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Post by Texas Truth Teller on May 21, 2019 17:12:10 GMT -5
Hunter, that is a good question.. Your discovery of the Civil War Draft Registration is also very interesting. The date on the page is 30 Oct 1863. Men living in the 9th congressional district of Kentucky registered. The 15 counties in that district were Bath, Montgomery, Lewis, Boyd, Greenup, Rowan, Lawrence, Marion, Magoffin, Morgan, Johnson, Floyd, Pike, Fleming, and Powell. Brushy said his father was born about 8 miles from Lexington, which is in Fayette County. Brushy said he was born in 1859 near Buffalo Gap. That is a geographic feature in the Callahan Divide, in Taylor County. Taylor County was created in 1858, but not organized until after the Civil War in 1878. The first census of Taylor County was conducted in 1880. From tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hct02, "The earliest group of European settlers in Taylor County were buffalo hunters and bone gatherers, who arrived during the 1870s. Sam Gholson, William C. Dunn, and William E. Cureton were among the early settlers." No mention of a Roberts family. Buffalo Gap, the geographic feature, had existed for centuries. Some websites indicate Buffalo Gap, the community, was established in 1858. That date is questionable if the first settlers arrived in the county in the 1870s. It is a fact that this part of Texas along the frontier was still subject to occasional Comanche Indian raiding parties as late as 1869. I do not know the answer to your question, although it would seem to me that he had to be in Kentucky in 1863 for the registrar to know that he was 31 years old.
Now there wouldn't have been a mention of a Robert's family in 1870 would there since they were all dead down there or moved to points north. I really shouldn't have to point this out to you, but absolutely nothing, no supporting evidence if any kind, has ever been found supporting Brushy's claim that he was born in or near Buffalo Gap. No evidence has been found that the Roberts family was ever in or near Buffalo Gap. Just like the rest of Brushy Bill's story, meaningless. Lived with Yaqui Indians in Mexico? Went to boxing school in Cincinnati? Rounded up ponies in the Shetland Islands? Was in Cuba with the Rough Riders? Was a deputy U S Marshall? Commanded 106 men in Mexico? Was a Texas Ranger? Tom Waggoner gave him $10,000 for winning the Cheyenne cowboy roundup in 1889? (that's $270,000 in today's dollars!!). But he was broke, living in a shack in Hico in 1950.
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Post by lacowboy on May 21, 2019 17:33:10 GMT -5
Now there wouldn't have been a mention of a Robert's family in 1870 would there since they were all dead down there or moved to points north. I really shouldn't have to point this out to you, but absolutely nothing, no supporting evidence if any kind, has ever been found supporting Brushy's claim that he was born in or near Buffalo Gap. No evidence has been found that the Roberts family was ever in or near Buffalo Gap. Just like the rest of Brushy Bill's story, meaningless. Lived with Yaqui Indians in Mexico? Went to boxing school in Cincinnati? Rounded up ponies in the Shetland Islands? Was in Cuba with the Rough Riders? Was a deputy U S Marshall? Commanded 106 men in Mexico? Was a Texas Ranger? Tom Waggoner gave him $10,000 for winning the Cheyenne cowboy roundup in 1889? (that's $270,000 in today's dollars!!). But he was broke, living in a shack in Hico in 1950. Just because you can't prove something isn't proof it didn't happen. Not everything leaves a paper trail especially if you didn't want it to.
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Post by Hunter on May 21, 2019 18:05:46 GMT -5
TTT Thanks for your reply. Excellent point about Lexington not being in that district. Yes, that James H. Roberts is not who I thought it was. Thanks again.
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Post by Texas Truth Teller on May 21, 2019 18:14:36 GMT -5
Hunter, that is a good question.. Your discovery of the Civil War Draft Registration is also very interesting. The date on the page is 30 Oct 1863. Men living in the 9th congressional district of Kentucky registered. The 15 counties in that district were Bath, Montgomery, Lewis, Boyd, Greenup, Rowan, Lawrence, Marion, Magoffin, Morgan, Johnson, Floyd, Pike, Fleming, and Powell. Brushy said his father was born about 8 miles from Lexington, which is in Fayette County. Brushy said he was born in 1859 near Buffalo Gap. That is a geographic feature in the Callahan Divide, in Taylor County. Taylor County was created in 1858, but not organized until after the Civil War in 1878. The first census of Taylor County was conducted in 1880. From tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hct02, "The earliest group of European settlers in Taylor County were buffalo hunters and bone gatherers, who arrived during the 1870s. Sam Gholson, William C. Dunn, and William E. Cureton were among the early settlers." No mention of a Roberts family. Buffalo Gap, the geographic feature, had existed for centuries. Some websites indicate Buffalo Gap, the community, was established in 1858. That date is questionable if the first settlers arrived in the county in the 1870s. It is a fact that this part of Texas along the frontier was still subject to occasional Comanche Indian raiding parties as late as 1869. I do not know the answer to your question, although it would seem to me that he had to be in Kentucky in 1863 for the registrar to know that he was 31 years old.
Now there wouldn't have been a mention of a Robert's family in 1870 would there since they were all dead down there or moved to points north. You are correct. There was no mention of the Roberts family in 1870. That's easily explained. There was no census of Taylor County, Texas, in 1870.
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Post by lacowboy on May 22, 2019 9:35:13 GMT -5
Now there wouldn't have been a mention of a Robert's family in 1870 would there since they were all dead down there or moved to points north. You are correct. There was no mention of the Roberts family in 1870. That's easily explained. There was no census of Taylor County, Texas, in 1870. How are you feeling Jim getting a little sicker every day?
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Post by leeb on May 26, 2019 4:19:19 GMT -5
If brushy was potless and living in a shack why didn't he reveal himself as the kid a lot earlier. I'm pretty sure it would have been quite lucrative?
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Post by texas truth teller on May 26, 2019 13:55:13 GMT -5
If brushy was potless and living in a shack why didn't he reveal himself as the kid a lot earlier. I'm pretty sure it would have been quite lucrative? Good question. Perhaps his inspiration was his acquaintance, J. Frank Dalton, who "revealed" himself as Jesse Woodson James. Dalton signed an affidavit in the presence of a Notary Public 24 April 1948, stating he was born in Centerville, Missouri, 5 September 1847. Only 9 months previously, 21 February, 1847, he had sworn in the presence of a Travis County judge that his name was Frank Dalton, born 8 March 1848, on his pension application for service as a guerrilla in Missouri. Dalton received national attention from the media. Dalton was taken to New York City. Brushy also traveled to New York City, and he and Col James R Davis were witness who supported Dalton's claim. Dalton forfeited his Texas Confederate pension when he chose to leave the state for the more lucrative role as Jesse Woodson James at Meramec Caverns in Missouri.
Moral of the story: Claim to be a famous outlaw and enjoy the publicity.
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Post by leeb on May 27, 2019 13:10:18 GMT -5
If brushy was potless and living in a shack why didn't he reveal himself as the kid a lot earlier. I'm pretty sure it would have been quite lucrative? Good question. Perhaps his inspiration was his acquaintance, J. Frank Dalton, who "revealed" himself as Jesse Woodson James. Dalton signed an affidavit in the presence of a Notary Public 24 April 1948, stating he was born in Centerville, Missouri, 5 September 1847. Only 9 months previously, 21 February, 1847, he had sworn in the presence of a Travis County judge that his name was Frank Dalton, born 8 March 1848, on his pension application for service as a guerrilla in Missouri. Dalton received national attention from the media. Dalton was taken to New York City. Brushy also traveled to New York City, and he and Col James R Davis were witness who supported Dalton's claim. Dalton forfeited his Texas Confederate pension when he chose to leave the state for the more lucrative role as Jesse Woodson James at Meramec Caverns in Missouri.
Moral of the story: Claim to be a famous outlaw and enjoy the publicity.
TTT was brushy the Forest Gump of the West?
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Post by Colt4545 on Jul 23, 2020 18:13:57 GMT -5
No mention that Geneva Pittmon was. Born in 1918. And had no idea. Of any thing. Before. 1918..... two. She was the only one that. Said. He was Oliver Roberts. All the older relative said he was not Oliver Roberts ... oh and. Family bible. Only. List what someone writes in them ..... records. Back then. Sucked... so. No one really will know one way or the other. Who he was
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