An Evening with Barry Corbin By Gene Stevens

 

One of my all-time favorite things about living in Iowa is being a member 

the John Wayne Birthplace Society. And this weekend is the John Wayne Birthplace celebration. One of the events planned for the weekend, was an" Evening with Barry Corbin."

On May 23rd, 2025 I had the honor of attending "An Evening with Barry Corbin at the Iowa theater in Winterset Iowa. Barry is a very well known and loved actor with a really long and diversified filmography. He has appeared in numerous Westerns throughout his career, leveraging his Texas heritage and love for the western genre to deliver memorable performances. 

Below is a list of his notable Westerns obtained with the help of Grok, (films and TV shows) in which he has acted, based on available information:

Western Films:

Urban Cowboy (1980) - Played Uncle Bob Davis, a supporting role in this modern Western set in Texas, centered around the cowboy culture and honky-tonk life.

Conagher (1991) - Portrayed a good-hearted stagecoach driver in this TNT Western film alongside Sam Elliott, earning him a Western Heritage Award in 1992.

No Country for Old Men (2007) - Played Uncle Ellis, a former Texas lawman, delivering a poignant monologue in this Coen Brothers’ neo-Western masterpiece.

The Journeyman (2001) - Starred alongside Willie Nelson in this Western film, returning to the genre after his work on Northern Exposure.

Crossfire Trail (2001) - Appeared in this made-for-TV Western, which became one of the most popular TV movies of its time.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) - Featured in Martin Scorsese’s Western crime drama, continuing his presence in modern Westerns.

The Homesman (2014) - Played a role in this Western drama directed by Tommy Lee Jones.

Shadow on the Mesa (2013) - Appeared in this Western TV movie.

Eminence Hill (2019) - Played a role in this Western film.

Western TV Shows/Miniseries:

Lonesome Dove (1989) - Portrayed Roscoe Brown, the bumbling but kind-hearted deputy to July Johnson, in this iconic Western miniseries.

Yellowstone (2021) - Appeared as a cowboy on the Four Sixes ranch in Season 4, Episode 5 ("Under a Blanket of Red"), delivering a notable monologue on cowboy life.

The Thorn Birds (1983) - Played Pete, a stockman, in this miniseries set on an Australian sheep station, which has Western elements.

Additional Notes:

Corbin’s love for Westerns stems from his childhood in Lamesa, Texas, where he was inspired by character actors like George “Gabby” Hayes and Fuzzy Q. Jones, as well as stars like Ben Johnson, whom he later befriended.

His performances often embody the authenticity of the Western genre, drawing from his real-life experience riding horses and tending cattle on his Fort Worth ranch.

Corbin was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 2018, recognizing his significant contributions to the Western genre.

I got to meet Barry very briefly,  I wished I had more time to talk to him. 

He is a very down-to-earth guy.

The following photos were taken by me at the event. 

   Barry Corbin is a wonderful  story teller and Shakespearean style actor.  He put on a great show, and told the audience about his childhood, acting career, and his love of history.  

Candidate for Iowa Governor, Brad Sherman Talks Freedom and 2nd Amendment Rights to the CSL&OH.A. By Gene Stevens

 

                               

Carole (Greenbriar Rose), and myself "Brad Sherman" (Kingdom Kid), took a break from the campaign trail today to go to the ZnZ Ranch cowboy action shoot, which is one of our favorite activities. We get all dressed up in old west garb and shoot revolvers, lever rifles, and shotguns. What a great time! Now, it’s back to campaign work!

 

"Our liberties we prize, our rights we will maintain "

-Iowa State motto

"The wisdom of being armed is this: When you have the ability and the will to fight, you usually don’t have to. This reality has been shown in confrontations everywhere, from neighborhood playgrounds to the highest levels of international diplomacy."

-Brad Sherman, Candidate for Governor of Iowa

2nd Amendment rights for Iowans are extremely important. Shooting sports, hunting and living history events are at the heart and soul of my fellow Iowans. I met Brad Sherman in April at a local political meeting, and I found Brad to be very down-to-earth guy. But it wasn't until I saw an online post showing Brad engaged in his hobby, "Cowboy Action shooting." Seeing this I immediately understood more about how Brad viewed America, and American culture. I understand this, because like Brad, I am a living history aficionado, with a particular love for the American wild west. I reached out to Brad and asked him where he stood on historic preservation and the 2nd amendment.

  

I asked Brad Sherman about his thoughts on the 2nd Amendment 

 and preserving American history.

Brad's response:

Those are two key issues of mine. In fact, I wrote a little book several years ago called The Freedom Quiz. It asks some questions about freedom and then each brief chapter in the book answers the question.  I will copy those two chapters below, but in short, Yes, I am a strong 2nd Amendment Advocate and preserving history is essential to maintaining our freedom. 

Regarding history, George Mason said, "If free people do not examine their liberties and how they were obtained, they risk losing those rights."  History is what tells us how we obtained liberty and if we want to remain free, we have to know history.  But the Bible makes this point as well. Jesus said, in John 8:14, "... My witness is true because I know where I came from (history) and where I am going (future).  In other words, we can't have a true and meaningful plan in the present to move toward the future if we don't know our history.

-Brad Sherman

EXCERPTS FROM THE FREEDOM QUIZ

Answering Question #1

1. Which one of the following is most important to preserve freedom in America?

a. A strong standing military

b. Understanding history and the Constitution

c. Good leaders in Washington DC

d. Laws to protect the public from crooks and thieves

All of the answers above play a part in preserving our freedoms, but understanding our history and our Constitution is most important. Besides being the only one of the four that is based in the people, not government, it provides the knowledge base from which we discern whether the leaders in Washington are actually good or not, whether the laws they pass are good or not, and whether or not they are managing the military properly.

George Mason, who is known as the father of the Bill of Rights, was referring to understanding our history and the Constitution when he said, “If free people do not examine their liberties and how they were obtained, they risk losing these rights.” 

1 James Madison, the 4th President of the United States and often considered the father of the Constitution, said, “A well-instructed people alone can be permanently free.” 

2. The position held by these and many other key founders of our nation is clear. If we the people do not have some level of understanding regarding the content of the most basic governing documents of our nation and the liberties they protect, we risk losing our rights. Consider the following quote by Thomas Jefferson, which emphasizes how important it is for us to understand our government and how it is supposed to function.

“I know of no safe depositor of the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.” 

3. If imparted to enough of our fellow citizens, just the small amount of knowledge presented in this booklet can restore the power to make intelligent choices regarding government and correct many of the abuses that have done damage to our Constitution and our liberty.  

Answering Question #7

7. The right to keep and bear arms was spelled out in the Second Amendment so United States citizens could:

a. protect themselves against murderers and thieves

b. fight off invading armies

c. both a and b above

d. resist our own government in the event it grew tyrannical

The Second Amendment says:

“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” 

The true meaning of this amendment has been tortured and twisted. But by examining this amendment from the perspective of our founders, its meaning becomes clear. Let’s look at a few historical quotes that relate to the Second Amendment. First, a quote from Samuel Adams who said:

“And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress ... to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.” 

According to Adams, all law-abiding citizens have the right to keep and bear arms. Some have claimed that individuals do not have the right to their own arms because the militia referred to the military or other armed government agency. But we see that Adams did not hold to that view. Regarding the militia, let’s look at what George Mason, co-author of the Second Amendment said:

“I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.” 

Mason not only defines militia as the whole population but confirms that individuals have the right to their own arms. Mason leaves no doubt as to the purpose of an armed population; it is to defend themselves against those who would enslave them.  

St. George Tucker, a Revolutionary War militia officer, legal scholar, and later a U.S. District Court judge appointed by James Madison in 1813, gives us insight regarding what tyrannical forces were of concern.

“The right of self defense is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.” 

In Tucker’s words we find evidence that the right of the people to bear arms is for protection against armed forces of our own government. Standing armies, which today could be defined as professional armed federal agencies, of which we have many, should understand that the people are constitutionally authorized to resist if they overstep their bounds.

The wisdom of being armed is this: When you have the ability and the will to fight, you usually don’t have to. This reality has been shown in confrontations everywhere, from neighborhood playgrounds to the highest levels of international diplomacy.

However, the purpose of my booklet is to deploy a greater weapon than guns, that weapon is knowledge. If we the people are informed regarding the timeless principles that produced our freedom, we will know how to choose leaders who are likewise informed. Our goal is to defeat tyranny with ballots, not bullets.

The CSL&OH.S. would like to personally thank Candidate Brad Sherman for taking time out of his busy schedule to give us his thoughts on history, and the 2nd amendment. We wish Brad success in his run for Governor of Iowa.

-Gene Stevens

Brad Sherman, Iowa, Governor, 2025, Brad Sherman for Iowa Governor

William Luther Shirley: Lawman

According to family history, Lawman William  Shirley knew Frank James, the brother of the famed outlaw Jesse James. They apparently became acquainted following Frank's release from prison. He also claimed to be kin to the controversial lady outlaw Belle Starr since she too (sic) was a Shirley. This kinship has never been substantiated

William Shirley was born in Cannon County Tennessee Oct 30, 1874.  His family moved to Hill County Texas in the 1880's and he alone returned to round up horses and ship them from Kansas City to Tennessee. 

   From the Authors. collection. Frank James (L) Jesse James (R)

He served as Sheriff of Cannon County Tennessee from 1910 to 1914. The family lived in Woodbury, the county seat.

He moved to Nashville in 1919 where he worked for the State of Tennessee. His official title was Transportation Officer for the Tennessee State Prison. Unofficially he was known as a "long chain man".  His primary duty was to travel to other towns and cities and escort prisoners back to Nashville. At times he was the lone guard for a dozen or more men. They were joined together by hand cuffs and let irons and chains and were transported by train.  Once on board the chain had to be stretched out in order for the prisoners to be seated.

He left state employment and worked on the police force for the powder plant at Old Hickory, TN during WWI. Later he became a railroad detective for the Louisville to New Orleans. He retired as Chief Detective. When the government shipped whiskey by rail during the Prohibition he rode with the shipment until it was unloaded to prevent a train robbery. 

William Luther Shirley born Oct 30, 1874 Cannon Co. TN, died Aug 28, 1942 Nashville, TN buried Spring Hill Cemetery, Nashville TN,

Reference William Luther Shirley 

William Luther Shirley born in Cannon County Tennessee Oct 30, 1874 was the 8th child of Newton Jasper and Sarah Seal Shirley. His family moved to Hill County Texas in the 1880's and he alone returned to round up horses and ship them from Kansas City to Tennessee. His first wife was Mollie Knight, whom he married in Hillsboro, Texas in 1893. On August 5, 1900 he married Mary Shirley who was the daughter of his first cousin. He served as Sheriff of Cannon County Tennessee from 1910 to 1914. The family lived in Woodbury, the county seat. William, Mary and their children moved to Nashville in 1919 where he worked for the State of Tennessee. His official title was Transportation Officer for the Tennessee State Prison. Unofficially he was known as a "long chain man". His primary duty was to travel to other towns and cities and escort prisoners back to Nashville. At times he was the lone guard for a dozen or more men. They were joined together by hand cuffs and let irons and chains and were transported by train. Once on board the chain had to be stretched out in order for the prisoners to be seated. William left state employment and worked on the police force for the powder plant at Old Hickory, TN during WWI. Later he became a railroad detective for the Louisville to New Orleans. He retired as Chief Detective. When the government shipped whiskey by rail during the Prohibition he rode with the shipment until it was unloaded to prevent a train robbery. He knew Frank James, brother of the Jesse James, following Frank's release from prison. He also claimed kin to Belle Starr since she too was a Shirley. This kinship has not been substantiated. After the death of his second wife, he took as his 3rd wife Lula Ella Nalls. William Shirley died in 1942. Mrs. Shirley continued to live in their home on Elkins Ave in Nashville until 1979.     

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Stella James Vs Turilli: The Ethel James Owens Letter, Jesse died in St. Jo Missouri on April 3rd 1882. (c)

 On 05/10/2025, the following letter was shared online. It appeared on the Jesse James group Facebook page, and it was posted by a gentleman by the name of Robert Basil. According to Basil, his father C.W. Basil, a writer who was published in Lost Treasures Magazine, was corresponding with Jesse James granddaughter, Ethel James Owens because of his interest in Jesse James, I asked Robert about the story, and he told me:

"Back in those days he and a friend were always metal detecting, writing stories of the old west gangs such as Jesse James. He and his friend would write stories for lost treasures magazine. They just were into that really heavy back then. He just found a way to reach Ethel Rose James Owens Jesse's granddaughter and they hit it off. They talked quite a bit until her death. She actually told my dad that if he would have contacted her a week prior that she would have given my dad Jesse's guns. Instead she donated them to be museum in Kearny Missouri." 

The following letter was handed down to him by his Father. The letter written by Ethel James Owens tells the story of Frank Dalton who falsely claimed to be Jesse James. And tells the story of a law suit, filed by Stella James the widow of Jesse E. James (Jesse Woodson James’s son).

Quotes from the letter;

"I have received the books, and was quite surprised, with the book and wish I had known what its was all about - of more about it, I have read it and just can't believe that it is filled with so many lies."

"I am quite acquainted with Mr. Dalton who claimed to be Jesse James, them having killed a Mr. Bigelow to take Jesse James place in the casket. He was here in Los Angelas one time and I went to see him. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the "old" man, because he really didn't know what he was doing. It was just the promoters making a side show of him."

"(My mother) Got so many copies of affidavits from people who had seen Jesse James killed, etc. etc. The judge and jury decided in her favor, but she  never got the $10,000, as Mr. Turrili had no money, and died shortly after this in bankruptcy."

Stella James the widow of Jesse E. James (Jesse W James’s son) and her daughters knew that Jesse was shot and killed on April 3rd, 1882 by Robert Ford who pled guilty to the murder. the defendant Rudy Turilli, operator of the “Jesse James Museum” claimed that James was not the man killed and had lived at his museum under the alias of J. Frank Dalton into the 1950’s. Turilli was apparently so confident in his statement that he was willing to offer $10,000 to anyone that could offer evidence to prove him wrong. Upon hearing Turilli’s statement, Stella James had immediately sought to prove him wrong.

From Time magazine Oct 18th, 1971 The Law Decision:

"Rudy Turilli of Stanton, Mo., found a vocation in his belief that Jesse James was not killed in 1882, but lived into the 1950s under the alias of J. Frank Dalton. After meeting Dalton in 1948, Turilli opened the Jesse James Museum in Stanton and published a book arguing his thesis. In 1967 Turilli announced on a television program that he would pay $10,000 to anyone who could prove him wrong. Stella James, daughter-in-law of the outlaw, and her two daughters tried to collect after supplying affidavits from James family members that Jesse had indeed died in 1882. When Turilli refused to pay, the women sued and won in the Franklin County circuit court. The verdict, recently upheld on appeal, put the courts in the unusual position of considering an academic point of history. Turilli now says that he will ask for a new hearing on the grounds that his television boast was not legally binding."

The Law: Decisions | TIME

From the court of appeals:

Problem lies with the definition of the word “prove” Defendant says prove means “to determine or persuade that a thing does or does not exist” Court says it is an ordinary word spoken by laymen and we are unable to interpret it technically. Stella James had began to seek people close to the James family who could help prove Turilli wrong. On Feb 27, 1967 defendant publicly offers $10,000 to anyone who could prove him wrong on national television. In hearing this, plaintiffs submitted evidence from the James family each stated facts that Jesse James was “in fact killed as alleged in song and legend on April 3, 1882 by Robert Ford. One of the statements that was approved by the court was given by Thomas M. Mimm’s who stated “his sister had been a widow of Jesse W. James and on April 3rd 1882, his sister had sent him a telegram stating Jesse W. James had been killed, and he had in fact went to the funeral and viewed the body knowing it was that of Jesse W. James.” He claims the man killed on April 3, 1882 and buried as Jesse James is an imposter. He claims the real Jesse James lived under the name J. Frank Dalton in the museum into the 1950’s.Defendant says they (the plaintiffs) neglected “to establish what it was they were to prove me wrong about” He also claimed that the evidence given by the plaintiffs was insufficient and the jury had made an error as far as accepting the plantiffs statements. The Court decided that the statements given by the Plaintiff were admissible as independently relevant declarations and there was no hearsay rule violations. They stated that the evidence given by the plaintiff was not confusing to the jury as the defendant had claimed.

Therefore, the plaintiff shall be granted the money.

This video shows some of the things that Jesse James has done in the past

By Michael Haferkamp

Stella James v. Rudy Turilli

Court of Appeals of Missouri, St. Louis District

September 28, 1971

Rudy Turilli claims James was not the man killed in 1882

Turilli offers money to anyone who thought they were right

Stella James went to prove Turilli wrong

Jesse W. James (famous outlaw) was shot and killed on April 3, 1882

Overview; James submitted facts from Jesse James’ family to Turilli Stella James states “Jesse W. James was in fact killed as alleged in song and legend on April 3, 1882 by Robert Ford.” Turilli claims Jesse W. James lived as J. Frank Dalton with him into the 1950’sTurilli offered $10,000 to anyone who “could prove him wrong” on national television . The court decided that the plaintiffs claims were admissible and did not find any error. The judgment is affirmed Court’s Ruling The plaintiff is granted $10,000.

Additional Information:

Ethelrose Owens; Last Grandchild of Outlaw Jesse James - Los Angeles Times

Ethel Rose James Owens (1908-1991) - Find a Grave Memorial

There is no proof whatsoever that J. Frank Dalton Was Jesse James.

Jesse James and Turilli in c - Genealogy.com

Ruling on Jesse

J. Frank Dalton - Wikipedia

Note: I was given full permission by Robert Basil to use his information.

Copyright (c) 2025

Terms; Free to use, please cite the author and CSL&OH.A.

Pioneers, Maxwell Iowa: By G.C. Stevens 2025 (c)

 

A memorial dedicated to the early pioneers of Maxwell Iowa

I'd like to dedicate this article to Tom Logsdon, who I had a chance 

meeting with in Maxwell Iowa on a warm spring day in 2025. His family ran

 a mercantile store in Maxwell Iowa for 64 years.

The Country Store

by Anonymous

FAR OUT beyond the city's lights, away from din and roar,

The cricket chirps of summer nights beneath the country store;

The drygoods boxes ricked about afford a welcome seat

For weary tillers of the ground, who here on evenings meet.

A swinging sign of ancient make, and one above the door,

Proclaim that William Henry Blake is owner of the store;

Here everything from jam to tweed, from silks to ginghams bright,

Is spread before the folk who need from early morn till night.

Tea, sugar, coffee (browned or green), molasses, grindstones, tar,

Suspenders, peanuts, navy beans, and homemade vinegar,

Fine combs, wash ringers, rakes, false hair, paints, rice, and looking glasses,

Side saddles, hominy, crockery ware, and seeds for garden grasses.

Lawn mowers, candies, books to read, corn planter, household goods,

Tobacco, salt, and clover seed, horsewhips and knitted hoods,

Canned goods, shoe blacking, lime and nails, straw hats and carpet slippers,

Prunes, buttons, codfish, bridal veils, cranberries, clocks, and clippers.

Umbrellas, candles, scythes and hats, caps, boots and shoes and bacon,

Thread, nutmegs, pins and Rough on Rats, for cash or produce taken;

Birdseed, face powder, matches, files, ink, onions and many more,

Are found in heaps and stacks and piles within the country store.

It was early May, and the weather was fine. Being semi-retired, I had begun to dread the explosion of humanity, housing and businesses in Ankeny Iowa. So... I began to want for quieter places to go.  I also had a built- in excuse to explore and visit as many rural towns and points of interested, that I wanted too. And that excuse was my dog "Frankie" who is truly the epitome of "man's best friend." Together with my wife Vicki, Frankie and I have explored Iowa one park at a time throughout Central Iowa. On this particular day, I woke up thinking of Maxwell.  I had been there one time while doing business, and I was compelled to visit there again to explore the area. I arrived in town in the afternoon, on the prettiest spring day that Mother nature could create. I walked Frankie in "Scout Park" and felt a real calm come over me. The fields there were fresh and green, and I could smell the grass of the open fields across Rock Creek.  While driving around town, I spied an old cemetery in the distance, and I couldn't figure out the best way to get to it, and I wanted to see it.  As I drove around trying to figure it out. I drove to the end of the road going back into Scout Park again, and I observed a gentleman in an SUV, coming out of the park on the narrow road, towards me, so I waited for him to pass before I moved. As he came by me, and because it such an awesome day, we all had our windows down. He slowed down and started to chat with me. and I explained to him that we (my wife and I Vicki, who was flying Co-Pilot, she the navigator and umpire.)  were trying to access the old cemetery from the direction from he was coming. He then told me to follow him and he would take me there. Once we got to the location, I continued to chat with the gentleman by his car. He started to tell me all about Maxwell, and I asked him his name, and said it was Tom Logsdon, and he explained that he was a long time resident Maxwell and that he and his family had run a Mercantile store in Maxwell for over 64 years, but they had to go out of business. We continued to talk, and Tom told me more about Maxwell, and he directed me to two museum locations on Main street. He also told me about the story of when the Mayor of Maxwell was murdered in 1887. A story which I determined to be true. It can be found online at Iagenweb.org  (also see 1887 History of Story County, Iowa by W. G. Allen) But like so many early western

towns, Iowa was no different, the town was plotted with intention by the railroads, "hell on wheels" was coming to Iowa and nothing could stop it.

 "Hell on wheels" was coming to Iowa and nothing could stop it.

Photo from the Authors collection

It was the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Saint Paul railways made the decision to come to the junction of the Calamus and Indian Creek valleys.  People had given up on the Ox and cart of the old settlers days, and began moving to the railroad. J. W. Maxwell and F. M. Baldwin had purchased some land near the railroad. They gave the land upon which the first town of Maxwell was platted. The town created by the donor. This was because he was the first to person to move there. However, soon, larger buildings were moved there from Iowa Center and Peoria City to what is now the site of the new town of Maxwell. The first building was of course the railroad depot. Several new buildings were constructed, But the largest of which was occupied by the Mercantile firm of Maxwell and Baldwin and was occupied by Logsdon's Grocery Store until they closed in 2024.

1881-1882

Because of the excessive wet season and heavy snow of the winter of 1881–1882, there was  considerable flooding. Both creeks, surrounding the town were out of their banks and flooding into one body of water just south of the train depot. The ensuing flood marooned many of the construction gangs who made their headquarters that winter in Maxwell. They could not work on account of the interference of the flood water. And two saloons sprang up and did a flourishing business. Before the close of 1882, there were twelve or more business houses in town, and more under construction. By 1887, there was a total 40 businesses located in Maxwell.

Maxwell incorporated in 1883, and the first town election was held. The town hall was located behind the Maxwell Baldwin building. It had a cupola with a bell to ring in case of emergencies. The first church met at the lumber yard owned by J. O. French. Planks were arranged as seats. Later, the Methodist and Presbyterian churches were built.

Pioneer Monument at the Pioneer Cemetery in Maxwell Iowa

Photo by the Author

Pioneer Monument at the Pioneer Cemetery in Maxwell Iowa

Photo by the Author (Backside)

                                                    Pioneer Cemetery in Maxwell Iowa

Photo by the Author

 

Doc Hinck Keeps the Wild West Alive in the Heart of Kansas: By G C. Stevens

 

Doc Hinck "The Flint Hills Cowboy" 

Whether he's out hunting turkeys, tracking mountain lions, singing country music, hunting for lost treasure on the Santa Fe trail, or organizing wild west reenactnent events, Doc is keeping the American West alive and well. I met Doc a few years ago at the big shootout on the Santa Fe Trail in Council Grove Kansas. It was an awesome event in a real wild west town on the Sante Fe Trail. Doc is also a published writer, singer song writer and quite a legend in Kansas. Doc is an Author who wrote "Return to Council Grove" Doc's resume, works and experience includes;

 Producer at Trailin’ a Vision Outdoors with Doc and Steph

Host/Ramrod/Organizer at Gunfight on the Santa Fe Trail

Bank, train and stage coach robber at The Council Grove Regulators

Author at The Return to Council Grove

Roughstock Cowboy at Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association

Country Music Artist at Doc Hinck "The Flinthills Cowboy."

Former Historian/Actor at The History Channel television

Doc is also song writer and talented musician. 

 He wrote and sung the song "Council Grove Blues"

You can find Doc on Facebook 

Some photos from the Gunfight on the  Santa Fe Trail. 

All photos by the author

                                    

                  See you on the Dusty Trail! CSL&OH.S.

John Wayne Birthday Celebration May 23 and 24th Winterset Iowa

 

Hello Pards! Looks like the schedule is in for the 2025 John Wayne birthday celebration

 in Winterset Iowa. 

Click here for more details

The Outlaw Who Quoted Shakespeare, Frank James: By G.C. Stevens

 

                                             Frank James, Photo from the Authors Collection. 

                                                Frank James: Found peace in Tennessee. 

Alexander Franklin James, born January 10, 1843, in Clay County, Missouri, was the older brother of the infamous Jesse James. While Jesse’s name became synonymous with the romanticized outlaw of the American West, Frank’s story is different in that it is one of rebellion, crime, and his deliberate choices to leave that life behind, particularly during and after his time in Tennessee. An intelligent man with a love for Shakespeare's works, Frank’s journey from Confederate guerrilla to law-abiding citizen reveals a very complex figure weary of the life of crime that he once pursued.
Frank’s outlaw career began after the Civil War, where he fought as a Confederate guerrilla alongside William Quantrill and “Bloody Bill” Anderson. Jesse and Frank James lives shaped by Missouri’s pro-Southern sentiments, turned to crime in 1866, robbing trains, banks and stagecoaches as part of the James-Younger Gang. Their exploits, including the audacious robbery in 1866 in Liberty, Missouri, that bank robbery, earned them both notoriety and a Robin Hood-like reputation which was fueled by public resentment toward banks and railroads. Though, Frank, unlike the fame-hungry Jesse, was a more reserved person, preferring books and family over the spotlight.
The turning point came after the disastrous robbery in 1876 at Northfield, Minnesota, during the bank robbery there, which wiped out the James-Younger Gang. Most of the members were killed or captured, but Frank and Jesse escaped, fleeing to Tennessee to evade the massive manhunt. Adopting the alias Ben J. Woodson, Frank settled near Nashville with his wife, Annie Ralston, a former schoolteacher he married in 1874. Tennessee offered a fresh start, and Frank embraced it. He worked as a teamster, raised Poland China hogs, and joined a Methodist church, befriending local notables like the sheriff and a state legislator. These years, Frank later recalled, were among his happiest, as “my old life grew more detestable the further I got from it.”
In Tennessee, Frank experienced the peace of civilian life. His son, Robert Franklin James, was born in 1878, grounding him further. While Jesse, restless under the alias John Davis Howard, chafed and eventually lured Frank back for more robberies, Frank’s heart was obviously not in it. Then in 1881 during the Winston train robbery, two innocent men were killed. This turned public sympathy and intensified Missouri’s resolve to stop the crime wave. After Jesse’s murder by Robert Ford in 1882, Frank faced a crossroads. In an article from the Kansas City Journal, on April 06th, 1882, it was reported that Frank was probably not 500 miles from where Jesse was laid in his coffin, and the paper expressed some fear of vengeance from Frank, but nothing could be further from the truth. Exhausted by decades of being hunted, he eventually surrendered to Missouri Governor Thomas Crittenden, declaring, “I have been hunted for twenty-one years, have literally lived in the saddle, have never known a day of perfect peace.”

Frank’s decision to go straight was pragmatic and heartfelt. Remarkably, he faced trials in both Missouri and Alabama but was acquitted, partly due to lingering public fascination with the Jesse James legend and his alibi of being in Texas during the Winston robbery. For the next three decades, Frank lived quietly, working as a shoe salesman, theater usher, and telegraph operator. In 1903, he partnered with former gang member Cole Younger in the James-Younger Wild West Show, capitalizing on his past without returning to crime.

Returning to the family farm in Missouri after his mother’s death in 1911, Frank died peacefully on February 18, 1915, at age 72. His Tennessee years and choice to abandon outlawry highlight a man who, unlike his brother, valued survival and serenity over legend, proving that even an outlaw could rewrite his story.

Reference: Frank and Jesse James In Nashville by Terry Coats, Jesse James The Best Writings on the Notorious Outlaw and His Gang. By Herold Dellinger, https://ozarks-history.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-cole-younger-frank-james-wild-west.html?m=1

Good by Jesse James, by the Jesse James Bank Museum 1967

                                                                   

                                CSL&OH.A. On the move!

                                   Update by the Editor

The tracks are laid, the locomotive is buffing away on the tracks and the Conductor just shouted "ALL ABOARD! We are heading west, from Des Moines Iowa to Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska, to Scouts Rest in North Platte, onto Dodge City Kansas and out to Tombstone Arizona! The wild west is alive and well here at the Central States Lawman & Outlaws Historic Assn. I'm currently working on two new manuscripts. And I'll talk more about that as time goes on. I signed a contract with Arcadia books to write a book about the darker (but fun) side Iowa history. Iowa may be bucolic and folksy, but outlaws still roamed the hills of southwest Iowa, and Indian Massacres occurred just like the rest of the American west. We (My self and our VP Patrick Meguiar) are also working on a expose on an early Jesse James photo that came from the Nashville area. I will also be doing a book signing in Fort Dodge Iowa in June at the Pioneer days. I'll keep everyone posted on that.

See you on the dusty trail!