Ok, have to ask: What is a "swingle-tree" ? December 24, 1880 State News Jacksboro, Dec. 18-- A fatal affray occurred at a late hour last night at Lick Branch, fifteen miles northeast of Jacksboro. An altercation arose while attending a country dance, between a man styled DOCK PILLS (PITTS?) and his brother-in-law named MCGEE, and was brought to a close by McGee… and stabbed Pills in the throat inflicting a wound from which Pills soon afterward expire. McGee left the house after committing the murder, followed by a brother of the murdered man named PETE PILLS. This morning MCGEE was found dead about 100 yards away from his house, his skull broken by a blow from a swingle-tree, which was lying beside him. It is alleged that when Pete Pills left the house, in which the dance was held, he carried with him the swingle-tree which was found by the body of McGee. Tidings of the affray reached Jacksboro at 3:00 this morning. SHERIFF KING, with his shooting irons, was quickly in the saddle, facing a freezing northern en route to the scene of the murder where he arrested PETE PILLS who is now in jail here, charged with the murder of McGee. The parties concerned were prosperous farmers and leave families.

http://dev.m-w.com/dictionary/swingletree Pronunciation: 'swi[ng]-g&l-(")trE Function: noun Etymology: Middle English swyngyll tre, from swyngyll rod for beating flax (from Middle Dutch swengel) + tre tree --- On Mon, 2/9/09, Gil Allison <aronos@sbcglobal.net> wrote: From: Gil Allison <aronos@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Re: [TXWISE] 1880 news article To: txwise@rootsweb.com Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 4:23 PM Ok, have to ask: What is a "swingle-tree" ? December 24, 1880 State News Jacksboro, Dec. 18-- A fatal affray occurred at a late hour last night at Lick Branch, fifteen miles northeast of Jacksboro. An altercation arose while attending a country dance, between a man styled DOCK PILLS (PITTS?) and his brother-in-law named MCGEE, and was brought to a close by McGee… and stabbed Pills in the throat inflicting a wound from which Pills soon afterward expire. McGee left the house after committing the murder, followed by a brother of the murdered man named PETE PILLS. This morning MCGEE was found dead about 100 yards away from his house, his skull broken by a blow from a swingle-tree, which was lying beside him. It is alleged that when Pete Pills left the house, in which the dance was held, he carried with him the swingle-tree which was found by the body of McGee. Tidings of the affray reached Jacksboro at 3:00 this morning. SHERIFF KING, with his shooting irons, was quickly in the saddle, facing a freezing northern en route to the scene of the murder where he arrested PETE PILLS who is now in jail here, charged with the murder of McGee. The parties concerned were prosperous farmers and leave families. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXWISE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

One wonders if the item found was a single tree yoke, which seems more likely that is what was here in North Texas. I have no idea how much flax was produced here, but from a brief search of the New Handbook of Texas online, I find no mention of it n this area. D See picture http://www.antiquemystique.com/pages/9680_jpg.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Benjamin H Good III" <bengood@sbcglobal.net> To: <txwise@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 4:50 PM Subject: Re: [TXWISE] 1880 news article http://dev.m-w.com/dictionary/swingletree Pronunciation: 'swi[ng]-g&l-(")trE Function: noun Etymology: Middle English swyngyll tre, from swyngyll rod for beating flax (from Middle Dutch swengel) + tre tree --- On Mon, 2/9/09, Gil Allison <aronos@sbcglobal.net> wrote: From: Gil Allison <aronos@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Re: [TXWISE] 1880 news article To: txwise@rootsweb.com Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 4:23 PM Ok, have to ask: What is a "swingle-tree" ? December 24, 1880 State News Jacksboro, Dec. 18-- A fatal affray occurred at a late hour last night at Lick Branch, fifteen miles northeast of Jacksboro. An altercation arose while attending a country dance, between a man styled DOCK PILLS (PITTS?) and his brother-in-law named MCGEE, and was brought to a close by McGee. and stabbed Pills in the throat inflicting a wound from which Pills soon afterward expire. McGee left the house after committing the murder, followed by a brother of the murdered man named PETE PILLS. This morning MCGEE was found dead about 100 yards away from his house, his skull broken by a blow from a swingle-tree, which was lying beside him. It is alleged that when Pete Pills left the house, in which the dance was held, he carried with him the swingle-tree which was found by the body of McGee. Tidings of the affray reached Jacksboro at 3:00 this morning. SHERIFF KING, with his shooting irons, was quickly in the saddle, facing a freezing northern en route to the scene of the murder where he arrested PETE PILLS who is now in jail here, charged with the murder of McGee. The parties concerned were prosperous farmers and leave families. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXWISE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXWISE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Mis-spelling..it is a singletree, which is the pulling bar attached to the harness of a draft horse or mule. Made of wood, with reinforcing steel used to attach the wagon via the coupling pole. haven't heard the term in since I was a boy. Weldon Atwood

It is the harness for a wagon pulled by one horse. A double tree is used with two horses. You must live in the city that has automobiles and no wagons.. -----Original Message----- From: txwise-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:txwise-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Gil Allison Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 4:24 PM To: txwise@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TXWISE] 1880 news article Ok, have to ask: What is a "swingle-tree" ? December 24, 1880 State News Jacksboro, Dec. 18-- A fatal affray occurred at a late hour last night at Lick Branch, fifteen miles northeast of Jacksboro. An altercation arose while attending a country dance, between a man styled DOCK PILLS (PITTS?) and his brother-in-law named MCGEE, and was brought to a close by McGee. and stabbed Pills in the throat inflicting a wound from which Pills soon afterward expire. McGee left the house after committing the murder, followed by a brother of the murdered man named PETE PILLS. This morning MCGEE was found dead about 100 yards away from his house, his skull broken by a blow from a swingle-tree, which was lying beside him. It is alleged that when Pete Pills left the house, in which the dance was held, he carried with him the swingle-tree which was found by the body of McGee. Tidings of the affray reached Jacksboro at 3:00 this morning. SHERIFF KING, with his shooting irons, was quickly in the saddle, facing a freezing northern en route to the scene of the murder where he arrested PETE PILLS who is now in jail here, charged with the murder of McGee. The parties concerned were prosperous farmers and leave families. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXWISE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I googled "swingle-tree" (which is the correct spelling) and found many articals. swingletree n : a crossbar that is attached to the traces of a draft horse and to the vehicle or implement that the horse is pulling [syn: whiffletree, whippletree] Also on You tubeyou can watch an explanation on what it is ---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ06Br6J0wo Linda Johnson Amazed in His presence.....humbled by his love. -----Original Message----- From: txwise-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:txwise-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Gil Allison Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 4:24 PM To: txwise@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TXWISE] 1880 news article Ok, have to ask: What is a "swingle-tree" ? December 24, 1880 State News Jacksboro, Dec. 18-- A fatal affray occurred at a late hour last night at Lick Branch, fifteen miles northeast of Jacksboro. An altercation arose while attending a country dance, between a man styled DOCK PILLS (PITTS?) and his brother-in-law named MCGEE, and was brought to a close by McGee. and stabbed Pills in the throat inflicting a wound from which Pills soon afterward expire. McGee left the house after committing the murder, followed by a brother of the murdered man named PETE PILLS. This morning MCGEE was found dead about 100 yards away from his house, his skull broken by a blow from a swingle-tree, which was lying beside him. It is alleged that when Pete Pills left the house, in which the dance was held, he carried with him the swingle-tree which was found by the body of McGee. Tidings of the affray reached Jacksboro at 3:00 this morning. SHERIFF KING, with his shooting irons, was quickly in the saddle, facing a freezing northern en route to the scene of the murder where he arrested PETE PILLS who is now in jail here, charged with the murder of McGee. The parties concerned were prosperous farmers and leave families. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXWISE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message