Posted on: San Saba Co., TX Queries<br> with Automated Mailing List Posting Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Tx/SanSaba/669 Surname: ------------------------- Margaret: I, too, have heard that the Mob troubles were fights between cattlemen and farmers. That was the story that came down in my own family, but I don't think that is completely accurate. Most of the Mob behavior appears to be a result of personal grudges, etc. I think land grabbing was just an added "benefit" for those wealthy enough to take advantage of it. My own ancestor who was involved never had any land to speak of. If you've not seen it, you'll definitely want to get a copy of the book I mentioned before, by C.L. Sonichsen, "I'll Die Before I'll Run." Your ancestor is mentioned specifically, as follows: (page 220) "A week after the Henderson murder, William James was killed. He was living near the Hannah Crossing on the Colorado in the heart of the feuding district but had never been involved in any trouble. His crime was discussing the killing in his home. His children quoted him on the playground at school, and the word got around that he had "talked." On July 28 [1896] he went to the crossing after water and had just come out of the river with his load when he was fired on and killed. Neighbors heard the shooting, went to investigate, and met the wagon with blood on the wheel where he had fallen over it. They found the man himself lying in the road with the usual nine Winchester balls in his head and body. Dave Chadwick stayed with him for seven or eight hours keeping the hogs and blowflies off while the rest went for help. "James left a wife and a 'house full of children,' and this fact, along with the cruelty of the killing, finally aroused the responsible people of the country. The day after it happened, District Judge W.M. Allison wrote to the adjutant general asking for a permanent Ranger camp in the vicinity." For your information, "...John Haas, Bill Kimmons, Little Jim Ford (son of Mat [Ford]), and Nelson Smith (son of Preacher Smith) were accused of doing away with W.A.James in 1896." These men were brought to trial in San Saba in April 1898, and their cases were continued over several court sessions. Ultimately the case was dropped and the various Mob families were "encouraged" to move to other parts by the District Attorney. He made a deal with them that if they did so, and kept out of trouble, their cases would be dropped. Much of the story about the Mob was relayed to Sonichsen by the District Attorney who prosecuted the Mob (W.C.Linden) and Dave Chadwick, who was a sherriff in San Saba after the Mob days. [Although the book didn't say so, I got the impression that Chadwick was in his late teens or a very young man at the time the Mob was disbanded.] If you live in Texas, you can get copies of the court records indicting his murderers through inter-library loan. I have copied the records for the trial and conviction of my own ancestor. They're not as detailed as the court records of today, but there is interesting information included. Good luck in your search!

Lisa, I appreciate your post. I have read the book "I Die before I Run". I just reread it recently. The subject of the "mob" comes up regularly on the List. I don't live in Texas, but Oregon. I think I could still get the records by inter-library loan. Grandma was one of those "houseful of children". There were eight James children plus 3 older boys. One was Will's son and 2 were his step-sons, the Nelsons. The older boys were around twenty. Grandma said her father took them to school the day of the murder and later went for water and was shot at the water hole. One of Grandma's memories was that she and her sisters had to do chores after their father's death, because the older boys were not around. Margaret ----- Original Message ----- From: Lisa Mitchell <bslick7819@aol.com> To: <TXSSABA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 12:31 PM Subject: [TXSSABA] Mob > Posted on: San Saba Co., TX Queries<br> with Automated Mailing List Posting > Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Tx/SanSaba/669 > > Surname: > ------------------------- > > Margaret: > I, too, have heard that the Mob troubles were fights between cattlemen > and farmers. That was the story that came down in my own family, but I > don't think that is completely accurate. Most of the Mob behavior appears > to be a result of personal grudges, etc. I think land grabbing was just > an added "benefit" for those wealthy enough to take advantage of it. My > own ancestor who was involved never had any land to speak of. > > If you've not seen it, you'll definitely want to get a copy of the book > I mentioned before, by C.L. Sonichsen, "I'll Die Before I'll Run." Your > ancestor is mentioned specifically, as follows: > > (page 220) > "A week after the Henderson murder, William James was killed. He was living > near the Hannah Crossing on the Colorado in the heart of the feuding district > but had never been involved in any trouble. His crime was discussing the > killing in his home. His children quoted him on the playground at school, > and the word got around that he had "talked." On July 28 [1896] he went > to the crossing after water and had just come out of the river with his > load when he was fired on and killed. Neighbors heard the shooting, went > to investigate, and met the wagon with blood on the wheel where he had > fallen over it. They found the man himself lying in the road with the usual > nine Winchester balls in his head and body. Dave Chadwick stayed with him > for seven or eight hours keeping the hogs and blowflies off while the rest > went for help. > "James left a wife and a 'house full of children,' and this fact, along > with the cruelty of the killing, finally aroused the responsible people > of the country. The day after it happened, District Judge W.M. Allison > wrote to the adjutant general asking for a permanent Ranger camp in the > vicinity." > > For your information, "...John Haas, Bill Kimmons, Little Jim Ford (son > of Mat [Ford]), and Nelson Smith (son of Preacher Smith) were accused of > doing away with W.A.James in 1896." These men were brought to trial in > San Saba in April 1898, and their cases were continued over several court > sessions. Ultimately the case was dropped and the various Mob families > were "encouraged" to move to other parts by the District Attorney. He made > a deal with them that if they did so, and kept out of trouble, their cases > would be dropped. > > Much of the story about the Mob was relayed to Sonichsen by the District > Attorney who prosecuted the Mob (W.C.Linden) and Dave Chadwick, who was > a sherriff in San Saba after the Mob days. [Although the book didn't say > so, I got the impression that Chadwick was in his late teens or a very > young man at the time the Mob was disbanded.] > > If you live in Texas, you can get copies of the court records indicting > his murderers through inter-library loan. I have copied the records for > the trial and conviction of my own ancestor. They're not as detailed as > the court records of today, but there is interesting information included. > > Good luck in your search! > > > > > ==== TXSSABA Mailing List ==== > Visit GenWeb's archive records for SAN SABA COUNTY, TEXAS, > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/sansaba/sansabtoc.htm > > ============================== > Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp > Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! >

I just ordered the book "I'll Die Before I'll Run" that I saw on some of the posts on this list from Amazon.com. Thanks for listing the books. The author's name is spelled Sonnichsen in their records and Sonichsen in other records and in the postings here. That could prevent some folks from finding it. The cost is $13.56 at Amazon. Can anyone tell me if W. H. Ledbetter, a/k/a Captain Ledbetter, a/k/a William Henry Ledbetter is mentioned in this book. He is my great grandfather. I believe, from other material I have obtained, he testified at a trail regarding this matter. According to the documents I have he was usually called Captain Ledbetter in the area because he was a Captain in the Texas Rangers and, in fact, my mother didn't know his first name because the family also called him Captain. Thanks Jackie Midkiff Thanks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Mitchell" <bslick7819@aol.com> To: <TXSSABA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 2:31 PM Subject: [TXSSABA] Mob > Posted on: San Saba Co., TX Queries<br> with Automated Mailing List Posting > Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Tx/SanSaba/669 > > Surname: > ------------------------- > > Margaret: > I, too, have heard that the Mob troubles were fights between cattlemen > and farmers. That was the story that came down in my own family, but I > don't think that is completely accurate. Most of the Mob behavior appears > to be a result of personal grudges, etc. I think land grabbing was just > an added "benefit" for those wealthy enough to take advantage of it. My > own ancestor who was involved never had any land to speak of. > > If you've not seen it, you'll definitely want to get a copy of the book > I mentioned before, by C.L. Sonichsen, "I'll Die Before I'll Run." Your > ancestor is mentioned specifically, as follows: > > (page 220) > "A week after the Henderson murder, William James was killed. He was living > near the Hannah Crossing on the Colorado in the heart of the feuding district > but had never been involved in any trouble. His crime was discussing the > killing in his home. His children quoted him on the playground at school, > and the word got around that he had "talked." On July 28 [1896] he went > to the crossing after water and had just come out of the river with his > load when he was fired on and killed. Neighbors heard the shooting, went > to investigate, and met the wagon with blood on the wheel where he had > fallen over it. They found the man himself lying in the road with the usual > nine Winchester balls in his head and body. Dave Chadwick stayed with him > for seven or eight hours keeping the hogs and blowflies off while the rest > went for help. > "James left a wife and a 'house full of children,' and this fact, along > with the cruelty of the killing, finally aroused the responsible people > of the country. The day after it happened, District Judge W.M. Allison > wrote to the adjutant general asking for a permanent Ranger camp in the > vicinity." > > For your information, "...John Haas, Bill Kimmons, Little Jim Ford (son > of Mat [Ford]), and Nelson Smith (son of Preacher Smith) were accused of > doing away with W.A.James in 1896." These men were brought to trial in > San Saba in April 1898, and their cases were continued over several court > sessions. Ultimately the case was dropped and the various Mob families > were "encouraged" to move to other parts by the District Attorney. He made > a deal with them that if they did so, and kept out of trouble, their cases > would be dropped. > > Much of the story about the Mob was relayed to Sonichsen by the District > Attorney who prosecuted the Mob (W.C.Linden) and Dave Chadwick, who was > a sherriff in San Saba after the Mob days. [Although the book didn't say > so, I got the impression that Chadwick was in his late teens or a very > young man at the time the Mob was disbanded.] > > If you live in Texas, you can get copies of the court records indicting > his murderers through inter-library loan. I have copied the records for > the trial and conviction of my own ancestor. They're not as detailed as > the court records of today, but there is interesting information included. > > Good luck in your search! > > > > > ==== TXSSABA Mailing List ==== > Visit GenWeb's archive records for SAN SABA COUNTY, TEXAS, > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/sansaba/sansabtoc.htm > > ============================== > Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp > Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! >