1880

13 MAY

Elizabeth “Lucy” G Bobo born

Land:

W J Bobo sold 160 acres of land in Madison Co for $500.00 to J C Matthews of Lampasas County. The deed was executed in San Saba Co on 9 Mar 1882 and filed in Madison County on 27 March.

NEWSPAPERS:

DALLAS WEEKLY HERALD JAN 19 1882

SAN SABA JAN 14, 1882

William Bobo, who killed a man nine years ago in the Beverly Settlement, in the southern part of this county, has been arrested in Walker County and will be brought back and tried for murder.

NOTE:

9 Dec 2002

Re: William Bobo in San Saba

Lynn Blankenship, who does free lookups at the San Saba County Courthouse for the Rootsweb.com San Saba County website states: “He was held over for trial with a 300 dollar bond. But the next district court was going to be held in McCulloch County. I think he was transferred to their jail. So you need to look there next. She also stated that she thinks that what she was looking at was the March Court and the next would be in April” She will be mailing a copy of the original case filing.

Reply from Mitch Vetuski about article above: Fits a tale that was told about him. He was traveling to San Saba to stand trial and was accosted by local sheriff and didn’t want to be hassled; shot the guy in the head, didn’t kill him, and then went on to trial and was acquitted.

Original Case Filing of the murder charge filed by the State of Texas against Wm Bobo sent to me by Lynn Blankenship of San Saba County 12/13/02.

15 Mar 1882

San Saba County Pages 184 & 185

The State of Texas

No. 323 - vs -

Murder Wm. Bobo, et al

This cause being this day called for trial came the district attorney and by his written motion filed in this cause prayed leave of the court to dismiss this cause for the reason that the offense of murder charged against the defendants for the indictment in this case was committed in the county of McCulloch in the State of Texas; which motion after being duly heard and considered was by the court granted.

It is therefore ordered by the Court that this cause be dismissed. Thereupon this cause came on to be heard before the Judge of this Court upon a Writ of Habeas Corpus granted on the petition of defendant Wm. Bobo, and the Judge having heard the evidence and argument of counsel is of the opinion that the District Court of San Saba County, Texas has not jurisdiction of this cause because it appears from the evidence that the offense charged in the indictment under which said defendant is held in custody was committed in the county of McCulloch, State of Texas, and it further appearing from the evidence to the court that here is probable cause that the defendant Wm. Bobo is guilty of the offense of the murder of one _____Wainwright committed in said McCulloch County.

It is therefore ordered by the court that the defendant Wm. Bobo be and he is hereby required to enter into bond in the sum of three thousand dollars conditioned that he make his appearance before the Hon. District Court to be holden in and for the County of McCulloch State of Texas on the third (3d) Monday in March, 1882, there to await the action of the grand jury of said county to answer to any indictment that may be preferred against him for the offense of murder and in default of said bond that he be held in custody by the Sheriff of said San Saba County Texas and by him taken to the jail of said McCulloch County for safe-keeping to answer said charge of murder at said court.

A. O. Cooley, District Judge 33d Jud. Dist

22 Mar 1882 McCulloch County

The original case, cause no 155 State of Texas vs William Bobo, was filed before A O Cooley Judge 33rd Judicial Dist. This record is three pages long and the handwriting is very, very bad and impossible to read verbatim, however, it appears that this is only the original case filing.

22 September 1882 McCulloch County

The State of Texas

Vs

Wm Bobo

Cause No 155

In this cause now comes the District attorney and says that he cannot safely go to trial at this time of the court because of the absence of Eugene Williams a material witness for The State, who reside in the County of Coleman, State of Texas, a distance of about 40 miles from the courthouse of McCulloch County, Texas.

Said witness is dodging the process of this cause and endeavoring to avoid testifying in this cause.

So the Dist Atty is informed by other witnesses in this cause that said witness resides near the line of McCulloch County, Texas and was present and testified at the Dist Court of San Saba County at the March term 1882 on Deft’s application for void of Habias Corpus on this charge of murder that at the last term of this court after presentation of the indictment the Dist Atty demanded of the clerk of this court process necessary to secure his attendance that on the 18th day of September 1882 the clerk of this court at request of Dist Atty issued for said witness an attachment directed to the Sheriff of Coleman County, Texas and as issue day forwarded the same by due course of mail postage prepaid to the ? to said Sheriff commanding him to seize said witness and have him ? before this court to testify at this time in behalf of the State in this cause. That said attachment has not been returned to this court though ample time has elapsed to same and returns same but owing to the dodging of said witness the same cannot probably be executed.

That on yesterday another attachment for said witness was issued legally from this court directed to and placed in the hands of a Deputy Sheriff of McCulloch County for said witness who at-once preceded to execute the same if possible, but who after going to the residence of said witness has returned without him being unable to attach him because of said dodging. That Dist Atty did not know until this term of court that said witness resides in Coleman County and supposed he resided in McCulloch County in and on the 6th day of April a subpoena was issued for said witness from this court, placed in the hands of the sheriff of McCulloch County and by him returned into this court April 1882 witness not found in this county and at once on same day said attachment issued to Coleman County as aforesaid the District Atty believes the evidence of said witness to be material for State in this cause

Wm H Lessing Dist Atty

The District attorney further says that his information in regard to said deputy sheriffs failure to serve said attachment as stated above is a mistake that after seeing said deputy in person, he is informed that is a fact that said attachment has been served on said witness by said deputy sheriff but that said witness is now sick in bed and unable to be present by reason of said sickness.

Wm H Lessing

Dist Atty

Filed Sept 22 1882

Cause no 155

Along with the above cause no 155 papers filed Mar 22 1882 and Sept 22 1882, the Clerk of McCulloch County sent a note stating that the above two documents were the only information that they could find on cause no 155.

1884 Sept

Charles “Charlie” Clyde Bobo born

1887 April 9

Thomas “Natt” Nathaniel Bobo born

1888

Jan 1888 in Madison County when he was shot.......... diary of O. Wiley, as published in the Leon Hunters Dispatch, Vol. VIII # 1, p. 19: "Bill Bobo was killed in Madisonville Jan 7 (sic.) 88."[2] newspaper clippings

TEMPLE DAILY TIMES 1/7/1888

Huntsville, 1-4-1888-Killed by a mob, Bill Bobo and hung was Red Paige and another man; and seriously wounded Alf Whitten in Madisonville.

Note: Alf Whitten was Alfred Whitten, Wm Bob's cousin.

MISCELLANEOUS TEXAS NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS - DEATHS VOLUME 2 BY Michael

Kelsey, Nancy Graff Kelsey, Ginny Guinn Parsons:

THE OLD CAPITOL, Published at Columbia, Texas

Issue January 7, 1888

Huntsville, January 4th. Reliable news reaches here from Madison Co., thirty miles west of here, that a mob of 200 or 300 men went to the town of Madisonville yesterday and shot down one Will Bobo on the public square in presence of the sheriff. The mob went from there to the house of one Red Page and took him out and hanged him. Also, shot Alf. Whiting, it is supposed, fatally. Killed one other party, name unknown…

GALVESTON DAILY NEWS, January 24, 1888 page 4, column 5; from newspaper files (on microfilm) Sterling C. Evans Library A&M; Madisonville County Library Genealogy Dept 650 South May Madisonville Tx 77864:

“Our citizens, who recently shot BOBO and hung PAGE, met at the courthouse in this place and after consultation divided in small companies and visited a number of persons in this county, not for the purpose of injuring them or of giving them notice to leave the county, bu to admonish them to be come good, civil, law abiding citizens. Those who live at a distance perhaps regard these men who have been compelled by force of circumstances to take the law in their own hands for the time being as desperate men, when in fact they are first-class, clever, honest gentlemen; and although they have determined to suppress murder and theft in our county, they are as kind and law-abiding gentlemen as Madison County can boast, and if an honest, upright citizen was being imposed upon they would be willing to come to his rescue as they are determined to suppress murder and theft, and I have not yet met or heard of a good citizen in the whole county who attaches any sore of blame to them on account of the course they have been driven to pursue in defense of life and property.”

From the Madison County Library Staff 18 Nov 2002

“Mary Jane Park was born in Alabama about 1833 to Andrew Park and Jane Little. She was eight years old when her parents came to the Republic of Texas in 1841. Mary Jane married Redden (Red) S. Page who was born about 1838 in North Carolina. Their children were: K., born in 1861, Elizabeth born in 1863; Mary, born in 1865; John Booth born in 1867; Park, born in 1870; James, Viola, Ora, Tom and Asa Lee. Tragedy came to this family in the way Red Page died about the year 1887 or 1888. He is buried in the Park Cemetery in an unmarked grave. Grief stricken Mary Jane moved away from the town that was too rough and uncivilized. I am leaving this story untold…” Submitted by Sherry Davis

Mrs Dina McBride, Gail Howell and Mitch Vetuski; sources for William J and all his descendants 25 March 1998

From Karen Hett 11/15/02

Family records in possession of Martin Fraley, and researched by Mitchell Vetuski, indicate that William was shot and killed during a riot at Madisonville and died in his mother’s arms on 3 January 1888. verifying this story is a note in the diary of O. Wiley, as published in the Leon Hunters Dispatch, Vol. Viii #1, p. 19:”Bill Bobo was killed in Madisonville Jan 7 (sic) 88.”

Biography by Janet Barrett Walker

“Martha called “Mattie” married William “Bill” Bobo in 1869. He was the son of Andrew Jackson Bobo and Harriett Brooks. (Bill was Molly Agnes Bobo, wife of Stephen Franklin’s brother). Bill was somewhat of an outlaw and was arrested for cattle rustling in Madison County, he was caught and put in jail. “Mattie” went to visit him in the jail and traded clothes with him. Bill walked right out of the jail past the sheriff dressed in Mattie’s clothes and rode off. When the deputy checked the cell he found Mattie sitting there in the cell instead. They let her go, and supposedly moved far away, but as it turned out were only two counties away according to Karen Hett.

Bill is found in the census 1870 in Coleman County, Tx, San Saba. He is listed as being 26 years old and his occupation is driving cattle. Bill was what the towns people called an unsavory character and they decided to get a mob together of about 100 men and rid the county of unruly characters. They caught Bill and as he bent down he was shot in the top of his head, family stories tell that his mother Harriett was there and she ran over and started picking up his brains and putting them back in his head. When they grabbed his gun and started shooting into the mob. After Bill was killed Mattie remarried to Albert Morton in 1894. He was born in Sept 1859 and was born in England. His occupation was a Stonemason. Albert died 15 Sept 1931 in Brown County Tx. We find Land Record Deed from Madison Co., Tx on 9 Mar 1882 that lists Mattie and Albert as man and wife.”

1894

Martha "Mattie" Elizabeth BARRETT BOBO widow of William T Bobo married Albert Morton in Brown County Texas

1900

Census:

[1] Mitch Vetuski GR Src:

Albert MORTON

Census: 1900 Brownwood Brown Tex cen Vol 13 ed 4 sheet 3 line 73

Morton, Albert head w m Sep 1859 40 6 Ill Eng Eng NG Stonemason

Mattie, wife w f Mar 1847 53 6 9 6 Tex SC Tenn. ***

Bobo, Charley Stepson Sep 1884 15 s Tex La. Tex.

Bobo, Natt Stepson Apr 1887 13 s Tex La Tex

*** Note: Mother of how many children 9; How many of these children are still living 6. We have documented the fact that the following children were alive in 1900: Martha “Mattie” Elizabeth Bobo Stapp, Elizabeth “Lucy” G. Bobo Armentrout, James “Bill” William Bobo; Charles “Charlie” Clyde Bobo, Annette “Nettie” Bobo Thomas and Thomas “Natt” Nathaniel Bobo.

1910

Census:

1910 Brownwood Brown Tx Ed 94 Sheet 10

Morton, Al head 48 Ill

“ , Nannie wife 48 Ala

Burmingham, Henry stepson 12

“ , Silas 8

Note: Albert Morton has a new wife in 1910 therefore, it is assumed that Martha “Mattie” Elizabeth Barrett Bobo Morton died sometime between 1900 and 1910. Her date of death and place of burial has not been discovered. Albert Morton died 15 Sep 1931 in Brown County, Texas

1912

Harriett Brooks Bobo, mother of William Bobo, died in Madison County Texas

Burial:

Madisonville City Cemetery, Sec 1

Harriett Bobo 14 Sep 1828 - 28 Jun 1912

NOTES FOR WILLIAM “BILL” BOBO FAMILY

Telephone notes from Mitch Vituski to Karen McHett 1988 referencing a telephone conversation that he had with Thomas Nathaniel Bobo, youngest son of William T Bobo and Martha “Mattie” Elizabeth Barrett Bobo

“Mitch called and said that he had found the obituary for Thomas Nathaniel Bobo, using the information that I had given him from the death certificates on microfilm. The obit listed his children and sisters and brothers.

Two sons were Albert Roy Bobo and Raymond…..Bobo. Mitch looked in the phone book, found Albert Roy, and phoned him. He was the correct Bobo, and knew quite a bit about the family. He told Mitch that the Bobos were all a rough bunch, including the women. Even the women were known for killing a few people.

He knew that his grandmother, Mattie Barrett Bobo, had married the Morton as a second husband; Morton was a stone mason, he said. He also said that Mattie had died prior to his birth, which was in 1917 (??) He thought she died in Brown County.

He told Mitch that his Aunt, Lucy Bobo Armintraud, had died at Ft. Stockton. His aunt Martha Stapp, had died in Grand Falls. And his uncle, Dugan “Bill” Bobo had died in Ft Worth. He said Annette Bobo Thomas married about 5 times, but he didn’t know her married name at the time she died; however, I was only a couple of years ago, he said. (note:he also confirmed that the Bobo family hat Mitch found in San Saba County was a member of this group of Bobos)

He said that his father, who was born 9 April 1887, was the youngest child and never knew two of his older brothers, who left home either before he was born or when he was a small child. His father left home at sixteen and never returned. He also said that his father did not get mixed up in the rough affairs of the other members of the Bobo family.

EMAIL FROM JANET BARRETT WALKER THU 14 NOV 2002 TO BETTY BOBO NIEMANN

Betty,

Are you related to William and Mattie Bobo:

The town of Madisonville decided to rid the town of “Unsavory charactors” and William was one of them. I have so many Bobo stories I could tell you that have been passed down in my family.

I don’t know if you know but Mattie was a Barrett, and one of my great (3rd I think) aunts. Williams sister who was Mollie Bobo married Steven Barrett who was Matie’s brother. Steven and Mollie were my great great grandparents.

William and Mollie’s family were a very rough frontier type. They got it from their mother. I have a picture of her and believe me I wouldn’t want to tangle with her, she looks mean…lol.

The Bobo’s were from Louisiana and were very wealthy. They came to Texas (would have to look to see what year, but was before Civil War) All their money was in Confederate and after the war they were about penniless.

I haven’t done any research on them in so long it is hard to remember without refreshing my memory. Mollie is said to have found a black man under her bed and killed him with an axe and the brothers buried him in the back yard. Harriet(mother) rode a donkey all the way to town and holding a shot gun, she broke one of the sons out of jail in Cold Springs and made him go back to Louisiana. Mattie broke William out of jail once, by visiting him and exchanging clothes with him and he walked right out of the jail in her clothes.(That would have been funny to see).

William and Steven were always getting in trouble, they were cattle rustlers and horse thieves and gamblers. Harriet had given Steven and Mollie a homestead and Steven lost it in a card game.

Mollie loved Steven so much that when he died of TB in his 30’s she refused to eat and died a short time later of a broken heart. Harriett remarried after her husband died to a Larrison I think, I found her on a census with him.

I have looked and looked for the children and their families of William and Mattie but have never found them. I think the only one I have ever found was a descendant of Nat Bobo the youngest. If you have anything on their children I would really appreciate seeing it. Thanks, Janet

EMAIL FROM JANET BARRETT WALKER TO BETTY BOBO NIEMANN

14 Nov 2002 Betty,

I forgot to tell you the story about William’s death. Harriet found out that the mob was after Will and she went to town. Will saw her and went over to her when the mob ascended on them. They shot him in front of his mother. He was reaching down to his boot and he was shot in the head, and she fell to him and started grabbing his “brains” and putting them back on his head. Will had a gun in his boo (which is what he was reaching for) that she saw, she grabbed the gun and started shooting into the mob. I don’t know if she hit anyone of not. I have heard this story all my life from my grandfather which his father (Steven’s son) told him. Janet