About 1862, Hol and James, sons of R.A. Clark, who lived on the Clear Fork of the Brazos in Stephens County, across the river from Miller's Valley, started one night to stake a horse about one quarter of a mile north of their residence. When they had gone about three hundred yards, James Clark saw the form of an Indian to the west, standing in the dim skylight forty steps away. Timothy Broomfield was expected over to the Clark home that night to go to a wild turkey roost a short distance up Huffstuttler's Creek. So the Clark boys thought, perhaps, the horseman was he. Consequently, they called three times, and when no answer was returned, Hol fired, killed the horse the Indian was riding, and the report of the gun so badly scared James' horse that he ran fifty or sixty yards before he could be controlled. Hol hurried on toward the house and when James was able to turn his horse, he too started toward the Clark ranch. When James crossed where the savage's horse fell, he saw the Indian leaning against a tree. This Indian was now screaming almost every breath. No doubt, he was calling for aid from his comrades, for other savages soon came with a horse and carried him away. Only Hol Clark had a gun, and although he was only fifteen years of age, this frontier boy exemplified a steady nerve. James was still younger. Later on during the same night, Jasper DeGraffenreed, John Selman, Elic Clark, and Hol started back to the wounded Indian. But the citizens soon discovered other savages were now around him, so they turned back toward the Clark ranch for fear of being ambushed in the dark. Note: Author personally interviewed James Clark himself, who was with Hol when he shot the Indians. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell. |
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