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Indians Murder Mr. Cook

Michael has a BA in History & American Studies and an MSc in American History from the University of Edinburgh. He comes from a proud military family and has spent most of his career as an educator in the Middle East and Asia. His passion is travel, and he seizes any opportunity to share his experiences in the most immersive way possible, whether at sea or on the land.

Burnet County, Texas

    During 1863, Mr. Cook herded sheep for James Boyce at the Boyce Ranch about twelve miles northeast of Burnet. Early one moonlight night, the Indians were seen as they passed the ranch of Mr. Duke Strickland. They went about three hundred yards and killed Mr. Cook, sleeping in a shed to protect the sheep from wolves. Mr. Cook received a mortal wound about ten o'clock in the night, lived for three days and then died.

    Note: The author personally interviewed Mrs. Baker, who heard the shot; also interviewed C.H. Steward and corresponded with D.R. Holland, who were living in that portion of Burnet County at the time.

The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.

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