Shackelford County Death Records

RECOVERY OF A LOST CHILD.
A Genuine Texas Romance.
William H. Ledbetter, County Judge of Shackelford county, lives in the vicinity of the town of Fort Griffin, Tex. He is one of the oldest settlers of the county, and, in common with other old settlers, has experienced a number of adventures here in earlier days. Perhaps the most noted event connected with the history of his family was the loss of his second child, John, nearly nine years ago. In the year 1869 he had John and Harvey, his elder brother boarding with a neighbor at whose residence a school was in operation. One day, at recess the children were amusing themselves gathering mesquite gum from the trees near by, John being among the number. When they were called in to their studies, John was missing neither could he be found. His father was notified, and together with the settlers for many miles around turned out and hunted the country over, but could find no trace of the missing child. The distressed parents had finally to give up the search in despair. Since that time, though information has been sought from every quarter, particularly from the Indians through their agents and interpreters at Fort Sill, nothing had ever been ascertained to enable the parents to form any opinion as to what had been the fate of the child whether he had been stolen, drowned, died of starvation or devoured by wild beasts. A few days ago a young man called at the house of a neighbor living within a mile of Mr. Ledbetter's residence and asked for dinner. He was apparently about 16 years old, clad in a brown ducking hunter's suit, of dark complexion, had a scar above his right eye and a double tooth. In conversation with the lady of the house he informed her that he did not know who his parents were, and that he would like to find out something about his people and where he had originally came from. The lady at once noticed that the marks above mentioned in the description of the young man corresponded with Judge Ledbetter's description of the lost boy, and so informed him, and requested him to go and see Judge L. and family, as she thought it probable they might prove to be his friends. But now that there seemed to be a prospect that his wishes, just expressed, might be realized, he seemed unwilling to go, and passed by on to the town. This was no doubt owing to shyness or timidity. Word was immediately sent to the Ledbetter family, however, with a description of the young man by which he could be identified, and Harvey, the oldest son. went at once in search of him. Having found the young man, Harvey imagined he could see in his features a resemblance to his lost brother; but he did not introduce that subject for some time, conversing at first on other and indifferent topics, and finally persuaded him to go home with him. Mrs. Ledbetter, on being informed that he was in the house, became so nervous that it was some time before she could compose herself sufficiently to meet him. The feelings of a mother under such circumstances, may be better imagined than described. All that evening the parents conversed with and questioned the young stranger, and at bedtime were still in doubt whether or not he was their boy. He could give no account of the people he was with or of any incidents that had occurred previous to his being stolen. This did not surprise his father, however, for he had frequently said that if the boy was stolen, and at the time become frightened, as would undoubtedly be the case, he was satisfied that, owing to his peculiar disposition, he would not remember anything that occurred previous to the fright.
There was undoubtedly a family resemblance, several marks and scars also corresponded, as well as some peculiarities in his disposition. Perhaps no one ever pursued an investigation with more intense eagerness and interest than did the family on this occasion. Early the next morning Mrs. Ledbetter went and stood over the sleeping youth, and earnestly studied the lineaments of his face, seeking there to recognize some feature to solve the doubtful problem. She became satisfied, for that motherly instinct which seldom errs, convinced here that this was her long lost child. Quietly she awakened her husband, carried him to the spot and together they scrutinized the features of the sleeper. The father seems to have not yet been fully satisfied! During the day, however, all doubts were dispelled by his recollection of several incidents which had taken place before he was stolen, and which, he said, seemed to him like a dream.

JOHN GIVES HIS HISTORY.
His name, he says, is Bob—no more, no less—thinks he was sold by one band of Indians to another. The last Indians who had him, he has been told, were Comanches, but owing to his being at that time in bad health, they sold him to a hunter who went by the name of "Tige," the consideration being a six shooter. Old Tige kept him tied to a tree for a week to keep him from following after the Indians. In that time he was weaned from them. Old Tige is one of those rare individuals who seclude themselves from the society of mankind, dwell in the most retired regions to be found, clothe themselves with skins and live by hunting. His camp or wigwam is on the head of what John calls Blood Creek, a tributary of and on the west side of the Pecos river, up among the cedar brakes of the mountains, in such a secluded locality that it would be almost impossible for a stranger to find it. There Old Tige lives in blissful ignorance of the rest of mankind, save a few oilier hunters of kindred type who reside in similar dens at no great distance. They clothe themselves altogether with buckskin, and send a man occasionally in to the nearest trading post to barter for supplies. Old Tige himself has not seen a white woman in 30 years, and until recently had no other knowledge of the progress of time than when it was cold it was winter and when it was hot it was summer. He had lost all reckoning of the years, months and days. These men have frequent feuds with other bands. The rifle, pistol and knife are their only law, and when two of adverse factions meet, as a rule one of them must die. John or Bob, as young as he is, has shared in these affrays, he has killed his man, been shot himself, and badly cut with a bowie knife. He has no idea of law, and even now is constantly on the look-out when meeting strangers lest some of them might get the drop on him. He will not consent to be a moment without his pistol. He says old Tige has been very good to him, has killed several men who tried to hurt him; never made him do anything he did not want to do; taught him to read several books he carried with him into exile—among them the Testament and Shakespeare's works; nursed him in sickness, and in every way showed a strong affection for him. It is unnecessary to say that this affection is reciprocated. The old man has been the boy's almost sole companion, and the only friend he has had. A short time ago Tige consented to let the boy make his first trip to the settlements with some cow men who had been gathering cattle in their vicinity. On this trip at Fort Concho, he says, he saw for the first time white women. Since then Tige, again, gave his consent to another and more extended trip, but cautioned him not to stay away over three months, for if he failed to return he would die. This time he penetrated as far in the interior (with a cow outfit) as Dallas. There he got his first suit of clothing, the brown ducking suit, which he says made him feel very fine. His horse having been stolen, he started back on foot to the only home he had ever known—old Tige's wigwam. He had gotten this far on his long journey and thus unwittingly came to his father's door. He still insists that he must go back to old Tige, even if he should conclude to return and live with his parents. They and his brothers are doing all they can to put off the time for him to start, however, in hopes that in the meantime they may wean him from old Tige and be able to keep him with them. For they fear that if he gets back with the old man he will try to persuade him not to return.
[The Galveston Daily News, (Houston, TX) Wednesday, August 08, 1877; Issue 118; col F transcribed by JRice]