During 1863, Mr. Rolland and his married sons "Forted up" near the Jack, Palo Pinto and Parker County line, and at a point about three miles northeast of the present town of Perrin. Wm. Burnet, a neighbor, who lived two or three miles further north, near the head of Beans Creek, went to his well about three hundred yards from the house, and discovered Indian signs. He then hurried toward the home of the Rollands, and in a short time Jack and Henry Rolland, and Wm. Burnet, were in their saddles riding back toward Burnet's residence. They had only gone about one mile, however, when the citizens were surrounded by Indians, who began to shoot. Jack Rolland was soon wounded, but dismounted his steed to shoot the nearest savage. Unfortunately his old gun refused to fire. He again mounted his horse and the Rolland boys and Burnet, started in a run toward the Rolland Ranch. It so happened that these same Indians had stolen a horse from Isaac Lynn, and the Lynn horse had been raised with the pony Henry Rolland was riding. So when the race for life began, the Lynn horse, carrying a hostile savage, ran up beside Henry Rolland's steed and the two horses ran side by side for a considerable distance. During the race, the Indian not only wounded Rolland, but repeatedly whipped him over the head with his bow, and tried to knock him from his saddle. When the savages were within one hundred yards of the Rolland Ranch house, they turned and rode away. Henry was helped off of his horse by his father, and only lived two or three days. Jack Rolland also died about three weeks later. Note: Author personally interviewed Mrs. Mary J. Taylor, A.M. Lasater, James Wood, B.L. Ham, Joseph Fowler, and one or two others living in Palo Pinto and Jack Counties at the time. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell. |
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