Feuding Texas Style

   Feuding Texas Style

Suzanne Marsh

December 30, 2022

Cuero, Texas

“Where are we going Pop?”

“Cuero, then we are going to visit Clinton.”

“Why, Pop? I would rather play football.”

“Sorry, Jimmy, but this is more important. We are going to visit family. The Taylor’s

have lived in Cuero for over one hundred years. Your grandpa Jim is looking forward.

to telling you the story of the Taylor/ Sutton Feud.”

“Pop, are you telling me, that we are part of some crazy feud?”

“Jimmy, it was not a crazy feud back in them days.”

Jimmy Taylor sat next to his dad in the front seat of their SUV. He wanted to be anywhere else but Grandpa Jim’s. That old man could talk the ear off of a mule, a spit tobacco right between Jimmy’s toes. Jimmy tried one last time to dissuade his daddy from going to Cuero:

“Pop, grandpa is disgusting especially when he spits tobacco between my toes. Can’t we go

some other time?”

His, daddy, smiled at him:

“No, this feuding story has been handed down from son to son since ole Creed was around.”

Jimmy, settle himself in as the miles between Dallas and Cuero drew closer. Shortly before noon the SUV rolled into the James (Jim Taylor) Ranch. The boy and his dad entered the house. There sat Jim’s father Jim, there had always been a James in the Taylor family, hence Jimmy, the son.

“Come on in.” The elder Jim Taylor smiled in greeting.” Jimmy, wanted to leave but he had promised his dad he would listen to the story as every one of the Jim’s had for over one hundred years.

Grandpa Jim motioned for Jimmy to have a seat on the floor; just as all the others had.

“Now before I begin this story, Jimmy do you know what a feud is?” Jimmy thought for a moment: “Yes, sir, it is a bitter battle between two families.” The old man smiled:

“Yep, that is right, and this here bitter feud began started om 1868 continued t 1876. There ain’t

ever been any feud here in Texas worse than the feud between the Taylors and the Suttons.

Like most feuds in Texas it began with cattle disputes, then became revenge killings. The

Taylor family was headed by Pitkin Taylor, his brother being Creed Taylor, a Texas Ranger.

Creed and a local lawman William (Billy) Sutton who moved here to DeWitt County when his

mama married a man by the name of William McDonald. Sutton was elected deputy sheriff

in Clinton, Texas, prior to the beginning of the feud.”

“Grandpa, where is Clinton, Texas?”

“Today boy, it is a ghost town, back then it was a real town.” The boy’s face lit up:

“So what happened next Grandpa?”

April 23, 1866, “Buck” Taylor shot a black reconstruction soldier, Sergeant John O’Brian,

he was there for a square dance, I think. That very same month Hays Taylor killed a black

soldier a sergeant Josiah Ripley, in Indianola.”

Puzzled, Jimmy asked: “Grandpa where was Indianola?” His grandpa once again smiled at the boy:

“Indianola, is another ghost town now boy. It was destroyed by a hurricane in 1886.”

“Grandpa, why are there so many ghost towns?”

“Boy, I ain’t got no answer for that one.”

“Christmas Eve, 1868, Deputy Sheriff Billy Sutton killed Buck Taylor and his friend Richard

Chisholm, in the Clinton saloon, after an argument in regards to the legality of the sale

of some horses. Thus began the feud between the Taylors and the Suttons. In June of 1869,

Captain Jack Helm and Captain C>S> Bell tried to arrest a few of the Taylor boys. This led

to the killing of Goliad County Sheriff Andy Jackson Jacobs. He was killed by the Peaces

brothers, who was Taylor friends. On August 23, 1869, Sutton and his group shot John Hays to

death are he caused a ruckus in town. Things were never peaceful during the feud. The

summer of 1872 Sutton’s men shot and killed Pitkin Taylor outside his house. That was when

James Creed “Jim” Taylor took his place as head of this here family. He made a vow that day

to revenge the death of Pitkin. Boy, you ever hear about a gunslinger name John Wesley

Hardin?” The boy nodded his head in the affirmative.

“Well boy in early 1872, John Wesley Hardin was on the run, his cousin Mannen Clements both

these boys were horse rustling. They was working with the Taylors. July 18, 1873, there was a

real honest to goodness gunfight right here in Cuero. Hardin killed Deputy Sheriff J.B.

Morgan and Sheriff Helm.”

“Oh wow grandpa. What happened next?”

“I getting to that boy. Hardin, Helm and Sam McCracken was talkin in front of the blacksmith’s

shop. Helm was unarmed, he left his revolvers back in his room. Helm was something of

an inventor. Jim Taylor dun snuck up on Helm, tried to shoot him, but like most revolvers at

the time it misfired. Helm turned to Jim, Jim managed to get a shot off, hitting Helm in the

chest. Helm and Jim grappled but then ole John Wesley Hardin stepped in, and shattered

Helm’s arm with a shot gun blast. Helm tried to give out of there but Jim chased Helm down

like a hawk swoopin down on its prey. Jim pumped five bullets into Helm. Hardin and Jim

mounted their horses riding away, free as the wind.”

Jimmy looked his grandpa square in the eye as he asked:

“Grandpa this revenge thing sounds more like tit for tat.”

“That was about what it comes down to boy.”

“What happened next grandpa?”

“The only logical thing that could happen Jimmy; the feud continued. The feud hit the peak

when Jim Taylor and his cousin Billy and several others were ambushed and gunned down

Billy Sutton and his pal Gab Slaughter, while they was waiting on a steamboat platform in

Indianola. Billy Sutton had at that time had enough of the feud, he was gonna leave the are for

good. He was tired of the blood shed. Once again, John Wesley Hardin was involved with the

Taylor’s murders. The Sutton’ caught and lynched three of the Taylor friends in June, 1874, in

Clinton, Texas. John Wesley was a bad one. June of 1874 in Hamilton a group of Taylor

cowboys were taking a herd up the trail for ole John Wesley. They were charged with cattle

rustling and brought back to Clinton. They were taken to the court house and hung. Once

Jim Taylor was dead the feud came to a proper end. Well, boy, that is the story of the

Taylor/Sutton Feud. That was feudin Texas style.”

Jimmy, smiled up at his grandpa with the adoration of a child:

“That was sure a great story grandpa, I am real glad we came today.”