outlaws and crimes – Page 4 – Texas History Notebook

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

In the mid 1800s, settlers began claiming land in Texas and accumulating herds, many of which were made up of free roaming cattle that inhabited the area. For many years, rustling was a problem and was one of the reasons why the Stock-Raisers’ Association of North-West Texas was formed in late 1876 and early 1877 in Graham, Texas by some of the area ranchers.

Ralph Fults

Ralph Smith Fults was born January 23, 1911 to Audy Barlow Fults and Sophia Delia Bush Fults in Anna, Texas in Collin County. The couple resided in North Texas as early as 1900, per the federal census. Audy Fults was a mail carrier in Collin County and Ralph was the third of eight children born to the couple. Shortly after Ralph was born, the couple moved the short distance to McKinney.

Frank James’ Dallas Barber Dies

[Transcribed from The Indiana Gazette, Friday Apr. 26, 1957.]

Frank James’ Barber Dies at Age of 89

Dallas (AP) – Barber Johnny Dickson, who used to number outlaw Frank James among his regular customers, died yesterday.

Bonnie Parker’s Family

Bonnie Elizabeth Parker was born October 1, 1910 in Rowena, Runnels County, Texas to Charles Robert Parker and the former Emma Krause. She was the third child born to Charles Robert and Emma. The first was a brother named Coley who was born and died in 1905, possibly of sudden infant death syndrome, while the couple was living in Young, Freestone County, Texas. Coley’s burial place is unknown.

Frank James in Texas

Former bank robber Frank James lived in Dallas, Texas for a while. In an Associated Press newspaper article out of Dallas in The Indiana Gazette issue of April 26, 1957, it was reported that James’ former personal barber, an African American by the name of Johnny Dickson, had died at the age of 89. Dickson had said that James was a regular customer at his Dallas shop. A barber since the age of 14, when he started cutting hair, Dickson had to stand on a box or a stool to see the top of his customers’ heads. Dickson had come to Dallas in 1887 and began working at the Bird Cage Barber Shop. The barber shop got its name for the two caged canaries that were kept inside and sang for customers. Dickson said that Frank James would ride up to the shop on a handsome sorrel horse and just drop the reins, trusting the mount to wait for him. Dickson added that James was usually quiet and did not have much to say.