James Brooks (Texas Ranger)
Encyclopedia
James Brooks was a Texas Ranger
of the Old West, and is a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
, and who developed a reputation as a gunman.
, to a wealthy doctor
and planter. His father was killed during the American Civil War
, and his family's home was destroyed. Brooks then helped his widow
ed mother raise his seven siblings. Once he felt his family could make it without him, at the age of 21 he departed for the west. He settled in McKinney, Texas
, and later bought a farm in Collin County
, with his intent being to start a ranch
and raise cattle. For a brief time in 1879 he worked as a cowboy
along the Chisholm Trail
, but found the Kansas
winters too harsh, and returned to Texas
. He settled, for a time, in San Antonio, Texas
, and worked for a period in Shafter, Texas
.
s in Indian Territory
, Brooks became involved in a gunfight that almost cost him his life, resulting in one man being killed.
Less than one month later Brooks engaged a cowboy in a gunfight while in Alex, Oklahoma
, over the cowboy carrying a weapon in town. Brooks killed him, and was indicted for manslaughter
. Brooks was convicted of Manslaughter in Fort Smith, Arkansas
, however Brooks' case was lobbied by fellow Rangers, and he was given a Presidential Pardon
by Grover Cleveland
, and allowed to re-enlist as a Texas Ranger that same year.
. The Connors, once productive hog
farmers, had turned outlaw
in 1883. The Rangers had tracked the Connors into a thicket of underbrush, and began moving in to make the arrests.
As the Rangers approached, one of the Connors, believed to have been the father, Willis Connor, stood and pointed his shotgun
. The Rangers immediately opened fire, and a fierce exchange of gunfire ensued. At least 100 rounds were fired by the two bands, at a distance of twenty feet. Bill Connor was killed in the first exchange, as was Texas Ranger Jim Moore, while Captain William Scott, Private John Rogers and Brooks were seriously wounded.
By later Ranger accounts, Brooks, though wounded, trudged forward under fire, rapidly firing his rifle. Brooks was hit again, in the hand, mangling three fingers. Unable to hold his gun, Brooks retreated to where Captain Scott lay, and bandaged his hand. Rangers Jim Carmichael and Billy Treadwell were the only Rangers left in the fight by this point. Carmichael opened fire on Fred Connor, badly wounding him. However, when Fred Connor rose to flee, Carmichael's gun jammed. This left only Ranger Treadwell to continue the fight. However, unaware of the Rangers' situation, Willis, Fred and John Connor fled. Fred Connor would later be killed by Rangers in a shootout on October 25, 1887, while Willis Connor and a grandson were shot and killed by Rangers on November 15, 1887. John Connor disappeared.
Brooks healed from his injuries, and later assisted in the battling of the Fence Cutting War
, as well as the Galveston, Texas
"Fitzsimmons-Maher prizefight incident". He successfully put down the Reese-Townsend feud
in Columbus, Texas
, and by 1904 he was stationed in the oil boomtown
of Batson, Texas
due to a rise in violence. By that time, Brooks had developed a reputation as a gunman.
Retiring to Falfurrias, Texas
, Brooks was twice elected to the state legislature as a State Representative
, and lobbied for a new county, winning, with Brooks County, Texas being named in his honor. He served as its judge
for the next thirty years. He died there of kidney failure. Brooks was known as one of the "Four Captains", regarded as the leaders of the Texas Rangers who brought the organization into the 20th century.
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
of the Old West, and is a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas, is the state-designated official historical center of the famed Texas Rangers law enforcement agency. It consists of the Homer Garrison, Jr. museum gallery, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, the Texas Ranger Research Center and the Headquarters...
, and who developed a reputation as a gunman.
Early life
James Abijah Brooks was born in Bourbon County, KentuckyBourbon County, Kentucky
Bourbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the remnant of what was previously a much larger Bourbon County, established as part of Virginia in 1785, and comprising what are now thirty-four modern Kentucky counties...
, to a wealthy doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and planter. His father was killed during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and his family's home was destroyed. Brooks then helped his widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
ed mother raise his seven siblings. Once he felt his family could make it without him, at the age of 21 he departed for the west. He settled in McKinney, Texas
McKinney, Texas
McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas, United States, and the second in population to Plano. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 131,117 The Census Bureau listed McKinney as the nation's fastest growing city from 2000 to 2003 and again in...
, and later bought a farm in Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
, with his intent being to start a ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
and raise cattle. For a brief time in 1879 he worked as a cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
along the Chisholm Trail
Chisholm Trail
The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the late 19th century to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas...
, but found the Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
winters too harsh, and returned to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He settled, for a time, in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, and worked for a period in Shafter, Texas
Shafter, Texas
Shafter is an unincorporated community in Presidio County, Texas, United States. The Texas Attorney General's Office gives a population of 11 as of the 2000 Census. It was named in honor of General William Shafter, who at one point commanded the nearby Fort Davis. In the early 1900s six silver...
.
Texas Ranger career, gunman reputation
Broke and without employment, Brooks joined the Texas Rangers in January 1883, assigned to "Company F", starting a career that would last twenty three years. Brooks rapidly gained a reputation as a Ranger who would quickly draw his gun, rather than negotiate. In 1886, while pursuing outlawOutlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s in Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
, Brooks became involved in a gunfight that almost cost him his life, resulting in one man being killed.
Less than one month later Brooks engaged a cowboy in a gunfight while in Alex, Oklahoma
Alex, Oklahoma
Alex is a town in Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 635 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, over the cowboy carrying a weapon in town. Brooks killed him, and was indicted for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. Brooks was convicted of Manslaughter in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, however Brooks' case was lobbied by fellow Rangers, and he was given a Presidential Pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
by Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, and allowed to re-enlist as a Texas Ranger that same year.
Connor fight and after
On March 31, 1887, Brooks accompanied several other Rangers into Sabine County, Texas, hunting for the Connor Gang, a band of family members wanted for murderMurder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. The Connors, once productive hog
Domestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
farmers, had turned outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
in 1883. The Rangers had tracked the Connors into a thicket of underbrush, and began moving in to make the arrests.
As the Rangers approached, one of the Connors, believed to have been the father, Willis Connor, stood and pointed his shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. The Rangers immediately opened fire, and a fierce exchange of gunfire ensued. At least 100 rounds were fired by the two bands, at a distance of twenty feet. Bill Connor was killed in the first exchange, as was Texas Ranger Jim Moore, while Captain William Scott, Private John Rogers and Brooks were seriously wounded.
By later Ranger accounts, Brooks, though wounded, trudged forward under fire, rapidly firing his rifle. Brooks was hit again, in the hand, mangling three fingers. Unable to hold his gun, Brooks retreated to where Captain Scott lay, and bandaged his hand. Rangers Jim Carmichael and Billy Treadwell were the only Rangers left in the fight by this point. Carmichael opened fire on Fred Connor, badly wounding him. However, when Fred Connor rose to flee, Carmichael's gun jammed. This left only Ranger Treadwell to continue the fight. However, unaware of the Rangers' situation, Willis, Fred and John Connor fled. Fred Connor would later be killed by Rangers in a shootout on October 25, 1887, while Willis Connor and a grandson were shot and killed by Rangers on November 15, 1887. John Connor disappeared.
Brooks healed from his injuries, and later assisted in the battling of the Fence Cutting War
Fence Cutting War
The Fence Cutting War occurred at the end of the 19th century and was a dispute between advocates of the open range, and ranchers who wished to fence off their property, all taking place in Texas.-War:...
, as well as the Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
"Fitzsimmons-Maher prizefight incident". He successfully put down the Reese-Townsend feud
Reese-Townsend feud
The Reese–Townsend feud, also called the Colorado County Feud was a politically motivated feud taking place in the closing days of the Old West, in Columbus, Texas, and other parts of Colorado County...
in Columbus, Texas
Columbus, Texas
Columbus is a city in Colorado County, Texas, United States, west of Houston along Interstate 10, on the Colorado River. In 1890, 2,199 people lived in Columbus, Texas; in 1900, there were 1,824 residents. The population was 3,916 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colorado County...
, and by 1904 he was stationed in the oil boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
of Batson, Texas
Batson, Texas
Batson is an unincorporated community located on State Highway 105 in southwestern Hardin County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area....
due to a rise in violence. By that time, Brooks had developed a reputation as a gunman.
Retiring to Falfurrias, Texas
Falfurrias, Texas
Falfurrias is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,297 at the 2000 census. The town is named for founder Edward Cunningham Lasater's ranch, La Mota de Falfurrias. In 1893, the Falfurrias ranch was one of the largest in Texas at some 350,000...
, Brooks was twice elected to the state legislature as a State Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, and lobbied for a new county, winning, with Brooks County, Texas being named in his honor. He served as its judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
for the next thirty years. He died there of kidney failure. Brooks was known as one of the "Four Captains", regarded as the leaders of the Texas Rangers who brought the organization into the 20th century.