Friends and fellow West Texans,
I have recently been enlisted (okay, I volunteered) to author a weekly Texas history column for a new weekly newspaper in my hometown of Stamford. My goal is to touch on stories a little outside the mainstream of Texas history (i.e. the stories that everyone has heard many times) and probably tell a few West Texas-related stories along the way. When I do, I thought I’d share them over here. The inaugural column, published last week, tells the story of Fort Griffin and the mysterious John M. Larn.
Here’s a link to a History board thread where we’ve had a little discussion on Larn and other associated points of Shackelford County history:texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=1426573&forum_id=49
[This message has been edited by WestTxAg06 (edited 6/15/2009 11:12p).]
I have recently been enlisted (okay, I volunteered) to author a weekly Texas history column for a new weekly newspaper in my hometown of Stamford. My goal is to touch on stories a little outside the mainstream of Texas history (i.e. the stories that everyone has heard many times) and probably tell a few West Texas-related stories along the way. When I do, I thought I’d share them over here. The inaugural column, published last week, tells the story of Fort Griffin and the mysterious John M. Larn.
Here’s a link to a History board thread where we’ve had a little discussion on Larn and other associated points of Shackelford County history:texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=1426573&forum_id=49
quote:
Telegraph and Texas Register
A weekly look at events in Texas history
Fort Griffin and the saga of John M. Larn
On May 31, 1881, the U.S. Army closed Fort Griffin, drawing an end to a colorful period in the history of West Central Texas. The post was established in 1867 on a hill overlooking the Clear Fork of the Brazos River in present-day northern Shackelford County. As post-war settlement pushed westward, the fort was vital to the state’s frontier defense. Infantry and cavalry units launched offensives against Indians and outlaws, provided defense for settlers, and escorted survey crews and other traveling parties. In 1877, a company of Texas Rangers was assigned to the area, and the next year, legendary Indian fighter G.W. Arrington took command of Ranger operations.
While soldiers and Rangers worked to civilize the area from their base at Fort Griffin, a decidedly uncivilized element thrived nearby. Below Government Hill, a civilian settlement oftentimes referred to as the “Flat” sprung up in the late 1860s, mainly to provide liquor and female companionship for lonely soldiers. As settlers and buffalo hunters arrived in the area, the Flat thrived as a supply hub and near-lawless frontier town. Numerous legendary figures frequented the Flat, the most famous of which included Wyatt Earp, John Wesley Hardin, and Doc Holliday. In 1874, the army attempted to tame the Flat’s anarchy by imposing martial law and purging a number of “undesirables”, but the effort was relatively unsuccessful. Ultimately, the destruction of the great southern buffalo herd, the closure of the fort, and the railroad’s bypassing the town in favor of Albany led to the settlement’s demise.
One of the more interesting episodes in Fort Griffin’s colorful history is the saga of John M. Larn. Born in 1849, Larn had reportedly killed at least five men by the time he arrived at Fort Griffin in 1869. He allegedly began rustling cattle as early as 1873, but that did not preclude him from participating in anti-rustling efforts. Larn led a posse that ambushed a group of alleged rustlers in Throckmorton County in 1873, and in 1874 he joined the infamous “Tin Hat Brigade” vigilance committee. Formed in the wake of the Army efforts to control the Flat, the Brigade sentenced many horse thieves to swift justice at the end of a rope. In 1876, Larn was elected sheriff and employed notorious outlaw John Selman as his deputy. Larn resigned less than a year later to focus on ranching, rustling, and general outlawry. He contracted to supply beef to the army garrison, but this led to some discord when his neighbors noticed mysterious losses to their herds. Larn then began a full-fledged reign of terror, as farmers reported their cattle driven off and horses shot and townsmen reported shots fired at their houses from the night. Finally, on June 23, 1878, Larn was arrested and taken to Albany to await trial. A posse of masked men expedited the process, shooting Larn in his jail cell early the next morning. To this day, much about the Larn episode, including the identity of his slayers, remains shrouded in mystery.
Source: Handbook of Texas Online, “Fort Griffin”, “Fort Griffin, Texas”, and “Larn, John M”, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/. Articles used with permission of the Texas State Historical Association.
[This message has been edited by WestTxAg06 (edited 6/15/2009 11:12p).]
