Mrs. Todd and Alice

Murder of Mrs. Todd and a Negro Girl and Capture of Alice Todd

About 1868, Geo. W. Todd, wife, daughter and a Negro girl left their home on Peter's Creek about five miles south of Mason and started to the home of a Mrs. Lewis, who lived where the city of Mason now stands. According to reports, they had gone only about two miles when charged by Indians. Mr. Todd and his daughter, Alice, about twelve or fourteen years of age, were riding one horse. Mrs. Todd and the Negro girl another. The Negro girl was killed and Mrs. Todd mortally wounded and died a short time afterwards. Alice Todd was carried into captivity and according to reports, married an Indian. Mr. Todd was the only one that escaped. Like a few other incidents, some have surmised that this deed was not done by the savages. The author was, of course, not present, and does not know, but if this dastardly act was not done by the savages, how did it happen that Alice Todd fell into the hands of the Indians and carried away?

Note: Author personally interviewed J.F. Milligan and wife, who lived in that section at the time.

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