texas rangers – Texas History Notebook

Bobby Paul Doherty, Texas Ranger

Ranger Bobby Paul Doherty was born July 19, 1936 in Mt. Calm, Hill County, Texas to Paul Edward Doherty (1907 – 1975) and Doris Scruggs Doherty (1914 – 2007). His father listed his job as “teamster” in the 1930 federal census and “oilfield construction” in the 1940 census.

Ranger Dan L. McDuffie

Dan Lafayette McDuffie was born February 16, 1883 to James C. McDuffee (1844 – 1915) and Emily Mahalah Hays McDuffee (1855 – 1911). James was born in Tennessee and Emily was born in Alabama. It is not recorded how they met but they were married in 1877 in Arkansas where many of their children, including Dan, were born. By 1888, they had relocated to North Texas where all three of Dan’s younger siblings were born. Dan married Willie Lemuel “Lemmie” McCright in 1907 in New Boston, Bowie County, Texas in 1907 and a daughter was born to the couple the following year. Both of his parents had passed away by 1920 and in the federal census, Dan was living on the family farm.

Geronimo Parra

Geronimo Parra was the name of a long time criminal who was known around the Texas-New Mexico border area. He was one of the last outlaws executed by hanging in El Paso in early January, 1900. Some ten years earlier, Parra had been accused of killing Texas Ranger Charles H. Fusselman some ten years earlier.

James A. Brooks, Texas Ranger

Ranger James Abijah Brooks was one of the “Four Great” captains in Texas history, along with Captains John R. Hughes, William J. McDonald and John H. Rogers. Brooks was born in Kentucky in 1844 to Dr. John Stroke Brooks (1802 – 1862) and Mary Jane Kerr Brooks (1818 – 1912). His father was a doctor and a farmer. John Stroke Brooks died in 1862. In the 1860 and 1870 census forms, James was living in Kentucky with his family. He left Kentucky for Texas in 1876, settling in Collin County. There, he worked on ranches until he joined the Rangers in 1883, at the age of twenty-seven. Brooks enlisted as a private and over the years was promoted to corporal, sergeant, and lieutenant before being promoted from lieutenant to captain by Governor Sul Ross while serving with Company F in 1889.

Hoodoo War

The Hoodoo War was the common name for the Mason County War, which took place in the middle 1870s in the area and arose over the killing and rustling of cattle. This was typified by attacks from vigilantes wearing masks to conceal their identities and to generate terror. These vigilantes essentially took the law into their own hands in an effort to defend against the alleged perpetrators.

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