Elko County
NVGenWeb
William B. Weaver born in Henry County, Missouri in 1843 or 1844. The son of
John Elkins and Susan (Barnard) Weaver.
According to Delcena McAbee's
account, he was the son of John Elkins, but for some reason later took the
sir-name of his mother's previous spouse, John Biffle Weaver. (She had three
marriages in her lifetime--to John Biffle Weaver, to John Elkins, and to William
B. Elliott.)
Silver City records (from "Owyhee County Gleanings"):
Idaho Territory Census records - 28 June, 1870:
According to his obituary, "He left his native State in 1860 with a
herd of cattle for the Pacific Coast, arriving in California in the fall
of the same year. He removed to Silver City, Idaho, in 1864, where he
engaged in business... Four years ago [about 1876] he came to
Tuscarora... ... Mr. Weaver's mother, sister, and two little children
[Gay and Maude] are residing in Mendocino County, California..."
According to Delcena McAbee Rawles account (oral history from 1950, 70
years after the death of William Weaver), he was at one time the sheriff
of Boise, Idaho. (Inquiries to the Boise Idaho Public Library (ph. (208)
384-4466) and the Idaho State Historical Society (ph. (208) 334-3356)
showed no record of his election or appointment. Because the account was
given late in her life, Delcena Rawles was likely mistaken. Records
indicate that he never lived at Boise, Idaho, but did live in Silver
City, Idaho-- where he worked as a butcher, and Tuscarora, Nevada--where
he was a deputy sheriff.
Aided the escape of Joseph W. Rawles,
Jr., after he had slain Tim (or Sim) Oldham (or Olden) in a gunfight.
(Sometime between 1858 and 1870, most likely between 1864 and 1869)
Shot by William B. Hammond while on duty in Tuscarora, Nevada, on or
about August 2, 1880. (Hammond was also killed in the exchange of
gunfire.)
Transcribed newspaper articles on the William Weaver /
William Hammond shooting:
The (Nevada) Territorial Enterprise,
Aug. 5, 1880 (p. 1:1):
The Tuscarora Killing
The Affray
Between Hammond and Weaver [Tuscarora Times-Review August 2.]
One
of the saddest affairs that ever occurred in Tuscarora took place early
this morning at the Delta Saloon on Weed Street. W.B. Hammond, a
well-known miner, and W.B. Hammond, our night watchman, had a difficulty
growing out of a game of cards, in which the former had lost his life
then and there, and Weaver was perhaps mortally wounded. The affair has
a cast a gloom over the entire community, as both men were popular among
their friends, and highly respected by all who knew them. The affair is
all the more deplorable from the fact that there seems to have been no
ground whatever for any trouble. It was so sudden and unexpected that
the shooting was over and the fatal deeds done before those present were
able to realize that any trouble was about to occur. From those who were
present we obtain the following statements:
A Times-Review
reporter called on Mr. Howland, who said: " I dropped into the Delta
saloon early in the morning a short time before 4 o'clock, and found
W.A. Walker, Hugh Jones, and William Hammond engaged in a game of cards
at one of the tables. I found a set near by to watch the game. Pretty
soon Mr. Weaver came in and joined the game. He had been present but a
few minutes when a dispute arose between Walker and Hammond as to the
right of a the latter to bet on a hand after it had been called. Hammond
seized the stakes and pocketed them, defying Weaver to take them from
him. He talked loudly and Weaver endeavored to quiet him, saying he
would explain. Hammond became still more violent, and declared he could
not be arrested. Weaver told him he was an officer and it was his duty
to keep the peace, at the same time stating that he had no wish to
arrest him. Hammond leaped upon the billiard table, still talking in a
boisterous manner, drew from his pocket a bull-dog pistol, and, before
any one had an idea of trouble, began firing. Weaver responded after
Hammond's first shot, never once moving from his position, near the end
of the table. Both expended their shots, firing five times each. Hammond
then jumped to the floor, and endeavored to close with Weaver, who
struck him over the head with his empty pistol, knocking him down. He
continued striking him over the head until Hammond ceased to fight.
"Weaver then rose to his feet, remarking as he did so, 'This has
been a hard case, boys, but I have got the worst of it. I wish some of
you would go for a doctor.' I started out and found Dr. Drake, with whom
I went to Weaver's room, to where he had been removed. He was shot in
the side. I think the first shot fired by Hammond struck him."
W.A. Walker tells substantially the same story as the one detailed
above. He believed the game had been broken up by the behavior of
Hammond, and was collecting the chips scattered over the table, when the
shooting commenced. He [Walker] called to Weaver to drop under the table
and avoid the shots, aimed at him. 'When Hammond sprang off the table,
he did not seem to be hurt at all, and the impetus given by his jump
threw him against Weaver, who then struck him with his empty pistol. He
assisted Weaver home, and states that he spoke repeatedly of being shot
through the bowels. He groaned and seemed in great pain.
John T.
May, foreman at the Navajo, was sent for after the shooting, and
informed of the difficulty and death of Hammond. He went at once to
Hammond's house and assisted in undressing him. He states that he found
one pistol shot wound in the right breast just over the nipple. He could
not tell whether the shot caused his death or not, as his head was
terribly beaten up, almost to a jelly in fact. Hammond had worked in the
Belle Isle mine for the past two years and a half, and is described by
Mr. May as a quiet, steady man, seldom drinking, and never known before
to engage in quarrels. His wife who was visiting in the valley was sent
for, and arrived in town about 11 o'clock to-day. An examination of
Weaver's wounds showed that he was struck in the right side, about an
inch and a half above the hip, the ball ranging downward and penetrating
the bladder. Dr. Drake, who dressed the wound, thinks it very dangerous,
and that chances are very greatly against his recovery. His greatest
fear is that inflammation of the bowels will now set in, in which event
the case is hopeless.
He also received a shot in the right leg,
just back of the knee, the same ball passing downward and inflicting a
slight wound at the heel. Both of the latter are flesh wounds, and not
as serious. The ball from the wound at the side has not yet been
extracted. The tragedy is almost the sole topic on the streets of
to-day. Everybody is saddened by it. Weaver has been the most efficient
peace officer the town ever had. Fearless in the discharge of his duty,
he has often taken his life into his own hands in trying to prevent
difficulties. He has been careless of danger to himself, and heretofore
has seemed to bear a charmed life. He stated to his nephew this morning
after the shooting that he could easily have killed Hammond, before he
had fired a shot, but he did not believe the man would shoot. His
friends and the public generally are anxiously awaiting the result of
his injuries, hoping for his recovery, almost against every hope."
Daily Elko Independent, 3 Aug., 1880, p. 3:1:
A Tuscarora
Tragedy.
The startling intelligence was received here to day, by
telegraph from Tuscarora, that Deputy Sheriff W. B. Weaver had shot and
killed a man named William Hammond and was himself mortally wounded by
Hammond. The news by stage in the evening, confirmed the above, and
furnished the following further particulars:
Late last night,
Weaver, Hammond, and another man were playing poker in the delta Saloon
when a dispute arose between Hammond and the third man, about the
ownership of four bits, which Weaver attempted to quell. Hammond said to
Weaver, "You are an officer I believe," to which Weaver replied, "I am."
Hammond immediately sprang upon a billiard table and swearing that no
damned officer could arrest him, drew his pistol, discharging it at
Weaver, to which the latter replied with a shot from his weapon. The
firing continued until both six-shooters were emptied.
An
examination of Weaver's wounds by a physician has warranted the
statement that he cannot possibly recover. Twelve shorts were fired in
all, both men being struck in several places. Mr. Weaver was a very
competent officer and his hard fate excites the deepest regret."
Daily Elko Independent Aug. 6, 1880 (p. 2:2) (Obituary.)
(A
direct recapitulation of the Times-Review obituary.)
Pen and
Scissors column, The (Nevada) Territorial Enterprise. Aug. 6, 1880 (p.
2:3):
"W.B. Weaver, Deputy Sheriff of Elko County, who was shot
by W.B. Hammond at Tuscarora on Monday morning, died on Tuesday
afternoon."
Reprints from this newspaper are available from the
Nevada Historical Society.
Call: Karen Gash (702) 784-6538 or
Caroline Morel at (702) 789-0190
An obituary also ran in The
Owyhee Avalanche, Times Review, 14
Aug 1880, p3 cl. 2/5 col.:
"The Death of W.B. Weaver.--
The Tuscarora Times of Aug.3d
says: The death of Wm. B. Weaver, which occurred at a quarter past 2
o'clock yesterday, has caused the deepest regret throughout the entire
community. Although his recovery by his friends was regarded as
impossible from the first, he himself did not give up hope until almost
the last moment. As a mark of the esteem in which he was held, most of
the business houses in town were closed while his funeral procession was
passing through the streets. From those who have known him since his
boyhood, we learn the following:
William B. Weaver was born in
Henry county, Missouri in 1844, and at the time of his death 36 years
old. He left his native state in 1860 with a herd of cattle for the
Pacific coast, arriving in California in the fall of the same year. He
removed to Silver City, Idaho in 1864, where he engaged in business,
making for himself during the years of his residence there hosts of warm
friends, by strict attention to business and honorable dealing. No man
ever had warmer friends in Idaho than did Mr. William B. Weaver. Four
years ago he came to Tuscarora, where he resided continually up to the
time of his death.
His life here is familiar to all our citizens.
As a businessman and peace officer he was popular, and by the best class
of citizens held in the highest esteem, and deservedly so, for Tuscarora
had no better citizen. As an officer he had no superior, and to his
courage in the discharge of his duty the people are indebted, for the
good order which has always prevailed in town. Mr. Weaver's mother,
sister, and two little children are residing in Mendocino County,
California, to whom the sad news of his untimely death has already been
conveyed. He has another sister residing in Sonoma County. His funeral
was attended generally by the citizens, and as he was laid away, there
was but one feeling in the large assemblage, that of profound sorrow for
his hard fate."
Listed as Silver City (Idaho Territory) Merchant,
1864-1876, Tuscarora (Nevada) 1876-1880."
Pen and Scissors"
column, Territorial Enterprise, Aug 8, 1880, p. 2.:
"The
[Tuscarora] Times-Review says that the funeral of the late W.B. Weaver
was the largest and most imposing ever seen in Tuscarora, fully a
thousand people joining in the procession."
His two daughters
were adoptively raised by his half-sister Susan Weaver for several
years, until his wife re-married a man name Extram, who lived in
Alameda, California.
Excerpt from the oral history of Delcena
McAbee Rawles:
She [my mother, Susan M. Weaver McAbee] reared two
girls of Uncle Will Weaver's, who was sheriff at Boise, Idaho and who
had been killed there by a drunken man while uncle was acting in the
process of his duty.
Robert [Rawles]'s brother Joe was in Boise,
Idaho, while Uncle was sheriff there. Joe was a young boy full of
mischief and fun, but a wonderfully quick shot with a pistol.
There was a man in Boise by the name of Tim Olden who had taken a
dislike to Joe and was "gunning" for him. Being a peace officer Uncle
Will didn't want any trouble to start, especially for young Joe who was
from his sister's (my mother's) home village in California. When Joe,
being tipped off by Uncle Will, accidentally ran into Tim Olden, instead
of Joe getting off from his horse on the proper side of his horse when
he saw Tim, jumped off on the opposite side. Both men shot almost at the
same time. The older man was killed instantly. When Uncle Will got there
he took Joe's gun and put a fresh cartridge in it so as to make it
appear that the other man had killed himself. The other man had shot
first, but had missed because of Joe's leaping from the horse from the
wrong side of the mount.
Contributed by James Wesley Rawles, rawles@usa.net
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