Amos Alexander and his son, also named Amos, were murdered by Indians in 1835 on the Goucher Trace near its junction with the Wilbarger Trace. The scene of the atrocity is a few miles south of present Ledbetter.
In 1935, E. H. Alexander of Llano, grandson of Amos Alexander, related the story of his grandfather's death. Amos Alexander came to Texas in 1833 and established himself on a farm in Colorado County. In 1834 the family moved to Bastrop where Amos opened a general mercantile business and a hotel. It was customary for Mr. Alexander to freight his own goods in ox wagons from Columbia-on-the-Brazos and other points to his store in Bastrop. In the summer of 1835 Alexander was returning from Columbia with two wagons of merchandise to replenish his stock. With him were his brother; his son, a lad of fifteen; a man by the name of Blackie, and Blackie's son. Alexander and probably his brother were driving the lead wagon with young Amos riding a horse at the "point." The second wagon, containing the Blackies was some distance behind. With wild yells, a group of Indians suddenly opened fire toward the three at the point. Alexander was killed and young Amos was shot through the body. He turned and raced his horse back toward the second wagon, screaming "Indians! Indians!" When he arrived at the rear wagon, Blackie's son got up behind him to hold him on the hors and the two then headed for the fort which was located at present La Grange. After riding for a distance of about a mild, the wounded youngster begged the Blackie youth to lay him down and let him die Blackie took him from the horse, laid him under a tree, crossed his hands over his breast and covered him with leaves and moss to hide his location from the Indians. Blackie continued on to the fort.
Back at the scene of the attack, Alexander's brother and the elder Blackie fought off the Indians with muzzle-loading-rifles and cap-and-ball pistols as they retreated into the brush afoot. They then made their way down Wilbarger Trace and proceeded to the fortified residence on the Colorado opposite the Bluff.
Colonel John H. Moore and all the able bodied men present saddled up and proceeded immediately to the scene of the murders. Young Amos was found dead under his mantle of leaves and the party buried him where he lay. They then located Alexander's body and buried him near a post oak tree about fifty yards north of a small branch.
The party then trekked northwest to the mountains in search of the Indians but failed to find them. They returned to La Grange.
Riders were sent out to Bastrop and the settlements on the Colorado below the fort calling on the settlers to avenge the deaths of the Alexanders. A group of sixty-two volunteers, including William Rabb, Robert M. Coleman, and John and Joseph Berry, quickly assembled and Colonel John H. Moore again to command. The party traced a group of Indians to Little River, fifteen miles above the falls of the Brazos River. There they located and captured a group of seven Indians, but they could find no trace of Alexander's goods. The men voted to execute the Indians, which was done, and they then returned to the Colorado.
Through the years the small branch on which the killings occurred was referred to as the branch "on which Alexander was killed." Finally the term was shortened to the name Alexander's Branch.
Lyman Alexander was a baby when his father was killed. He learned the story just as soon as he reached the age of reason and passed on the tale to his son, E. H., expressing his desire that the graves not be forgotten. According in 1935, the centennial year of the incident, E. H. had a granite stone engraved and put in position about 50 years from Alexander Branch on the north bank at the site of the murders.
This stone is a large gray, granite block, roughly chipped. It is about 14" thick X 20" wide X 3' high and faces toward the southeast. The inscription is incised deeply into the rough face and reads as follows: "Amos Alexander and Son Killed by Indians here June 1, 1835."
- Norman C. Krischke
In 1935, E. H. Alexander of Llano, grandson of Amos Alexander, related the story of his grandfather's death. Amos Alexander came to Texas in 1833 and established himself on a farm in Colorado County. In 1834 the family moved to Bastrop where Amos opened a general mercantile business and a hotel. It was customary for Mr. Alexander to freight his own goods in ox wagons from Columbia-on-the-Brazos and other points to his store in Bastrop. In the summer of 1835 Alexander was returning from Columbia with two wagons of merchandise to replenish his stock. With him were his brother; his son, a lad of fifteen; a man by the name of Blackie, and Blackie's son. Alexander and probably his brother were driving the lead wagon with young Amos riding a horse at the "point." The second wagon, containing the Blackies was some distance behind. With wild yells, a group of Indians suddenly opened fire toward the three at the point. Alexander was killed and young Amos was shot through the body. He turned and raced his horse back toward the second wagon, screaming "Indians! Indians!" When he arrived at the rear wagon, Blackie's son got up behind him to hold him on the hors and the two then headed for the fort which was located at present La Grange. After riding for a distance of about a mild, the wounded youngster begged the Blackie youth to lay him down and let him die Blackie took him from the horse, laid him under a tree, crossed his hands over his breast and covered him with leaves and moss to hide his location from the Indians. Blackie continued on to the fort.
Back at the scene of the attack, Alexander's brother and the elder Blackie fought off the Indians with muzzle-loading-rifles and cap-and-ball pistols as they retreated into the brush afoot. They then made their way down Wilbarger Trace and proceeded to the fortified residence on the Colorado opposite the Bluff.
Colonel John H. Moore and all the able bodied men present saddled up and proceeded immediately to the scene of the murders. Young Amos was found dead under his mantle of leaves and the party buried him where he lay. They then located Alexander's body and buried him near a post oak tree about fifty yards north of a small branch.
The party then trekked northwest to the mountains in search of the Indians but failed to find them. They returned to La Grange.
Riders were sent out to Bastrop and the settlements on the Colorado below the fort calling on the settlers to avenge the deaths of the Alexanders. A group of sixty-two volunteers, including William Rabb, Robert M. Coleman, and John and Joseph Berry, quickly assembled and Colonel John H. Moore again to command. The party traced a group of Indians to Little River, fifteen miles above the falls of the Brazos River. There they located and captured a group of seven Indians, but they could find no trace of Alexander's goods. The men voted to execute the Indians, which was done, and they then returned to the Colorado.
Through the years the small branch on which the killings occurred was referred to as the branch "on which Alexander was killed." Finally the term was shortened to the name Alexander's Branch.
Lyman Alexander was a baby when his father was killed. He learned the story just as soon as he reached the age of reason and passed on the tale to his son, E. H., expressing his desire that the graves not be forgotten. According in 1935, the centennial year of the incident, E. H. had a granite stone engraved and put in position about 50 years from Alexander Branch on the north bank at the site of the murders.
This stone is a large gray, granite block, roughly chipped. It is about 14" thick X 20" wide X 3' high and faces toward the southeast. The inscription is incised deeply into the rough face and reads as follows: "Amos Alexander and Son Killed by Indians here June 1, 1835."
- Norman C. Krischke
Amos Alexander and his son, also named Amos, were murdered by Indians in 1835 on the Goucher Trace near its junction with the Wilbarger Trace. The scene of the atrocity is a few miles south of present Ledbetter.
In 1935, E. H. Alexander of Llano, grandson of Amos Alexander, related the story of his grandfather's death. Amos Alexander came to Texas in 1833 and established himself on a farm in Colorado County. In 1834 the family moved to Bastrop where Amos opened a general mercantile business and a hotel. It was customary for Mr. Alexander to freight his own goods in ox wagons from Columbia-on-the-Brazos and other points to his store in Bastrop. In the summer of 1835 Alexander was returning from Columbia with two wagons of merchandise to replenish his stock. With him were his brother; his son, a lad of fifteen; a man by the name of Blackie, and Blackie's son. Alexander and probably his brother were driving the lead wagon with young Amos riding a horse at the "point." The second wagon, containing the Blackies was some distance behind. With wild yells, a group of Indians suddenly opened fire toward the three at the point. Alexander was killed and young Amos was shot through the body. He turned and raced his horse back toward the second wagon, screaming "Indians! Indians!" When he arrived at the rear wagon, Blackie's son got up behind him to hold him on the hors and the two then headed for the fort which was located at present La Grange. After riding for a distance of about a mild, the wounded youngster begged the Blackie youth to lay him down and let him die Blackie took him from the horse, laid him under a tree, crossed his hands over his breast and covered him with leaves and moss to hide his location from the Indians. Blackie continued on to the fort.
Back at the scene of the attack, Alexander's brother and the elder Blackie fought off the Indians with muzzle-loading-rifles and cap-and-ball pistols as they retreated into the brush afoot. They then made their way down Wilbarger Trace and proceeded to the fortified residence on the Colorado opposite the Bluff.
Colonel John H. Moore and all the able bodied men present saddled up and proceeded immediately to the scene of the murders. Young Amos was found dead under his mantle of leaves and the party buried him where he lay. They then located Alexander's body and buried him near a post oak tree about fifty yards north of a small branch.
The party then trekked northwest to the mountains in search of the Indians but failed to find them. They returned to La Grange.
Riders were sent out to Bastrop and the settlements on the Colorado below the fort calling on the settlers to avenge the deaths of the Alexanders. A group of sixty-two volunteers, including William Rabb, Robert M. Coleman, and John and Joseph Berry, quickly assembled and Colonel John H. Moore again to command. The party traced a group of Indians to Little River, fifteen miles above the falls of the Brazos River. There they located and captured a group of seven Indians, but they could find no trace of Alexander's goods. The men voted to execute the Indians, which was done, and they then returned to the Colorado.
Through the years the small branch on which the killings occurred was referred to as the branch "on which Alexander was killed." Finally the term was shortened to the name Alexander's Branch.
Lyman Alexander was a baby when his father was killed. He learned the story just as soon as he reached the age of reason and passed on the tale to his son, E. H., expressing his desire that the graves not be forgotten. According in 1935, the centennial year of the incident, E. H. had a granite stone engraved and put in position about 50 years from Alexander Branch on the north bank at the site of the murders.
This stone is a large gray, granite block, roughly chipped. It is about 14" thick X 20" wide X 3' high and faces toward the southeast. The inscription is incised deeply into the rough face and reads as follows: "Amos Alexander and Son Killed by Indians here June 1, 1835."
- Norman C. Krischke
In 1935, E. H. Alexander of Llano, grandson of Amos Alexander, related the story of his grandfather's death. Amos Alexander came to Texas in 1833 and established himself on a farm in Colorado County. In 1834 the family moved to Bastrop where Amos opened a general mercantile business and a hotel. It was customary for Mr. Alexander to freight his own goods in ox wagons from Columbia-on-the-Brazos and other points to his store in Bastrop. In the summer of 1835 Alexander was returning from Columbia with two wagons of merchandise to replenish his stock. With him were his brother; his son, a lad of fifteen; a man by the name of Blackie, and Blackie's son. Alexander and probably his brother were driving the lead wagon with young Amos riding a horse at the "point." The second wagon, containing the Blackies was some distance behind. With wild yells, a group of Indians suddenly opened fire toward the three at the point. Alexander was killed and young Amos was shot through the body. He turned and raced his horse back toward the second wagon, screaming "Indians! Indians!" When he arrived at the rear wagon, Blackie's son got up behind him to hold him on the hors and the two then headed for the fort which was located at present La Grange. After riding for a distance of about a mild, the wounded youngster begged the Blackie youth to lay him down and let him die Blackie took him from the horse, laid him under a tree, crossed his hands over his breast and covered him with leaves and moss to hide his location from the Indians. Blackie continued on to the fort.
Back at the scene of the attack, Alexander's brother and the elder Blackie fought off the Indians with muzzle-loading-rifles and cap-and-ball pistols as they retreated into the brush afoot. They then made their way down Wilbarger Trace and proceeded to the fortified residence on the Colorado opposite the Bluff.
Colonel John H. Moore and all the able bodied men present saddled up and proceeded immediately to the scene of the murders. Young Amos was found dead under his mantle of leaves and the party buried him where he lay. They then located Alexander's body and buried him near a post oak tree about fifty yards north of a small branch.
The party then trekked northwest to the mountains in search of the Indians but failed to find them. They returned to La Grange.
Riders were sent out to Bastrop and the settlements on the Colorado below the fort calling on the settlers to avenge the deaths of the Alexanders. A group of sixty-two volunteers, including William Rabb, Robert M. Coleman, and John and Joseph Berry, quickly assembled and Colonel John H. Moore again to command. The party traced a group of Indians to Little River, fifteen miles above the falls of the Brazos River. There they located and captured a group of seven Indians, but they could find no trace of Alexander's goods. The men voted to execute the Indians, which was done, and they then returned to the Colorado.
Through the years the small branch on which the killings occurred was referred to as the branch "on which Alexander was killed." Finally the term was shortened to the name Alexander's Branch.
Lyman Alexander was a baby when his father was killed. He learned the story just as soon as he reached the age of reason and passed on the tale to his son, E. H., expressing his desire that the graves not be forgotten. According in 1935, the centennial year of the incident, E. H. had a granite stone engraved and put in position about 50 years from Alexander Branch on the north bank at the site of the murders.
This stone is a large gray, granite block, roughly chipped. It is about 14" thick X 20" wide X 3' high and faces toward the southeast. The inscription is incised deeply into the rough face and reads as follows: "Amos Alexander and Son Killed by Indians here June 1, 1835."
- Norman C. Krischke
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
