CAPTURE OF WILSON CHILDREN IS TOLD BY LATE A.J. SOWELL

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The series of articles recently contributed to the Herald under the caption, “I Remember,” have created much interest among both old and young and it is to be regretted that more of the early residents of Parker county have not contributed to this column by setting down their recollection of times and events of pioneer days. We trust that others will shortly take occasion to write their memories of early times, not entirely for the interest these communications may have for present day readers, but also for their value from an historical standpoint. As we have said before, it is not necessary that these memoirs be written in good English or on good paper or typewritten. Write them down with a lead pencil on any sort of paper and in your own way. If any corrections are absolutely necessary they will be made before the article appears in print.

The following article was written by A. J. Sowell, a well known writer of pioneer history, and appeared in the Dallas News many years ago. Whlie not of recent authorship, the article relates to a dramatic episode in Parker county history of Indian times. We feel, therefore, that it properly belongs under the same heading as other articles which have heretofore appeared in the Herald. With regard to the characters in this story, we have no information about Anna Akers, but only a few years ago, Billy Wilson, the other of the two children captured, was still living at a ripe old age:

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Parker county, like all other frontier counties of Texas, has had her share of Indian troubles, raids, massacres, captivities, etc. Among a great many we will give only one incident of the frontier days of Parker county, the capture of two children, Anna Akers and Billy Wilson, the latter 12 and the other two years of age. Hiram Wilson, father of the boy, came to Parker county in 1848 and settled 4 miles south of Weatherford, just back from the breaks of the Brazos river. Mr. Wilson, who came from Missouri was raising and taking care of three orphan children of the Akers family, one of whom, Anna, figures in the frontier episode. Among other who were in the community at the time Mr. Wilson settled there were Ike Sealy, Ben Ivy, Thomas J. Shaw, Josiah Blackwell and a few others.

In the summer of 1862, Mr. Wilson sent his son, Billy and Anna Akers, about two miles from home to the house of a neighbor named Coldiron to carry a message to him in regard to making molasses. On their return the children saw a band of mounted Indians approaching, and at once ran toward a field, trying to make their escape, the Indians in pursuit. The girl was caught before the field fence was reached but the boy , who was in advance, climbed over and would likely have made his escape, but stopped at the cries of Anna and an Indian who was in pursuit threw a lance over the fence and knocked him down, then dismounting secured him. The Indians now went east and came very near getting two sons of Thomas Shaw, Jack and Jim. These two boys were herding sheep but, boylike, had taken a watermelon from a field below and were under the bank of the creek eating it when the Indians came along. The noise of the horses’ feet attracted the attention of the boys as they passed in a few yard of them on top of the bank and Jime, the elder, said: “Jack, go up on the hill and see who it is.” “Oh, no,” said Jack, “you will eat up all the watermelon while I am gone.” This was all that saved them, for the other children who were captives afterward said the Indians rode among the sheep looking for the herder. After going about three miles down the country, they turn across to a noted mountain called Mount Nebo, and after going up on top halted there with the children, it then being 2 o’clock in the afternoon. From this place the country could be seen for miles around in every direction, and if any force had been on trail of the Indians it could have been easily detected. While here, one of the Indians took Anna’s bonnet and putting it on his own head, strutted about and made himself as ludicrous as possible. When he had had enough of these performances, he placed the bonnet back on the girl’s head, but the little captive jerked if off angrily, not wishing to wear it any more, and throwing it up in a tree, it lodged and hung there. Amget midnight the Indians placed the two children on one horse, and coming down from the mountain, started off on a northwest course.

 

When Anna and Billy failed to return at night, no uneasiness was felt and even when morning came it was supposed that they had remained at the neighbor’s house and would be home soon, but during the day news was circulated that Indians were in, as horses had been found shot with arrows. A runner was now sent to Coldiron’s but the people there said the children had started home before noon the day before. Great excitement now prevailed. Men were hastily gathered in the scattered settlements and the trail of the Indians discovered and a pursuit commenced.

The Pal Pinto county men discovered the trail of the Indians as they passed through their county, but instead of following the trail, got ahead of them and laid an ambuscade in a gap of the mountains toward which they were traveling. They were not aware at the time that the Indians had captives. Late at night the redskin abductors arrived at the pass and were fired on by the settlers. In the darkness the aim was not good – too low – most of the rifle balls either missing entirely or striking the horses, several of which went down, and among them the one ridden by the captives was killed dead in its’ tracks. Amid great confusion of struggling horses, yelling Indians and exploding firearms, the children ran and climbed onto a big rock, Here by almost a miracle, it seems, they escaped death, for a white man, thinking they were Indians, fired a load of buckshot at them at close range, buth neither was touched. The little girl now cried out: “Don’t’ shoot us, we are white children.” The man said, “if you are white come to us,” but being afraid to leave the rock Anna cried out, as more shots were fired close by in the darkness: “’Oh, pleas, don’t shoot at us, we are white children, come to us.” Recognizing the afrightened cry of a child, and evidently a white one, some of the men advanced to them and took them safely from their perch on top of the rock. They were carried to the nearest settlement and cared for and a runner sent to notify their relatives of their safety, when it was learned who they were and that they had been taken in Parker county. The girl was almost dead, not being used to riding horseback and over a rough country but was finally carried home. Mrs. Wilson had made a vow that she would never eat until the children were rescued, and kept it. The children were in the hands of the Indians about three days.

Mrs. Mintie Shaw of Texline, wife of Jordan Shaw, district clerk of Dallas county, is a cousin of the two children who were captured. Her father was Larken Akers, brother of Anna Akers’ father, and the Wilson children were also cousins.

-A. J. Sowell.