 The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, October 6, 1889 pg. 3 THE POWER OF LOVE The Scene Located at Mormon Grove, Grayson County A Strange Story Narrated by a Citizen of McKinney The following was furnished the Dallas (Monday) News, by a citizen of McKinney, in a neighboring county: The writer noticed in the news of several weeks ago a story with a romantic tinge, written by Mr. Wheliss, in which he spoke of "Mormon Grove," in Grayson county, Texas, how it got it name, and of a romantic occurrence which transpired there some years ago. Having had the pleasure of spending a night in that historic place, and meeting and being acquainted with several of the early pioneers of the community in which Mormon Grove is located, and having heard many queer stories connected with the place, I will relate one that, while there are evidences at the present time to confirm part of it, sounds somewhat out of the usual order of things. Yet it is told by the old-timers of that vicinity, and in such a manner as to impress the listener that at least the teller of the story believes it to be true in the most minute detail In the midst, near the center of a clump of trees and standing at a considerable distance from any tree or any vegetation of any description, stands a massive tree of the forest oak variety, on which no leaf or bud has been seen for twenty-two years, so the legend goes, and the bottom - the portion next to the ground - of which seems to be petrified, and connected with this tree there is a story, which for romance and for a display of woman's deep love and devotion, seems without a parallel, and which shows the seeming heartlessness sometimes displayed by the "vigilance committees" that existed in the early days of Texas, as well as neighboring states. The tree referred to stands in the southwestern portion of Mormon Grove. To get at the beginning of the affair it will be necessary to go back a short time previous to the eventful days at Mormon Grove. About twenty-three years ago, and sometime after the Mormons had made an invasion into Texas, a good deal of depredation had been done by Indians in North Texas and Southwestern Arkansas. It was suspected that Fred Brownlee, a young man considered pretty tough, and who was raised near Ultima Thules, Howard county, Ark., was at the head of a band of roving Apaches, who were going about plundering. This suspicion became so strong that a called meeting of the "regulators" was held and it was at once decided, so it is said, to make short work of young Brownlee at the first opportunity. At any rate one sunny morning in May, in 1866, the house of Robert F. Brownlee, a respectable settler and farmer and father of the young man spoken of, was surrounded by a crowd of men to the number of about twenty-five, who demanded the unconditional surrender of the son, Fred Brownlee. The old man, appearing at the door, informed them that Fred would join them shortly, as he had just awakened from a night's slumber and was then dressing. After waiting for some five or ten minutes the "committee" grew impatient and proceeded to enter the house, whereupon it was discovered that young Brownlee had in some manner escaped. A hurried examination of the premises showed that he had gone via the stable and had possessed himself of a horse. It did not take them long to strike the trail, however, and then began the race for life. Fred Brownlee realized that his life was at stake and rode as he had never ridden before. A few miles from the Brownlee farm, and perhaps adjoining it, was another farm house in which the Wilson family resided, and the most interesting member of which was a fair-haired, blue-eyed maiden of nineteen summers. And it seems that she was not different from many others of her sex, inasmuch as she had met her fate - had fallen in love with a man, and that man was no other than Fred Brownlee, the man who was not being pursued by a band of determined men for his life. Upon hearing of the danger that her lover had been subjected to she at once resolved to follow the pursuing band and render him any aid within her power, and even more to give up her life in his behalf if necessary, and despite the objections of parents she saddled a horse and procuring firearms started after the pursued and the pursuers. From Ultima Thules young Brownlee took a southwesterly course and reached the Indian Territory, when he was captured near where Armstrong academy now stands. He was given a few minutes to confess and make arrangements to cross the dark river. He stood firm to the last, denying that he was in any way implicated as charged and declaring his innocence. All of his declarations and pleadings were in vain, however, and he was soon ornamenting a tree in the vicinity, dangling at the end of a rope. After hanging him the regulators rode away, apparently satisfied that they had done their duty. They had no more than got out of sight when Sara Wilson (for this was the young lady's name who had ridden all this distance in the hope of rendering her lover some aid), appeared, and in a few minutes had Brownlee down - before life was extinct - and after working with him for a short while, succeeded in fully restoring him. After his miraculous escape from death, Brownlee, together with his fair rescuer, started for the Texas border, both riding the same horse, the one which had been ridden from Arkansas by Miss Wilson. Taking the old stage road at a point south of where he came so near meeting his death, they pursued it until they came within a short distance of where Colbert Station now is, where they stopped for rest, and which stop proved fatal for both of them, for several of the vigilance committee had also concluded to come over into Texas and espied them. Another chase here begun, and for the second time Brownlee was being pursued, and this time not alone. They finally crossed over into Texas, crossing the Red River at the north of Sherman, and passing that city to its west, arrived at Mormon Grove, and being hotly pursued, determined to stay in the friendly brush covering that portion of the country, where they hoped to conceal themselves until nightfall, having reached there during the forenoon. The regulators came upon them about noon, capturing them. Brownlee asked that his life be spared, again declaring that he was an innocent man; and promising to never again enter Arkansas, and Sarah Wilson, the girl who had dared so much for the sake of the love she bore for this man, pleaded with them to spare him, but all to no avail, and he was again hanged, and on the tall oak tree spoken of in the be ginning of this narrative, and this time his body was shot full of lead, thus making sure of the work. For Sarah Wilson there was nothing left to do. Her mission in life was seemingly filled. She had loved like other women perhaps, but had had her love put to a test seldom experienced by a human being and, now that the object of that love had been cruelly torn from her just at the moment when she had dared to hope that she would receive a reward for the devotion she had shown, was more than she could bear and, giving a piteous moan, she sank to the ground, never to rise again. The next day her body, and also that of Fred Brownlee, was found, and side by side they were buried under the tree on which Brownlee had been hanged. The tree died with the summer, and is now know as the "haunted tree." It is also said that not a bird or living thing has ever been known to alight in its branches since, and for a space of several feet around it the earth has refused to yield vegetation of any kind. I have often heard vague reports concerning this particular occurrence at Mormon Grove, but recently met a young man of that vicinity, who made me acquainted with the facts, and they may be depended upon as authentic. Ernest J. Parker Mormon Grove History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |