Unmarked Trail: Book One: Growing America; Book Two: a Poor Farm Boy’S Odyssey

Copyright © 2014 by E. Roy Hector.

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Certain characters in this work are historical figures, and certain events portrayed did take place. However, this is a work of fiction. All of the other characters, names, and events as well as all places, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-2257-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-2259-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-2258-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014901887

iUniverse rev. date: 02/04/2014

CONTENTS

Book One

Book Two

OTHER TITLES BY

E. Roy Hector

Escape from Hell’s Corner

Gangs of bloodthirsty and ruthless outlaws terrorized the American Southwest before and after Mexico ceded the land now called Texas. One such pack of thirty or forty cutthroats had what they thought was a perfectly impregnable hideout until a trio of U.S. Marshals was given the mission of bringing them to justice. These marshals were no barroom toughs, they’d been brought up church-going citizens, and all three had been schooled in the art of self-defense and survival. The outlaw leader made a fatal mistake when he ordered his killers to kidnap a rancher’s beautiful virgin daughter.

Return to Hell’s Corner

In the exciting, fast-paced western adventure sequel to Escape from Hell’s Corner, crazed killer Amos Clarke (aka Amos Watson) will stop at nothing to avenge the death of his outlaw father. Set in the picturesque Texas Mountains, Return to Hell’s Corner combines danger, romance, bravery, and good old-fashioned western justice to provide an exhilarating ride through the lawless wasteland of the Old West.

Vengeance Was Hers

When outlaw Chet Brode rapes, tortures, and nearly murders Susan Sue Boatwright, the daughter of a rancher in southwest Texas, the peace-loving and law-abiding citizens of Deadman Falls suddenly realize the stark reality of the harsh land they call home. But none realizes this cruel reality more than Sue: she survives the degrading abuse and mental anguish inflicted by the rapist and his attempt to murder her. She vows to avenge the crime against her body. At times, she thinks the devil himself is driving her down a path of self-destruction. Yet she stays on the trail, determined to one-day track down her tormentor and bring him to justice

Brazos River Marauders

Colt Horn was born on a pioneer trail to Scottish parents seeking new land they could call their own. But at the age of fifteen, he finds his parents murdered and is set adrift on the dangerous mission of vengeance. He grows to manhood surviving battles, hardships, and struggles, eventually becoming the owner of a large ranch. When he meets Liz Hanes, he wants to marry her and settle down. Nevertheless, none of his dreams can be realized until his parents’ murderers are brought to justice.

Colt learns that the man who killed his parents and is now leader of the Brazos River Marauders wants him dead or alive and has posted a large bounty on his head. The attacks on neighboring ranches and on his life provoke him to leave his ranch and work full-time in an effort to eliminate the lawlessness in his valley. He will, at last, bring the leader of the Brazos River Marauders to justice-or die trying. Plenty of action brings the Old West to life in this tale filled with cowboys, love, revenge, and ultimate redemption.

Range Fury

Known for his tenacity in pursuing lawbreakers, U.S. Marshal Frank Marlin follows a dangerous mission to quell a brewing range war on the western frontier. He’s told that Cottonwood Valley, a rich fertile land in the State of Texas, is the target of the trouble. The valley’s large-ranch owners blame each other for the cattle rustling, ambush killings, and other acts of lawlessness. They threaten to wipe each other out; fury on the range seems unavoidable. During his mission, Marlin learns that a wily outlaw boss, who strikes ranches and towns from his hideouts in the badlands, perpetrates the trouble in Cottonwood Valley. When the outlaw boss hears Marlin is on his way, he offers his henchmen a large cash bounty to anyone who kills the feared marshal. Marlin must always be on the lookout for those who want him dead. Encountering life-threatening situations and suffering serious wounds, Marlin never loses sight of his intense desire to stop the killing and cattle rustling.

Desert Gold

As the American frontier crept westward the early seekers of virgin fertile land and new livelihoods found taming the Wild West a daunting challenge. Ruthless marauders plagued early settlers who came west to start new ranches, farms, and towns. This novel chronicles the lawlessness that reigned in the Southwest frontier and the search for stolen government gold. Amid the turmoil in the Southwest, a dying outlaw double-crossed his gang leader and absconded with stolen government gold coins—eighty thousand dollars. He wrote a letter to his brother—U.S. Marshal Tom Leach—with clues where to find the gold. He beseeched his brother to forgive him and return the gold to the government. He wanted redemption for his crimes committed on the Owl Hoot Trails. Tom Leach postponed looking for the gold until he quelled the raging anarchy and established law and order.

In one of his many death defying missions, Tom chased killers after they murdered a settler and kidnapped his wife leaving behind her daughter hidden in the woods. Tom rescued the woman, killed two of the outlaws then he heard, You bastard, keep those hands in the air and turn around, I want to see your damn face before I kill you; I’d just as soon shoot you in the back as kill you later. Tom’s first concern was for the woman. The U. S. Marshal’s training manuals did not cover this type of situation. He braced himself for the bullet in his gut. He had to act, but how?

BOOK ONE

GROWING AMERICA

NOVEL

E. ROY HECTOR

CONTENTS

Introduction

Acknowledgement with thanks

Chapter 1   Leaving Scotland

Chapter 2   America—and then Virginia

Chapter 3   Unexpected Events

Chapter 4   Choosing Sides

Chapter 5   On to War

Chapter 6   Return Home

Introduction

G ROWING AMERICA’S POPULATION WAS very slow; birth by birth and shipload by shipload of emigrants eventually produced steady increases in the number of inhabitants in the new unsettled land. The census of 1820, the year Scottish emigrants James and Charlotte Hector and their four children, arrived in the United States, the total population was just short of ten million (9,683,450) including one million five hundred thousand slaves (1,538,022). At that time the center of the population was Hardy County, Virginia. Apparently there was no effort by the government to even estimate the number of Native Americans or record the number of known Indian Tribes. Nevertheless, by 2010 the population had grown to almost three hundred nine million (308,745,538).

This is a fictional story based on some actual names, places, and events; but it also includes characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue which are either the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. The experiences, trials, tribulations and adventures of the Hectors in America span several generations and now have untold numbers of descendants located throughout the United States. The responsibility for the conjectures, errors, mistakes, and misrepresentations, misplacements in geography, fact, place, event, and history belong solely to the author. Generous journalistic liberty appears throughout this narrative to describe what might have been, what should have been, or perhaps more accurately what the author wished it had been. In the most part, the author did not attempt to relate factual historic information, conversations, events, or intentions, since those are all lost to the dustbins of history.

The Scottish emigrant family fled their homeland to escape the oppressive rule of their government. Their personal situation had deteriorated to a point where they finally realized the only solution would be a drastic change in their life. They decided to leave their homeland and seek a better life in the unsettled land called America. For the last several years they had lived in fear of being remanded to the Indebtedness Court and placed in bondage as indentured slaves. They craved freedom and had learned it existed in America. They were determined that their descendants would have a better life in America, than the life they would face in Scotland.

That emigrant family was James and Charlotte Mathieson Hector and their four children

The James and Charlotte Hector family and their descendant greatly contributed to that ever-increasing population of the wild new land called America. Nevertheless, it would be near impossible to estimate the total exact affect the Hectors had on the steady increase in the Country’s population. But it can be safely assumed their numbers grew and will continue to grow at a prolific rate. Hectors and their descendants often had large families. The Hectors that first settled in Virginia were blessed with three more children, one of which was Astyanax Troy Hector, the author’s great grandfather. He acquired the nickname of Stine soon after birth. He was born January 14, 1823 and would eventually marry twice and father eighteen children.

Soon after settling in Virginia, James worked as a land surveyor and reportedly was very successful. Then within the next two generations James and Charlotte Hector would be blessed with several hundred descendants. Never ending, their descendants continue to increase the population of the United States. It is undeniably that James and Charlotte Hector greatly contributed to the settlement of the west and growth of America. In 1837 the James Hector family began resettlement to the Republic of Texian.

Astyanax Stine Troy Hector died at age eighty-two in Texas where he spent his last years; one of his eighteen children was the author’s grandfather, Valerus Gordon Hector.

The UNMARKED TRAIL continues through good times and bad times, war and peace, joy and sadness, and many other experiences.

Acknowledgement with thanks

The story of the James and Charlotte Hector family is based in large part on Ann Haygood Smith’s book titled; Hectors and Hockers—Ancestors and Descendants, 1355-2002 from the Old World to America. Ann Haygood Smith is the author’s cousin and she is the grand daughter of his father’s sister Mina Ilion Hector Rankin.

Chapter 1

LEAVING SCOTLAND

J AMES HECTOR WAS BORN on June 20, 1788; he was the son of John (1757-1831) and Mary Duncan Hector. He was the oldest of three children. He married Charlotte Teresa Mathieson, daughter of Lieutenant Alexander Mathieson of the Queens Rangers in Old Aberdeen, Scotland. Their marriage produced seven children. Four of the children were born in Scotland; the three youngest in Virginia.

Growing up in Scotland, James and Charlotte Hector managed to achieve a better than average education—for their particular situation in Scotland—and were avid readers of books. Their devotion to the ancient Latin and Greek authors apparently caused them to name their children after characters in the Iliad.

The descendants of James and Charlotte Hector were honest, hardworking and loyal citizens—with few exceptions—and eventually contributed sweat and blood to the settlement of the western territories and their Country’s subsequent wars. Descendants of James and Charlotte Hector range throughout the Southwest United States. Two of their children left Virginia and arrived in the Republic of Texas on Christmas Day 1837. James and Charlotte would eventually follow their children from Virginia to Hays County, Texas.

The experiences, trials, tribulations and adventures of the Hectors in America span several generations and have untold numbers of descendants located throughout the United States. During the early 1800’s there was rampant strife and hunger throughout Europe. The large landowners and the very rich ruled their realms with iron fists; showed little or no mercy for the poor and downtrodden. The new and unsettled lands across the ocean seemed to provide the only hope for freedom and better living conditions. All such conditions caused great unrest among the citizens of Scotland. Fear, strife, and hunger continued to plague the lower classes. Some of the less fortunate people found that their effort to stay alive was an awesome burden. They wanted to give up as there seemed to be no hope in sight. They began to believe death would be a relief; their oppressive government existed for the landowners and the rich families. The workers struggled to feed their families and avoid being caught up in the dreaded web of indebtedness that meant jail or a bonded slave.

It was said that those sorry conditions in Scotland were not inflicted by disease, famine or some other great natural calamity; but oppressive governmental laws and regulations and almost total disregard for the downtrodden and civil rights. The commoners felt that only the rich and powerful ever gained favor with the government. Their lives depended entirely on the whim of the government and those with money and influence.

Then widespread unemployment added to the burdens of the working class caused in part by onerous taxes that favored only certain segments of the society. The big landholders and those who managed to gain their wealth from inheritance, government contracts or had other high placed connections and influences always support the government corruption and excesses.

These were hard times throughout most of the world, except perhaps in the new and generally unsettled frontiers where governments had not been in control long enough to establish unwanted laws and regulations; especially over taxation.

Starvation was getting to be a daily threat throughout the Scottish realm. Some of the commoners who were educated and informed began to understand that it was no longer possible to support their large families under the stringent labor laws and extreme working conditions. There was no sense of justice as the laws favored the rich: big landowners who lived in their large castles and that were bequeathed from one generation to the next.

The commoners seldom had steady work, and when it could be found was normally from sunup to sundown and most times into the nights for a mere pittance of money for the hard labor demanded by employers and sanctioned by the ruling class who controlled the courts. Anyone who happened to owe money, rent or labor could without a doubt end up in the Scottish Indebtedness Court and more often than not remanded to prison and then for the fortunate ones released as bonded servants to an important landowner or sold to one of the overseas resettlement programs.

It was common knowledge throughout Scotland that bonded servants suffered a lifetime of horrible abuse, eventual death, and finally burial in pauper graves. Not even their families had any rights; even to be informed of the death of their disgraced relatives ensnarled in forced service. Then as late as the early 1820’s such conditions continued to amplify and some members of James and Charlotte Hector’s families had escaped to other lands to seek better living conditions. In Scotland and much of Europe hope was running out and the James and Charlotte Hector family became more disillusioned everyday as there was no positive sign of real change in sight.

The story chronicled here then, is about the proud and fairly well educated James and Charlotte Hector family who decided that regardless of what might happen elsewhere they had to escape the ever increasingly horrible living conditions. James and Charlotte Hector were well off financially in comparison to the greater population, but still struggled to pay their ever-mounting debts. Their holdings and income were limited and consisted mainly of what the James could earn as a part-time merchant and Charlotte’s inheritance from her father’s family.

Charlotte’s father had served in the military and accumulated some wealth which he bequeathed to Charlotte, but he had limited her use of the funds to only the interest. James tried to avoid using any of Charlotte’s inheritance, but occasionally they had to draw on the account to supplement the small amount of money earned by James. Even then it seemed to never be enough to maintain the family and keep them debt free. The ever-looming possibility of becoming bonded servants was considered something they could tolerate or contend with the rest of their lives. In fact, this was their greatest concern and cause for nightmares with visions of hard labor, starvation, chains, and whips. James vowed he would not let his family fall prey to the government’s mismanagement and extreme inhuman policies.

The situation seemed to deteriorate by the day; finally they decided their living conditions demanded they find someway to drastically improve their lives. It was demonstrable clear that to change their prospects for a better life they would have to seek new environs. The unending fear of the government and its authoritarian rule made James realize that he had to eliminate the worry of his family becoming bonded servants and wards of the government. Already many of their brethren had escaped to distant lands including America, Canada, and Australia. The relatives in Scotland received letters often from these siblings relating the wonderful experiences and prosperity found in those far away places.

Their discussions about what they considered an impending calamity for their country continued to be the major topic between James and Charlotte. The future looked dark and there was no hope in sight. James argued that they had to escape to another country where they might have a fresh start. Then on a cold fateful night in 1819’s mid-winter storm, James arrived home in high spirits and announced he had important news for his family. He called a meeting of his small family and they gathered around the hot stove. He said he had managed to obtain a contraband copy—a document outlawed in England—of the Constitution of the United States, along with its Amendments—declared in force December 15, 1791—and informed his family that for the next several nights they all would study these documents and compare them to Scottish laws. James and Charlotte took turns reading the Articles and discussed each thoroughly before proceeding. These family sessions dedicated solely to understanding the Constitution and its Amendments lasted for the better part of a month.

After all the exposure to the new documents and their declaration of liberty and freedom, Charlotte still had reservations about immigrating to America. James had convinced himself that it was finally time to act. America was his choice, the new and unsettled, and largely unpopulated land where opportunity reportedly was available to everyone. It was not an easy decision and he knew that convincing Charlotte would take effort and time. He dearly wanted his family to undertake the journey to the new land called America with all the dangers and hazards freely talked about in the streets and in the homes.

Some thought the government was behind much of the talk of the severe and unsafe conditions in America. There were many accounts and stories of women being captured, raped, and taken as slaves by the reportedly wild Indians. It was also said that all male captives were scalped or killed on sight. There did not seem to be verified proof that these horrendous things ever happened, at least in any great numbers, but the stories persisted and had great impact on the general population, and deterred the less adventurous souls from leaving their miserable hovels and sad situations.

Charlotte continued to study the American documents every chance she had and often-asked James penetrating questions. Her favorite ploy for delay seemed to concern the fact that approval of the United States Constitution and its Amendments had taken more than four years. She kept pointing to all the arguments posed by the various States in opposing ratification of the Constitution. She pointed out that the final votes in Massachusetts and South Carolina were very close and carried by only a few votes in each States. She demanded of James, Tell me why you keep tugging at me? It took the old men in America several years to make up their minds. You also know that I am trying to see all sides of this issue. I hate the thought of leaving my family and perhaps never seeing them again. I know you have such thoughts as well, but you can only see the distant shorelines. For the love of our children loosen the reins just a wee bit.

James lost his patience one evening and demanded, Charlotte, tell me where in all the Scottish laws can you find anything resembling the hope and promise embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. You need not read past those great words to understand our lives will be greatly enriched once we reach those shores. Listen to this, ‘We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.’ Now what part of that beautiful statement do you not understand? We can again go over the Constitution and the Amendments should you still have doubts about our future in America.

Charlotte did not immediately reply. After several minutes, which to James felt like hours, she nodded and said, Thank you, James. I know your heart is set on improving our lives and finding greater opportunities for our children. I shall not be a dissenter.

Now, finally with Charlotte’s support, James said a silent prayer and thanked the Lord for her decision to leave their homeland. He was elated with his wife’s support. He knew Charlotte was a strong woman with a mind of her own and once she decided an issue, it would be supported wholeheartedly no matter the results. Then the planning started, the family decided to take their chances in the new land commonly known throughout Scotland as the wild heathen land sparsely populated with criminals and savages. None of these rumors deterred James and Charlotte. Such rumbling and name-calling did not cause them any alarm or hesitation. They as most informed people of their time were able to receive information from what they considered dependable sources. In fact, James and Charlotte dismissed all the derogatory rumors about America as feeble misinformation planted by the government to discourage flight of the citizens.

The decision to uproot their family, cross the great ocean and start a new life in America was not made hasty or because of one thing or event. They were finally decided by the information they had garnered from the Constitution of the United States and its Amendments. James and Charlotte had been debating their future and casting about for someway to improve their opportunities for a better life. They kept telling each other, their greatest worry centered on the limited opportunities for their children in Scotland. These conversations usually took place at night after they retired to their bedroom. James had known for sometime that he had acquired an incurable itch that kept crying out for him to take some action to find a way to give his family greater opportunities to better their lives.

His problem had been convincing Charlotte to accept the drastic changes he was proposing. Now at last she had not only consented but also enthusiastically embraced his idea of going to America. Then, they jointly decided that regardless whether they survived in the new land, death in the wilderness would be preferable to the misery experienced in their current situation with never an expectation of improvement of their lot. Yes, they would go. It was then decided at a family gathering that the father, James Hector, would be the first to depart for America and that the other family members would follow as soon as possible. James had heard talk of being able to work on the ship and perhaps earn some cash which would help him get established in America and might permit him to save the money he was carrying for whatever was required to settle in America.

He was not worried too much about what would happen when he finally arrived in America. He felt sure his education and knowledge equipped him very well to obtain employment and then succeed in the new land. After many hours and days of searching through the ports and talking to various ships’ officers, he signed on to work as a crewmember in the ship’s galley for his passage and food aboard the passenger ship Euphrates. During the long and arduous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, James managed to eat as well as anyone aboard except perhaps the ships’ officers.

One of the most disagreeable aspects of his experience in crossing the ocean was that he and the crew were forced to witness almost daily floggings of those caught stealing or deemed guilty of some other infraction of the rules. James could hardly restrain himself from attempting to stop the punishment, but well knew that he would receive whatever was being meted out twice over and might not live to see his family again. Anyway, he told himself that such ill-advised action on his part would not help the poor soul being whipped. He would end up just another skinned crewmember if he lived. He resolved to make sure he kept to himself and live to see his family settled in America. His good intentions and efforts to avoid trouble almost caused him to take a turn at the bloody whipping-post.

One of the ship’s officers had taken an unwanted interest in James and tried to obtain what the officer called a little fun. James not only rebuffed his advances but told him what kind of person he was and that his mother would cut her own throat if she knew what an ill-begotten mistake she had wrought on the world. The officer was offended and allowed that James would pay for his refusal at the whipping-post.

All this took place soon before the ship was to arrive in port. Therefore, two days before arrival in America, James Hector was brought before the ship’s Captain and accused of insubordination, which he did not deny as he felt his actions were justified. The Captain would hear no evidence or permit James to make a statement. An Officer’s word was law on his Ship. The Captain ordered ten lashes (a relatively light sentence) to be carried out at high noon the following day.

The Captain always delayed the whippings for several hours, or in some cases days, to increase what he considered the ‘punishment of anticipation’. In addition, he liked to have more than one whipping administered within minutes of the last one so that he could watch the reaction of those awaiting their turn at the post. He enjoyed watching those waiting their turn cringe and flinch every time the whip cut the flesh and skin of the poor unfortunate at the post. The Captain was both a sadist and a masochist he enjoyed being physically abused or watching others being mistreated. His dominating enjoyment in life was pain mostly to others, human if possible, if not, any animal would do. The sight of blood excited him.

However, courageous galley workers who managed to keep him hidden under some canvas in an empty barrel for the last day of the voyage saved James from the ordered flogging. During this time, the ship had encountered some real severe weather on approaching the coast, resulting in the captain and other officers being fully occupied in managing the ship and forgot about James Hectors’ ordered punishment. James knew that maritime customs and laws precluded the Captain from carrying out his ordered flogging once the ship entered the New York harbor waters. He intended to make sure that he was not discovered before the ship arrived in the harbor. He successfully avoid discovery and did not show himself until he knew that he was in port.

He was permitted to go ashore and therefore