Murder Of Ann Whitney And Amanda Howard's Bravery

By Capt. A. J. Sowell, An Ex-Ranger

Taken From: Pioneer Sketches Nebraska, and Texas 1915

 

   This account of the heroic death of Miss Whitney, written by Capt. A.J. Sowell, appeared in the Houston Post several years ago. In 1902 it was republished in the Hamilton Hustler and some years later was again reproduced in the Hamilton Herald at the request of L. V. Manning:, a citizen of Hamilton county, who was one of the pupils in Miss Whitney's school when his teacher was so cruelly murdered by Indians. We reproduce the story from The El Paso Morning Times. February 29, 1912.

   Here stood (in 1867) on the south bank of the Leon river in Hamilton county, a small log school house. A beautiful valley three-quarters of a mile wide and one and one-half miles long- spread out in front - free from obstruction to view. This was called "Worlene Valley." The Howards lived half a mile west and John Baggott half a mile east of the school house. Ezekiel Manning and Alexander Powers lived one and a half miles south, but behind a hill. The Massengills, Ganns., Strangelines, Cole Kuykendall and James Kuykendall lived up the river within two miles. J. B. Hendrix and sons, Crockett and Abe, lived two miles below the river, Judge D. C. Snow and Nel Livingston, three and four miles down stream. The town of Hamilton was six miles southwest of the school house.

   At the time the incident related here took place, Miss Ann Whitney was teaching in this border school. It was on Thursday, 2 p. m., July 11, 1867. The logs of the school house were unhewn and the spaces between were left open so that it was an easy matter for any one outside to see the inside of the building and to shoot at any one there if they wished to. There was a small window cut in the north side, and this was without a shutter. Olivia Barbee, about 12 years old, daughter of John Barbee, who lived northeast, about ten or twelve miles, was boarding in the neighborhood. Her father was a stockman and was expected to come after her that week while out stock hunting.

   On this day at the hour mentioned, a daughter of Alexander Powers was at the door, which was on the south side of the house, overlooking the valley. While there she discovered a party of men on horseback, rapidly approaching, and was almost certain they were Indians. Miss Whitney seeing her standing at the door and looking so steadily, ask her what she saw. The reply was that she was looking at some mounted men in the valley who were coming toward the school house and she thought they were Indians. The school mistress told her to come away and be seated, and not to be so foolish as to talk about Indians, as the men were cow hunters.

   Miss Whitney believed that it was Mr. Bagbee and others and did not look to see anything about them. The Powers girl, however, was still uneasy and soon went to the door again and took another look, crying out as she did so: "They are Indians," and running back, took her brother by the hand and getting out of the window, ran away. Miss Whitney then went to the door and after seeing the men told her children they were Indians and that they were taking Mary. Mary was the name of a fine saddle animal, the pet and property of Miss Whitney. She often made the remark, "If the Indians ever take Mary I want them to take me too."

   When she became satisfied who the men were, she shut the door and told the children to escape by the window, so the Indians could not see them as they were comings up in front. All did this except Mary Jane, a daughter of Ezekiel Manning-, who was sick, and two small sons and a little daughter of James M. Kuykendall, Miss Whitney was very large and fleshy, weighing about 230 pounds, and could neither get out of the window or hope to escape by running out at the door.

   Many of the children, instead of seeking safety in the distance, crawled under the house, and there witnessed the terrible scene which was enacted in the building. The Indians soon surrounded the house and many ugly faces were seen at the cracks between the logs. One fellow indulged in a few oaths in broken English.

   Reading her doom in the blood-thirsty looks of the savages, Miss Whitney's thoughts turned to the little ones that were in her care and addressing the Indian who had spoken the words in English, begged him to let her death satisfy them and permit the children to go unharmed.

   The Indian addressed, held up three fingers to the balance and they commenced shooting between the logs. The sick little Manning girl clung to the skirts of her teacher's dress, as arrow after arrow struck her, until her life blood began to pour upon the floor and run through upon those under it. Miss Whitney walked from side to side of the room, marking every footstep with blood, and all the time entreating for the lives of the children.

   The Indians finally came in front and commenced breaking in the door and Miss Whitney, although reeling and staggering in death, assisted the two little girls in getting out of the window, but Miss Kuykendall received an arrow in the back as she went through, by an Indian who had at that time entered. This left the teacher and the two Kuykendall boys in the house and another Indian entered to complete the work, but too late to do any further harm to the young woman. She was gasping her last, meeting death heroically.

   The Indian who could speak English was now called and when he entered asked the two boys if they wished to go with them. One, in his fright, said "yes" and the other said "no." Strange to say, the one who said "no," was rudely pushed down on a seat and left in the house, while the other was taken out placed on a horse and carried away. This was John Kuykendall.

   In the meantime one of the redskins called into the house had discovered some of the children under the floor and had pulled Olivia Barbee out and was putting her up behind him when summoned to speak to the boys. This circumstance saved her from death or captivity for when the Indians left her she ran away and gained the woods. On the following day she was found by John Massengill, but the poor child was crazed with fright, and ran, so that he had to chase and run her down before bringing her in. She, however, soon recovered.

   About the time the Indians made the attack on the school house two women rode into the valley from the south. They were Miss Amanda Howard and Mrs. Sarah Howard, the latter being the wife of Voley Howard, Miss Amanda's brother. They saw the Indians at the school house and at first took them to be cow hunters. They were discovered by the Indians before they had ridden far up the valley and two of them rode to meet them.

   Fortunately the ladies soon saw their mistake and turned to the house of Mr. Baggfett, toward the east which was nearer than their own home on the west side, the Indians coming in hot pursuit of them. Miss Howard had some difficulty in turning- and starting- her young- horse, but when she had succeeded in doing- so, the Indians were close upon her. She, however, was a brave young- lady and never once lost her presence of mind.

   Plying- the whip vigorously, she dashed away from her pursuers and headed straight for Baggett's fence, determined to make her horse leap it if she could. For this purpose she lashed him furiously, and he cleared it at a single bound, carrying- his burden to safety in Baggett's house. Mrs. Sarah Howard did not fare so well; her horse shied and turned suddenly to one side just as the fence was reached. She was thrown headlong over the fence and the Indians got her horse. However, she was not badly hurt, and springing- to her feet, also escaped to Mr. Baggett's home.

   While Miss Whitney was being: killed at the school house and the other two women pursued, Mr. Strangeline entered at the west end of the valley at the Howard place and had proceeded about half way across the valley when he was attacked by some of the Indians who were leaving-. Mr. Strangeline was moving- and had his family with him. He was killed but not scalped. His wife and two children were wounded.

   About this time Miss Amanda Howard, seeing what was going on, formed the bold design to warn the settlers of the presence of the Indians. To do this she would have to ride in the direction of the Indians and outride them in getting to the road that crossed the high hill to the south that led to the other settlement. Having determined upon this, she mounted her half wild steed and commenced her dangerous ride.

   Dashing furiously at the fence she again cleared it, and putting" the whip to her horse, she urged him to his best speed. Miss Howard was well started before the Indians discovered what her aim was, and when they did, they left off the attack upon Strangeline's family and rushed at full speed to head off the young woman. Miss Howard's mission was an heroic undertaking for any man to attempt, even a fearless Texas ranger, on a fast and well trained horse. She was riding into the very jaws of death, without a weapon of defense, depending on her skill alone in managing an unbroken horse, not bridle-wise, and the speed that she might be able to get out of him to carry the news to distant settlements of the fearful scenes enacted in the valley. Happily, she won the race a few rods and swept past the Indians, gaining the road and turning east; while the Indians hurriedly turned west and left the valley, carrying the Kuykendall boy with them.

   The daring of Miss Howard, a beautiful and intelligent young woman, scarcely seventeen years of age, no doubt saved many lives. Her first act, when she made the horse leap the fence to gain Baggett's house, drew the Indians away from the school house, and when she made the run to reach the road, so as to carry the news out of the valley, she drew them away from the Strangelines, and once more from the school house. All hail the name of Miss Amanda Howard, and may her memory ever be kept green in the minds of her countrymen.

   We must not, however, forget the dead young lady at the school house whose bloody form was stiffening in death. Time and again she begged the Indians to kill her and let the little ones go, and with her last remaining- strength, her body, full of arrows and bathed in blood, she assisted two of them to get through the window while the Indians were breaking in the door.

   Miss Howard reached the Manning and Power ranches and warned them; then sped on to see Mr. Hendrix, who at once sent his son, Abe, to the Pearson ranch for bloodhounds. Pearson called his dog's and with the Howards, Mr. Hendrix and several others, took the trail which led into the mountains, where the Indians separated. The day was hot and there was no water to be had. The dogs finally failed, owing- to the fact that their feet were bruised and swollen. A man whose horse had given out, was sent back with them, and the chase continued until night put an end to it. The men had ridden more than one hundred miles without stopping-. The Indians were well mounted, but had abandoned all of the horses they were driving and gave all of their attention to making their escape.

   The Kuykendall boys remained with the Indians about two years, and was finally purchased from them and restored to his father.