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    Adobe Walls to Tularosa
    Adobe Walls to Tularosa
    Adobe Walls to Tularosa
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    Adobe Walls to Tularosa

    By Joe B. Hewitt

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    About this ebook

    This is the true story of Ben Hewitt, Texas rancher, gunfighter, lawman, and sometime fugitive. He left the post Civil War poverty of Alabama and traveled alone to Cooke County, north Texas, where he got a job as a cowboy from his comrade in arms Powell Cole. Ben progressed to ranch foreman and then as a partner with Cole in a general store and cotton gin. He impregnated and married Laveina, Cole's 14-year-old daughter in 1872. His relationship with his old comrade was never the same. Ben bought and sold ranches throughout the Texas portion of the Red River Valley, in the Texas Panhandle, and into Indian Territory. For example, he sold a 13-section ranch in Motley County and relocated far south to Pecos, Texas. Each time he bought a ranch, he would work it and improve on it for two or three years. Then he would either sell it for a profit or turn management over to a trusted employee or one of his sons while Ben moved farther west looking for more opportunities. On one occasion his quick temper got him into court. The court trial did not go well for Ben. He lost his temper again. He drew his six-shooter and shouted "Court's adjourned." Ben packed up his wife and six sons and settled in Polk County, Arkansas. There he became a deputy sheriff and then a hero when he killed two members of the Sam Bass Gang.

    Ben Hewitt was present at the 1874 Battle of Adobe Walls along with Bat Masterson and Billy Dixon, the hero of the battle. Quanah Parker had led an estimated 1,000 Comanches and Kiowas against the tiny adobe fort. After Billy Dixon's famous shot that went almost a mile to knock a Comanche medicine man off his horse, the Indians withdrew.

    This book is the result of many years of research by Joe B. Hewitt, grandson of Ben Hewitt. The cover picture is of Josh Hewitt, Joe's grandson.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJoe B. Hewitt
    Release dateDec 14, 2018
    ISBN9780463551462
    Adobe Walls to Tularosa
    Author

    Joe B. Hewitt

    About the AuthorJoe B. Hewitt, BD MAAuthor Joe B. Hewitt started writing as a newspaper reporter for the Lima, Ohio, News. He covered the police beat, courthouse beat, and was an investigative reporter. He went under cover for three months and published an expose of vice and crime. He served as national and international news editor and “slot” man on the city desk.He owned and published the following Texas weekly newspapers, Throckmorton Tribune, and Springtown Review, and was a stockholder, editor and publisher of the Richardson Digest.His newspaper career ended when he was called into the ministry.. He served the Richardson church 13 years.He resigned that pastorate to go into vocational evangelism. However, during those four years he was called by Christian leaders in many communities to lead special election campaigns. Of 13 major campaigns, he won 11. He turned down an offer to manage a US Congressman’s re-election campaign.During those years in the pastorate he wrote a nonfiction book on personal experience that has sold 45,000 copies. He wrote curriculum for Bible study teachers and teachers commentaries for LifeWay, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention as well as the youth devotional guide, and Open Windows the 1.1 million-circulation adult devotional guide. For 10 years wrote columns for the Rockwall Success, and Rowlett Lakeshore Times, local newspapers. His magazine articles were published in Mature Living, The Baptist Standard, and Leadership magazine (published by the Baptist General Convention of Texas), Faith for the Family, Reproduction Methods, and the Christian Crusader. Photographs have been published by Associated Press, United Press International, Popular Mechanics, and several detective magazines (from the days when he was police reporter.).His travel articles and pictures have been published in The Dallas Morning News, and the Houston Chronicle's Sunday Magazine. Guest editorials have been published in The Dallas Morning News and Spirit of 76, publication of Fort Worth, Texas, Mensa.Hewitt served as a temporary missionary in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Oregon, Idaho, New York, and pastored a church in England for a month in an exchange with the pastor of the English church. He served as volunteer chaplain and coordinator of jail ministries for the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Department for 10 years. I also served two days a month as volunteer chaplain at Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett for 10 years.On one of his three trips to Russia, Hewitt preached in Muravlenko, Siberia, a city of 40,000, built on 600 feet deep permafrost located 1650 miles east-northeast of Moscow. The nearest airport was 100 miles south at Nyabresk where the Aeroflot plane broke down and Hewitt and his wife were stranded two days.In addition to the mission trips, Hewitt visited Cypress, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and many Caribbean islands. Hewitt has traveled extensively throughout all 50 of the United States, Mexico and Canada.After retiring from the Pastorate in 2001, Hewitt began training as a mediator and has served Dallas and area courts as a court-appointed mediator to settle lawsuits.Hewitt received a BD degree from Bible Baptist Seminary, and an MA degree in Biblical Studies from Dallas Baptist University. He is a member of Mensa, the high IQ society.

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      Book preview

      Adobe Walls to Tularosa - Joe B. Hewitt

      Adobe Walls to Tularosa

      True Story of a Texas Rancher, Gunfighter, Fugitive, Lawman

      Joe B. Hewitt

      ISBN 9780463551462

      Published by Joe B. Hewitt at Smashwords.

      Copyright 2018, Joe B. Hewitt

      Discover other titles by Joe B. Hewitt, including Murder on the Sky Ride; Mystery of the Vanished Gold; My Love, My Enemy, and Yellow Rose of Texas.

      This book and all of Joe B. Hewitt’s books are available in print form at your on-line bookstores.

      This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      My grandfather, Benjamin Tarrant Hewitt, died before I was born, but I know him well because of the many stories I heard from my mother, my uncles, and aunts. I interviewed his oldest son, Ebenezer Cole Hewitt, Uncle Eb, in 1962 when he was 91. I spent 5 hours interviewing two 85-year-old aunts, Minnie Jackson Hewitt and Lavenia Victoria Hewitt Jackson in 1980. Over a period of many years my uncle Robert Frank Hewitt filled in many details of his father’s life. I also heard details of Ben Hewitt’s life from my mother, Grace Gordon Hewitt, who didn’t think much of him. She said he had killed at least 12 men in gunfights and always looked over his shoulder for fear that someone would try to kill him. All the others, including my own father, Joseph Benjamin Hewitt, spoke well of Ben Hewitt.

      Judge for yourself as you read this true story.

      ON THE COVER

      Josh Hewitt, 5th generation direct descendent of Ben Hewitt. Six feet, five inches tall, Josh lives in McKinney, Texas.

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

      Thanks to Jeanette Lambert Hewitt, my wife, research assistant, and proofreader. Thanks to Scott Settles for cover art and computer consultation. Thanks to Cousin Lloyd Kurtz for information from the Hewitt Family Tree, of which he is keeper, and Cousin Phil Waggoner for photos.

      Table of Contents

      CHAPTER 1, Ben Hewitt, Fugitive

      CHAPTER 2, Ben Hewitt, Lawman

      CHAPTER 3, Ben Hewitt, Hero

      CHAPTER 4, July 1884, On the Way to Texas

      CHAPTER 5, Looking Back, 1840-1872

      CHAPTER 6, In Alabama, 1865

      CHAPTER 7, Battle of Adobe Walls

      CHAPTER 8, 1874 Mound City, Texas and 1875 Red River County, Texas

      CHAPTER 9, 1876, Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas

      CHAPTER 10, Bellevue, Texas, 1885

      CHAPTER 11, December, 1885, Death of Powell Cole

      CHAPTER 12, 1887, Motley County, Texas

      CHAPTER 13, Bellevue, Texas, May, 1890, Death of Caddus.

      CHAPTER 14, Birth of Lillie, The First Grandchild

      CHAPTER 15, 1906 On the Move West

      CHAPTER 16, 1909, Joe Marries Gypsy Girl; Dott is Killed

      CHAPTER 17, Death of Benjamin Tarrant Hewitt

      CHAPTER 18, ADDENDUM, The Sons

      CHAPTER 19, Venie’s Own Words

      About the Author

      CHAPTER 1, Ben Hewitt, Fugitive

      Near Dallas, Polk County, Arkansas, April, 1882

      Come here, boys. I’ve got something important to tell you. On the porch, Ben Hewitt situated his leather holster, heavy with a .45 Colt six-shooter so he could fit in an old rocking chair. Pull that bench up close, sit down and listen, he said as he relaxed onto the rocker.

      Ten-year-old Eb, and his brother, John, looked at each other, then at their father. The light of a setting sun made his short-cropped blond beard seem golden and glinted off his clear blue eyes and a silver star, deputy sheriff badge pinned to his vest.

      Boys, he began, and hesitated.

      Yes, Father, Eb said.

      Boys, your name is not Tarrant. Your name is Hewitt.

      Hewitt? That’s the strangest name I ever heard, Eb said.

      Well, strange or not, it’s your real name. You need to get used to it. We’ll not tell the folks here, but we’ll be going back to Texas soon, and when we get there, we’ll use our true names.

      Yes, Father, Eb said.

      Ben glared at John.

      Yes, Father, John said. While their peers called their fathers, daddy, pa, or papa, Benjamin Tarrant Hewitt taught his children to be more formal.

      Lavenia Victoria Cole Hewitt stepped quietly to her husband’s side and laid a soft hand on his shoulder. I hope it’s soon. I want to get back to Texas.

      Ben looked up adoringly at the beautiful face with long golden blonde hair done up in a shiny bun. Because he was 32 when he married her, and she was only 14, there had been serious disagreement between Ben and his old friend and comrade in arms Powell Cole, one of the richest and most influential men in Cooke County, Texas. The difference in their ages seemed to intensify Ben’s adoration of Lavenia, and her deep love and total confidence in him. She had borne him five sons during their nine years of marriage, Ebenezer Cole Eb Hewitt in 1872, John Edward Hewitt in 1874, Powell Whitehouse White Hewitt in 1876, H. C. Caddus Cadd Hewitt in 1878, and Dottias Talafario Dott Hewitt in 1881. As she had done since the first child, Lavenia hoped for a girl.

      As soon as we can, Ben said, and laid a hand on hers. Suppose your father will welcome me?

      He will. You two have been through too much together. You’ll always be friends, she said.

      Have you boys finished your after-supper chores?

      Yes, Father, the boys said in unison.

      A rifle shot sounded in the distance. Then another, then three more in quick succession.

      Got to go, boys. Ben’s spurs jingled with each step as he ran into the house, reached a Winchester lever action rifle that hung on pegs over the kitchen door, grabbed the rifle and ran out the back door. Got to go, boys. In the stable, he quickly saddled a horse and rode toward the gunfire. More rifle shots with their distinctive echo, then sounded the deeper, hallow boom of a large bore shotgun, and then the more modest pops of pistol shots.

      Ben spurred the horse into a run. His mind filled with the memory of a gray-clad sergeant bellowing Charge into the sound of the guns, men. I got through four years of war without getting shot. Maybe this is the end of my good luck, Ben thought.

      As he neared town the sounds of shots trailed off and stopped. Two horsemen approached at full speed. Ben, one of the men shouted. They got away.

      Ben’s horse sent a cloud of dust as it came to a sudden stop. The two messengers’ horses grunted as they stopped. They got away, headed up the Rich Mountain trail. The sheriff sent us to fetch you. Said you would lead a posse up after them.

      Without a word, Ben spurred his horse, leaned forward into the wind, and hurried toward the little town of Dallas, Polk County, Arkansas. The two messengers followed close behind. The three men tied their horses to a rail in front of the sheriff’s office. The sound of their heavy boots, accompanied by the jingle of spurs, beat a cadence on the plank sidewalk. Descending darkness surrounded a dim light in a window, which seemed to grow brighter.

      The tall, lanky sheriff opened the door to his office as Ben arrived. Glad you got here, Ben. There’s been a robbery and a killing. The suspects got away and headed up Rich Mountain.

      So you want me to go after these outlaws. Who are they, and what did they do?

      They came into town in those railroad surveyors’ wagon, just big as you please, like they owned it, the sheriff said. Sit down, he said, and then shouted to someone unseen in the back of the office, How about some coffee? He sat on the edge of his desk, pulled his .45 Colt and began extracting spent shells and reloading. "I recognized that wagon, and I recognized those men. They’re members of the

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