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Ploaser 14x OA
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viths4 237 1938
WILLIAM ANUBIL48 BOMBS
Orelde, Ibexes
a
4.A. doylies, eleaMonly known as aim, resides on North
3treet in Uvalde and is an. Of the oldest residents in the 01
e is 40 years of age, a CivilWet veteran ant Wvuldeliountysoleamme.
tits wife, who wee a. denghter of one of the earlrviteY NOVA**
of this seetion is 88 years old sad the mother of tea ehildrena
eight of whom are still linage SU Wee Se* *MI OM NM
Game to Uvalde dounty when she vre three years old.
These old tolls who **joy the dliitisetioa of being Wvalde's 0140
eat married couple have good memories end ere epparently La goo* boa
The following' story of early .life is of Dell and Uvalde dountieei
"I qns born in 148 in MiesiSeippl.- We emu to Tessa la 149 sad
settled in Bell County. I started to sebeel whoa I was about six Or
seven years old right there at biltoa.
Atten the Civil War broke out, wi father 'mat to fight. MO keldikIV-
a little pleas out of Delta* ead moved us into the *ounSsyr. It wag
land for eultivatioa and as I was about 18 years old, it was 4? to
to keop thing,/ gots& Wraith.* had tees go!* a long OM laiSSI
Confederato soldiers clamped Sesr our See* on. day. They het steMed
to eat dinner and I went dewn *here where they were to talk to tOMiii,
They talked about the war till they get we la the notion of gotaL
I went book to the house aid told -my mother that I was going
war. She began trying to keep me tram going sad talking nad, begging:
we not to go, but I toil her that I'realt,,. Iowa to *here Mg' Maw
-4ri•
Experiesees 1.0- a. 160480 pew ,s_
was and I would try to get Lathe same regiment with him. He was stationed
at Houston on Buffalo Bayou and was in Colonel Gillispiess regiment.
I walked sixteen miles to get to a train and Went on down to Houston
and then I walked on down to loamy, about two miles. Wy father was sure
surprised to see me and asked me what I was doing there. I told hi*
was afraid that the war would break up before I got to go. Well, he kW"
I vss too young so he went and talked to the colonel. He introgused
me and the colonel said he mould like to get me to go bask home but it
I wouldn't go, I could stay there with my father bseause he couldn't
sign me up on aecount of my age. M7 father had been down theie'for
a long time, so he talked tO the colonel about letting me stay there in
hire place while he vent home. I eould take his 'place till he got balk.
The colonel agreed and they drive me a suit of clothes and a can ant he
says, 'Now, tell you, you are going to find this pretty hard for
you have to go up to Houston and guard prisoners two hours two or three
times a week.' I said I could stand that all right.
°I was there two or three months and had to go on guard every week,
two or three times and I was getting pretty tired of it. we lived on
starvation rations. They give us these here old hard•tack, crackers and
boon; no coffee. We had to drink water. They couldn't get coffee,for
the northern people had it all tied up. The only way we could get a imp
of coffee was when we would be on guard. Then we'd go to the °offe.
house where they served coffee and get a eup.
"I hsd never wrote to my father to some beak, so I stayed there
till we p-ot word that Lee's army had surrendered. When we got word that
he had surrendered, our colonel said, 'Well, the war is about over.'
One day we hutted a cannon firing down at Galveston and the colonel and
General Magruder said, 'That's the Yankees firing on Galveston now and
Pioneer Exnerienoes W. A, Bowles
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we've got to get in line of battle and prepare to get 'en when they
come.' Thet Wan the first-time I ever was in line of battle and I could
look up and down the line and see the guns glistening in the sun and the
generals riding up and down in front of the lines giving orders oh my!
wished 1 was back home then. They thought the Yankees would ooze on up
to Houston on the train. Along in the evening, we were standing there on
that prairie end we seen the train caning and hoard the whiltle. The
officers said, 'well, they're caning; we'll have to fight thenSt We got
ready and had our guns all ready to fire. When that train come in sight,
you never saw so many men in your life. They were all over it. When they
got in si“ht, 1;11rn waving their hats and handkerchiefs and cheering
and the officer called to us and said the war was over because that was
our men on their way home. We all started home that same evening. Our
general told us that since the soldieri were going to take Houston, we
might a$e well go on in and get what we could too, They hit that town and
went into every store and took everything they wanted. All of those private
stores were looted. So I decided I would go in and get me a big gun.
got two guns and a big box of ammunition that weighed about forty
.flounds. I had to get somebody to help me pack it out. I got one of the
guns for Ay brother for I knew he would sere be pleased with a good gun
as we hunted so much.
"1 saw the soldiers peeking out bolts of *calico and other materials
from those stores and I went into one of the stores and got me a bolt and
would start for the door with it, but before I could ever get outside
with it, someone else would take it away from me. I wanted to take mama
a bolt of it but I couldn't ever get back to my guns and ammunition with
any of it. I riqally quit and didn't try any more.
"'Iwo chartered a train from Houston and eame out in about sixteen Allis
Pioneer Experiences 40,- W. A. Bowles
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of Bryan and it was about fourteen miles to our place. I got with some
of the soldiers and come right on and we got some teamsters to bring
us on home. It was night when we got out our way. We got in about
three !riiles
my guns and
night there
of my home and I decided to stop at a neighbor's and leave
ammunition. As it happened, some of my folks were staying all
that night and I went up there to talk to them and inquire
about ny folks. They were all glad to so-) me but my mother already
knew that the war was over.
was the biggest accident that I wasn't killed that night. The
Negroes had been breaking into our house and stealing things out and
that very pir4,t, my brother had a shot gun fixed up so if the door
o ,ened, the gun would go off. It was a good trap and would have killed
anyone that had opened the door. Of course, that would have been the
first thing I would have done. I would have opened the door and gone
Into the house and of course, the gun would have tone off and killed me.
"My brother was sure proud of that gun. le had plenty of ammunition
to shoot all the trees down with. When we couldn't find anything else
to shoot at, we chot at the trees. But in about a year, the Tanks came
around and took all our guns away from us. That is, they confiscated all
the artillery we had used in the war. But they didn't get the ammunition.
e had already shot it up.
"I came on out to Uvalde County in 1888. I was 19 yearn old not
yet twenty, I came out here eith my father to see some of his connections
and when I got here, I went to work for my uncle, W. B. Boyles, who was
known as Donk Bowles. I worked for him, twelve months and want back and
stayed nearly two years. I told him this part of the would was too
tough. Men ,,g'1.0 being killed here all the time and if a sheriff didn't
Pioneer Experientme W. A. Bowles
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resign, he wnli killed or run off. While I was gone back home, there
was a man came here from Kentucky named Asberry. He was looking for
work but got killed.hy a desperado named Young. He shot Young too.
My uncle rmarded the Jail that night, because they expected a mob to
come there after Young. They had taken tkc-, dend man and the wounded mail
both to Jail, but everyone knew that Young was a desperate character and
they wanted him out of the way. The trouble cams up in my uncle's store.
71y uncle had hired Asberry and he told him about Young coming into his
store and getting anything he wanted and not even paying for it. He
told ksberry that if he came in there again to not let him have anything
for he woulen't lfty for it. Young (llama in and got a suit of clothes end
Aberry tried to stop him and *old him that Mr. Bowles couldn't let him
hnve nnything else so Young told him he was grossly insulted and to go
aet his gun because he was going to kill him. My uncle's store was right
where the rincaid Hotel is now. He had a hotel, store and livery stable.
n11, Young came back and they shot it out. Asborry shot Young in the
right arm and just shattered it, but Young shot him right in the heart.
He died right then and they took both of the men over to the Jail. When
,r uncle was on guard that night, a mob came to the jail rind went right
in and shot Young down while he was sitting beside my uncle. They had
all been afraid of Young, he was so mean. And he would kill anybody
without any cause.
"I guess I was about 23 or 24 years old when I net my wife here.
She was miss 4argaret Thalia McKinney. Her father had a ranch out here
on the Maces. The country wee open and he (rimed worlds of cattle. It
took me about a year to get that girl. We had net at a dance but the
never got tr, -o to every dame that come along. I had to go to see
"Ioneer EXPerienees W. A. Bowles
Pegs
S32
her P gocd whale. :;he was born in Fort 4orth but her folks emote out here
when she was little.
"q*ter we were married, we Aired in town end I worked at the store
till in b-d.health. My fether-in-lew meld he would give me twenty.*
five acres of lend if I would come out there and get well. So I did
thnt nnd went out end lived till I got my health beck.
hnd q little field we vented tc plant but the horses weren't'
broke to n r1Ø rtc we didn't know what to do. So my wife avid she would
lead the horse while i plowed. nhe did, Rnd it worked all right. While
she led the horae, r held the plow and walked behind.' Ai raised a good
crop too. -hen rea1nsd my health, I sold the place for and ORMO
baor to town. hen 1 oome beck to town, I went into business with my
uncle rein. I hcuht half -interest in the store and he took my note
fur it. 1 stroied in with AJT1 two. years and built a -pretty good home
than we wad out.
"Thik, w,p lawless town in those limy.. I'll tell you how mean
these men ere. porked in that store of ay uncle's four years and,
es i snld befo!'et bought half -interest in the store. When we was partners,
I have hpd six or seven of them desperadoes come into the store at a. tine.
°Add riliey iet AliJne with them and called them by their first names.
They niwrys liked ce. They come in one night and all of them vas drunk.
0 rotrilf3d whiskey nd sold hear by the bottle. I seen Just as soon
nH they oJAo In the house, about 9 or 10 o'clock, that they were full
then. They hollered nt 'e, told me to get behind the counter for they
were CO1fl n to iøt acyJithing to drink. 14opme of them *eked for whiskey
nnd iso'40 for beer. Ale of the men broke the meek off the bottle of beer
there.
!Ind dr,mk it. Thoy..ire/neerly a hour drinking, laughing and telling
lr tiftr71 wild to me, 'Gus, when you get reedy to close up,
ere ain to te you with us tonight.' I asked them why they didn't
4"Prt_
Pioneer Experience? -0. W. A. am**
83$
take their enemies instead of their friends. They said no, they vented
to tnke me, so I said, 'Well, if I have to go, I have to go.' 60 I
closed UD the store rind went with them as peaceable as I could. I think
some of the man ware citizens of this town and had just got with that
bunch. I said, 'well, boys, I'm ready to -fro. Whet are you going to do
with me?' They said they just wasted me to go with than to shoot up the
town and have e little fun. Now, you'd do just whet they said or get
into trouble. We got half -way across to the dance hall that was used
for the court house end they all eireled around me and shot their six-
shooters off right over my head an4 I said, 'Boyes.be careful. Don't
shoot too low.' They said they wouldn't hurt me. Well, we vent all
°Item town and shot off all the signs from the butiness houses and every-
thing that could be shot at. rimy would have shot out lights if there
had been any but 961 soon as people heard that shooting, they closed
their doors -nd put out their lights. We went around all over town and
when we got right opposite my house, about where Hooper's Ttiture
store is now, I said, 'Hoye, Vire had fun enough. I want to stop.'
They said, haven't.' But I tad them then there was where I lisp4
A* wife was always uneasy whin I didn't come in earlier than this and
that I could see a light in the house and knew she was seared about me.
They went with le to the gate and saw that I went in. But they let me
off. I got up by daylight next morning and went on down to the store.
Along about 9 o'clock in the morning, all those men came walking in at
the door and hollered at me. %iv said they wanted to pay for their
damages the night before. They paid they had the money to pay for all
their drinks end wanted to know the amount. I :igured up their bill
the best I could and they paid every cent of it. I set up the drinks
to them and they went on off. They hadn't ever gone to bed, but they
Pioneer Experiences W. A. Bowles
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were sober when they come down that Jiorning.
"Cne night when I was sleeping at the store, I come in about 9
or 10 eleloOt and rent to bed and after awhile, kllison Blekeney come
in and Nent to bed too. He was a school teacher who stayed down there
with fie nnd parried my wife's sister later on. I heard a -crowd caning'
in and I could tell they as full. They come in and turned the cover
dovm on my oed end said they were looking for a man named Blakenoy.
They said they were hunting him because he had come to a Mexican dense
down there Nhere they were and while they were dancing with these Mexican
girls, 31ekeney come around to all of them with a little notebook and
poncil inã asked each man how tall he was end finally he told them why
he as doing this was because there vas 6oim,?;,to be a killing before
raornInp 2hd he wonted to get their measure.
'They all jumped for their guns and he lit out dam where I was.
Su while they were looking fcr him, they vex.* telling me that they
mope shotY 141m how to heve a little fun. They had a rope in
their hands and they turned dcwn the cover on hi z "4 and got him.
They ride hi -1 get up and they told him they were going to hang him.
He told them he wA3 only playing a joke on them and never meant any
harm et all.. rIut they s -id they were grossly insulted and wore going
to bong him. They took him barefooted outside to a hackberry tree in
about fifteen feet of the door. Then they got an empty, drygoode box
and stood him up r t. They got out their pocket knives and began
trimmla his toenails off into the quiek with him begging and holler.
int; for them to quit. He sure did beg but they kept on cutting.
Then one of them got up in the tree and out on the limb they were
intending to put the rope across to hang him and the limb brae with
the fellow. Out he some and he got a pretty hard fall. They all rum
to him for they thought it had killed him-at'firet, and turimig the
pioneer Experienees
Page
confusion, Blakeney got away That limb breaking probably saved his
life, though I will always bOkieve they would have out the rope after
they kicked the box out froi under him.
"rs)h, we had no ley or order in this town till Henry Baylor tres
elected sheriff. Henry BaylOr's father, General John R. Baylor,
was a killer himself aftd a ;Oarless man. But he didn't kill men
without reason. He told MO Ogle time that they had better not hurt
Henry Baylor, He'd get 'ea if they did. Everybody knew that Gen-
eral Baylor meant every word .he said. It may have been the cense
of Henry's success too for he held that °Mee twenty.two year..
'Aiter I sold out my Interest in the store to my uncle, I went
Into the hotol business. !1e.rented the building from ire. Ilea
and it vas caIied the Oentrei Hotel. We were there about two years
but we sold out after our Attie girl died there and we bought a
ranch on the iiueces Whioh get to be known as the old Bowles rend.
ThPt big on the other side of the bridge going to Fort
•.rk wfs called the Bowles Yountein. INe raised r lot of cattle
and s big drug Lt hit us and I sold out our cattle for five dollars
and e -half a head after oaytng twenty-five dollars a round for them.
oulig4t n place on thin side of the river and want into the goat
business. -46 handled oattle too but we always made more money off
of goats. e had about a thousand head of goats and on* night a
cold, -wet norta,:.r t and tOok about six -hundred head. We had about
foux-hundred left. Soon after that, two of our boy* bought a baneh
of L7exican goats while they, were working at Sehwerts' store. These
ii:exicqw came along and wanted to buy a lot of goods but they didn't'
11,,?.ve the money. They wanted to trade these goats so the Old MAR
SohweTts asked the boys if they would like to take then. They
brought them out to us and told us Af we would take them and Care
,Lonzer :Ixnorienoes Liowles Pos.-4a
for Viem ther wou3d rrive us one—third. There were only abell
or f.tI u. of Viam ju-6t oomon floxicion goeto bwt we
thsr ny0 figralv lold thela to fJolsombeok for 4k1,768.
ii7ht Li.v iu clldren, five boys end three !iris.
S: 1".
neei Guyon, 'ire. Colesti 1 steverm
ilmtota ,-verett of Peeo Ulty; Perry of Ste
%ad 'rtatAr of dilf.due. All of tnem wore born in livaldiwip
0•1. d tn ulaso wedain,7 nnniversary Deoomber 24‘,
E. ly eu.lt4y enu -et erfund ell right. e IMINO
r Ve0 et,1",brv.ti,,n lnst yeer, which wns our sixtpdtilik
r4e.Oom
tty. c'yeers
ioner, rm/11 hpve one then for WO
oplv rhc heve iv0 together seventy Irears. 4111
Lac: %Giexiap tola frienas thnl: 1 wished i emit 1/10
rnrrli?