During the fall of 1872, G.B. Rozel was camped on Robinson Creek, where he intended to build a log cabin. In addition to some smaller children, there were with him, at the time, his son, George, and two widowed daughters, Mrs. Bowen and Mrs. McGee. One Sunday, George attended a meeting on the Kickapoo, and G.B. Rozel took his gun and walked out on the range, perhaps for the purpose of killing a fat turkey or deer. George returned late in the evening, and shortly afterwards, several Indians appeared. Inasmuch as his father was away with the gun, the son picked up a stick in the shape of a rifle, and with this, for a time, held the savages at bay. The savages soon discovered he was bluffing, however, and came charging toward the camp. According to reports, George Rozel mounted his steed and hurried away, and when the Indians reached the camp, they soon killed Mrs. McGee, and wounded Mrs. Bowen with arrows. Several of the smaller children were roughly treated by the Indians, but they made no attempt to kill them. Mrs. Rozel, it seems, succeeded in concealing herself in a brush pile. The Indians who followed George, were about to overtake him when he made his pony jump a wide a deep branch. Here the Indians halted, and returned to the camp. Finally the news leaked out, and Mr. Rozel, returning home, was notified of the tragedy by one of the Helm boys. Ref.: History of Hood Co., by T.T. Ewell. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell. |
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