Lon Oden
Encyclopedia
Lon Oden was a Texas Ranger
of the Old West, and is a legend inside the Texas Rangers organization.
, in McMullen County. At the time, Tilden was called Dogtown, Texas, and previously it had been called Rio Frio, because it is located on the Frio River
. It was later changed to the name Colfax, but eventually settled on the name of Tilden, after Samuel Tilden, a Presidential candidate. Lon Oden was born into a family with an exciting past.
His father, Aaron Van Buren Oden, of Swedish descent, had served several times as a Texas Ranger before fathering Lon Oden. Four months after Lon Oden's birth, Aaron Oden, accompanied by rancher George Hindes, encountered Julian Gonzales, a noted horse thief from Starr County, Texas
. They came into contact with him between the towns of Presidio, Texas
and Los Ojuelos, Texas
, on the Rio Grande River. In the ensuing gunfight that followed, Aaron Oden killed Gonzales, but was himself shot and killed by Gonzales. Hindes, lacking proper tools, buried Aaron Oden where he died, then had the task of informing Aaron's 19 year old wife, Mary Jane Walker Oden, of her husbands death. Mary Jane Oden was now left to raise their son with no father.
Lon Oden's grandfather, Mary Jane Oden's father, Joe Walker, had initially raised his family in Shelby County, Texas
, but was forced to leave after he killed two men during the Regulator-Moderator War
. They eventually settled in Atascosa County, Texas, where they became some of its earliest settlers. It was there that Mary Jane Walker married Aaron Van Oden. Mary Jane Oden, however, did not last long after her husbands death. She died on August 31, 1864, only a year after her husband. Her father Joe recorded in his journal that she died of a broken heart, out of grief.
This left Lon Oden to be raised by his grandparents, and both the Walker family and the Oden family shared in this task. His grandmother Oden taught him in the classics of her native Sweden. She also educated him in poetry
and the arts. From the Walker side, he learned the arts of shooting, and the skills necessary to survive in a harsh land. His grandfather, Joe Walker, had a total of nineteen children, but due to the circumstances surrounding Lon Oden's becoming an orphan
at the age of 1 year, Joe Walker took special interest in the child and his upbringing. When Lon was only 2 years old, Joseph Walker gave him 150 head of cattle, registering them with the "ODN" brand.
Lon Oden's uncles, Tom and James, were but teenagers when their sister died. Coming from the Walker family, which was noted for being rugged and tough, they were outdoorsmen, cowboy
s, and from the enormous amount of time he spent with them, Lon Oden learned the trade of cattle, and how to work them and wrangle them. During this time, he often saw his family battle against raiding Comanche
, who would raid the ranch for horse or cattle. On Christmas Eve
, 1868, his cousin William "Buck" Taylor was gunned down and killed, in a shooting which many attribute to have been the start of the Sutton-Taylor feud The Walker family was tied to the Taylor's due to James Walker having married Sophronia Taylor, the widow
of Martin Taylor. Lon Oden's uncle Tom Walker became a somewhat well known gunman, who had several brushes with the law due to shootings he was involved in. He eventually drifted to Seven Rivers, New Mexico, and took part in the Lincoln County War
as a member of the Seven Rivers Warriors
gang. He was killed in a gunfight on November 23, 1879. This was the life and family in which Lon Oden was raised.
, but then was sent west to serve with Ranger John R. Hughes
. Oden and Hughes were dispatched to Shafter, Texas
, due to the Carrasco brothers gang, led by Antonio Carrasco, committing armed robberies in order to steal silver being shipped from the silver mines. Assisted by Ranger and undercover agent Ernest St. Leon
, the Rangers set up surveillance on a mine where the thieves were expected to strike, based on inside information gained by St. Leon. When the outlaw
s opened fire after ignoring the command to surrender, the Rangers killed all three men.
Oden then was sent to El Paso, Texas
, where he worked for some time, and where he became acquainted with, and friends with Ranger Bass Outlaw. In 1893, when Ranger Captain Frank Jones was ambushed and killed, John Hughes took over as Ranger Captain for that area. Because Jones and his small band of Rangers were mistakenly inside Mexico
when the ambush had taken place, there was to be no prosecution of those responsible. However, still working undercover, Ernest St. Leon supplied a list of names of those known to have taken part in the killing to Captain Jones. Accompanied by a company of Rangers, including Oden and led by Hughes, the Rangers tracked down and killed all 18 men on the list, either by shooting them or by hanging
them.
Oden had by this time settled in Ysleta, Texas
. During this time he took part in several Ranger raids, and over time he and his fellow Rangers working that area drastically reduced the number of robberies and cattle rustling in that region. On April 5, 1894, Bass Outlaw was shot and killed by John Selman
in El Paso. Outlaw was not innocent in his own death, a fact which made it all the more difficult to accept for Oden. Outlaw, intoxicated and furious at what he deemed mistreatment by a local judge, had shot and killed Ranger Joe McKidrict inside a brothel
. When confronted by Selman, a constable
at the time, Outlaw and Selman became involved in a gunfight, leaving Selman wounded, and Outlaw dead. Two years later, on April 5, 1896, lawman and friend to Outlaw, George Scarborough
, would shoot and kill Selman in a gunfight over Selman having killed Outlaw.
Lon Oden continued working as a Ranger, and by this time he had developed a considerable reputation due to the numerous and mostly unknown outlaws and cattle rustlers he had either killed in shootouts, arrested, or hanged. He had become involved with widow Annie Laura Hay around 1894. On January 17, 1897, the couple married, and he left the Rangers shortly thereafter to become a rancher and businessman. He started a successful ranch in Marfa, Texas
. He died there of an unknown lung ailment on August 11, 1910. In 1936, his daughter Annie Laura Oden Jenson published his diary
of his exploits as a Ranger.
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
of the Old West, and is a legend inside the Texas Rangers organization.
Early life
He was born Alonzo Van Oden and called "Lon", in Tilden, TexasTilden, Texas
Tilden is an unincorporated community in and the county seat of McMullen County, Texas, United States.Tilden lies at the intersection of State Highways 16 and 72 in the north central part of the county. It is located roughly an hour south of San Antonio....
, in McMullen County. At the time, Tilden was called Dogtown, Texas, and previously it had been called Rio Frio, because it is located on the Frio River
Frio River
The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word frio is Spanish for cold, a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river.-Geography:The Frio River has three primary feeds; the East, West, and Dry Frio rivers...
. It was later changed to the name Colfax, but eventually settled on the name of Tilden, after Samuel Tilden, a Presidential candidate. Lon Oden was born into a family with an exciting past.
His father, Aaron Van Buren Oden, of Swedish descent, had served several times as a Texas Ranger before fathering Lon Oden. Four months after Lon Oden's birth, Aaron Oden, accompanied by rancher George Hindes, encountered Julian Gonzales, a noted horse thief from Starr County, Texas
Starr County, Texas
Starr County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 60,968. Its county seat is Rio Grande City. The county is named for James Harper Starr, who served as Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas. It is part of the Rio Grande City-Roma, TX,...
. They came into contact with him between the towns of Presidio, Texas
Presidio, Texas
Presidio is a city in Presidio County, Texas, United States. It stands on the Rio Grande , on the opposite side of the U.S.-Mexico border from Ojinaga, Chihuahua. The population was 4,167 at the 2000 census....
and Los Ojuelos, Texas
Los Ojuelos, Texas
Los Ojuelos is a ghost town near Mirando City in the southeastern part of Webb County, Texas, United States. Before its establishment, Indians camped near the only dependable water source in the semiarid area. The local springs attracted Eugenio Gutiérrez in 1810 and attempted to settle in the...
, on the Rio Grande River. In the ensuing gunfight that followed, Aaron Oden killed Gonzales, but was himself shot and killed by Gonzales. Hindes, lacking proper tools, buried Aaron Oden where he died, then had the task of informing Aaron's 19 year old wife, Mary Jane Walker Oden, of her husbands death. Mary Jane Oden was now left to raise their son with no father.
Lon Oden's grandfather, Mary Jane Oden's father, Joe Walker, had initially raised his family in Shelby County, Texas
Shelby County, Texas
*Arcadia*Brooklyn*Center*Dreka *Huxley*Joaquin*Possum Trot*Shelbyville *Tenaha*Timpson*Weaver-Education:The following school districts serve Shelby County:*Center ISD*Excelsior ISD...
, but was forced to leave after he killed two men during the Regulator-Moderator War
Regulator-Moderator War
The Regulator–Moderator War was a nineteenth century feud in East Texas during the Republic of Texas years. It was called the Regulator-Moderator war, for the two sides: the Regulators wanted to "regulate" the activities of rivals and the Moderators wanted to "moderate" being...
. They eventually settled in Atascosa County, Texas, where they became some of its earliest settlers. It was there that Mary Jane Walker married Aaron Van Oden. Mary Jane Oden, however, did not last long after her husbands death. She died on August 31, 1864, only a year after her husband. Her father Joe recorded in his journal that she died of a broken heart, out of grief.
This left Lon Oden to be raised by his grandparents, and both the Walker family and the Oden family shared in this task. His grandmother Oden taught him in the classics of her native Sweden. She also educated him in poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and the arts. From the Walker side, he learned the arts of shooting, and the skills necessary to survive in a harsh land. His grandfather, Joe Walker, had a total of nineteen children, but due to the circumstances surrounding Lon Oden's becoming an orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
at the age of 1 year, Joe Walker took special interest in the child and his upbringing. When Lon was only 2 years old, Joseph Walker gave him 150 head of cattle, registering them with the "ODN" brand.
Lon Oden's uncles, Tom and James, were but teenagers when their sister died. Coming from the Walker family, which was noted for being rugged and tough, they were outdoorsmen, cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s, and from the enormous amount of time he spent with them, Lon Oden learned the trade of cattle, and how to work them and wrangle them. During this time, he often saw his family battle against raiding Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
, who would raid the ranch for horse or cattle. On Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
, 1868, his cousin William "Buck" Taylor was gunned down and killed, in a shooting which many attribute to have been the start of the Sutton-Taylor feud The Walker family was tied to the Taylor's due to James Walker having married Sophronia Taylor, the widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
of Martin Taylor. Lon Oden's uncle Tom Walker became a somewhat well known gunman, who had several brushes with the law due to shootings he was involved in. He eventually drifted to Seven Rivers, New Mexico, and took part in the Lincoln County War
Lincoln County War
The Lincoln County War was a 19th-century range war between two factions during the Old West period. Numerous notable figures of the American West were involved, including Billy the Kid, aka William Henry McCarty; sheriffs William Brady and Pat Garrett; cattle rancher John Chisum, lawyer and...
as a member of the Seven Rivers Warriors
Seven Rivers Warriors
The Seven Rivers Warriors were an outlaw gang of the Old West known primarily due to their part in the Lincoln County War.-Formation:The gang was initially formed during the mid-1870s by disgruntled small ranchers, feeling themselves victimized by the large cattle holdings of ranchers such as John...
gang. He was killed in a gunfight on November 23, 1879. This was the life and family in which Lon Oden was raised.
Texas Ranger career
Lon Oden married for the first time in 1889, but the marriage ended shortly thereafter in divorce, and on March 1, 1891, he joined the Texas Rangers. For a time he worked the region surrounding San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, but then was sent west to serve with Ranger John R. Hughes
John Hughes (lawman)
John Reynolds Hughes was a Texas Ranger and cowboy of the Old West, and later an author.-Early life:Hughes was born John Reynolds Hughes, in Cambridge, Illinois, son to Thomas Hughes and Jennie Bond Hughes. In 1865 the family moved to Dixon, Illinois, then later to Mound City, Kansas. Hughes left...
. Oden and Hughes were dispatched to Shafter, Texas
Shafter, Texas
Shafter is an unincorporated community in Presidio County, Texas, United States. The Texas Attorney General's Office gives a population of 11 as of the 2000 Census. It was named in honor of General William Shafter, who at one point commanded the nearby Fort Davis. In the early 1900s six silver...
, due to the Carrasco brothers gang, led by Antonio Carrasco, committing armed robberies in order to steal silver being shipped from the silver mines. Assisted by Ranger and undercover agent Ernest St. Leon
Ernest St. Leon
Ernest "Diamond Dick" St. Leon was a French-American law enforcement officer and a member of the Texas Rangers, known prominently during the 1880s as one of its finest undercover officers. He received the nickname "Diamond Dick" from his fellow officers due to his habit of wearing diamonds on his...
, the Rangers set up surveillance on a mine where the thieves were expected to strike, based on inside information gained by St. Leon. When the outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s opened fire after ignoring the command to surrender, the Rangers killed all three men.
Oden then was sent to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, where he worked for some time, and where he became acquainted with, and friends with Ranger Bass Outlaw. In 1893, when Ranger Captain Frank Jones was ambushed and killed, John Hughes took over as Ranger Captain for that area. Because Jones and his small band of Rangers were mistakenly inside Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
when the ambush had taken place, there was to be no prosecution of those responsible. However, still working undercover, Ernest St. Leon supplied a list of names of those known to have taken part in the killing to Captain Jones. Accompanied by a company of Rangers, including Oden and led by Hughes, the Rangers tracked down and killed all 18 men on the list, either by shooting them or by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
them.
Oden had by this time settled in Ysleta, Texas
Ysleta, Texas
Ysleta is a community in El Paso, Texas. Ysleta was settled between October 9 and October 12, 1680, when Spanish conquistadors, Franciscan clerics and Tigua Indians took refuge along the southern bank of the Rio Grande. This is the oldest European settlement in the area that is the present-day U.S....
. During this time he took part in several Ranger raids, and over time he and his fellow Rangers working that area drastically reduced the number of robberies and cattle rustling in that region. On April 5, 1894, Bass Outlaw was shot and killed by John Selman
John Selman
John Selman was an outlaw and sometimes lawman of the Old West. He is best known as the man who shot outlaw John Wesley Hardin in the Acme Saloon in El Paso, Texas on August 19, 1895.-Early life, service with the Confederacy:...
in El Paso. Outlaw was not innocent in his own death, a fact which made it all the more difficult to accept for Oden. Outlaw, intoxicated and furious at what he deemed mistreatment by a local judge, had shot and killed Ranger Joe McKidrict inside a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. When confronted by Selman, a constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
at the time, Outlaw and Selman became involved in a gunfight, leaving Selman wounded, and Outlaw dead. Two years later, on April 5, 1896, lawman and friend to Outlaw, George Scarborough
George Scarborough
George Scarborough was a cowboy, lawman, and possible outlaw who lived during the time of the Wild West...
, would shoot and kill Selman in a gunfight over Selman having killed Outlaw.
Lon Oden continued working as a Ranger, and by this time he had developed a considerable reputation due to the numerous and mostly unknown outlaws and cattle rustlers he had either killed in shootouts, arrested, or hanged. He had become involved with widow Annie Laura Hay around 1894. On January 17, 1897, the couple married, and he left the Rangers shortly thereafter to become a rancher and businessman. He started a successful ranch in Marfa, Texas
Marfa, Texas
Marfa is a town in the high desert of far West Texas in the Southwestern United States. Located between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park, it is also the county seat of Presidio County. The population was 1,981 at the 2010 census....
. He died there of an unknown lung ailment on August 11, 1910. In 1936, his daughter Annie Laura Oden Jenson published his diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
of his exploits as a Ranger.