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Marker picture sent in
by Andy Cost andrew.cost@intertek.com
He writes 'I
went down Old Gertrudes road which is also known as Caldwell Road.
I found this marker in a field about ˝ mile down Caldwell Road
traveling West from FM 1191.'
Some
Other Information About the Cambern/Mason Indian Attacks
and the Cambern Cemetery is Below
Cambren
CemeteryJack
County Cemeteries by Paul Smith
Jack County, TX - History - Cambren-Mason Massacre
*************************************************************************************
Wise County Messenger Decatur, Wise County, Texas
The last week in May, 1858, in Lost Valley, Jack County, Indians
massacred the Mason and Cambron families. These families had settled
there several years previous to the incidents mentioned, some distance
from the settlements at that day, had built comfortable log cabins, had
opened small farms about one mile distant from and adjacent to each
other and were very respectable cattle raisers. Hearsay had it that
Cambron had $600 in gold in his house at the time of the massacre. They
settled on a creek bordering the northern part of the valley afterwards
called Cambron's creek. Corn was growing on the little farms receiving
Mason was comparitively a young man, his family consisting of himself
and his wife. Cambron's family consisted of himself, his wife, two boys
and two girls. The youngest girl was an infant girl two years old. The
other girl was about five years of age.
One Isaac Linn brought the news of the massacre to the settlements. He
had purposely gone to see his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs.
Mason; but on reaching Mason's house found him and his wife dead, the
house plundered and feathers from the bed ticks scattered in every
direction. He proceeded to Cambron's house and found the family all
killed except the two little girls, the house plundered and feathers
from the ticking scattered and clinging to trees in the yard in all
Upon receiving the news in the settlements a company of 60 men was
organized from the counties of Wise, Jack and Parker. One of the number,
viz., Calvin Gage, was elected captain. This took about two days before
convening at the scene of the massacre for the purpose of taking the
Indian trail. Meantime a runner was detailed to Ft. Belknap for soldier
assistance. They responded by sending a scout of 100 dragoons under
Lieutenant Fiffer. The men and soldiers met at the scene of the
massacres as soon as possible. They found the two small girls in the
house of the murdered Mr. Cambron, where they had been living on clabber
and sugar. The dead were buried without coffins as soon as possible.
Cambron and his two boys were put into one grave; Mason and his wife, in
one grave. Mrs. Cambron had been taken by the Indians about one half
mile north from the hosue across Cambron's creek upon a high mountain
where she refused to go further and was there killed and left. She was
scattered where found without a coffin and covered with blankets. The
older of the little Cambron girls directed where the body of her mother
The Indian trail was taken and followed from there by the men and
soldiers, and they pursued the trail northwest, crossing the Little
Wichita, Big Wichita, and Red River, and thence into the Wichita
mountains. After several days of fruitless reconoitering in the
mountains, the buffalo having gone and the trail having become dimmed,
the buffalo having gone and the trail having become dimmed, the
expedition terminated, there being no rations and it being several
hundred miles to any settlement.
[transcriber's note: The name of the family was Cambren and the creek
where they lived near by was Cambren creek. Some confuse this massacre
with the Lost Valley Massacre, but the Lost Valley Massacre occurred in
1875. Dorman Holub, Chairman, Young County Historical Commission]
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Birth:
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unknown
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Death:
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Jul. 12, 1874
Jack County
Texas, USA
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On May 2, 1874, the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers was
created to defend residents against Indian raids. On July 10,
Major John B. Jones joined with Captain G. W. Stevens of Company B
and moved with them to a camp in Young County. The rangers
received word that a band of Comanche had attacked the Loving
Ranch and killed cowboys on May 20 and July 10. On July 12, a
detachment of about 30 rangers followed an Indian trail for 15
miles into the Lost Valley between Belknap and Jacksboro in Jack
County. Unknown to the rangers, they had picked up the trail of a
band of 50 Kiowa led by Chief Lone Wolf and his medicine man
Maman-ti. Lone Wolf had been fighting off and on with U.S. troops
since 1856. His son and nephew were killed by troops from the 4th
Cavalry on December 10, 1873 in Edwards County.
Some Comanche's joined the Kiowa and the group grew to about 150
warriors. The Indians ambushed the rangers, wounding Privates Lee
Corn, George Moore and William A. "Billy" Glass. A
sniping battle ensued with Glass lying in the open between the two
sides. Glass called out, "Don't let them get me. Won't some
of you fellows help?" Several rangers ran out and brought
Glass back to the gully they were firing from. Glass died from his
wound. The wounded rangers were calling for water, but the nearest
stream was a mile away. Private Mel Porter decided to ride to the
stream and Private David W. H. Bailey volunteered to go with him.
The rangers could see Bailey seated on his horse covering Porter
while he got water. About 25 Kiowa moved in on them. Bailey called
to Porter to flee. The two rangers took off in different
directions. Porter barely escaped.
Bailey, however, was cut off, surrounded, and levered off his
horse with a lance. Lone Wolf himself chopped his head to pieces
with a brass hatchet-pipe, and then disemboweled him. Satisfied
with revenging his son and nephew's deaths, Lone Wolf ordered his
band to depart. At 3 a.m. the next day the rangers and army
troopers returned and recovered Bailey's horribly mutilated body.
After evading federal troops and conducting several more raids,
Lone Wolf surrendered to the U.S. Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on
February 26, 1875. He died soon after his release from prison in
1879.
There is very little personal information about these two rangers.
Both men enlisted in Company B in Wise County on May 16, 1874.
Glass had an earlier enlistment for four months in the Wise County
Rangers from November 26, 1873 until March 26, 1874. Both men were
buried in Cambren Cemetery in Jack County, but the Glass family
had him re-interred in the Glass Cemetery in Wise County.
See
headstone and Glass Cemetery in Wise County on page http://www.wisecountytexas.info/cemeteries/glass.htm
Thanks to Dorholub #47220553 for the following:
This grave is not located with the Cambren families - its about 50
feet from that location.
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
Texas, USA
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Birth:
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Jun. 27, 1857
Jack County
Texas, USA
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Death:
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Sep. 19, 1857
Jack County
Texas, USA
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Infant daughter of James Bascom and Margery (Bell) Cambern.
On 12 Jan 1858, Margery (Bell) Cambern wrote a letter to her
brother's family back in Tyler describing their surroundings as
very promising, that they had already harvested a crop of wheat,
and that "we have good land, good range, timber enough and
good water." She goes on to say that she had seen only three
white men since last August, and finally, to direct their letters
to her family to Weatherford.
Margery says "we had a daughter born the twenty-seventh of
last June [1857]. Her name is Flora Alice. She was a beautiful
child, but alas death, that cruel monster, laid hold on her and
tore her away from us. She died September the 19th. But, we do not
morn with those who have no hope, for we know we have a child in
Heaven." Though the letter had been written in January, there
had been no chance to mail it. (This letter was found in the
Cambern home by relatives, after most of her family had been
murdered by white men and Indians on 18 Apr 1858.)
Family links:
Parents:
James
Bascom Cambern (1823 - 1858)
Margery
Carolyn Bell Cambern (1828 - 1858)
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
Texas, USA
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Birth:
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unknown
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Death:
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Apr. 18, 1858
Jack County
Texas, USA
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Infant James Bascom Cambern, Jr. was a babe in his mother's arms
when the band of Indians and three white men killed Mr. Cambern
and the two oldest children, Luther, twelve years and William
eleven years in a field close to the house. After they killed
them, they raided the home then took Mrs. Cambern, the infant
James, nine year old Tom, seven year old Mary and three year old
Dewitt ‘Witt' out on a hill not too far from the house. The spot
could not be seen easily because of the many trees. The Indians
started to tie Tom on a mule and Mrs. Cambern began crying and
pleading. They then killed her and the infant James then finished
tying Tom on the mule. The group then rode off taking Tom with
them but leaving little Mary and Dewitt.
Margary (Bell) Cambern and her Infant son, James Bascom Cambern,
Jr. were buried together on this hill where they died and a
tombstone is erected in their memory.
Family links:
Parents:
James
Bascom Cambern (1823 - 1858)
Margery
Carolyn Bell Cambern (1828 - 1858)
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
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Birth:
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1823
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Death:
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Apr. 18, 1858
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JAMES BASCOM CAMBERN was the son of Ignatius and Sarah (Bell)
Camborn/Cambern. James attended Centre College of Danville,
Kentucky and was well educated. Around 1835/6, James left his home
in Lebanon, Kentucky, traveling down through Tennessee, spending
time with the Bell (his mother's) family and made plans to travel
with them on their emigration to Texas. [Thomas Mage Bell
(relative of – possibly a brother to Sarah, James' mother) left
Maryland for Tennessee where he married Mary McFalls around 1802.]
In December 1837, James Cambern, Thomas & Mary Bell and all
but two of their children (including Daniel and Mary (Bell) Kutch,
Jacob and Virginia (Bell) Mathews and his future wife Margery who
was only about nine at the time) started to Texas on the steamer
"Black Hawk". On December 27th the steamer exploded and
the families lost all of their possessions including the life of a
small daughter, possibly the daughter of Virginia (Bell) Mathews.
Margery Bell and James B. Cambern married in Shelby County, Texas
in 1844, then settled in Smith County, Texas. Children soon
followed, Luther born 1846, William born 1848, Tom born 1849 and
Mary born 1851. In 1855, James and his family moved to Jack County
settling near the Keechi community where Dewitt was born in 1855,
Flora was born 1857 and the baby James, Jr. was born 1858.
Margery's sister Mary (Bell) and her husband Daniel Kutch also
settled at Keechi. Their sister Virginia (Bell) and her husband
Jacob Mathews settled nearer to the Fort Worth (Benbrook) area.
1857 James and Margery Cambern filed on two surveys about 15 miles
Northwest of Jacksboro. On 12 Jan 1858, Margery wrote a letter to
her brother's family back in Tyler describing their surroundings
as very promising, that they had already harvested a crop of
wheat, and that "we have good land, good range, timber enough
and good water." She goes on to say that she had seen only
three white men since last August, and finally, to direct their
letters to her family to Weatherford. Though the letter had been
written in January, there had been no chance to mail it. (This
letter was found in their home by relatives, after most of her
family had been murdered by white men and Indians on 18 Apr 1858.)
On April 18, 1858, a band of Indians and several white men, later
identified as W. E. Willis, Isham Tipton, W. C. Jones and W. B.
Morrison, went to the home of James Cambern. James and his two
oldest boys, 12 year old Luther and William, about 11 years, had
been working in the field and were preparing to unhitch the team
before going home for dinner. Some Indians appeared in the field
but since Indians were still on the reservation, they supposed
they were friendly. Two, however, dismounted, jumped over the
fence and one killed James Cambern with an arrow that entered his
left side and exited his right side. The other Indian shot and
killed the oldest boy, Luther and then shot William, who was
nearer the fence and managed to get over the fence before he died.
While this was going on, the white men went to the house, took
Margery (Bell) Cambern and the younger Cambern children out into
the yard, guarding them while other robbed the house. There was a
red-headed white man who dictated the affair, and whom little Mary
Cambern watched closely. This red-headed murderer sent six or
seven Indians over to the home of Tom Mason, about a mile away, to
kill and rob them. The Mason family were eating dinner. Just what
commenced no one knows, as the oldest child, Alexander (Tobe) was
not quite three years old. Milton, the youngest, was ten months of
age. Mason and his wife were killed a short distance from the
house. The little boys were not harmed.
After the bunch at the Cambern home had robbed the house, they
took Margery and the four little children, Thomas, 9, Mary, 7,
Dewitt, 3 and the infant James, Jr. upon a high hill out of sight
of the home. The Indians from Mason's joined them on the mountain
where they prepared to tie Thomas on a mule. Mrs. Cambern began
pleading and the baby James began crying where upon the Indians
killed both Mrs. Cambern and the baby. They rode off leaving
little Mary and Dewitt by their dead mother and brother.
The next morning, April 19th, there was an emigrant train in the
area that was bound for California. After breakfast two young men
told the train that they were going to take a circle to the north
to hunt for deer and would meet them later. They got about a mile
away when they discovered the Indians coming with some loose
horses. They hastened back to the emigrant train, corralled the
wagons, got three more men, and started after the Indians, leaving
the other men to guard the women and children. They crowded the
Indians so closely that the one who now had Thomas shoved the boy
off his horse. The men rode after the Indians but could not over
take them so they turned back. The men picked Thomas up and took
him back to their wagon. Concerned about his condition, they sent
a courier to Ft. Belknap for help. A body of soldiers was
dispatched from the fort to lead the train into Ft. Belknap.
Little Mary and Dewitt Cambern, not knowing where they were,
stayed on the mountain beside their dead mother and brother until
almost sundown. Luckily, when Mary started leading her brother
down the mountain, their home came into sight. As she passed her
dead father, she stopped and took hold of the arrow that was in
his body, pulled it out and hid it under the fence. She took
Dewitt into the house, closed and barred the door. The children
remained there until about three o'clock the next day, April 20th.
"A History of Texas and Texans" by Frank W. Johnson
Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the
Cattlemen of Texas and Adjacent Territory by James Cox; and a
written document by one of the Grandchildren of Dewitt 'Witt'
Cambern.
Family links:
Spouse:
Margery
Carolyn Bell Cambern (1828 - 1858)
Children:
James
B. Cambern (____ - 1858)*
Luther
Cambern (1846 - 1858)*
William
Ignatius Cambern (1848 - 1858)*
Flora
Alice Cambern (1857 - 1857)*
*Calculated
relationship
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
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Birth:
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1846
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Death:
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Apr. 18, 1858
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On April 18, 1858, a band of Indians and several white men went to
the home of James Cambern. James and his two oldest boys, 12 year
old Luther and William, about 11 years, had been working in the
field and were preparing to unhitch the team before going home for
dinner. Some Indians appeared in the field but since Indians were
still on the reservation, they supposed they were friendly. Two,
however, dismounted, jumped over the fence and one killed James
Cambern with an arrow that entered his left side and exited his
right side. The other Indian shot and killed the oldest boy,
Luther and then shot William, who was nearer the fence and managed
to get over the fence before he died.
While this was going on, the white men went to the house, took
Margery (Bell) Cambern and the four younger Cambern children,
Thomas, 9, Mary, 7, Dewitt, 3 and the infant James, Jr. upon a
high hill where Margery and baby James were killed.
The Indians took Tom (who was soon released) and left little Mary
and Dewitt by their dead mother and brother.
James and his sons, Luther and William were buried where they
died.
Family links:
Parents:
James
Bascom Cambern (1823 - 1858)
Margery
Carolyn Bell Cambern (1828 - 1858)
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
Texas, USA
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Birth:
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1828
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Death:
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Apr. 18, 1858
Texas, USA
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Margery was the daughter of Mage Thomas and Mary (McFalls) Bell.
Siblings: 1. Sam and Louisa (Bell) Nelson; 2. Cyrus Bell; 3. Frank
and Matilda (Bell) Duncan; 4. Jacob and Mary Virginia (Bell)
Mathews; 5. Daniel and Mary (Bell) Kutch; 6. John and Nancy (?)
Bell; 7. Hannibal and Mary ‘Amandy' (Hart) Bell; 8. Columbus and
Amanda (Harris) Bell; and 9. Franklin Washington and Sarah (Bell)
Bell.
Margery was only about nine years old when she travelled to Texas
with her parents, older siblings and [future husband] James B.
Cambern on the Steamboat Black Hawk when it exploded on December
27, 1837. (James Cambern was related to the Bell's, his Mother's
maiden name being Bell.)
Margery Bell married James B. Cambern and they had seven children
together.
Five members of the Cambern family were killed by Indians (and
several white men) on April 18, 1858. James B. Cambern and sons
Luther and William were killed in a field. Their graves are marked
by the etched sandstone. Margery and infant son James, Jr. were
killed on top of a hill and their graves are marked by the
monument. Baby daughter Flora Alice died several months before the
Indian raid and her body was moved to the site of her father and
brothers grave. Children Tom, Mary and Dewitt "Witt"
survived, Tom dying in his early twenties.
(bio by: Eva
Whitehead)
Family links:
Spouse:
James
Bascom Cambern (1823 - 1858)*
Children:
James
B. Cambern (____ - 1858)*
Luther
Cambern (1846 - 1858)*
William
Ignatius Cambern (1848 - 1858)*
Flora
Alice Cambern (1857 - 1857)*
*Calculated
relationship
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
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Birth:
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1848
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Death:
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Apr. 18, 1858
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On April 18, 1858, a band of Indians and several white men went to
the home of James Cambern. James and his two oldest boys, 12 year
old Luther and William, about 11 years, had been working in the
field and were preparing to unhitch the team before going home for
dinner. Some Indians appeared in the field but since Indians were
still on the reservation, they supposed they were friendly. Two,
however, dismounted, jumped over the fence and one killed James
Cambern with an arrow that entered his left side and exited his
right side. The other Indian shot and killed the oldest boy,
Luther and then shot William, who was nearer the fence and managed
to get over the fence before he died.
While this was going on, the white men went to the house, took
Margery (Bell) Cambern and the four younger Cambern children,
Thomas, 9, Mary, 7, Dewitt, 3 and the infant James, Jr. upon a
high hill where Margery and baby James were killed.
The Indians took Tom (who was soon released) and left little Mary
and Dewitt by their dead mother and brother.
James and his sons, Luther and William were buried where they
died.
Family links:
Parents:
James
Bascom Cambern (1823 - 1858)
Margery
Carolyn Bell Cambern (1828 - 1858)
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Burial:
Cambern
Cemetery
Jack County
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Bailey,W.A.,
Pvt.
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May
20, 1874
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Cambren,
Margery Bell, Mrs.
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1828
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Apr
18, 1858
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Cambern,
James Bascom
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1823
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Apr
18, 1858
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Cambern,
Luther
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1846
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Apr
18, 1858
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Cambren,
William I.
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1848
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Apr
18, 1858
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Cambern,
Flora Alice
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June
27, 1857
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Sept
19, 1857
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Cambren,
James B., Jr.
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Apr
18, 1858
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Heath,
John H.
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May
20, 1874
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Wright,
James K.P.
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Oct
20, 1845
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May
20, 1874
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Gertrude Massacre
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April 18, 1858;
Jermyn, Texas: In April 1858, about a year after Jack County,
Texas, was organized, a band of Indians, joined by several white
bandits, raided a settlement in the northwest section of the
county, murdering several residents, The community, located a
few miles north of present-day Jermyn, on the north end of Lost
Valley, was then known as Gertrude. The creek flowing through
the valley is now called Cameron Creek -- also spelled Camberon,
Cambren, and Cambern -- after the Cambren family, the victims of
the most vicious of the attacks.
On the morning of
18 April, James B. Cambren and his two oldest boys, Luther and
James Jr., were working in the field. The boys' mother, Mary,
had just called her family in to dinner when they noticed
Indians approaching, but they thought little of it, as friendly
Indians lived nearby on the Lower Brazos Reservation. Without
warning, the Indians attacked, sending an arrow through the
senior James's torso, bringing down Luther with a bullet, and
shooting the younger James as he clambered over the fence. White
bandits grabbed Mrs. Cambren and the children and restrained
them while other raiders ransacked the cabin. One of the
leaders, a red-haired half-Indian, sent half a dozen raiders
over to the Tom Mason homestead, about a mile away, where the
Masons were eating dinner. The raiders killed Tom Mason and his
wife, Mary, leaving Tobe, age three, and Milton, age ten months,
alone.
The raiders stole
the Cambrens' money box and other items, then, kidnapping Mary
Cambren and her four youngest children, headed to a hill a few
miles away. When the raiders stopped to tie one boy, Thomas,
onto a mule, Mary and her youngest boy began crying and
screaming. At this disturbance, the bandits shot Mary several
times and ran a spear down the child's throat. The younger Mary
Cambren, age seven, and her five-year-old brother, Dewitt, were
left behind with their dead mother as the raiders rode off with
Thomas. Mary later reported that she and DeWitt stayed by their
dead mother until nearly sundown, at which point she led her
little brother back to the house.
As the raiders
were making their getaway with Thomas, they were spotted by some
mounted men who were riding with an emigrant train on the
Marcy-California Trail. When the men rode over to investigate,
the bandits pushed Thomas off the mule and raced away.
The next morning,
Isaac Lynn, father of Mary Mason, rode to the Mason homestead to
visit his daughter. He was horrified to find her and her husband
dead and their little son, Milton, crawling in his mother's
blood. Lynn then hurried to the neighboring Cambren house, where
he discovered a similar scene. "Is there anyone alive
here?" he called out, and Mary Cambren answered, "Me
and Dewitt are here."
Lynn took the two
Cambren children and his own two grandchildren back to his home
on Lynn Creek, then rode to Jacksboro with the news. A posse
formed up and sped out, but the men were much too late to do
anything but bury the bodies. Nevertheless, they got a
remarkably detailed description of the raiders from young Mary,
and based on this, the posse members thought they knew who the
culprits were.
While the Comanche
raiders were long gone to Indian Territory, it was believed that
the white bandits had headed south. The posse, which included W.
L. Lasater, William Kutch, John Taylor, Bryant Herrington, and
Oliver Loving, followed a trail through Palo Pinto County to
Comanche County. Locals reported seeing four white men riding
through, and the chase continued. The Texans caught up with
their targets in Lampasas County, and brought them back to
Jacksboro for trial. When Mary Cambren saw them, she exclaimed,
"There is the man who killed Ma and took Pa's money from
the trunk!"
Incredibly, in
Jacksboro, the defendants were released on some technicality,
but their luck did not last. As one account explained:
"Judge Lynch's court settled the affair near Austin,
Texas."
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The
story above is from this book. Click to purchase.
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