days, many of the highways were better maintained gravel roads. Thus, road graders or maintainers, as we called them, were used to keep the roads drivable.

 

Most of the time,  Grandpa worked on highway 7 or highway 39 in Bourbon County, Kansas.  At that time, highway 7 meandered through Pawnee/Anna.  South of there, it turned to the west on what is now Birch Road.  Then about a mile west of where highway 7 now runs, it made another turn to the south.

 

Highway 39 approached Hiattville from the west, turned to the north. Then, about three and a half miles north of Hiattville near the Scofield School, it turned to the east before making more turns on its way to Ft. Scott.

 

Washing The Car

In was on the stretch of highway 39 east of Scofield School not far from where our Peelle family had lived at one time, that Grandpa had his brush with the infamous.  As he was working along the stretch of the road, he came to a creek.  Today the roadside in that area and the creek bank are covered with trees and brush.  However, in the 1930s, the banks of the creek and the nearby ditch wasn’t quite so covered with trees and brush.  It was such that a car could drive right down to the water without difficulty.

 

Yet, the creek was enough lower than the road that someone in a car or horse and buggy passing by wouldn’t easily see what was going on at the creek.  However, on a maintainer, Grandpa was high enough that he had a view of the activities down by the creek.

 

On that day, Grandpa saw a car down by the water.  Nothing appeared to be amiss as there was a couple and they were washing their Ford.  Grandpa took in the scene and kept on working as they didn’t appear to need any assistance.

 

The Recognition

Perhaps at the moment he saw them, he thought he recognized them.  After all, they had become front-page news since the incident in southwest Joplin in March of the previous year.  The story was too good – hiding out in an apartment over a garage¹ for two weeks; almost getting away with it; an accidental shot of a rifle; a raid by law enforcement; and two dead law enforcement officers.  In their escape, they had also left most of their belongings including undeveloped film behind when fleeing the police.  The film had provided many captivating photographs that gained the attention of newspapers across the country.

 

The next day,  when the news mentioned that they had been in the area, he was certain. And, he was glad that he had not approached them.  Getting in their way or asking too many questions could get you a few bullet holes.  It was best to keep your distance from Bonnie and Clyde.

 

Poem By Bonnie Parker. Appeared in many newspapers. This copy from The Parsons Sun, May 24, 1934 via newspapers.com

When Did Their Paths Cross?

 

I never heard a specific date for this event and Grandpa drove a maintainer during all the years that Bonnie and Clyde were active in the area.  So, in theory, their paths could have crossed any of the times that Clyde’s gang was on the move.

 

Since Bourbon County borders Missouri, it fit Clyde’s choice of travel locations as he liked to travel near state lines so that he and his cohorts could easily escape to the neighboring state if the law got too close.  So, skirting through the county occurred on more than one occasion.

 

Although Grandpa could have seen them on one of their trips moving around the country just trying to avoid the law, it seems most likely that Grandpa saw Bonnie and Clyde on April 6, 1934.

 

By this time, the true nature of Bonnie and Clyde was well known.  They had to be very careful in their movements as they had become recognizable.  They had once stayed in hotels and ventured into restaurants, but did no longer dare to on most occasions as far too many people recognized them and were willing  to turn them in.

 

April 6, 1934

Stuck In The Mud

On the morning of April 6, Constable Cal Campbell and Percy Boyd, the chief of police at Commerce City, Oklahoma were called to the scene where Clyde’s car had become stuck in the mud.  Multiple reasons for the call have been provided.  A majority of the stories focus on a motorist that reported that a man had told him to stop and help get a car out of the mud or he would shoot the person.  Another version says that they were called to the scene based on drunken behavior and that in an attempt to evade the law, Clyde backed into mud that he couldn’t escape.

 

In any case, when the two lawmen got out of the car, the Barrow Gang, as Clyde and his cohorts were called, immediately began shooting.  Mr. Campbell immediately fell to the ground and Mr. Boyd hurriedly put his hands in the air, but still received a scalp wound.

 

At that point, the Barrow Gang forced Mr. Boyd into their car.  A truck driver freed them from the mud just prior or just after the shooting.  Thus, they were able to flee the scene.  Clyde drove off with Bonnie at his side wearing a red dress and having  a gun lying across her lap.  Mr. Boyd and another man, who was believed to possibly be Raymond Hamilton, another known criminal who had recently escaped, rode in the backseat. (Raymond Hamilton later wrote a letter proving that he was in Louisiana at the time of these events.)

 

On The Run

It wasn’t long before the muddy roads caused trouble again.  There were reports that they held guns on one farmer while he pulled their car out of the mud.  Another report was that someone was in the middle of the road hindering their progress.  So, the threats came out again to get out of their way.

 

Mr. Boyd couldn’t describe the details of their travels as they were always taking back roads and skirting the towns.  However, Mr. Boyd and eyewitnesses indicated that they headed toward Chetopa, Kansas after the shooting.  When they were just south of Chetopa, they turned west toward Bartlett, Kansas.  After that the reports seem to diverge with some people indicating that it appeared that they were traveling in circles.

 

As they tried to evade the law, the speedometer passed 90 on multiple occasions (according to Mr. Boyd).  So, they were moving quickly, but also trying not to be detected.  Still, they did have to slow down at times and even come in contact with people.

 

The group stopped three times during the day to get gas.  No one appeared to suspect anything or recognize them.  However, the attendant at the gas station in Bartlett reported them to the sheriff.  The others either didn’t recognize them or thought it was better to keep their mouths shut.

 

The Search

Meanwhile, a posse was immediately raised to look for Bonnie and Clyde.   At least one plane took off to search for them from the sky.  Reports went out to all neighboring states alerting them that Bonnie and Clyde were on the run and could be coming there way. 

 

A huge focus was put on known hideouts and places connected to the Barrow Gang and others that could possibly be with them.  This included several locations in Oklahoma just to the south of Chetopa.  They also focused on Joplin as Clyde had connections in the area.

 

The various law enforcement officers followed many leads; most of which were misleading.  They had trouble keeping tabs on where the group was  headed.  Some believed they were headed to Coffeyville, Kansas.  Others thought that they would head south and hide out in the area where they had been or even head to Texas.

 

Staying Out of Sight

The Barrow Gang, along with their hostage, spent the afternoon mostly criss-crossing the area between Pittsburg and Fort Scott in Southeast Kansas.  They weren’t far from Oklahoma, but more importantly they were close to the Missouri state line and they could jump the line if the law got too close.

 

It would have been during this time that Grandpa encountered Bonnie and Clyde.  They likely stopped to wash the car since the black Ford V-8  had become covered with mud in their earlier escapades.  Mr. Boyd reported that “the windows were so muddy that no one could see in.”  He also reported that they had gotten stuck in a ditch near Ft. Scott.  It very well could have been that they got stuck when they pulled off to wash the car. 

 

High school students tried to push them out of the ditch, but couldn’t and Clyde  told them to go on their way.  Then Clyde stopped a truck and made the man use his truck to pull them out. 

 

During their journey, Mr. Boyd made conversation with the group.  Bonnie indicated that Mr. Boyd should tell the world that she wasn’t a cigar smoker.  She said that the photo of her with a cigar in her mouth was not what it seemed.  She indicated that she had posed with Clyde’s cigar and that it had made her very angry that she had been made out to be a cigar smoker. They also talked about being sorry that they had to shoot Mr. Campbell.  However, they indicated that they “had” to do it.  Still, in the next breath, they joked about shooting him.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Quick Trip Into Town

Late in the afternoon or in the early evening, they ventured into Fort Scott.  The other man besides Clyde bought a newspaper at a drugstore and food at a grocery store as he was not as recognizable.  As soon as they got the items they desired, they headed back out of town.  They stopped and ate in the woods.  The newspaper indicated that Mr. Campbell had died, which they had not previously known.  Clyde had hit him with one shot, but it had pierced his heart.  Death had come immediately.  Mr. Campbell had shot three bullets before he was shot.

 

Attempt To Steal A Car

Later that evening, they went back into Fort Scott to steal a car.  Far too many people had seen this one and it was time for a change.  However, Clyde couldn’t find a car to his liking.  So, they left town in the same car that they had been driving all day. 

 

During their excursions into town, Clyde had arrogantly driven down Main Street and even driven by the police station.

 

The Release

Shortly after midnight on April 7, Bonnie and Clyde released their hostage several miles south of Fort Scott.  Mr. Boyd walked to Harry Dugan’s home and contacted the sheriff.  The sheriff came as quickly as possible.  An officer took Mr. Boyd to Fort Scott Mercy Hospital for treatment  of his wound while the search for the killers cranked up.

 

The alert went out as to the last location of Bonnie and Clyde. Local, state, and federal officers amassed along the Kansas border with Missouri and Oklahoma.  The National Guard was put into service and officers came from Kansas City, Joplin, and Springfield to assist.  In Texas officers rushed to the border with Oklahoma in case the Barrow Gang made it that far.  In the coming hours, people reported seeing them in Missouri, Oklahoma, and even Texas.  Most of these, and possibly all, weren’t them at all.  Despite driving at break-neck speeds, there is a limit on how quickly they could move from place to place.

 

Another Connection

 

An interesting side note is that I am also related to Harry Dugan’s wife, whose maiden name was Frances Pellett.  She was the great-granddaughter of Able John & Eunity (Harrison) Pellett.  Thus, Frances and my grandfather Clifford Claney Pellett were second cousins.  Although I have not identified the specific location where Harry and Frances were living at the time,  I know that they were likely living  near Godfrey in the same general area as my Grandpa Cliff as they lived near my Mom when she was growing up.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Boyd filled the officers in regarding the details of the day.  He said that the Barrow Gang  had treated him well (other than wounding him in the initial conflict).  They had helped bandage his head and had given him a fresh shirt and tie to wear.  Both actions, however, were likely self-serving since someone with uncovered wounds on their head and bloody clothes was more likely to garner attention than someone who was cleaned up even if bandaged.

 

Mr. Boyd told what he knew of the path they had taken and filled the officers in on the weapons in the gang’s possession.  He had seen 3 machine guns, 3 shot guns, and numerous pistols.  They also had a suitcase full of ammunition. The oddest thing  he shared might have been that Bonnie had a white pet rabbit with her. 

 

Mr. Boyd told of their confidence and arrogance.  Clyde thought he could avoid capture by outsmarting the officers.  Bonnie and Clyde felt invincible.  And, for the moment they were as they had once again escaped by going against everything the officers thought they would do. Instead of moving toward areas where they had hideouts and knew the roads,  they went north and further into the interior of Kansas.  Clyde ditched the car in a haystack north of Ottawa, leaving behind a smattering of belongings and a fingerprint.

 

The End

In the end, Clyde wasn’t smart enough to escape 130 rounds that were fired upon Bonnie and him less than two months later on May 23, 1934. Tipped-off, a posse in Louisiana ambushed them and they never had a chance.

 

In Retrospect

Given the circumstances of April 6, 1934, there is no telling what might have happened had Grandpa approached or even called out to the people washing their car.  Maybe they would have just let Grandpa go like the high school students and the man that pulled them out of the ditch.  However, it is hard to tell what might have happened because Clyde, it is said, had a nervous trigger finger.  As it was, Grandpa went home that night and went to work the next day like usual.

 

 

¹This garage was located at 3347 ½ Oak Ridge Drive.  It is preserved and is on the National Historic Register.

 

 

Farm Living Is The Life For Me

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It is hard to select a “single favorite” photo.  So, instead of trying to find my favorite one to write about, I started looking at photos and stopped when I found one that “spoke” to me.

 

The Photo

The photo that I chose to write about is one of Rod’s grandfather Alexander Joseph Thomson.  It is a modern photo and not extremely unique.  However, it spoke to me because everything about it said, “Farmer.”  His hat and clothes are typical of farmers of his era.  And, I love his stance – leaning on the fence post.  It personifies a farmer in every way.

 

Barn on the farm in Stettler, Canada.

Farm Life

 

The Early Days

Alexander J. Thomson (being specific because his uncle William Alexander Thomson also went by Alexander) was born March 4, 1907 at Palmyra, Nebraska to Herbert & Blanche (Klinefelter) Thomson.  He grew up living and working on the family farms.

 

The various Thomson families owned several farms in the Palmyra area.  However, Herbert also owned a couple of 320-acre farms just a tiny bit more distant.  One farm was near Stettler, Alberta, Canada and the other just down the road in Halkirk (between Calgary and Edmonton).  The farms were only a little over 1300 miles away from the family’s farms near Palmyra, Nebraska.  

 

Herbert Thomson family in Stettler, Alberta in 1928 L. to R. Back-Alfred, Arthur, and Alexander Thomson Middle: George W. Ackermann, Blanche Thomson, Herbert Thomson Front George, Faith, Alma, and May Thomson (Reid is not shown)

According to one of his cousins, Alexander accompanied the family farm equipment and animals on a train to the Canadian property when he was a teenager.  Now, I am not exactly sure when that would have been as he arrived in Canada the first time in 1919 or 1920, which means he would have been no more than 13 upon arrival.  But, it is possible that he went with his father and his uncle on the trip.

 

He took other trips  back and forth at later dates.  One was in 1926 when he went with his Uncle John to manage the harvest on their farm.  Although he was not listed with his parents when they went in 1928, he was in Canada as he is shown in a picture taken there at that time.  I have not yet; however, found documentation of all the family’s trips.

 

Later Years

Alexander later purchased land near one of the farms in Canada.  However, he lost the farm for reasons that have yet to be uncovered.  Thus, settled for life in Palmyra. 

 

Alexander and his wife Donna (Van Allen) Thomson lived on a 160-acre farm just southeast of Palmyra.  There they raised their six children. Alexander and Donna had cattle, pigs, and chickens.  And, in the fields, he grew corn, milo, and winter wheat.  The family also had a large garden and fruit trees.  While the pasture and treed areas were ideal for hunting game.

 

It was said that he was always the first one to finish planting, shucking corn, etc.  One thing, however, held Alexander back from doing more with farming.  That was his asthma.  By 1937, he was suffering terribly from it.  He even went out to McCook, Nebraska where some relatives lived in hopes of getting relief in a different climate.

 

Due to ongoing issues with asthma, he had his boys out working in the fields when they were very young.  He would wheeze while standing on the edge of the field while his sons James and Howard worked in the field with the old Farmall tractor or the little Ford.  As such, they became very adept at working the farm equipment .

 

Unintended Crops

Per Rod’s sister Jackie, the photo is said to have been taken when hemp was found growing in the ditch on Alexander’s farm.  Likely everyone thought it would be fun to have a photo (although I can’t tell what is growing there based on the photo) and he likely went along with it as he liked a good joke.

 

The Family Farm – After Alexander

 

Alexander died suddenly Aug 14, 1964 of a heart attack.  Given the age of the picture and the date of his death, the photo must have been taken between 1960 and 1964.  Jackie noted that if you look close, you can even tell that he isn’t wearing his dentures, which he apparently didn’t like to do. 

 

Donna continued to live on the farm for a time.  Howard and James farmed and hoped to one day take over the farm.  But, it wasn’t meant to be.  James died a mere 4 years later.  

 

Various family members, including Donna, their daughter Rachel, and their daughter Virginia lived on the property after that.  Still, remembrances of Alexander remained on the farm.  After Donna died 12 years later, Rachel found his false teeth sitting on a shelf in the kitchen!

 

 

Out Of Religious Persecution Rises A Family

Posted on by FHadmin

Although my Pellett family moved from Ireland to America in the colonial days, I learned many years ago that they might actually have been from France.  In addition, I learned that our direct ancestor had supposedly barely escaped when his parents were persecuted for their religious beliefs.

 

The Old Bible

The information I received from a distant cousin, who was also a genealogist, stated that Rebecca Cole, daughter of George and Mary (Pellett) Kennedy and granddaughter of Francis A. Pellett (my 4th-great grandfather, had read the following passage at a family reunion on August 9, 1900.

 

“Now we come to the mother’s side and I quote a few instances that my cousin sent dictated by Uncle Lorenzo Dow Pellett and from a copy of the record as found in grandfather’s old Bible.

 

‘As for the record of Grandfather Pellett’s family, we will send you a copy as it is in the old Bible.  It will take you back some 5 generations, that is counting us as one, that is, grandfather’s grandfather and grandmother.  One was burnt on the spit and one on the gridiron for their religion in France, and their son (George Pellett), our grandfather, was tied to a chair and left there to see them burn.  He got worked loose and fled to Ireland.  Grandfather came to America in 1795 .  .  .  .'” 

 

This leaves me with a very disturbing image in my mind.  It is an awful way to die, but possibly worse to watch a loved one die in this manner.

 

The Investigation

The person who provided the information to me also provided me with her source of the information.  However, she had no copy of the actual Bible page(s) that contained the story. 

 

I kept expecting to see the story show up on Ancestry.com or other genealogy sites, but it has not.  The only place that I have seen this story other than in the messages I received is in “Griffith John: His Ancestors and Descendants” compiled by Marijane (John) Zerphey.  It is included in her manuscript as Francis was married to Mary John, daughter of Griffith John.

 

Unfortunately, her source is the same woman that provided me this information.  Therefore, it provides no confirmation of the information.

 

Additionally, the whereabouts of the family Bible is unknown to me.  At the time the story was read (1900), the old family Bible was in the possession of Lorenzo Dow Pellett, the youngest son of Francis A. Pellett.  Therefore, it is likely that if the Bible is still in the possession of descendants of Francis Pellett that one of Lorenzo’s descendants has the Bible.

 

Thus, we turn to what we know about Francis and history to determine if this story is feasible.

 

Family History

Immigrant to America

Records do indicate that Francis immigrated to America in 1795 as stated in the statement Rebecca read.  We know from Quaker records that he was in Ireland in 1793 and 1794. At that time, he requested to associate with the Monthly Meeting. Then, in 1795 he requests a certificate from the Meeting in Moate, Westmeath, Leinster, Ireland as he is preparing to move to America.

 

No specific reason for Francis’ immigration to America has been passed down in family stories.  However, it seems reasonable to assume that his Quaker faith may have played a part in his decision to move.  After all, at the time Penal laws forced everyone to support the Church of Ireland – even if they belonged to another church.  In addition, one was required to be a member of the Church of Ireland to hold civil and military positions.  A motivation of religious freedom was common and seems quite likely for someone who’s grandparents were killed for their religious beliefs.

 

Francis’ Father

 

Francis’ father is said to be George Pellett.  It is unclear if his name being shown as George in the Bible reference means that George was his name or if someone added that commentary.  In addition, some people list him with a birth date in 1739 and claim he was born in Ireland.  However, I have found no records showing his name, birthdate, or birth location. I do have this information in my tree for research purposes.

 

From what is stated in Rebecca’s statement, I assume that at least his name was recorded in the old family Bible.  If the story is accurate, Francis’ father would have most likely been born in France.

 

Other Supporting Evidence

Name

The name Pellett is of French origin.  In Old French, the name would have meant a furrier coming from the word “pellet,” which meant fur.  This reasonably supports that the family had likely lived in France at one time.

 

In addition, the name Francis means Frenchman.  That said, many men were named Francis over the years without having any relationship to France.

 

The name George and other forms of the name are used in many countries including France.

 

Galley Style Ship

Religious Persecution in France

 

France worked hard to eliminate Protestant religions.  And, in 1715 Lois XIV announced that he had done so.  However, Protestants continued to persist in France despite loss of rights and persecution.  The penalties for being a Protestant included confiscation of all property, life terms for men working the oars on the galleys (ships), and prison terms for women.  Minsters, when caught, were often executed.  In the era between when Francis’ father was likely born and when Francis was born, it is estimated that a couple thousand people were persecuted in some form for their religious beliefs.

 

As terrible as this seems, it appears that criminals (which would include anyone who did not follow the correct religious beliefs) were still being tortured or executed by inhumane means into the 18th Century.  Torture was often used to gain confessions.  Of course, once the person confessed, the punishment was often worse than the original torture.

 

In this case, both of Francis’ grandparents were burnt.  This is consistent with an execution for heresy (having the wrong beliefs).

 

My Conclusion

I cannot prove this story true or false at this time.  However, based on my research to date, I believe it is plausible that my 6th-great grandparents in my Pellett family were burnt for their religious beliefs. 

 

Still, I wil be keeping an eye out for that old family Bible. Seeing exactly what is written therein could shed more light on the history of the Pellett family.

 

 

Note:  Featured image of the Bible with the angel is from pixabay.com.  Created by Darkmoon_Art.

The Whispered Stories of Warren Jury

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Grandma and Aunt Lydia never spoke about Warren Jury loud enough for anyone to really hear what they were discussing.  Fortunately, their brother, Uncle Pat (my great-uncle) would talk.  However, if either of his sisters heard him, he would immediately be hushed.  Still, stories about Warren, a much younger half-brother of my Great-Grandmother Matilda (Jury) Peelle, circulated in the family.

 

Family Lore

 

The Stories

Family lore said that Warren was very spoiled by his mother Harriett (Warner) Jury.  He was very demanding and he got whatever he wanted.  One example that circulated in the family was that if he wanted chicken for dinner, you went out and killed a chicken no matter if you already had a different meal partially prepared.

 

His demands did not go away as he grew older.  Instead, if anything, they grew stronger.  There were stories of him having issues with multiple young women and demanding that they marry him.  One story stated that a young lady’s father shot him and they brought him to the Peelle place (his half-sister’s home and the same home where my dad later was born) for the family to care for him.  There was even a story that at some point he spent time in Lansing (state prison).

 

Of course, no one knew any of the details.

 

The Explanation

Some members of the family believed that his mother may have spoiled him because his two full siblings (her only children)  had died in childhood.  Warren had just been turning four when his older sister Harriet died and his brother Edgar had died many years before Warren’s birth.

 

Yet, other members of the family wondered if his mother hadn’t actually spoiled him, but instead had grown afraid of him because he had a bad temper.

 

Many Answers Lie In The Newspapers

The availability of newspapers online has led to the discovery of at least part of Warren’s story.  The newspaper stories are a bit inconsistent.  I have tried to capture what appears to be the most accurate version of events that may explain the family lore about Warren Jury.

 

Valentine’s Day

The Answer Is “No”

On Valentine’s Day morning in 1916, Warren Jury went to get the mail at his mailbox near the Gaulding’s house, which was about a half a mile from his own house.  There he encountered Mamie Gaulding, William and Effie Gaulding’s oldest daughter.

 

The Gaulding family had moved from Johnstown, Nebraska to the Hiattville, Kansas area about three months earlier.  When they moved in next door to Warren and his mother, Warren had immediately took a shining to Mamie.  He had even courted her on at least a couple of occasions.  And, he had even asked her to marry him despite knowing her for such a short time. 

 

When Warren asked Mamie to marry him, she had put him off stating that she would answer him later. Well, it was Valentine’s Day and  Warren saw fit to again ask Mamie to marry him. This time she stated that she could not marry him. 

 

At that point, Warren became enraged and accused her father of not liking him.  He threatened to “get the whole outfit.”

 

Notes

 

William is referred to as William, Frank, and John in various newspaper articles.  No explanation has been found for this as neither name matches his middle initial.  It is assumed that  the  incorrect names come from the fact that the family was new to the area and people simply got it wrong or confused him with someone else.

 

Mamie is referred to as Minnie in some early articles.  It is assumed that this is a misunderstanding or misreading of her name.

 

Warren’s Response

Warren turned and went home.  A short time later he went to Hiattville where he bought a box of .38 caliber cartridges at Wheeler & Hess’ hardware store.

 

Around 3:30 that afternoon, he returned to the Gaulding farm with his revolver and a pocket full of ammunition.  He encountered Mr. Gaulding and Mamie in the yard near the well watering stock.  He told Mr. Gaulding to put his hands up.  And, it was while his hands were raised that Warren shot him four times without provocation.

 

One bullet entered Mr. Gaulding’s right shoulder.  Another went through his right arm passing into his chest.  Another one went into his chest just below that one.  And, the fourth entered his torso just above his right kidney.

 

As this was unfolding, Mrs. Gaulding called to Mamie to come to the house.  She ran to the house and with her mother tried to bar the door so that Warren, who was pursuing her, could not get inside.  However, they were not able to withstand the pressure that Warren put on the door and he was able to force his way into the house.

 

Mrs. Gauilding tried to keep Warren from reaching Mamie.  However, he was able to reach under Mrs. Gaulding’s arm and shoot his supposed sweetheart in her right arm just below the shoulder.  Mamie got their shotgun, but was unable to load it as her right arm was useless.  She also tried to call on the phone for help, but was unable to due to her injuries.  Warren got a hold of the receiver and ripped it from the telephone.

 

The Next Encounter

At this point, Warren left and went to Baldwin Barker’s home.  He asked that a doctor be called for Mr. Gaulding and Mamie.  However, his story was that they had been kicked by a horse. (Not sure how he thought he would get away with explaining bullet wounds as injuries from a horse.)

 

Meanwhile, despite her injured arm, Mamie ran to William Rouske’s home where she alerted them to the incident.  They sent out an alert for help.

 

On her way home, Mamie once again met up with Warren.  Believing her life was in danger, she told him that she had decided to marry him as soon as her father was well.  They walked back to her house where Warren (per reports) very patiently and gently removed the bullet from Mamie’s arm.  Then he cleaned and began to bandage the wound.

 

Notes

 

The order of the getting the shotgun and trying to telephone are not 100% clear.  It is also not clear where Mamie’s 5 younger sisters were during the initial encounter.

 

Articles refer to Baldwin Barker with the last name of Baker, but it seems quite sure that it was Baldwin Barker.  As such, it appears that Warren went to the home that I grew up in to have the doctor called.  I have confirmed that Mr. & Mrs. Baldwin Barker were living on that property in 1920, but I have not yet been able to confirm that they were living there in 1916.

 

At some point, Warren helped Mrs. Gaulding get Mr. Gaulding into the house.  It is unclear if that occurred before he left to go to the Barker home or upon his return.

The Arrest

While Warren was busy bandaging Mamie’s arm, one of the constables slipped into the room and arrested him without incident.  At the time, Warren’s revolver included 5 bullets and he had more in his pocket. He was taken to Pawnee.  From there, a constable accompanied him on the train to the county jail in Fort Scott.

 

That night County Attorney Shepard, Sheriff Hartman, and Dr. Newman went to the home to investigate. Before he left Fort Scott, the sheriff informed the men not to question Warren until he returned from the investigation.  However, that didn’t stop Warren from talking.

 

His initial statements were that the shooting was in self-defense.  He claimed that Mr. Gaulding had come at him with a knife.  He also claimed that he had only shot Mr. Gaulding two times before heading to the house to call for a doctor and that at this point Mamie was shot.

 

After being informed that the facts did not support a claim of self-defense since he went to town to get bullets and then returned to the Gaulding home, Warren signed a statement that said that he had planned to kill Mamie, her father, and himself.  The reason for shooting Mamie’s father appeared to be that Warren thought her father was instrumental in Mamie refusing to marry him.

 

Life Hanging In the Balance

Warren was not initially charged as it was not clear if Mr. Gaulding was going to live or not.  If he didn’t, it would be first degree murder.  However, if he recovered, it would only be assault with intent to kill.  

 

The intrigue of a possible murder case kept it in the news with frequent reports every time Mr. Gaulding improved or had a setback.  At times, Mr. Gaulding ran a fever, was delirious, had difficulty breathing, and had a very high pulse rate.  His doctors feared possible blood poisoning, performed surgery to remove one of the bullets, and performed surgery to deal with a significant hemorrhage.  It was thought at various times that Mr. Gaulding was trending toward death.  So intense was the news coverage of his condition that even his vital signs were published.

 

Support For The Family

During this time, the family suffered.  The Gauldings had no sons to do the work around the farm.  Additionally, Mr. Gaulding required around the clock care.  So, everything was on Mrs. Gaulding and the oldest daughters’ shoulders.  Mrs. Gaulding, it is said, went into premature labor and lost a baby.  Mamie, the oldest, was herself recovering from the ordeal. 

 

Several family members from out of the area came to help out and to see how Mr. Gaulding was doing.  They reported that the family was exhausted.

 

Neighbors were helping out as much as possible, but when March arrived the neighbors had to focus more on their own plowing and planting.  Still, they helped when they could.  They got 50 men together to chop enough firewood for the family for the next year.  Then Baldwin Barker oversaw 18 teams that gathered to plow 20 acres and sow 10 acres with oats.  People in the neighborhood also donated to the family, held a pie supper with proceeds going to the family, and organized wolf hunts where proceeds from any wolves killed going to the family.

 

Realizing what the family was going through, the county eventually provided for a man to come and help care for Mr. Gaulding at the county’s expense.

Legal Jeopardy

 

A portion of Warren Jury’s signed statement. Source: The Fort Scott Republican, February 16, 1916 via Newspapers.com.

Life In The County Jail

While Mr. Gaulding was fighting for his life, Warren’s mother was selling Warren’s belongings, and Warren was sitting in the county jail uncharged waiting to see if his victim would survive.  Despite admitting to the shooting, Warren never seemed to realize the gravity of his crime.  He would make statements, such as, “I’m certainly glad I didn’t kill her” and “I didn’t mean to hurt him so bad.  I guess I went a little further than I intended.” 

 

Another prisoner claimed that Warren said that he would kill himself before he served a day in the state pen.  Yet, his behavior while in jail was less than stellar.  One day he “got sore and tore one of the iron slabs off the cage.”   Apparently, he also spoke in a threatening manner and even stated that he was going to throw red pepper in the sheriff’s eyes.

 

The sheriff’s threat back was that if he didn’t behave that they would put Warren in a cell alone.  This would cut him off from the other prisoners.  Additionally, the sheriff stated that without improved behavior, his mother would not be able to make her lengthy twice weekly visits.  He would no longer receive the pies, cakes, and other treats that she regularly brought to him.

 

Guilty Plea

Finally, Mr. Gaulding appeared to be on the road to recovery.  So, the county attorney made the decision to bring the charge of assault with the intent to kill.  The charge made Warren eligible for bail, which was set at $5,000.  However, he  remained in jail.

 

When it came time to enter his plea, Warren plead “guilty.”  The evidence was stacked against him and he had confessed.  Thus, a “not guilty” plea would have been useless.  Likewise, a plea of “temporary insanity” would not have bought his freedom.  In some states, pleading “insanity” or “temporary insanity” could keep a person from being sent to the state penitentiary with some people going to an asylum and others being acquitted.  However, in Kansas the law  at that time stated that people committing felonies who were deemed insane would still go to the state prison at Lansing.  They would just be in a separate ward for the criminally insane.

 

On May 8, 1916, Warren Jury was sentenced to no more than 10 years in the state penitentiary. 

 

A Plea Too Soon?

While awaiting transfer to the prison, Mr. Gaulding took another downturn and again doctors became concerned that he might not live.  He was having trouble breathing and would choke.  He had an abscess which needed to be addressed, as it could become fatal.  Complicating matters was the fact that Warren had already entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge and could not be charged with murder if Mr. Gaulding died.  An additional complication was that Mr. Gaulding refused to come into Fort Scott to the hospital for surgery.  One of the doctors even offered to do the surgery without charge, but he continued to refuse. 

 

A Deposition

Warren’s transfer to Lansing was delayed, in part, so that he could give a deposition in a lawsuit against him and his mother by their landlord Nellie Eiffert over money owed.

 

Still Sweethearts

On June 8, the day prior to him transferring to Lansing, Warren wrote a letter to Mamie stating that they would be sweethearts again when he got out.  For some reason he seemed to think that no one, including Mamie, would object to him having a relationship with her.  Although portions of the letter was quoted in the newspaper, the sheriff supposedly did not have it delivered to Mamie.

 

Warren Jury when he was in-processed at the Kansas State Prison in 1916. Source: Kansas State Archives, Topeka, KS via Rebecca Ball

Battle of The Petitions

You might think that the story would end once Warren was transferred to the state prison.  However, that wasn’t the case.  A month after he transferred to Lansing, his mother started a petition to have him paroled or pardoned.  This alarmed the residents of the Hiattville area.  They thought Warren was criminally insane and that he would kill members of the Gaulding family or others if he was released.

 

Their concern prompted the county attorney to petition to have Warren transferred to ward for criminally insane and have him committed for life.  The request included the option to keep him imprisoned for the full 10-year sentence if the former option was not a possibility.

 

The petition included disturbing facts of the case and a history of Warren’s life prior to the shooting. Apparently, on another occasion he had gone to the home of a young lady with a shotgun intent on killing her.  However, her brother intercepted him and his plan was foiled. (Was this the event where the family reported he had been shot?)

 

In addition, some months earlier when Warren had a falling out with Agnes Kelly, who he was courting, he had attempted to commit suicide using chloroform.  However, he was unharmed in the attempt.   The information concluded that Warren “is rather weak mentally.”

 

Upon completion, the petition was to be sent to the Hiattville area for signatures and was then planned to go to the governor and the state patrol board. 

 

Discharge

None of the petitions appear to have resulted in a change in Warren’s sentence.  The very next year, he was granted a temporary leave to attend the funeral of a close relative.  And, in 1918 amid World War I, he was released from prison to join the Army.  However, after he arrived at Camp Funston, he was found to be physically unfit for service.

 

Near the end of October 1923, his term was to expire.  He received a citizenship pardon 10 days before it was to expire so his citizenship rights could be restored. (I have not found anything yet that explains why this was done.)

 

Afterward

Mr. Gaulding

Mr. Gaulding recovered from his injuries and lived another 25 years.

 

The  Gaulding family moved away from the area in September of 1916.  After that they bounced back and forth a few times between living in Missouri and Kansas.  However, I found no record of them returning to Bourbon County.

 

Mamie Gaulding

Mamie married and had 3 children before dying in Wichita.  She was only 26.

Warren Jury

After Warren got out of prison, he married Ada Marshall, a first cousin on his mother’s side.  

 

When Warren was 37, he was injured in a  mining accident in a local mine where he worked.  He was in and out of the hospital, but eventually succumbed to his injuries. He is buried in an unmarked grave in the family plot at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Bourbon County, Kansas.

 

Note: The featured image is from pixabay.com. Created by stefu.

My Start In Genealogy

Posted on by FHadmin

This week’s topic is to write about ourselves.  But, writing about myself is a very difficult task.  It is much easier to write about people in my family’s history whose stories I find fascinating.  So, I compromised in a sense and wrote about the various people and things that got me interested in genealogy.

 

Sources Of Interest

 

My genealogy interest come from several different people.  First, Dad was a history buff.  He loved history, especially American History with the Civil War as a particular interest.  He had also listened to his parents and other older folks talk.  So, he knew many of the old family stories and local tales, which he enjoyed sharing.

 

As the family historian of her generation, Dad’s oldest sister O’Ella was also a contributor to my interest in genealogy.  I was amazed at how much information she had been able to collect WITHOUT the internet.  She also loved history.  And, as the oldest of my dad’s siblings, she also knew many family stories and was happy to have someone listen to her.

 

Mom, on the other hand, didn’t formally research family.  However, he had lots of scribbled notes about the family and she kept photos and clippings about everyone.

 

She diligently wrote names on photos.  Often this also included the person’s parents’ names, and sometimes even the names of their grandparents on a photo.  She also talked about family stories.  The hardest part with her stories was that her, her mother, and her sisters tended to intermix talk of family, friends, and neighbors to the point that it was often hard to figure out exactly who was related and who wasn’t.

 

Unfortunately, my maternal grandmother did not label photographs.  However, she contributed to my interest in genealogy by showing me information from a woman who was putting together a family history book for her father’s family.  She also shared with me things she had given the woman to add to the book.

 

I never really discussed family history with my paternal grandmother.  However, grandpa and her kept many old letters, postcards, receipts, and other documents.  Many have led to discoveries about the family that I would have likely never uncovered otherwise.

 

Key Interest

 

But, one the biggest contributors to my interest in genealogy were the open-ended questions.  Stories that were incomplete or where no one really knew what happened intrigued me.  For example, did my great-great grandfather McCracken have a past or had he just beamed down from an alien space ship into the state or Iowa?  Similarly, the insistence by some people that certain things were true when it seemed unlikely that was the case made me want to search for the truth.

 

Plus, I am a bit of a detective and I like a good word problem.  All added together, I was drawn to genealogy.

 

Looking toward 2024

 

The blog will continue in 2024 . . .  So, stay tuned!