Those interviewed do not exactly agree concerning the year this killing occurred. Nevertheless, it was during or immediately following the close of the Civil War, and will be reported at this time. Mr. and Mrs. Kensing lived close to the Mason and Gillespie County line, on Beaver Creek, about eighteen miles south and east of Mason. Mr. and Mrs. Kensing left their children at home and visited the wife of Kensing's brother, who lived on Squaw Creek, about nineteen miles northwest of Fredericksburg. While returning home in a hack or spring wagon, late in the afternoon, the two were charged by about seven savages, who soon killed Mr. Kensing. Mrs. Kensing was then roped, dragged for a considerable distance, and after being brutally assaulted and handled in the most inhuman manner, was wounded, scalped and left to die a lingering death. It so happened that the mail carrier came along shortly afterward. Although he saw neither Mr. Kensing nor his wife, he reported that a mysterious hack was observed along the road. Whereupon Peter Crenwelge, Henry Welge Conrad Mont, a man named Raymond and Christian Cody, immediately repaired to the scene and in a short time, found Mr. Kensing. Mrs. Kensing was not found until about 1 o' clock during the succeeding day. She was still alive and lived two days longer. Mr. and Mrs. Kensing were buried on Squaw Creek at the old Kensing home. This tragedy occurred about six miles from the Kensing home. Note: Before writing this section, the author personally interviewed Peter Crenwelge, mentioned above, Mr. and Mrs. Streigler and one or two others who were living in Gillespie and Mason counties at the time. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell. We received the following e-mail from a visitor to our site.
Life story of Heinrich and Johanna Kensing |
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