Deaths & Disturbances.

(Locations noted when known.):

Legend:

More information wanted:          
Murders:          
date name
1850 William Cloud, Jeremiah's eldest, died in Alabama.
1856-12-29 Hempstead founded 1 2.
1858-1860 Andrew Jackson "A.J." Cloud, Jeremiah's son, killed, said to have been ambushed.
1861-03-14 Jeremiah Cloud died at home in Caney Creek.
1862-04 Joseph H. Farr wounded during retreat of Gen. Sibley's 5th Texas Cavalry campaign in New Mexico. Shot in both arms, both broken.
1867-10-12 James Wilkins McDade died.
1868-02 John Clark "J.C." Cloud, son of Jeremiah Cloud, died in Milam county.
1868-04-03 Wm. Sapp killed Mr. Saunders at Reed's Prairie. The next day, while serving an arrest warrant, Wm. Loggins and Mr. Stewart of the arresting party were killed and Mr. Bell, of the other party, was killed. 3
Possibly related: "Bob Lee and a young Dixon killed Peacock and Sanders, at or near Pilot Grove". 4
1868-04-11 Gunfight results in three being killed -- resulting from killing of Sanders (or Saunders). 5 6
1868-05-02 Burwell B. "B.B." Lee shot and killed by Jos. Farr. 7
1868-05-06 The postmaster stole money from mail, the telegraph operator eloped, murders commonplace in Texas. 8
1868-05-31 Dewitt C. Fort killed by Springfield (Confederate Captain Lancaster Springfield, Dick Springfield's father.). 9 10
1868-07 Adam killed by negroes. 11
1868-12-25 Alfred Kirby shot and killed by Elijah Bell. 12
1870 Stephen Allchin's parents die of murder-suicide in Escambia cty, FL. 13
1875-09-02 Jacob Kaempfer shot & stabbed by J. C. Giffney. 14
1876-06-12 Lynching of Two Escaped Convicts. 15
1876-11-10 Wheeler killed Short. 16
1878-01 Tom Bell murdered. 17
1878-03-26 Unidentified man murdered and thrown in pond. 18
1878-09-13 George Lynch family murdered, home burned down. 19 20 21 22
1878-09-27 Robert W. Finklea, 27, murdered by Robert W. Crawford & E. W. Young, body dragged over 100 yards. 23 24  He was alleged to be "a valuable state witness in the Lynch family murder case". 25
His parents were Elly FINKLEA () and Elizabeth Ann MOODY (1828 SC-1903 TX). He married Alice Bertha Turner Aug. 9, 1876 in Harris county (perhaps Hockley). In 1880 census, Brenham, she is living with her parents with a two-year-old daughter Minnie.
1878-12-03 Deputy sheriff Lewis Cooper and Ed Greer killed by Johnnie Greer, Ed's nephew, at Pattison, some 21 miles south of Hempstead. 26
1878-10-06 Geo. W. Lynch and John Binford shot at each other at Hockley. 27
1878-10-24 Attempted Assassination of John Watson, son of Dr. Watson. 28
1879-05-04 John Steele killed by Col. Jared Kirby. 29
1879-06-01 Thomas Loggins Killed by Daniel Morris. Reports say they were either 2nd cousins or brothers-in-law (or both). 30
1879-07-09 Reuben Morris killed by Reuben Loggins. Morris was brother of Dan Morris who had killed Loggins' brother Thomas Loggins last May. 31
1879-07-30 Richard Booth, ex-county attorney and judge shot and killed at Hempstead by deputy sheriff Richard T. Springfield. 32 33
1879-08 David Greer killed by Frank Wade at lower edge of Waller county. David was brother of John Greer and brother-in-law of Lewis Cooper, who was killed by John O. Greer, their nephew. 34 (I think this is wrong - I don't believe Cooper was related.)
1879-10-13 Moscow Boulware (sic - Musco) shot by Frank Hargrave at Field's store over a horse race. Musco died a day later. 35 36 He was a son of the elder Musco Boulware and brother to Reuben Boulware, who was suspected of the murder of the Lynch children, and Frank Boulware who was married to Fanny Hargrave, who was a sister of Frank Hargrave and the wife of George Lynch.
1880-11-06 Town marshal John Howell Adams shot & killed by Peter Moore at Hempstead resisting arrest. 37
1880-12-09 John Talbert shot in the head in Wheeler's saloon at Hempstead. 38
1881-01-02 Thomas Ray killed by George Laurence / Lawrence at Field's store. 39 40 41 42
1881-09-17 Hiram McGar killed by Willis Johnson at Hempstead. 43
1882-11-18 Tom Taylor killed by George Lawrence at Hempstead. 44
1883-02-24 A.C. Tomey (or Toomey) Killed by Lum Campbell at Hempstead. 45
1884-09-18 J. H. Farr Shot John W. Ellison. 46
1885-11-11 Jim Cloud & Joe Farr Exchange Shots at Each Other. 47
1886-05-05 Joseph H. Farr, editor of the Hempstead Courier, shot and killed by his brother-in-law and justice of the peace, J.W.J. Cloud. 48
1886-09 J.W.J. Cloud died of T.B. 49
1887-02-03 Mary Cloud, mulatto, died of injuries from George Snell. 50
1887-02-15 The Advance Guard started by E. P. Alsbury.
1887-11-01 Francis Marion "F.M." Cloud, J.W.J. Cloud's uncle and youngest son of Jeremiah & Elizabeth Cloud, was shot and killed by a jealous husband, Stonewall Jackson Kendrick. 51
1888-04-06 Deputy sheriff Dick Chambers, offended by a newspaper article in the Advance Guard shot Steve Allchin who returned fire, killing Chambers. 52 53
1888-05-04 Napoleon B. Farr, half brother of Jos. Farr, is shot and killed by James Carroll. 54
1888-05-19 Jack McDade & Dick Springfield ambush Steve Allchin and murder him. 55
1888-06-25 Earnest Nash & John Kewley rode through downtown Hempstead shooting. 56
1888-07-06 Circulars by anonymous "Junius" received at post office. 57
1888-07-09 James Carroll killed by Joe Driscoll at Waller Station. 58 59
1888-08-01 Postmaster instructed to mail Junius circulars.
1888-08-02 W. M. Felker and John F. Cole exchanged gunfire in dispute over billiards. 60
1888-10-13 Lewis McDade, a prominent black republican politician, was murdered just before the November election. 61
1888-11-26 Ex-Sheriff Thomas Sewell McDade murdered by Joseph Blassingame, Jr. 62
1889-02 Jack McDade given 8 years for murder of Stephen Allchin. 63
1889-02-23 James Mathis killed by James Berry at Reid's Prairie (Reed's Prairie). 64
1889-10-06 Jos. Blassingame acquitted of murder charge. 65
1889-12-19 Dick Springfield given 25 years for murder of Stephen Allchin. 66
1889-12-17 Paul Anderson shot and killed by an unknown assassin. 67
1892-11-08 Charles Quinn murdered in shootout with Jim Wood, Tom Wallingford & Reuben Boulware/Bulware on election day at Fields' Store. Ruben Boulware charged with the murder. 68
1893-09-13 Hugh Quinn shot and killed by City Marshal A. D. Goss in Hempstead. 69
1895-04-28 Nathan Brown murdered by Walter Gee. 70
1895-06-03 Harry Kelly murdered by John Pinchback. 71
1895-11-04 Jerry Henderson killed by Nat Cuny, M. Jack President & Walter Gee at Sunny Side. 72
1897-02-18 Nat Cuny acquitted of killing Jerry Henderson.
1897-08-05 H.G.W. Cloud died in Groesbeck, Texas. 73
1898-04-10 Tucker Pinckney, brother of Jno Pinckney, murdered. 74
1905-04-24 Tom & John M. Pinckney shot and killed at prohibition protest in courtroom of Hempstead courthouse. 75
1905-04-24 Also killed – Capt. Hal Moseley Browne; John Everett Gardner Mills.

Number of homicides found in newspaper reports in the area of Waller county = 65.  (Waller county was founded in 1873.  The statistics before that were in Austin county.)

1856 -  1
1868 - 13
1870 -  1
1876 -  3
1878 - 13

1879 -  6
1880 -  1
1881 -  2
1882 -  1
1883 -  1

1886 -  1
1887 -  2
1888 -  7
1889 -  2
1892 -  1

1893 -  1
1895 -  3
1898 -  2
1905 -  5

  — (The Marshall, Texas Tri-Weekly Herald, on page 1, May 13, 1879 reported 40 murders in Waller county since the war, 76 but the count above from 1868 to 1879 is only 36, so some have been missed.)

Footnotes

  1. The New Town Of Hempstead. The Weekly Telegraph, (Houston, TX), Wednesday, February 4, 1857, p. 1, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  2. Hempstead Has Been Laid Off. The Weekly Telegraph, (Houston, TX), Wednesday, February 4, 1857, p. 2, col. 3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  3. Serious Shooting Affair The Texas Countryman, (Hempstead, TX), Wednesday, April 8, 1868, p. 3, col. 3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  4. Killing At Pilot Grove. The Dallas Herald, (Dallas, TX), Saturday, May 2, 1868, p. 2, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  5. Serious Shooting Affair The Galveston Daily News, Friday, April 10, 1868, p. 2, col. 3. Newspaperarchive.com transcription
  6. Fatal Shooting Affray In Texas — Three Men Killed Richmond Dispatch, (Richmond, VA), Saturday, April 11, 1868, p. 2, col. 4. Newspapers.com transcription
  7. Fatal Shooting Affair The Texas Countryman), (Hempstead, TX), Wednesday, April 29, 1868, Vol. 7, No. 50, Ed. 1, p. 3, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  8. Letter From Texas - B.B. Lee Murder, Etc. Memphis Evening Post, Wednesday, May 6, 1868, p. 1, col. 2-3. Newspapers.com transcription
  9. Springfield Kills Fort. The Galveston Republican, , University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  10. DeWitt Clinton Fort (1830-1868), 37 years old. FindaGrave.com
  11. Old Adam Killed The Texas Countryman, (Hempstead, TX), Wednesday, July 8, 1868, p. 3, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  12. Elijah Bell Killed Freedman Alfred Kirby. The Texas Countryman, (Hempstead, TX), Friday, December 25, 1868, p. 2, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  13. The Allchin Tragedy. Jacksonville Republican, Saturday, May 7, 1870, p. 2, col. 3. Newspapers.com transcription
  14. Personal Difficulty - Shot Gun And Dirk Used. The Galveston Daily News, Friday, September 3, 1875, p. 1, col. 4. Newspaperarchive.com transcription
  15. Recapture And Lynching Of Two Escaped Convicts. The Galveston Daily News, Wednesday, June 14, 1876, P. 1, col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  16. Fatal Altercation At Hempstead. The Galveston Daily News, Sunday, November 12, 1876, p. 1 , col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  17. Murder Of Tom Bell. The Daily Banner, (Brenham, TX), Thursday, January 24, 1878, p. 3, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  18. A Stranger Murdered And Thrown Into A Pond. The Galveston Daily News, Wednesday, March 27, 1878, p. 1 , col. 3. Newspaperarchive.com transcription
  19. Mr. Lynch Shot, Family Murdered. Weekly Democratic Statesman, (Austin, TX), Thursday, September 19, 1878, p. 2, col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  20. The Hockley Horror. Brenham Weekly Banner, (Brenham, TX), Friday, September 20, 1878, p. 1, col. 3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  21. The Lynch Attrocity. Denison Daily News, (Denison, TX.), Sunday, September 22, 1878, p. 1, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  22. Lynch Tells Different Tales. Weekly Democratic Statesman, (Austin, TX.), Thursday, September 26, 1878 P. 2, col. 7. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  23. Robert Willis Finklea (1851-1878), 27 years old. FindaGrave.com
  24. Robt. Finkle Killed. The Galveston Daily News, Sunday, September 29, 1878 P. 4, col. 6. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  25. Ed Young, Charged With Murder Of Finkley. The Galveston Daily News, Wednesday, October 22, 1879, p. 1 , col. 4. Newspaperarchive.com transcription
  26. Edward B. Greer (1846-1878), 31 years old. FindaGrave.com
  27. Details Of The Lynch-binford Shooting. The Galveston Daily News, Saturday, November 9, 1878, p. 1, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  28. Attempted Assassination Of John Watson. Weekly Democratic Statesman, (Austin, TX.), Thursday, October 24, 1878, p. 2, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  29. John Steele Killed By Col. Kirby. Norton's Union Intelligencer, (Dallas, TX), Saturday, May 31, 1879, p. 1, col. 2-3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  30. Ruben Thomas "Tom" Loggins (1847-1879), 32 years old. FindaGrave.com
  31. Reuben Morris (1836-1879), 42 years old. FindaGrave.com
  32. Springfield Kills Booth; Wade Kills Greer. Brenham Weekly Banner, Friday, August 1, 1879, p. 3, col. 5. Newspapers.com transcription
  33. Richard Booth Killed By R.T. Springfield. Fort Worth Daily Democrat, Sunday, August 3, 1879, p. 1, col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  34. Springfield Kills Booth; Wade Kills Greer. Brenham Weekly Banner, Friday, August 1, 1879, p. 3, col. 5. zibid Newspapers.com transcription
  35. Frank Hargraves Taken To Hempstead. Brenham Weekly Banner, (Brenham, TX), Wednesday, October 17, 1879, p. 2 , col. 8. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  36. State Vs. Hargraves. The Galveston Daily News, Saturday, April 10, 1880, p. 1 , col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  37. Peter Moore Ex-con Killed Adams. Brenham Weekly Banner, (Brenham, TX), Thursday, December 9, 1880, p. 3, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  38. Shooting At Wheeler's Saloon. Brenham Weekly Banner, (Brenham, TX), Thursday, December 9, 1880, p. 3, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  39. Thomas Ray Murdered. The Galveston Daily News, Tuesday, January 4, 1881. P. 2, col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  40. George Lawrence Guilty. The Dallas Weekly Herald, Thursday, April 20, 1881, p. 7, col. 4. Newspapers.com transcription
  41. Peter Moore Guilty. The Dallas Weekly Herald, Thursday, April 20, 1881, p. 7, col. 3. Newspapers.com transcription
  42. Thomas William Ray Sr. (1823-1881), 57 years old. FindaGrave.com
  43. Hiram McGar Killed By Willis Johnson. Brenham Daily Banner, Tuesday, September 20, 1881, p. 2, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  44. Tom Taylor Killed By George Lawrence. The Galveston Daily News, Wednesday, November 22, 1882, p. 2, col. 3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  45. A.C. Tomey Killed By Lum Campbell. The Dallas Daily Herald, Saturday, February 24, 1883, p. 1, col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  46. Shot By An Editor. Graham Leader, (Graham, Texas), Thursday, September 11, 1884, p. 2, col. 5. Newspaperarchive.com transcription
  47. Jim Cloud & Joe Farr Exchanged Shots. The Dallas Daily Herald, Wednesday, November 11, 1885, p. 5, col. 3. Newspapers.com transcription
  48. Joseph H. Farr (1837-1886), 48 years old. FindaGrave.com
  49. J. W. J. Cloud Died At His Home.. Brenham Daily Banner, (Brenham, TX), Saturday, September 18, 1886, p. 4, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  50. The Advance Guard. Galveston Daily News, Thursday, February 3, 1887, p. 7, col. 6. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  51. F. M. Cloud Killed By Kendricks. The La Grange Journal, (La Grange, Tex.), Thursday, November 10, 1887, p. 2, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas Historyy transcription
  52. Deputy Sheriff Richard C. Chambers Killed By Stephen W. Allchin Galveston Daily News, Thursday, April 5, 1888, p. 1, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  53. Richard C. Chambers (1863-1888), 24 years old. FindaGrave.com
  54. Napoleon Farr Shot And Killed San Antonio Daily Light, Saturday, May 5, 1888, p. 1, col. 3. Newspaperarchive.com transcription
  55. Shot Off His Horse Galveston Daily News, Sunday, May 20, 1888, p. 2, Newspapers.com transcription
  56. Mounted Riders Shoot Up Hempstead. The Galveston Daily News, Wednesday, June 27, 1888, p. 5, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  57. Excitement At Hempstead (junius) Galveston Daily News, Friday, July 6, 1888, Vol. 47, No. 71, Ed. 1, p. 3, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  58. He Executed His Oath. Galveston Daily News, Tuesday, July 10, 1888, p. 1, col. 6. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  59. Deliberate Assassination. Galveston Daily News, Tuesday, July 10, 1888, p. 10, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  60. Felker-cole Shootout. Austin Weekly Statesman, (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 2, 1888, p. 1, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  61. The Assassination Of Lewis McDade. Austin American Statesmen, Tuesday, October 16, 1888, p. 2, col. 2. Newspapers.com transcription
  62. Another Hempstead Murder. Brenham Daily Banner, Wednesday, November 28, 1888, p. 4, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  63. Jack M'dade Given Eight Years For Murder Galveston Daily News, Saturday, Feb. 23, 1889, p. 3, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  64. Shot To Death Galveston Daily News, Saturday, February 23, 1889, p. 1, col. 5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  65. McDade-blassingame Case. The Galveston Daily News, Sunday, October 6, 1889, p. 3, col. 3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  66. McDade Got 8 Years; Springfield Got 25, Galveston Daily News, Friday, Dec 20, 1889, p. 2, transcription
  67. Shot To Death The Austin Statesman, (Austin, TX), Thursday, December 26, 1889, p. 2, col. 6. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  68. A Fatal Election. The Temple Times, (Temple, TX), Friday, November 18, 1892, p. 6, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  69. A Hempstead Killing The Albany Weekly News, (Albany, TX), Friday, September 15, 1893, p. 1, col. 3. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  70. Nathan Brown Killed. Brenham Daily Banner, Wednesday, May 1, 1895, p. 3, col. 4. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  71. A Mysterious Murder. The Brenham Daily Banner, (Brenham, TX), Tuesday, June 25, 1895, p. 1, col 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  72. Jerry Henderson Killed. Brenham Daily Banner, Thursday, November 7, 1895, p. 7, col. 1. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  73. A Pioneer's Funeral (wash Cloud). The Houston Daily Post, Saturday, August 7, 1897, p. 2, col. 6. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  74. Brother Of Congressman Pinckney Killed Last Night. The Galveston Tribune, April 11, 1898, p. 2, col. 2. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  75. Congressman John M. Pinckney Shot Dead The Austin Statesman, (Austin, TX), Tuesday, April 25, 1905, p. 1, col. 3-5. University Of North Texas Libraries, The Portal To Texas History transcription
  76. Forty Murders In Waller County. The Tri-Weekly Herald, (Marshall, TX), Tuesday, May 13, 1879, p. 1 , col. 5. Newspapers.com transcription

Newspaper articles may be read at Timeline of News Reports.