Rocky Creek Fight

Rocky Creek Fight Indian Raid About Twelve or Fifteen Miles Southeast of Graham

Lemley Cemetery Historical Marker

Marker Title: Lemley Cemetery
Address: Cold Springs Rd. off Old Authon Rd. via FM 920
City: Lemley
Year Marker Erected: 1992
Marker Location: From Weatherford, take FM 920 6.6 miles northwest, then 1 mile west on Old Authon Road, turn south onto Cold Springs Road, about 1 mile to cemetery.
Marker Text: The earliest marked grave in this cemetery, that of Elizabeth Moore, dates to 1857. She was buried on part of a 160-acre tract of land settled by the Thomas B. Martin family in 1853 and patented to Martin by the State of Texas six years later. The existence of the cemetery is reflected in the Parker County deed records as early as 1869, when Martin sold his property to John H. and Thomas J. Lemley. The Lemleys came to Texas from Illinois in the mid-1850s and eventually settled in Parker County. The cemetery on their property, which came to be named for them, was used over the years for members of the family, as well as for friends and nearby settlers. Tombstones mark the graves of landowners Thomas Martin and George Lemley, as well as others who lived and died in the area, many of whom were victims of the hardships of pioneer life on the Texas frontier. At least five veterans of the Civil War also are buried here. Many graves are marked only with native rocks. The historic Lemley Cemetery is thus an important reflection of the heritage of this part of Parker County. (1992)

During 1870, Mrs. William Crow, whose husband was killed in the Salt Creek Fight, and Mrs. Blassingame lived in the old Green Taylor ranch house on Rock Creek, about one mile above its mouth, near where Palo Pinto, Young, and Jack Counties come together. About the middle of the evenings two Indians came riding up the flats, and apparently were after two horses hobbled west of the house. The Indians were coming from the east. Mose Lemley and Tom Blassingame grabbed guns and went out in the front yard. When Mose fired, an Indian fell over his horse, and every one could plainly hear the bullet strike the Indian's shield. He then fired a second time, and the Indian fled away in a southerly direction. About thirty or forty minutes later, Mrs. William Crow, and Mrs. Blassingame counted eleven Indians, about one-half mile south of the house. These Indians went on to the Lemley Ranch, about three or four hundred yards west of the present Dixie Store, and on Filibuster Branch. Here Kit Carter, George Lemley, Jeff Overstreet, and Rube Secris, were branding cattle. The Indians charged these citizens at the corrals about four o'clock in the evening, and several shots were exchanged. Jeff Overstreet ran to the house, and while running, an Indian shot him in the heel. After exchanging several shots, the Indians realized these frontiersman could not be bluffed, so they went away, and were followed by Kit Carter and his cowmen. When the Indians reached the mouth of Conner's Creek, they crossed the Brazos over into Ming Bend. Here the savages were so closely crowded, they dropped a large part of the stolen horses. The Indians then retreated into the brush to the south of the Bend.

Note: Author interviewed John Crow, who saw Mose Lemley hit the Indian's shield, and others who lived in this vicinity at the time.

The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.