Killough massacre
Encyclopedia
The Killough Massacre is believed to have been both the largest and last Native American attack on white immigrants in East Texas
.
The massacre
took place on October 5, 1838, near Larissa (north of Jacksonville
) in the northwestern part of Cherokee County
. There were eighteen victims, which included Isaac Killough, Sr. and his extended family (viz. the families of four sons and two daughters). They had immigrated to Texas from Talladega County, Alabama
in 1837, settling on December 24th.
According to Dallas newspaperman Charles Kilpatrick, several of the men walked into an ambush and the Native Americans then:
A stone obelisk commemorating the event was erected by the Work Projects Administration in the 1930s and a historical marker was dedicated in 1965.
A man named Hawkins, an earlier settler from Alabama may have encouraged the attack. One of the survivors recognized him in Indian garb and left immediately when he realized she recognized him. He later returned to Alabama and reported the news of the attack. Later, the same survivor returned to Alabama and found out Hawkins was the first to report the attack. Gen Rusk was unable to prove his complicity in the attack.
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
.
The massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
took place on October 5, 1838, near Larissa (north of Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Texas
Jacksonville is located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,868 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and part of the larger Tyler-Jacksonville Combined Statistical...
) in the northwestern part of Cherokee County
Cherokee County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,659 people, 16,651 households, and 12,105 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 19,173 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
. There were eighteen victims, which included Isaac Killough, Sr. and his extended family (viz. the families of four sons and two daughters). They had immigrated to Texas from Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County, Alabama
Talladega County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Talladega is a Muscogee Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE, which means "border town." As of 2010, the population was 82,291...
in 1837, settling on December 24th.
According to Dallas newspaperman Charles Kilpatrick, several of the men walked into an ambush and the Native Americans then:
"...shot down Isaac, Jr., Allen, Samuel and George Wood, then swept uphill into the little settlement. Isaac, Sr., fell in his front yard and Barakias Williams was killed in front of the screaming women. Eight settlers, including seven women and children, were seized by warriors and carried into the forest. They were never seen or heard of again...Nathaniel Killough and his wife (and 11 month old baby girl, Eliza Jane) escaped into a canebrake and Mrs. Samuel Killough, Mrs. Isaac Killough, Sr., Mrs. Isaac Killough, Jr., and the baby William also managed to elude the redskins. Three weary days later the little party staggered into Fort Lacy at Alto, 40 miles south, where they found safety."
A stone obelisk commemorating the event was erected by the Work Projects Administration in the 1930s and a historical marker was dedicated in 1965.
A man named Hawkins, an earlier settler from Alabama may have encouraged the attack. One of the survivors recognized him in Indian garb and left immediately when he realized she recognized him. He later returned to Alabama and reported the news of the attack. Later, the same survivor returned to Alabama and found out Hawkins was the first to report the attack. Gen Rusk was unable to prove his complicity in the attack.
External links
- Killough Massacre Burial Site Cemetery
- Killough Reunion Association
- Remembering the Killough Massacre, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Kenneth Dean--writer, June 21, 2010.