Mrs. Eli McDonald, whose husband was killed in the edge of the present town of Harper, and who, herself, was carried into captivity by the Indians, finally was returned and married Peter Hazzlewood. During 1873, when the citizens learned the Indians were raiding, Peter Hazzlewood, James Taylor, Mark McDonald, Thurman Taylor, H. Taylor and Ed. Janes, in one group of citizens, Augustus McDonald, Lafe McDonald, Dan McDonald and a man named Rainer, forming a second group of citizens, and about six more in a third group, agreed to meet at the head of Threadgill Creek in Gillespie, to scout for Indians. Peter Hazzlewood and his associates were following the Indians, who were driving a herd of stolen horses. This fact was known to the savages who dropped in a branch and permitted the horses to go ahead. In this way, they ambushed the citizens. But when the white men discovered the Indians' movements,they too dismounted and retreated into the brush. Shortly afterwards, Peter Hazzlewood looked up to see what the Indians were doing and he was instantly killed when an Indian sent a rifle ball into his head, just above his eyes. In addition to losing other members of her family, Mrs. Peter Hazzlewood, who was formerly Mrs. Eli McDonald, was twice a war widow, because of the savage onslaughts. Note: Author personally interviewed Mrs. Augustus McDonald, wife of Augustus McDonald, mentioned above; her son, Oscar; W.J. and Bob Nixon and others. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell. |
||||
|
||||